Journalist
Kim Hee-su김희수
khs@ajupress.com
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
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Canada says split submarine order unlikely due to higher costs SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Canada is unlikely to divide its planned submarine order between South Korean and German bidders because operating two different fleets would increase costs and complexity, the country’s defense minister said. The Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, or CPSP, calls for the acquisition of up to 12 diesel-powered submarines to replace Canada’s aging Victoria-class fleet. The total value of the project, including construction and 30 years of maintenance, repair and operations, is estimated at up to 60 trillion won. South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean and Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS, are competing for the contract. Canadian broadcaster CTV reported Monday that Defense Minister David McGuinty had played down the possibility of splitting the order between the two bidders. “When you split any kind of fleet, it adds costs in many ways,” McGuinty said during a visit to Japan last week. “You have to maintain, sustain and support two different fleets, which creates more complexity for any country.” “We are assessing all of these things, and we will know when the time comes,” he added. Bloomberg previously reported that Canadian officials had discussed an unusual compromise under which German submarines could be deployed on the Atlantic coast and South Korean vessels on the Pacific coast. CTV said the government’s announcement on a preferred bidder could be delayed by several days. Citing sources, the broadcaster said a decision is expected before Prime Minister Mark Carney leaves for a NATO summit in Ankara, Türkiye, on July 7. Stephen Fuhr, head of Canada’s Defence Investment Agency, said on June 23 that the government expected to announce its decision by the end of June, although the timing could vary by several days. 2026-06-30 11:08:54 -
Language, alliances emerge as new fronts in Canada's submarine race SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - Outsourcing submarines was never expected to become this complex, as the head-to-head contest between South Korean and German shipbuilders for Canada's fleet of 12 new submarines increasingly extends beyond price, technology and delivery schedules to language, industrial partnerships and geopolitical alliances. The latest twist came after a senior executive at Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) argued that Canada's long-term interests would be better served by joining the German-Norwegian 212CD program because it was designed from the outset as an English-language multinational partnership. The exchange underscores how Canada's submarine competition has evolved into more than a procurement decision. As the technical gap between the rival bids narrows, both sides are increasingly promoting the industrial, operational and strategic ecosystems that would accompany their submarines over a service life expected to exceed four decades. Philipp Schön, a senior sales executive at TKMS, urged Canada in a LinkedIn post to consider not only which submarine it would buy, but also which "cultural ecosystem" it would join if Ottawa chooses between the German-built 212CD and Hanwha Ocean's KSS-III Batch-II. "Sometimes the most important interface in a submarine program is not man-machine. It's human-human," Schön wrote. He argued that the 212CD program's working language is English and that its governance, engineering processes, documentation and industrial cooperation structures were designed from the beginning for multinational participation. "Defense cooperation works best when partners can engage directly, not through translation," Schön wrote, adding that language influences everything from technical documentation and software development to crew training, maintenance, logistics and combat-system integration. The comments quickly drew criticism for appearing to portray South Korea as culturally and linguistically less compatible with Canada. Schön later clarified that the post was intended to promote discussion about interoperability in multinational defense programs and was "in no way meant to disparage any language, culture, or partner country." He nevertheless maintained that the 212CD offers Canada a proven platform within an existing multinational NATO framework backed by long-term industrial and operational cooperation. Hanwha Defense Canada President and Chief Executive Glenn Copeland dismissed the language argument as "unfortunate," saying the Korean team has extensive international experience and multilingual expertise. "There is fluency in English as well as team members who speak French, Japanese, Italian, Arabic and even German," Copeland said. "Engineering and mathematics are the universal languages that deliver superb ships and submarines." He also noted that the Republic of Korea Navy routinely operates alongside English-speaking forces, including during the U.S.-led Rim of the Pacific Exercise, demonstrating that language has never been an operational barrier. The debate comes as alliance politics have also emerged as another competitive front. British Ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks told President Lee Jae Myung during a diplomatic corps dinner in Seoul on June 23 that London hopes to work alongside Hanwha on Canada's submarine program. "The British government wants to be with Hanwha on the Canadian submarine program," Crooks said. Lee smiled before replying, "Yes, it has to succeed." Hanwha Ocean has already signed a memorandum of understanding and a teaming agreement with British defense company Babcock Canada. Under the proposed arrangement, Hanwha would design and build the submarines while Babcock would provide maintenance, repair, overhaul and long-term in-service support inside Canada. Babcock already supports the Royal Canadian Navy's Victoria-class submarines and possesses an established domestic workforce, maintenance infrastructure and supply chain. Britain's participation could help address one of Hanwha's perceived disadvantages. Although South Korea is not a NATO member, Britain is one of Canada's closest military partners through both NATO and the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance alongside the United States, Australia and New Zealand. TKMS, meanwhile, continues to emphasize that the 212CD itself is a joint German-Norwegian program developed by two NATO allies, allowing the company to market not only a submarine but also an existing multinational operating framework. The competition is therefore increasingly becoming a choice between ecosystems rather than simply competing submarine designs. Hanwha has built its campaign around delivery speed, industrial participation and operational capability, offering to deliver the first four submarines by 2035 if selected. Earlier this year, South Korea also deployed the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho—the lead vessel of the KSS-III class—to Canada's Pacific coast, demonstrating the submarine's long-range endurance and blue-water operational capability. TKMS has instead highlighted alliance interoperability, multinational governance and lifecycle support under the 212CD program. Moon Geun-sik, a submarine expert and special professor at Hanyang University, said the contest has entered a stage where neither proposal appears to enjoy a decisive advantage. "As the competition enters its final stage, both sides are emphasizing their respective industrial and economic benefits," Moon said. "From Canada's perspective, however, the two proposals appear to be almost evenly matched." Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, which is working with Hanwha on a potential industrial partnership, also dismissed concerns about language. After working with major South Korean companies for nearly two decades, Volpe told The Globe and Mail that "they have no problem with English." "But in fairness," he added, "maybe he doesn't understand Canada well." The exchange illustrates how modern defense procurement has become as much about long-term industrial alignment as military capability. For Canada, the decision is no longer simply which submarine offers the best performance underwater, but which industrial network, alliance structure and strategic partnership it wants to anchor itself to over the next 40 years. 2026-06-29 16:31:26 -
Hanwha launches job academy for 476 young job seekers SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - Hanwha Group said Sunday it will launch a hands-on training program for 476 young job seekers in fields including shipbuilding, defense, information technology, artificial intelligence, marketing and construction. The Hanwha Naeil Academy was created as part of the government-led K-New Deal Academy initiative, which is overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource and the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The Korean word “naeil” can mean both “tomorrow” and “my job,” reflecting the program’s goal of helping young people prepare for their careers and enter the workforce. Hanwha said it will share the technical expertise and field experience accumulated by its major affiliates in key industries such as shipbuilding and defense. Several courses will be offered outside the Seoul metropolitan area, including in Busan, South Gyeongsang Province and the Chungcheong region, to expand training opportunities for regional job seekers. Hanwha Ocean will select 60 participants, Hanwha Ocean Engineering 66 and Hanwha Engine 50. Hanwha Systems will recruit 100 participants each for its defense and ICT programs, while Hanwha Corp., Hanwha Solutions and other affiliates will offer training in marketing and construction. Hanwha Ocean’s Smart Production Management DX Academy will provide training in digital and AI-based production management at its Geoje shipyard in South Gyeongsang Province. The three-month course will run from Aug. 10 to Nov. 6, with applications open through July 23. Participants will learn AI-based data management, shipbuilding processes and production optimization, while receiving mentoring from Hanwha Ocean employees. Other Hanwha affiliates will recruit participants in June and July and operate programs lasting about three months at workplaces across the country. “The academy will help young people gain practical skills in key future industries,” a Hanwha official said. “We will continue investing in workforce development and supporting their careers.” 2026-06-29 15:45:31 -
S. Korean military cites analysis for delayed disclosure of N. Korean launches SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - South Korea’s military said Monday that it did not immediately disclose North Korea’s June 25 weapons launches because it was still analyzing the projectiles, responding to criticism over why the public was not informed on the day of the test. The South Korean and U.S. militaries detected and tracked multiple projectiles in real time between 7:27 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. on June 25 and closely coordinated against any possible contingencies, the Defense Ministry said. “The projectiles were tactical-class weapons systems operated by North Korea,” ministry deputy spokesperson Lee Kyung-ho told a regular briefing. “Their detailed specifications will be assessed after a joint South Korea-U.S. analysis.” Asked why the military had not announced the launches that day, Lee said officials had been analyzing the relevant specifications before deciding what information to release publicly. “We detected and tracked them in real time,” Lee said. “As for notifying the public, we make a judgment after analyzing the necessary specifications.” Reporters noted that the military has often announced suspected ballistic missile launches within minutes, even before completing a detailed analysis. Lee said the latest case involved multiple projectiles and required additional analysis before the military could reach a conclusion. He did not directly answer when asked whether the military had mistaken the launches for multiple rocket fire and failed to detect the ballistic missiles. “We were still analyzing various pieces of information and had not reached a conclusion,” he said. North Korean state media reported the following day that leader Kim Jong-un had supervised a series of weapons tests on June 25, the 76th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. The tests included tactical ballistic missiles, an upgraded 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher system and a 155-millimeter self-propelled howitzer, according to the North’s state media. After Pyongyang’s announcement, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected more than 10 projectiles, including artillery rockets, launched from North Korea’s eastern region and was conducting a detailed analysis. The delayed disclosure prompted criticism from opposition lawmakers, who questioned whether the military had failed to distinguish the ballistic missiles from the artillery rockets or had withheld the information for political reasons. Some analysts said reported U.S. limits on intelligence sharing may have slowed the military’s assessment. The restrictions were reportedly imposed after Unification Minister Chung Dong-young publicly identified Kusong as a suspected uranium enrichment site, raising concerns in Washington over the handling of sensitive intelligence. The ministry rejected such speculation, saying military information-sharing and coordination between South Korea and the U.S. had remained operational in real time. Lee said individual launch cases could not all be treated in the same way, but the ministry did not specify the threshold for publicly announcing a launch or when its final assessment would be completed. 2026-06-29 11:39:49 -
Chinese, Russian military aircraft enter KADIZ, prompting fighter jet response SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - More than 10 Chinese and Russian military aircraft entered South Korea’s air defense identification zone without prior notice on Saturday, prompting the Air Force to deploy fighter jets, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The aircraft entered and exited the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone, or KADIZ, over the East and South seas in sequence for about four hours beginning at around 8:30 a.m. None of the aircraft violated South Korean airspace. The aircraft included bombers and fighter jets believed to be participating in an ongoing joint air exercise between China and Russia. Chinese aircraft reportedly flew north from their territory and entered the KADIZ near Ieodo in the South Sea, while Russian aircraft entered the zone over the East Sea as they flew south. Some of the aircraft later joined together and conducted maneuvering drills. The South Korean military detected and tracked the aircraft before they entered the zone and deployed fighter jets to take tactical measures against any potential contingency. It marked the first joint entry by Chinese and Russian military aircraft into the KADIZ in about six months. Nine aircraft from the two countries entered the zone over the East and South seas during a joint exercise last December. Since 2019, China and Russia have sent military aircraft into the KADIZ once or twice a year for joint exercises without notifying South Korea in advance. An air defense identification zone is established to allow a country to identify and respond to foreign military aircraft approaching its airspace. Unlike sovereign airspace, however, it does not confer territorial rights. Military aircraft entering another country’s air defense identification zone are generally expected to submit flight plans in advance and report their location upon entry. Russia does not recognize South Korea’s authority over the KADIZ, arguing that the zone has no basis in international law. The airspace near Ieodo is also covered by overlapping air defense identification zones established by South Korea and China. 2026-06-27 16:46:08 -
U.S., Iran clash nine days after MOU, testing fragile Hormuz truce SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - The United States and Iran exchanged military strikes just nine days after signing a memorandum of understanding to end their war, putting the fragile agreement under its first major test. U.S. Central Command said Friday it carried out airstrikes against Iran in response to a drone attack a day earlier on the Ever Lovely, a Singapore-flagged container ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. aircraft reportedly struck Iranian missile and drone storage facilities as well as coastal radar sites. Central Command called the attack on the commercial vessel a clear violation of the ceasefire. Vice President JD Vance said Iran should raise any dispute over the agreement through diplomatic channels, warning that Washington would “respond to violence with violence.” Iran rejected the U.S. account, accusing Washington of violating the ceasefire through its airstrikes. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had retaliated against several U.S. military bases in the region, though the extent of any damage was not immediately clear. Tehran also argued that the United States had ignored procedures governing passage through the Strait of Hormuz before attacking Iranian coastal territory. The confrontation exposed a key weakness in the MOU signed on June 17. Under the agreement, the two sides pledged to halt military operations, restore commercial shipping through the strait and pursue follow-up talks on Iran’s nuclear program and sanctions relief. But differences over transit rights and control of the waterway have already emerged. For Washington, keeping the Strait of Hormuz open is central to the deal. The waterway is a vital route for Middle Eastern oil and liquefied natural gas, and renewed disruption could unsettle global energy markets and supply chains. Iran, meanwhile, appears eager to show that it did not accept the agreement from a position of weakness and to preserve its leverage ahead of future nuclear and sanctions negotiations. Neither side has much to gain from a return to full-scale war. The United States faces political and economic risks from renewed conflict, while Iran would be reluctant to sacrifice the prospect of sanctions relief. The greater danger is miscalculation. Repeated attacks on ships, military facilities or U.S. bases could cause casualties and trigger a broader escalation, particularly with Israel, Lebanon and Hezbollah still shaping the regional security environment. Unless Washington and Tehran clarify the rules governing passage through the Strait of Hormuz and the limits of military retaliation, the MOU could remain vulnerable to collapse. 2026-06-27 14:29:47 -
U.S. eases Mythos 5 curbs as Korean access remains unclear SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - The U.S. government has eased restrictions on Anthropic’s advanced artificial intelligence model Claude Mythos 5, allowing the company to provide access to more than 100 approved companies and organizations. The Commerce Department authorized Anthropic on Friday to make Mythos 5 available to selected “trusted partners,” according to a letter obtained by Reuters. The approved list includes a number of Fortune 500 companies and institutions, a person familiar with the matter said. Foreign nationals working for approved companies, as well as vetted foreign employees of Anthropic, will also be allowed to use the model without obtaining individual export licenses. The decision marks a partial reversal of restrictions imposed by the Trump administration two weeks earlier. On June 12, the administration ordered Anthropic to block all foreign nationals from accessing Mythos 5 and Fable 5, another advanced model equipped with safety safeguards, citing national security concerns. Because Anthropic did not have a system capable of verifying every user’s nationality, the company suspended access to both models for all users. The unusually broad export controls raised concerns within the technology industry that Washington could weaken U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence by restricting access to advanced models rather than only controlling semiconductors and computing equipment. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Anthropic had made substantial progress in addressing the government’s concerns. “Since June 12, Anthropic has worked with the government to address the relevant risks and has made significant progress,” Lutnick said in the letter. “In just two weeks, it has worked diligently to protect our security while ensuring that America remains the global leader in AI.” It remains unclear whether any South Korean companies or institutions are included on the newly approved list, which has not been made public. Before the restrictions were imposed, South Korea had secured access to Mythos through Anthropic’s Project Glasswing, a cybersecurity initiative that uses advanced AI to identify and address software vulnerabilities. The Korea Internet & Security Agency joined the project alongside major South Korean companies, including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and SK Telecom. Their access under the revised policy, however, has not been confirmed. The earlier restrictions reportedly followed U.S. government concerns about Anthropic granting Mythos access to SK Telecom over the company’s alleged links to China. SK Telecom has rejected the allegations, saying there was no basis for describing the company as connected to China. The latest authorization applies only to Mythos 5 and approved partners. Restrictions on Fable 5 remain in place. 2026-06-27 12:34:39 -
More ships run by Korean carriers exit Strait of Hormuz, 3 remain SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - Two more South Korean-operated ships stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz have passed through the waterway and resumed normal navigation, Seoul’s Oceans Ministry said Saturday. Both vessels were carrying a total of four South Korean crew members, the ministry said. Neither ship is bound for South Korea. Their departure leaves three South Korean-operated vessels inside the strait, including the HMM Namu, which is undergoing repairs at a port in Dubai after being struck in early May. A total of 43 South Korean nationals remain aboard ships inside the strait, including 13 on South Korean-operated vessels and 30 on foreign ships. The ministry said it had provided diplomatic support through the Foreign Ministry and assisted the vessels with real-time monitoring and navigational information during their passage. Except for the vessel currently under repair, the remaining ships plan to transit the strait after consultations with relevant countries and in accordance with their operating schedules, including cargo-loading arrangements, it added. A total of 26 South Korean-operated ships were stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz after Iran closed the waterway following the outbreak of the Middle East war in late February. Two vessels were allowed to leave with Iran’s cooperation during the war. The remaining 24 have been gradually passing through the strait since the United States and Iran agreed to reopen the waterway as part of their peace deal. Although ships from various countries continue to leave the strait, security conditions remain unstable. The United States carried out airstrikes against Iran on Friday in response to an Iranian attack on a Singapore-flagged cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. 2026-06-27 10:17:46 -
S. Korea slips to seventh in third-place race after Senegal routs Iraq SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - South Korea’s hopes of reaching the World Cup round of 32 suffered another setback after Senegal’s 5-0 victory over Iraq pushed Korea down to seventh place in the race among third-place teams. Senegal defeated Iraq in their final Group I match in Toronto on Friday, improving to one win and two losses for three points and finishing third in the group. Senegal had trailed South Korea on goal difference, but the five-goal victory improved its mark to plus-three, pushing Korea, at minus-one, further down the standings. South Korea, also on three points with one win and two losses, is now seventh in the overall third-place standings and sixth among the seven teams that have completed all three group matches. Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance to the round of 32, along with the eight best third-place finishers. Sweden, Ecuador and Bosnia and Herzegovina, each with four points, have already secured places in the knockout stage. Needing a convincing win to strengthen its qualification chances, Senegal attacked from the outset and took the lead through Habib Diarra in the fourth minute. Iraq’s task became even more difficult when defender Rebin Sulaka was sent off in the ninth minute following a video review. Senegal took advantage of its numerical superiority and scored four more goals in the second half. In the other Group I match, France defeated Norway 4-1 in Boston behind a hat trick from Ousmane Dembele. A highly anticipated meeting between France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland did not materialize after Haaland missed the match. France finished top of the group with three wins and nine points. Norway advanced as the runner-up with two wins and one loss and will face Ivory Coast in the round of 32 on July 1. 2026-06-27 09:04:16 -
Seoul plans K-LUCAS deployment in broader military drone overhaul SEOUL, June 26 (AJP) - South Korea will pursue the deployment of a domestically developed long-range one-way attack drone, the Defense Ministry said Friday, as it seeks to rapidly expand its unmanned combat capabilities. The system, named K-LUCAS — short for K-Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System — is a key part of a new drone and counter-drone development policy drawn up in response to lessons from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. “Every service member will be equipped with the ability to operate a drone like a second personal weapon,” Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said, adding that the policy aims to integrate drones more deeply into battlefield operations. Under the broader plan, the military will acquire more than 20,000 low-cost, expendable drones, including short-range reconnaissance systems and small one-way attack drones. It will also develop next-generation capabilities such as AI-powered drone swarms and train 500,000 service members to operate drones, with the goal of making them a standard combat tool across the armed forces. The military plans to purchase about 60,000 domestically produced drones for training. The ministry said the program would also help expand demand for local manufacturers and strengthen South Korea’s drone industry. The military will also strengthen its counter-drone capabilities. In the near term, it will deploy counter-drone systems near the front line and introduce proven commercial equipment into field units next year. Over the longer term, it plans to develop lasers, high-power microwave weapons and low-cost interceptor drones. The ministry will also create a faster procurement system to test and field civilian technologies. Separately, it will introduce a military certification system based on the U.S. Blue UAS model to ensure commercial drones meet security and reliability standards. The headquarters of the Drone Operations Command will be reorganized into a new Defense Drone Headquarters directly under the ministry. The move reflects a shift away from operating drones through a separate command toward integrating them into the individual services. Jeong Kyung-woon, a research fellow at the Korean Association of Military Studies, said maintaining a separate operational command dedicated to drones was inefficient, arguing that drones should instead be incorporated into existing units according to their missions. “Drones should be a universal capability that strengthens the roles of existing units,” Jeong said. “The military does not create a rifle command simply because every unit needs rifles.” The command was established in September 2023 after North Korean drones entered South Korean airspace in December 2022, exposing weaknesses in the military’s response. It had operated as a separate organization focused primarily on drone operations rather than integrating them into each service. Under the new structure, the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps will develop and operate drones and tactics suited to their respective missions, integrating them into surveillance, reconnaissance and strike operations. 2026-06-26 11:24:29