Journalist

Jun sungmin
  • 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
  • Navy deploys US Seahawks to boost South Koreas naval capabilities
    Navy deploys US Seahawks to boost South Korea's naval capabilities SEOUL, April 1 (AJP) - The U.S. MH-60R Seahawk, a multi-mission maritime helicopter, has been deployed in South Korea, the Navy said on Wednesday. The deployment follows the delivery of two MH-60Rs by American defense and aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin under a deal signed with the U.S. in December 2020 to procure around a dozen, with the remaining units to be gradually deployed, making South Korea the seventh country to operate the highly versatile helicopter, widely regarded as the world's most advanced. The helicopter, currently operated by the U.S. Navy and several allies for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions as well as search and rescue operations, is expected to strengthen South Korea's capabilities to detect and counter North Korean vessels and submarines. When equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank, the helicopter can fly for more than four hours per sortie. At a handover ceremony in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, Navy Chief Kim Kyung-ryul said, "The Seahawk, armed with advanced weaponry, would deliver a crushing defeat to enemies through its detection and tracking capabilities and rapid mobility." 2026-04-01 11:31:30
  • UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution condemning North Korea
    UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution condemning North Korea SEOUL, March 31 (AJP) - The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has adopted a resolution condemning human rights violations in North Korea, calling for the country to be held accountable. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Tuesday, the resolution was passed unanimously by consensus at the council's 61st session in Geneva last Sunday, with South Korea among the 50 co-sponsoring countries. Such resolutions have been adopted annually since 2003, with this year's marking the 24th consecutive year of international condemnation. Shifting slightly from broad condemnation, the council assessed North Korea's commitments made during its 2024 Universal Periodic Review (UPR), a process that examines the human rights record of every UN member state every five to six years. North Korea underwent its fourth such review in the fall of 2024. It then stressed the importance of engagement including inter-Korean talks to improve human rights conditions in North Korea. The ministry said, "We will continue working with the international community to help bring tangible improvements to the human rights of North Koreans." South Korea participated as a co-sponsor from 2008 to 2018 but abstained from 2019 under the Moon Jae-in government as part of rapprochement efforts with North Korea. It returned as a co-sponsor in 2023 under the subsequent conservative government. 2026-03-31 13:40:43
  • South Korean ships can pass through Strait of Hormuz only with prior consultation, Iranian envoy says
    South Korean ships can pass through Strait of Hormuz only with prior consultation, Iranian envoy says SEOUL, March 26 (AJP) - South Korean ships can pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but "only with prior consultation" with Tehran, Iran's top envoy said on Thursday. At a press conference at the Iranian Embassy in Yongsan, Seoul, Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Koozechi said there have been no safety concerns so far involving South Korean vessels or crew members, adding that the foreign ministers and embassies of both countries are "communicating smoothly" on the issue. Currently, some 26 South Korean vessels and their 178 crew members are stranded in the strategically important waterway, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply. Koozechi also said that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asked South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun over the phone earlier this week to provide a list of stranded South Korean ships. Despite the Middle Eastern country seeing South Korea as a "non-hostile country," it would be "unavoidable" for ships doing business with U.S. firms to face restrictions as part of its "self-defense measures," the envoy said on a radio program earlier in the day. He also claimed that there is no dialogue between Tehran and Washington, saying Iran cannot trust U.S. statements and suspects the U.S. may be trying to buy time to prepare for renewed airstrikes. 2026-03-26 15:51:33
  • Cheong Wa Dae to form emergency task force to monitor Middle East fallout
    Cheong Wa Dae to form emergency task force to monitor Middle East fallout SEOUL, March 25 (AJP) - An emergency task force will be set up within Cheong Wa Dae to respond to potential economic shocks as the conflict in the Middle East drags on with no clear end in sight. During a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Wednesday, Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, said the emergency situation room, led by presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, will be created, separately from the existing government-wide emergency unit headed by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok. Hong said the new body is intended for crisis management in response to domestic and international developments related to the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, which began with U.S.-led airstrikes on Iran late last month. It will be divided into five working-level groups to preemptively respond to potential economic emergencies, with senior presidential secretaries responsible for each group. Each group will be assigned to specific areas including macroeconomics, energy supply, financial stability, public welfare and overseas emergencies, and will be required to submit daily monitoring reports. Their findings will also be regularly disclosed to the public. Meanwhile, Hong said details of a supplementary budget to support those affected by energy supply disruptions and others will be finalized at a regular Cabinet meeting next week, though they remain subject to change depending on preparations by fiscal authorities. 2026-03-25 14:20:59