AJU PRESS - ASIA NEWS HUB

Journalist

Kim Hee-su김희수

ReporterMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Seoul City Hall & Defense, Foreign Affairs

Kim Hee-su is a bilingual reporter at AJU Press, covering defense and foreign affairs. Before joining AJP in 2025, she worked at The Korea Times, where she wrote interview stories, including a profile of North Korean defector Kim Gum-hyok, and produced digital content. She also previously worked as a researcher for KBS News 9’s International News Department, supporting correspondents in 10 countries around the world. She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada with a double major in Book and Media Studies and East Asian Studies. "I'm driven by storytelling."

Latest by Kim Hee-su

Korea Maritime and Ocean University opens guesthouse for BTS concertgoers in Busan SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - Korea Maritime and Ocean University will open part of its campus guesthouse to visitors traveling to Busan for BTS’ upcoming concerts, joining the city’s campaign to provide fair and affordable accommodation during major events. The university said Saturday it will participate in Busan Metropolitan City’s “Fair Accommodation Challenge” ahead of BTS World Tour ‘Arirang’ in Busan, scheduled for June 12 and 13 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium. The concerts are expected to draw a large number of fans from across South Korea and overseas, prompting local authorities to step up efforts to curb unlicensed lodging and excessive price hikes during the event period. Under the plan, the university will temporarily operate 14 rooms at its Ara Hall guesthouse in Yeongdo District as accommodation for concertgoers. The rooms include one single room and 13 double rooms, allowing up to 27 domestic visitors to stay for 50,000 won ($32) per night. The Fair Accommodation Challenge is a public-private campaign led by Busan City to provide visitors with transparent and reasonably priced lodging during large-scale international and cultural events. Local universities, religious groups and public institutions have joined the initiative by opening unused lodging facilities or offering rooms at free or discounted rates. The campaign comes as Busan prepares citywide programs for the BTS concerts, including welcome events, tourism programs and fan-oriented activities across major transport hubs, tourist sites and public venues. The university said it decided to share its campus infrastructure, including guesthouse facilities overlooking the sea, to support Busan’s efforts to strengthen its appeal as a cultural and tourism city. “As a national university, we have a responsibility to support the local community,” President Ryoo Dong-keun said. “We will continue to fulfill our social responsibility beyond the boundaries of the campus.” 2026-06-06 15:06:35
Kim Jong-un inspects sea trial of destroyer ahead of Xi visit SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a sea trial of the Kang Kon, a new 5,000-ton destroyer that was once damaged during a ceremony, and called for strengthening naval forces as part of the country’s nuclear war deterrent, state media reported Saturday. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim visited the destroyer on Thursday as it began operational tests and observed its navigation test. Photos released by North Korean state media showed Kim accompanied by his daughter, Ju-ae. Kim boarded the Kang Kon and inspected its combat duty areas, including the command center, while reviewing its sea trial plan and schedule for testing onboard weapons systems, according to KCNA. He praised the crew’s ability to operate the vessel and expressed satisfaction with its maneuverability, saying its cruising and high-speed operation systems were “very good” and capable of meeting operational requirements. “We can deter war and defend peace only when we possess strong and practical military power capable of responsibly exercising military sovereignty in any space on land, at sea and in the air,” Kim was quoted as saying by KCNA. “This is the unchanging position of our party and national defense policy.” Kim said strengthening the navy as a force capable of supporting the country’s nuclear deterrent and striking enemies at sea and underwater was a core task under the party’s new five-year defense policy. He also referred to plans under a five-year naval modernization program approved at the ninth party congress earlier this year, including the development and production of what North Korea called “underwater secret weapons” and the construction of a new 10,000-ton destroyer. The reference marked an apparent expansion of North Korea’s naval ambitions. In March, Kim mentioned plans for an 8,000-ton destroyer while inspecting another new 5,000-ton destroyer, the Choe Hyon, but this time he pointed to a larger 10,000-ton-class vessel. South Korea’s newest Aegis destroyer, the Jeongjo the Great-class, has a displacement of 8,200 tons. Kim urged officials and technicians involved in naval weapons development to commission the Choe Hyon and Kang Kon into the navy “as soon as possible.” The latest naval display came just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to make a state visit to North Korea from June 8 to 9 for talks with Kim, in what would be Xi’s first trip to Pyongyang in nearly seven years. The timing suggests Pyongyang may be seeking to showcase its expanding military capabilities ahead of the summit with its key ally. The Kang Kon was damaged during a launch ceremony in May last year after the vessel tilted and ran aground while being moved into the water. Kim, who witnessed the accident on site, denounced it as a “serious accident and a criminal act” and ordered punishment for those responsible. North Korea salvaged the vessel and held another launch ceremony just 22 days after the accident, but questions had persisted over whether the ship was fully operational. The latest photos released by North Korean media showed the Kang Kon sailing at sea about a year after its relaunch. 2026-06-06 14:09:29
Lee calls for honoring sacrifice, punishing betrayal in Memorial Day speech SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung said that South Korea must honor those who sacrificed for the nation while holding accountable those who betrayed it, speaking at the Memorial Day ceremony on Saturday. During the 71st Memorial Day ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery, Lee said the country has a responsibility not only to honor those who defended it, but also to punish those who betrayed the community for their own interests. “Only when dedication is honored and betrayal is punished can just unity be achieved for the continuity and development of the national community,” Lee said in his memorial address. The ceremony was held with some 3,000 people in attendance, including veterans, bereaved families, government officials and uniformed service members. Lee specifically referred to the Pro-Japanese Property Reversion Act, promulgated on June 2, saying the government would investigate and recover assets unfairly amassed by pro-Japanese collaborators accused of anti-national acts during Japan’s colonial rule. “We will hold them accountable and set an example to prevent such acts from recurring,” he said. Lee also pledged stronger support for veterans, their families and uniformed personnel, saying extraordinary sacrifices made for the public good deserve corresponding compensation. “We will make promises we can keep, and once we make a promise, we will keep it,” he said. “We will repay the noble sacrifices made for all of us.” The president said Memorial Day is a time to remember and record the spirit of those who gave their lives for the country and to fulfill the state’s responsibility toward them. “We stand today on all the tomorrows they gave up,” Lee said. He stressed that properly honoring patriots and fallen service members is a social responsibility of those living today and a driving force that sustains the national community. Calling soldiers, firefighters, police officers and coast guard personnel “citizens in uniform” who protect the present, Lee said the government would provide sufficient support so they can focus on their duties for the nation and the public. Lee also said South Korea is once again facing a wave of crises, citing the economic impact of the Middle East war and efforts to restore the country after domestic turmoil. “But the strength of the Korean people, who have always united in times of national hardship, will allow us to overcome any crisis,” he said. “Building a proud Republic of Korea where peace and prosperity are shared by all is the true way to honor the sacrifices of fallen patriots and war heroes and carry forward their noble spirit,” he said. 2026-06-06 10:59:55
Seoul, Ottawa hold joint naval drills off Canadian coast SEOUL, June 06 (AJP) - The South Korean and Canadian navies conducted joint maritime drills off Canada’s western coast from June 3 to 4, involving submarines, warships, and maritime aircraft from both countries, the South Korean Navy said Saturday. The exercises involved the South Korean Navy’s 3,000-ton Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine, the 3,100-ton frigate Daejeon and an AW-159 maritime helicopter. Canada deployed the 2,200-ton submarine Corner Brook, the 4,000-ton frigate Ottawa, a CH-148 maritime helicopter and a CP-140 maritime patrol aircraft. According to the Navy, the two sides carried out anti-surface warfare drills, anti-submarine exercises and helicopter deck landing operations aimed at strengthening interoperability and combined operational capabilities. Six Canadian submariners, including Capt. Benjamin Hong, boarded the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho and participated in the drills alongside South Korean sailors. The six crew members are expected to remain aboard the submarine after the exercise and sail with the South Korean Navy to Hawaii for the upcoming Rim of the Pacific Exercise, or RIMPAC, the world’s largest multinational maritime exercise. Col. Kim Ki-beom, commander of South Korea’s Task Flotilla 73, which led the Korean naval forces during the exercise, said the two countries would continue strengthening cooperation to maintain maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. “Based on the strong cooperation between South Korea and Canada, we will continue maintaining readiness to protect maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region and respond strongly to any threats,” Kim said. The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho submarine and Daejeon frigate are scheduled to participate in RIMPAC, which begins on June 24. 2026-06-06 09:41:20
Seoul stands firm on building nuclear submarines domestically SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - South Korea’s presidential office said Friday there has been no major change to plans to build nuclear-powered submarines domestically, as Seoul and Washington seek to make tangible progress in related talks by the end of the year. A senior presidential official told reporters that South Korea and the U.S. held productive discussions on nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. “Representatives from various sectors came and discussed enrichment and reprocessing issues as well as nuclear submarine issues,” the official said. “We have not set a specific deadline, but we want to move forward quickly.” The official stressed that South Korea’s plan to build nuclear-powered submarines at home remains largely unchanged, while noting that new agreements are needed for enrichment and reprocessing, as well as to prevent proliferation. The official said discussions on enrichment and reprocessing have only recently begun in earnest, adding that they are based on South Korea’s nonproliferation commitment and trust in that pledge. “We must keep that commitment, and on that basis, we will seek further coordination and cooperation with the U.S.,” the official said. Asked about coordination with Washington over the timeline for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), the official said differences between the allies are not as large as many believe. “Contrary to what many of you may think, South Korea and the U.S. do not have major differences over OPCON,” the official said. The official said efforts to meet the conditions for the transfer have continued for more than a decade, adding that there had been an assessment several years ago that more than 90 percent of the conditions had been met. The official also said the gap over timing is limited. “There is not a big difference over the timing either. There is a gap of about a year, or a little more than a year, and I do not see that as impossible to narrow,” the official said. South Korea has been seeking to regain wartime operational control by 2028, while U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson presented the first quarter of 2029 as the target timeline during a House Armed Services Committee hearing in April. The official said Seoul and Washington will continue coordinating the final stage of conditions and timing, while ensuring that the allies’ combined defense capabilities are not weakened. 2026-06-05 17:23:58
South Korea pushes hydrogen trucks in final pitch for Canada's submarine race SEOUL, June 5 (AJP) - South Korea has proposed a multibillion-dollar hydrogen truck project in Canada as part of its final push to win Ottawa's next-generation submarine contract, turning an earlier request for automotive investment into a broader industrial package centered on hydrogen mobility, local manufacturing and jobs. The proposal, code-named "Project Beaver," was disclosed by Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik in an interview with Canada's CTV News, as a South Korean government-led consortium intensifies last-minute efforts ahead of Canada's final decision by the end of June. According to CTV News, South Korea has offered to invest 3.1 billion Canadian dollars to build a hydrogen truck ecosystem in Canada if Hanwha Ocean wins the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, or CPSP. The project would use Hyundai Motor's hydrogen vehicle technology and include a liquefied hydrogen plant in British Columbia, 32 hydrogen refueling stations in British Columbia and Alberta, and a hydrogen vehicle manufacturing plant in Ontario. More than 160 additional refueling stations would be built after 2035. Kang said the project would create about 9,000 jobs in Canada and help build a local hydrogen truck industry. "It will be a Korean brand that uses Canadian raw materials and Canadian-made parts in the manufacturing process," Kang said. "Once we win the submarine contract, Hyundai Motor will help Canada build its hydrogen ecosystem." The proposal adds a new layer to South Korea's submarine bid, which has increasingly become a competition over industrial benefits as much as naval capability. Hanwha Ocean, together with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, is competing against Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, for Canada's plan to acquire up to 12 conventionally powered submarines to replace its aging Victoria-class fleet. From the early stages of the race, Canadian officials made clear that the winning bidder would be judged not only on submarine performance, but also on what kind of economic return it could bring to Canada. In February, Stephen Fuhr, Canada's special envoy for defense procurement, visited Hanwha Ocean's Geoje shipyard and toured a KSS-III submarine undergoing sea trials. "Both South Korea and Germany are automotive manufacturing nations," Fuhr said during the visit. "If there are areas where we can cooperate in sectors like automobiles, we are looking to pursue broader partnerships that go beyond defense." The message reflected Canada's effort to protect and revive its auto industry at a time of U.S. tariff pressure, production cuts and uncertainty over the future of North American supply chains. Reuters reported in January that Kang traveled to Canada with officials and executives from Hyundai Motor, Hanwha and HD Hyundai to lobby for the submarine project. At the time, Hyundai Motor said it had no current plan to build a car factory in Canada, but was exploring other partnerships, particularly in hydrogen. Project Beaver appears to be Seoul's answer to that industrial demand. Kang told CTV that South Korea chose hydrogen trucks, rather than consumer electric vehicles, partly because of U.S. pressure on automakers and growing Chinese competition in Canada's EV market. He cited the case of Stellantis, which announced last year that it would move production of a Jeep model from Ontario to Illinois, saying Korean companies face similar pressure from the U.S. "The U.S. told them it would be more advantageous to come to the U.S.," Kang said, referring to Stellantis. "South Korean companies are under similar pressure." He also said it would be difficult for Korea to compete directly with China in the EV sector, given Beijing's strength in electric vehicles and Canada's ties with China on EV imports. Project Beaver could mark a renewed attempt by Hyundai to expand its hydrogen business in North America, this time through heavy-duty trucks and infrastructure rather than passenger cars. Hydrogen has been one of Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Eui-sun's key future strategies, with the group declaring 2040 as the target year for the mass adoption of hydrogen energy. But progress has been limited, partly due to the rapid rise of Chinese EV makers and the slow expansion of hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Still, Hyundai has continued to build a track record in commercial hydrogen mobility. Its XCIENT Fuel Cell Truck has already surpassed 20 million kilometers of accumulated driving in Europe, while its North American operations have logged about 1.6 million kilometers since 2023. The proposal suggests Hyundai may be seeking a more practical route into Canada's mobility market by focusing on long-haul freight, where hydrogen is seen as more competitive due to shorter refueling times and longer driving ranges compared with battery-only trucks. 2026-06-05 16:07:21
Mourners pay respects to Hanwha Aerospace workers killed in Daejeon blast SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Funeral altars were set up at Yuseong District Office in Daejeon on Friday for the five workers killed in an explosion at Hanwha Aerospace’s Daejeon plant four days earlier. The victims had been working in a cleaning room in Building 56 of the company’s Daejeon plant when an explosion of unknown cause occurred on Monday. Funeral arrangements were delayed as the bodies were severely damaged in the blast, complicating the identification process. Authorities completed the process on Wednesday, two days after the accident, while additional time was needed for consultations with bereaved families. Mourners continued to visit throughout the day as Hanwha Aerospace employees, many wearing work uniforms, gathered to pay their respects and offer condolences to the victims’ families. Among those paying their respects were Hanwha Vice Chairman Yeo Seung-joo and Defense Acquisition Program Administration Minister Lee Yong-cheol. Yeo and Lee repeatedly bowed before the grieving father of one victim in his 20s. Speaking to reporters afterward, Lee said the accident had occurred in an area that had not been designated as subject to safety inspections. “We will closely examine gaps in safety management and shortcomings at the facility level, and come up with measures to prevent even unforeseen accidents,” Lee said. One of the five victims will be moved to another region on Saturday for funeral services in his hometown. The remaining four funerals will be held in Daejeon, with funeral processions scheduled for Sunday. 2026-06-05 16:03:28
S. Korea, US to track progress in nuclear submarine, enrichment talks SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to track progress in follow-up talks on Seoul’s push for nuclear-powered submarines, uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Thursday. The agreement came after government delegations from the two countries held a meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul from Tuesday to Wednesday to begin implementing security-related commitments included in a joint fact sheet issued after last year’s summit between the two leaders. A Foreign Ministry official said the two sides agreed on a process to review progress at certain points and identify issues that require further discussion. “When the time comes, the two sides will review and evaluate the progress made up to that point,” the official told reporters. “They will then identify areas that need more discussion and reflect them in the next round of negotiations.” The move appears to reflect Seoul’s push to make as much progress as possible before political uncertainty grows in Washington, where the ruling Republican Party faces the possibility of losing control of Congress in the November midterm elections. Park described the launch meeting as successful and said U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker, who led the U.S. delegation, had expressed the same view. In a post on X on Wednesday, Hooker called her trip to Seoul “a brief but very productive visit,” saying the two sides’ initial discussions on U.S.-ROK nuclear cooperation were “a success” and had set the stage for “continued technical conversations.” Hooker also wrote that in meetings with South Korean officials, she emphasized the need for the two allies to stay aligned on issues ranging from freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to strengthening critical supply chains and responding to regional threats. Asked whether the U.S. side raised South Korea’s possible participation in efforts related to the Strait of Hormuz or its role in countering China in the Indo-Pacific, Park said such issues were not discussed during the security negotiations. He added that Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Hooker had broadly discussed issues related to the Korean Peninsula and the Middle East during a breakfast meeting. But he said specific matters, such as South Korea’s participation in a U.S.-led maritime security initiative, were not discussed in detail. 2026-06-05 15:40:09
Michelle Steel's nomination as US ambassador to S. Korea clears Senate panel SEOUL, June 05 (AJP) - Michelle Steel, U.S. President Donald Trump’s nominee for ambassador to South Korea, has cleared a key Senate committee, leaving only a final confirmation vote before the full Senate. The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations voted 14-8 on Thursday to advance Steel’s nomination, moving her one step closer to taking up the post in Seoul. If confirmed by the Senate, Steel will receive her formal appointment from Trump before assuming the ambassadorial post. Steel was nominated on April 13, and her Senate confirmation hearing was held on May 20. The process has moved relatively quickly, compared with cases in which nominees have waited months for confirmation hearings after being tapped by the president. At her confirmation hearing, Steel emphasized the need for a strong trilateral alliance among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan. Her use of the word “alliance” drew attention, as relations among the three countries are more commonly described as cooperation or coordination, unlike the formal alliances between Seoul and Washington and between Washington and Tokyo. If confirmed, Steel would become the second Korean American to serve as U.S. ambassador to South Korea, following Sung Kim, who served in Seoul from 2011 to 2014. Steel, a Republican, served in the U.S. House of Representatives for four years from 2021 before narrowly losing her reelection bid in November 2024. The ambassadorial post in Seoul has remained vacant since Philip Goldberg, who was appointed under the Biden administration, left the post in January last year. 2026-06-05 10:27:17
Seoul's progressive education chief wins second term SEOUL, June 4 (AJP) - Jung Keun-sik won a second term as Seoul's education chief in the June 3 local elections, extending progressive control over the capital's education office. His victory gives progressive education leaders four more years in Seoul, South Korea's education hub. It is also expected to add momentum to their key policies, including absolute grading for the college entrance exam and school records. As of 4:40 p.m. Thursday, with 99.92 percent of ballots counted, Jung had 30.32 percent of the vote, or 1,505,509 votes. Conservative candidate Cho Jeon-hyeok came second with 23.48 percent, or 1,166,086 votes. Jung led Cho by 339,423 votes, or 6.84 percentage points. Yoon Ho-sang ranked third with 14.58 percent, or 723,954 votes. Han Man-joong came fourth with 9.42 percent, or 468,177 votes. The count has not been completed because protesters blocked officials from moving a ballot box at a polling station in Jamsil 7-dong, Songpa District, after a shortage of ballot papers. Still, Jung secured victory late Wednesday night. Jung won with just over 30 percent of the vote, the lowest winning share in a Seoul education superintendent race since direct elections began. The previous record was 34.34 percent, set by former superintendent Kwak No-hyun in 2010. Eight candidates ran in this year's race, the largest number since Seoul first directly elected an education superintendent in 2008. They included three progressives, four conservatives and one centrist. Progressive candidates also won in 10 regions nationwide, including Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon. Jung, a former sociology professor at Seoul National University, first became Seoul education superintendent in an October 2014 by-election, defeating Cho. He served for one year and six months. This year, he campaigned on policy continuity. He especially stressed support for basic academic skills. His main pledges included free early childhood education for children aged 3 to 5, public transportation support for students, free school field trips, support for basic academic skills and stronger protection of teachers' rights. Jung returned to work at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Thursday morning after his suspension from duty ended. "There are many difficult tasks ahead, including students' mental health, protection of teachers' rights, AI-based future education and narrowing education gaps," Jung said. "I believe we need to strengthen cooperation among the Seoul education office, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the central government." 2026-06-04 17:34:27