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WGBI impact muted as external shocks pressure Korean bonds, won
SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - South Korean sovereigns joining the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) hardly proved to be a magic wand for both the currency and bonds in the first month. Extraordinary factors — including escalating Middle East conflicts and a shifting interest rate and inflation environment — have partly undermined the honeymoon period. Some experts say Korea’s structural chall
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Moral stance, strategic risk: Lee's remarks test Korea's diplomatic balance
SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s entry into the widening global debate over the Middle East conflict has exposed the delicate balance between values-based diplomacy and strategic restraint, after President Lee Jae Myung’s remarks on civilian casualties triggered an unusually sharp backlash from Israel. Over 1,700 civilians, including 254 children, were reported killed in Iran before the cease
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S. Korean special envoy enters Tehran as failed US-Iran talks trap tankers in Hormuz
SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - Special envoy Chung Byung-ha arrived in Tehran on Monday to negotiate the release of 26 South Korean tankers and 173 crew members currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The diplomatic surge follows a direct order from Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as Seoul attempts to bypass the paralysis of international mediation to protect the maritime corridor that provides 70 percent of the crude