Journalist

Jun Sung-min
  • South Korea Voices Regret Over Japanese Prime Minister’s Yasukuni Shrine Offering
    South Korea Voices Regret Over Japanese Prime Minister’s Yasukuni Shrine Offering South Korea’s Foreign Ministry on 21 expressed deep regret after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sent an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine’s autumn festival in Tokyo, where Class-A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined. In a spokesperson’s statement, the ministry said the South Korean government was “deeply disappointed and regretful” that “responsible Japanese leaders” again made offerings or visited the shrine, which it said glorifies Japan’s past wars of aggression and enshrines war criminals. The ministry urged Japan’s leaders to “face history” and to show “humble reflection and sincere remorse” over the past through their actions, adding that this is an important foundation for building a future-oriented South Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual trust. Takaichi made the offering to the shrine on 21. Other Cabinet ministers and key politicians from the ruling coalition also made offerings or visited, the ministry said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 15:05:14
  • South Korea Defense Ministry Denies U.S. Forces Commander Protested Minister Over Jung Dong-young Remarks
    South Korea Defense Ministry Denies U.S. Forces Commander Protested Minister Over Jung Dong-young Remarks South Korea’s Defense Ministry on Monday denied a claim that the commander of U.S. Forces Korea protested to Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back over a controversy involving Unification Minister Jung Dong-young’s remarks about a North Korean nuclear facility. In a statement issued Monday afternoon, the ministry said it was “not appropriate in terms of South Korea-U.S. military diplomacy” and “not true at all” that the U.S. commander lodged a protest with the defense minister. The ministry added that South Korea and the United States communicate frequently on major issues and strictly comply with their military information protection agreement. Sung Il-jong, a lawmaker from the ruling People Power Party and chair of the National Assembly Defense Committee, said at a news conference Monday morning that, based on information he had obtained as committee chair, the U.S. Forces Korea commander “urgently” visited Ahn to strongly protest Jung’s mention of Guseong as the location of a third North Korean nuclear facility. Sung also claimed that the U.S. Embassy’s intelligence chief strongly protested the matter to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. Jung said Sunday, “I explained the policy to describe the seriousness of the North Korean nuclear issue, and it is deeply regrettable to frame this as an information leak.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 14:26:18
  • PM Kim Min-seok orders fast rollout of extra budget, including aid for high oil prices
    PM Kim Min-seok orders fast rollout of extra budget, including aid for high oil prices Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on April 21 ordered officials to closely check how 243 local governments are drafting supplementary budgets so that funding for 20 projects — including support for damage from high oil prices — can be executed quickly. In opening remarks at the 17th Cabinet meeting and the eighth emergency economy headquarters meeting at the Government Complex Seoul, Kim said “speed is the lifeblood” of what he called a “wartime supplementary budget.” He urged relevant ministries — including the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare — to ensure additional supply-stabilization steps scheduled for this week, including releasing stockpiled urea for vehicles and setting a fourth maximum price for oil. With the deadline for a ceasefire between the United States and Iran approaching, Kim said uncertainty in the Middle East continues and stressed that the government will keep its current emergency economic response system firmly in place. Kim also called on ministries to follow through on steps tied to President Lee Jae-myung’s trip to India and Vietnam, saying the government must keep working under the president’s leadership to overcome difficulties from the Middle East war and strengthen energy and supply-chain stability. Kim said 217 of 341 key bills that should be handled in the first half — including the so-called materials, parts and equipment law and a bill to support victims of jeonse rental fraud — have yet to pass the National Assembly. He asked Cabinet members to keep meeting lawmakers in person to seek cooperation so the government does not miss what he called a legislative “golden time.” Kim said the government began intensive safety inspections the previous day at about 32,000 facilities nationwide considered at risk of accidents, citing concerns that oversight could weaken ahead of local elections. He instructed agencies to conduct thorough checks over the two-month inspection period and immediately carry out needed fixes, with special management for summer disaster-related sites such as underpasses, semi-basement homes and landslide-prone areas. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-21 12:00:06
  • North Korea test-fires tactical ballistic missiles with new warheads, state media says
    North Korea test-fires tactical ballistic missiles with new warheads, state media says SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - North Korea has conducted a test of a "surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile," state media reported on Monday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the test was conducted the previous day to "evaluate the power of warhead of the improved surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile Hwasongpho-11 Ra." "Five tactical ballistic missiles, launched towards the target area around an island about 136 km away, struck the area of 12.5~13 hectares with the very high density, fully displaying their combat might," KCNA said. The purpose of the test was to "verify the characteristics and power of cluster bomb warhead and fragmentation mine warhead applied to the tactical ballistic missile," it added. The country's leader Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his daughter Ju-ae, expressed "great satisfaction" over the test, touting that the development of different cluster bomb warheads would "boost the high-density striking capability to quell a specific target area as well as the high-precision striking capability." He also encouraged defense and military officials to "continuously make successes in the important undertakings to acquire and update various ultra-modern technologies necessary for the combat preparedness of our army." Sunday's test comes just a few weeks after similar missile launches earlier this month, believed to have tested KN-23–series weapons, similar to Russia's Iskander-type missiles. But this time, they appeared to carry cluster-munition and fragmentation-mine warheads, both designed to maximize damage by dispersing submunitions or metal fragments across a large area. A day earlier, South Korea's military said it detected multiple short-range ballistic missiles launched from Sinpo in South Hamgyong Province toward the East Sea at around 6:10 a.m. and they flew approximately 140 kilometers. "The simultaneous launch of five missiles striking 12.5 to 13 hectares demonstrated the ability to hit a wide area beyond simple precision strikes," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. "It was also unusual to gather all key commanders responsible for border areas with South Korea in one place, suggesting the tested weapon will be deployed to frontline units." 2026-04-20 09:45:56
  • South Korea holds talks with Algeria, Libya to secure alternative oil supplies
    South Korea holds talks with Algeria, Libya to secure alternative oil supplies SEOUL, April 17 (AJP) - South Korea has discussed energy-related cooperation with Algeria and Libya, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. Park Jong-han, a ministry official, visited Algeria and Libya earlier this week to assess the possibility of securing emergency supplies of crude oil and naphtha, according to the ministry. His four-day trip, which began last Monday, was part of efforts to secure alternative supply routes that would remain unaffected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of global oil supply, amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. Park met several ministers and senior officials in both countries as well as the heads of state-run oil companies including Algeria's Sonatrach and Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC). Their talks covered mid- to long-term cooperation in the energy sector, as Libya is the world's 10th-largest oil producer and holds Africa's largest oil reserves, estimated at about 48.4 billion barrels. Park asked the NOC to allocate some of its heavy crude to South Korea. The NOC replied that it could do so if technical conditions such as crude grades, delivery timing, and other requirements such as buyer reliability are met. Park told Algerian and Libyan officials that South Korea relies entirely on crude oil imports but exports petroleum products across the Asia-Pacific region thanks to its advanced refining facilities, adding that securing steady supplies is directly linked to maintaining stability in regional supply chains. Before returning home, Park also met with South Korean expatriates and businesspeople there to hear about their difficulties and discuss possible support measures. 2026-04-17 10:28:28
  • FM seeks Mexicos help in securing stable crude oil imports in phone call
    FM seeks Mexico's help in securing stable crude oil imports in phone call SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun talked with Mexico's new Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco over the phone, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. Congratulating him on his inauguration last week, Cho said the two countries should further expand economic cooperation, stressing that the Latin American country is South Korea's top trade and investment partner in the region. He then asked for help in ensuring a stable supply of crude oil for South Korean companies, as Mexico is a key oil producer in the Spanish-speaking continent. "It is deeply concerning that the prolonged conflict in the Middle East is affecting global security and economic stability," Cho was quoted as saying. He also expressed hope that peace in the region would be "restored as soon as possible." Cho also emphasized the need to lay the groundwork to resume talks on a free trade agreement and other relevant issues, as the two ministers agreed to work together to address global challenges within multilateral frameworks such as MIKTA, a cross-regional consultative group established in September 2013, consisting of five countries: Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, and Türkiye. Cho and Velasco also agreed to broaden cooperation in advanced industries such as artificial intelligence and space technology. 2026-04-16 15:06:11
  • FMs of South Korea and Brazil seek closer cooperation on supply chains
    FMs of South Korea and Brazil seek closer cooperation on supply chains SEOUL, April 16 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun spoke with his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira to discuss measures to address supply chain disruptions amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. According to the ministry, Cho spoke with him by phone the previous day, during which he explained South Korea is making an all-out effort to secure alternative routes and sources for crude oil and other resources, citing the country's heavy reliance on the Middle East for its energy imports. Cho then expressed hope to expand cooperation with Brazil, South America's largest crude oil producer, while maintaining close consultation on various global issues. Their talks came less than a month after they met on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in France in March. The two also agreed to continue discussing ways to implement the outcomes made during Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's visit to Seoul for a summit with President Lee Jae Myung in February. 2026-04-16 10:20:28
  • North Korean leader again oversees test-firing of missiles from naval destroyer
    North Korean leader again oversees test-firing of missiles from naval destroyer SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected again the test-firing of missiles from a naval destroyer, state media reported Tuesday. "Two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles were test-fired" last Sunday from the 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyun to assess its "operational efficiency," with Kim observing it, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Kim's latest inspection of the destroyer comes about a month after he observed similar tests on March 4 and March 10. They flew along preset trajectories over the West Sea, hitting their targets with "ultra-precise" accuracy. Kim was quoted as expressing "great satisfaction over the fact that the preparedness of our army's strategic action has been strengthened in a qualitative way with various achievements recently made in the field of defense science." Stressing it as the country's "most important priority," he urged officials to "steadily and unlimitedly bolster up the powerful and reliable nuclear war deterrent." "Kim's remarks on strengthening the country's 'strategic and tactical attack capability' appear to be an attempt to show off the North's nuclear weapons, which could be mounted on any weapons system," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. "Strategic cruise missiles are a type of weapons for which nuclear warheads are easier to miniaturize. Tactical nuclear weapons mounted on cruise missiles launched from a destroyer could pose a significant threat to South Korea," he warned. The Choe Hyon, named after a comrade of regime founder Kim Il Sung during his days as a partisan fighter, was first unveiled in April last year. The destroyer is believed to be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, with North Korea building another vessel expected to be completed by early October. 2026-04-14 11:05:21
  • Actor Hyun Bin chosen as face of South Koreas spy agency
    Actor Hyun Bin chosen as face of South Korea's spy agency SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - Heartthrob actor Hyun Bin will take on the unlikely task of serving as the face of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), the spy agency said Tuesday. The NIS said the star has been appointed to carry out promotional activities to raise awareness of the agency's broader role in protecting the country from various security threats, rather than its traditional Cold War–era focus on tracking down North Korean spies, amid an evolving security environment. The appointment follows last month's revision of relevant laws by the National Assembly, which expanded the definition and scope of espionage to cover threats from all foreign countries, not just North Korea, reflecting growing concerns over sophisticated spying and intelligence threats from overseas. Hyun Bin, who played an NIS agent in his 2023 film "The Point Men," appears a natural fit for the role, bringing his on-screen experience into a real-world engagement with the agency. 2026-04-07 16:39:27
  • South Korea to transfer KF-21 prototype to Indonesia
    South Korea to transfer KF-21 prototype to Indonesia SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - South Korea has agreed to transfer one of its fighter jet prototypes to Indonesia as part of the two countries' joint development project. According to a report submitted on Tuesday by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to Kang Dae-sik of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), who leads the National Assembly's defense committee, the two countries reached an agreement in their working-level talks in February to transfer one of the six KF-21 prototypes, multi-role fighter jets dubbed "Boramae." The value of the transfer is reportedly estimated at about 600 billion won (about U$400 million), almost equal to Indonesia's contribution to the development. The package includes a KF-21 prototype worth 350 billion won, 174.2 billion won for technology transfer and wages for Indonesian researchers, and 75.8 billion won for other costs. Indonesia had initially agreed to cover about 20 percent of the total development costs, roughly 1.6 trillion won, but delayed payments citing economic difficulties, forcing South Korea to reduce the Southeast Asian country's contribution to 600 billion won last year. Jakarta has so far paid 536 billion won of the total 600 billion won and plans to pay the remaining amount by June. DAPA plans to decide when to hand over the prototype once full payment is made. Separately, South Korea is also in talks with Indonesia to export 16 homegrown KF-21 aircraft. 2026-04-07 10:58:03