Author: Seoul Reporter

Kim Keon-hee, South Korea’s former first lady, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for accepting luxury bribes during her husband’s presidency, marking a dramatic fall from grace for one of the country’s most controversial political figures. Conviction Details and Court Ruling The Seoul central district court found Kim guilty of accepting expensive gifts, including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag from the Unification Church, in exchange for political favors. Judge Woo In-seong emphasized that Kim had ‘misused her status as a means of pursuing profit’ and demonstrated an inability to refuse expensive luxury items. While prosecutors…

Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League summit has weakened considerably, with their advantage now reduced to just four points following a series of disappointing results that have reignited the title race drama. Recent Setbacks Raise Concerns The mounting pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side comes after a damaging 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, coupled with earlier draws against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool. These results have allowed both Manchester City and Aston Villa to close the gap significantly during a crucial phase of the season. Critical Weekend Ahead Arsenal face a challenging trip to Elland Road to take on Leeds United, who…

Mastercard demonstrated strong financial performance in the fourth quarter of 2024, with profits soaring on the back of robust consumer spending and successful diversification efforts. The payment processing giant saw significant growth across all key business segments, particularly during the holiday shopping season. Strong Financial Performance The company’s net income reached $3.34 billion, or $3.64 per share, marking a substantial increase from the previous year. Net revenue jumped 16% to $7.49 billion, driven by increased transaction volumes and expanded service offerings. Consumer Spending Remains Resilient Despite economic uncertainties, consumer spending showed remarkable resilience during the quarter. The gross dollar volume,…

Malaysian energy giant Petronas has announced an aggressive three-year strategy to enhance its exploration and production capabilities, aiming to strengthen the nation’s energy security through 2028. Production Targets and Exploration Plans The state-owned company plans to maintain domestic output at approximately two million barrels of oil equivalent per day between 2026 and 2028. This ambitious target will be supported by increased investments in exploration, deepwater development, enhanced oil recovery, and new production sharing contracts under Malaysia’s 2024 bid round. A significant expansion in well development and exploration activities is planned, with the number of wells increasing from 79 in 2025…

World number one Aryna Sabalenka secured her spot in her fourth consecutive Australian Open final after defeating Elina Svitolina 6-2, 6-3 in a match that featured a controversial hindrance call that seemed to fuel the defending champion’s determination. Controversial Call Sparks Debate The pivotal moment occurred with Sabalenka leading 2-1 in the first set when chair umpire Louise Azemar Engzell awarded a point to Svitolina, citing a double-noise violation during a baseline rally. The ruling stated that Sabalenka had made two distinct sounds after her shot, with the second deemed a hindrance as Svitolina was attempting her return. Despite Sabalenka’s…

Digital banking platform PicPay has successfully raised $434 million in its initial public offering (IPO), marking the first public listing by a Brazilian company in over four years. The fintech company sold 22.86 million shares at $19 each and will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol PICS. Major Milestone for Brazilian Fintech The IPO values PicPay at approximately $2.6 billion, with the potential to reach $500 million if underwriters exercise their 30-day option to purchase additional shares at the IPO price. The offering represents roughly 21% dilution for existing shareholders. Founded in 2012 and acquired by J&F Investimentos…

[ad_1] A particular invoice geared toward strengthening the semiconductor trade is accepted throughout a plenary session of the Nationwide Meeting in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapThe Nationwide Meeting on Thursday handed a particular invoice geared toward increasing assist for the semiconductor trade as Korea seeks to bolster the worldwide competitiveness of certainly one of its key export sectors.The invoice was accepted throughout a plenary session, laying the authorized groundwork for broad authorities assist for semiconductor clusters and associated infrastructure.It consists of provisions for designating semiconductor clusters and establishing a authorized foundation for monetary help.As soon as applied, it could decrease laws for…

[ad_1] LG Electronics’ house robotic CLOiD is displayed on the firm’s sales space for CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Jan. 6. YonhapLG Group associates are more and more strengthening their presence within the international marketplace for bodily synthetic intelligence (AI), as every firm’s capabilities spanning robotic parts to intelligence are creating synergies that enable LG to supply built-in options.To take the lead within the bodily AI race, firms not solely want superior bodily AI capabilities but in addition robust {hardware} applied sciences and high-quality industrial information. LG associates’ high-quality industrial information gathered throughout manufacturing crops, together with their expertise in…

[ad_1] Prospects at a jewellery retailer in Seoul, Wednesday / Yonhap Thefts at jewellery shops are on the rise amid gold’s record-breaking rally, market watchers mentioned Thursday.Worldwide gold costs lately surpassed $5,300 (7.5 million gained) per ounce for the primary time, pushed by weakening confidence in U.S. greenback belongings amid geopolitical tensions and up to date remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump advocating a weaker greenback.Police experiences of tried gold thefts have risen sharply. The suspects tried to shortly convert the stolen gadgets into money, police added.In Gwangju, police detained a teen, Thursday, after he posed as a buyer and…

[ad_1] Overseas Minister Cho Hyun speaks throughout a discussion board hosted by the Kwanhun Membership, an affiliation of senior journalists, on the Korea Press Heart in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapThe “Board of Peace” initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump, supposedly aimed toward addressing the Gaza battle, can not exchange the United Nations, Overseas Minister Cho Hyun mentioned on Thursday.The highest diplomat’s remarks got here as Korea weighs a call on whether or not to settle for an invite to hitch the Washington-led worldwide group, a proposal the federal government confirmed it obtained final week.“Even when the United Nations turns into paralyzed,…