Journalist

Jeon Seong-min
  • FM tight-lipped over possible warship dispatch to Middle East
    FM tight-lipped over possible warship dispatch to Middle East SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - There has been growing speculation about a possible deployment of South Korean troops to the Middle East, after U.S. President Donald Trump urged allies to dispatch warships to the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. In a parliamentary session at the National Assembly in Seoul on Tuesday, when asked whether the U.S. formally asked Seoul to deploy warships to the strategically important waterway, he declined to elaborate, ambiguously saying "It may or may not be considered a request." Regarding the troop deployment, he said, "At this time, it is very difficult for me to answer." Remaining cautious, Cho merely said that Seoul and Washington are "closely communicating through various channels" over the situation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which began with U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran late last month. He added that the government is also closely monitoring relevant developments including remarks and social media posts by Trump. The previous day, Cho spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio by phone, with Rubio reportedly stressing that cooperation among countries is essential for keeping the strategically important waterway open and safe. Cho said he was invited to attend the upcoming G7 foreign ministers' meeting scheduled to be held next week near Paris, adding that he is likely to meet with Rubio there. 2026-03-17 14:18:19
  • Seoul in close talks with Washington over sending warships to Strait of Hormuz
    Seoul 'in close talks' with Washington over sending warships to Strait of Hormuz SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - The government is closely consulting with Washington and carefully weighing options after U.S. President Donald Trump pressed allies, including South Korea, to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, Cheong Wa Dae said on Sunday. Urging countries "affected" by the closure of the strategically vital waterway, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply, Trump wrote on his social media platform the previous day, "Hopefully China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others that are affected by this artificial constraint will send Ships to the area so that the Hormuz Strait will no longer be a threat by a nation that has been totally decapitated." He also wrote that "many countries" would be sending warships "in conjunction with the United States of America, to keep the Strait open and safe." The comments were made amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which began on Feb. 28 with coordinated U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran and has since expanded into a broader regional war, with the U.S. vowing further strikes that have been met by Iranian retaliatory attacks. A Chong Wa Dae official said, "The safety of international sea lanes and freedom of navigation serve the interests of all countries and should be protected under international law," expressing hope that global maritime logistics can return to normal quickly. He also said the government is closely monitoring developments in the Middle East and related countries' moves, while considering measures to protect South Korean nationals and secure energy shipping routes. The government is expected to make a decision after considering various factors if a formal request is made. None of the five countries have yet explicitly responded to the U.S. request, with the U.K. offering only a limited "defensive" role in support of U.S. action. But even the U.S. Navy is not currently escorting tankers through the narrow strait. 2026-03-15 17:52:50
  • PM heads to US, Switzerland to bid for UN AI hub
    PM heads to US, Switzerland to bid for UN AI hub SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - Prime Minister Kim Min-seok left for the U.S. on Thursday to promote South Korea's bid to host an artificial intelligence (AI)-related hub for the U.N. and its agencies. During his weeklong visit, Kim is scheduled to meet with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and other officials in New York, where he will promote South Korea's initiative for global cooperation on AI-related projects. He is also expected to hold a meeting with senior U.S. officials in Washington, D.C possibly including Vice President JD Vance, whom he met during his last visit in January. They are expected to discuss a range of pending issues including tariff-related negotiations. Kim is also likely to explain a bill outlining South Korea's massive investment pledges to the U.S. as a follow-up to a broader trade deal reached between the two countries last fall, which is expected to pass in the National Assembly here later in the day. After wrapping up his trip to the U.S., Kim will head to Geneva, Switzerland, for further discussions. He returns home next Thursday. 2026-03-12 14:31:54
  • South Korea completes test of first homegrown air-launched anti-tank missile
    South Korea completes test of first homegrown air-launched anti-tank missile SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - South Korea has successfully completed the test of its first homegrown air-launched anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), the Defense Agency for Technology and Quality said on Thursday. The Cheongeom, which literally means "heavenly sword" in Korean and is also called TAipers, was developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) in 2022 and manufactured by Hanwha Aerospace. Mounted on a light armed helicopter, it is designed to precisely strike targets on the ground. The missile passed a live-fire test earlier this week in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, demonstrating its performance and reliability by striking targets accurately. The test was conducted last Tuesday by experts from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), and Hanwha Aerospace. "The latest test approved the missile's required performance and quality, clearing the way for full-scale mass-production," said Shin Sang-beom, the agency's head. "We will keep striving to enhance the quality and reliability of homegrown weapons to boost their export competitiveness," he added. 2026-03-12 11:04:59
  • Photos show North Korean leader and daughter firing pistols during on-site inspection
    Photos show North Korean leader and daughter firing pistols during on-site inspection SEOUL, March 12 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected a munitions factory producing light weapons such as pistols, state media reported on Thursday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim visited the factory the previous day to "learn about the munitions production." He was quoted as urging officials to "expand the factory's production capacity in a far-sighted way and raise the level of modernization of the production line," stressing that the factory is "playing a very important role in increasing the combat efficiency of the army, public security forces and militia forces." Photos released by KCNA showed Kim and his teenage daughter Ju-ae, both in leather jackets, firing pistols at an indoor shooting range there. Similar photos were released late last month when Ju-ae joined senior military officials at an event to present newly developed sniper rifles to troops. Meanwhile, Kim said he plans to convene a meeting with key military officials next month to review modernization projects and budgets for munitions factories over the next five years. 2026-03-12 09:34:01
  • PM to head to New York this week to bid for UN AI hub
    PM to head to New York this week to bid for UN AI hub SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Prime Minister Kim Min-seok is reportedly arranging to visit New York later this week, according to multiple government sources on Tuesday. Kim is expected to visit U.N. headquarters as early as Thursday to propose that South Korea host a U.N. artificial intelligence (AI) hub, which would be linked to several AI projects currently being pursued by the organization. He is likely to meet with senior U.S. officials including Vice President JD Vance, whom he met during his last visit in January. They are expected to discuss a range of pending issues including tariff-related negotiations. Separately, Kim is scheduled to attend the annual Boao Forum for Asia slated to be held from March 24 to 27 on China's Hainan Island, where he will deliver a keynote speech. Established in 2001, the forum is often called Asia's Davos Forum. 2026-03-10 14:44:59
  • North Korean leader highlights traditional friendship with China in letter to Xi
    North Korean leader highlights 'traditional friendship' with China in letter to Xi SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his expectations for further cooperation with his country's traditional alley in a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, state media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim sent the letter to Xi the previous day, expressing his belief that cooperation between the two countries "will become even closer in the future." He was also quoted as saying that strengthening the "traditional friendship" between North Korea and China would help meet the "new demands of the times." The letter was a reply to Xi, who sent a congratulatory message late last month when Kim Jong-un was re-elected general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party at the country's rare party gathering. Kim also thanked Xi for his message, saying it provided "support and encouragement" for himself and party members. 2026-03-10 10:18:42
  • South Korea, US kick off annual joint exercise
    South Korea, US kick off annual joint exercise SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - South Korean and U.S. troops began their annual joint military exercise on Monday to strengthen their combined defense posture. The exercise, dubbed Freedom Shield (FS), runs until March 19 under a scenario simulating a full-scale war to prepare for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. The exercise, involving about 18,000 troops, similar to the levels seen last year, also aims to assess combat readiness to prepare for the transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul. But field drills will be reduced to 16 from 33 last year. Pundits say the scaled-down drills may reflect the South's efforts to avoid provoking North Korea and help create an atmosphere for talks ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's planned visit to China later this month, though the talks now appear unlikely after U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran earlier this month. But others speculate that the drills are being scaled back amid the possible deployment of U.S. military assets to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Meanwhile, North Korea, which has condemned the drills as rehearsals for an invasion, is expected to pretest again. 2026-03-09 14:04:57
  • South Korea secures 6 million barrels of crude oil from UAE to curb soaring fuel prices
    South Korea secures 6 million barrels of crude oil from UAE to curb soaring fuel prices SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - South Korea has secured over 6 million barrels of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Cheong Wa Dae said on Friday. "We have consulted with the UAE to secure crude oil, and the good news is that we were able to secure more than 6 million barrels," presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said during a press briefing on Friday, adding that it will help stabilize oil prices. Fuel prices in South Korea have been rapidly rising amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East shortly after U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran last week, sparking fears of an energy crisis and prompting the government to vow a crackdown on price collusion and other unfair practices. Kang also said that an additional passenger flight carrying South Korean nationals and other travelers stranded in Dubai is set to arrive at Incheon International Airport later in the day, following discussions with the UAE to ensure their safe return. He pledged to continue talks with the UAE to dispatch a chartered flight to bring back those unable to return due to the closure of airports in Dubai. 2026-03-06 16:13:03
  • Speculation grows as US military assets gather at Osan Air Base
    Speculation grows as US military assets gather at Osan Air Base SEOUL, March 6 (AJP) - Patriot missile batteries and heavy transport aircraft have been quietly amassing at a U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, in what appears to be a consolidation of U.S. air defense assets. According to multiple government sources, Patriot missiles and large U.S. military transport aircraft including C-5s and C-17s have recently been spotted at U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)'s Osan Air Base. Some of the Patriot missiles were reportedly transferred from other U.S. bases. C-17s regularly fly into Osan to transport U.S. equipment and troops, but the presence of the larger C-5 was seen as unusual, the sources said. With concerns growing that the Middle East conflict could become prolonged following U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran last week, the recent movements have fueled speculation that USFK may prepare to deploy some of its military assets overseas in case of contingencies in the region. The Patriot is capable of intercepting incoming missiles at low to medium altitudes, roughly 20 to 40 kilometers above the surface. Together with a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery, it forms a core part of USFK's missile defense. Two Patriot batteries were previously deployed to the Middle East during the U.S.' surprise strike on Iranian nuclear facilities last June, under a military operation dubbed "Midnight Hammer," and returned several months later. But some suggest that the recent movements of U.S. military assets may be in preparation for the annual joint exercise between South Korea and the U.S., set to begin next week, rather than a sign of an imminent deployment to the Middle East. For now, both remain uncertain. "It is not appropriate to comment on USFK's operations," said a spokesperson from the Ministry of Defense during a regular press briefing on Friday. He added that USFK's mission is to maintain a strong combined defense posture with South Korea's military to support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and that the allies will continue to coordinate closely. 2026-03-06 15:38:48