G-Dragon, Park Ji-sung, and other Korean superstars pitch APEC 2025 SEOUL, October 02 (AJP) - The APEC 2025 organizing committee released a special promotional video ahead of the summit. K-pop star G-Dragon stars as the ambassador, with cameo appearances by director Park Chan-wook, soccer player Park Ji-sung, IVE's Jang Won-young, chef Ahn Sung-jae, and DJ Peggy Gou. Directed by award-winning Shin Woo-seok, the video begins with APEC members gathering at a fusion Korean restaurant, symbolizing Korea's cultural heritage. President Lee Jae-myung briefly appears as an aircraft marshaller, symbolizing South Korea's orderly return to the international community, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The video was produced with minimal expenses, and all participants volunteered without compensation to support the national event, the ministry added. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-02 15:06:25

Military postpones annual field training to mid-November SEOUL, October 2 (AJP) - The military has postponed its large-scale field training to mid-November. The annual "Hoguk Exercise," involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, initially scheduled for the fourth week of October, will now be held from Nov. 17 to 21, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday. The postponement comes as South Korea prepares for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the historic city of Gyeongju from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, to ensure safety and security ahead of the multilateral gathering while maintaining military readiness. Additionally, the military took into account the dispersion of command efforts caused by the National Assembly's upcoming audit and the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), a biennial event scheduled for mid-October. The Hoguk Exercise is a theater-level field maneuver designed to enhance joint operational capabilities and military readiness, typically including U.S. forces stationed in South Korea. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-02 10:52:44

South Korea to outsource non-combat roles as military personnel decline, says Defense Minister SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-back announced plans to maintain military force levels at 500,000 by combining 350,000 active-duty soldiers with 150,000 outsourced personnel, in a press briefing on the occasion of Army Forces Day on Wednesday. In his first briefing since assuming his post, he said, "We aim to maintain 350,000 active combat troops by outsourcing non-combat roles to address the declining number of military personnel." The plans appear similar to the approach of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), which outsources non-combat roles. South Korea's military personnel have decreased to 480,000 last year after peaking at 690,000 in 2002, with projections of a further decline to 350,000 by 2040 due to low birthrates and shorter periods of mandatory military service. After peaking at 690,000 in 2002, South Korea's military shrank to 480,000 last year, with numbers expected to further drop to 350,000 by 2040 due to low birthrates and shorter mandatory service periods. To maintain combat readiness, Ahn intends to outsource logistics and transport roles while retaining 4,000 military specialists with technical skills to manage advanced weaponry, offering them attractive salaries. Regarding the halt of military exercises at the inter-Korean border as part of the current administration's conciliatory gesture toward North Korea, Ahn rejected the idea, highlighting the need for bilateral dialogue instead of unilateral actions. Ahn also clarified that the 2018 inter-Korean military pact is paused, not terminated, stressing the need to restore it to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and build trust between the two Koreas. Dismissing concerns over a possible U.S. troop pullout, Ahn said, "There is no discussion about the USFK's withdrawal or reduction," adding that South Korea will continue to cooperate with the U.S. to ensure peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 15:03:54

South Korea pushes for easing US rules on shipbuilding cooperation SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - South Korea's defense procurement chief said in Washington, Wednesday (local time), that talks are advancing with the United States on shipbuilding and defense industry cooperation, including the long-delayed Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement, which would allow Korean companies greater access to U.S. contracts. Seok Jong-geon, head of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), said he is focusing on addressing legal obstacles that have hampered collaboration between their shipbuilding sectors. He is scheduled to meet senior U.S. defense and navy officials to press the issue further. At the heart of the problem are longstanding U.S. regulations such as the Jones Act, which restricts foreign shipbuilders’ participation in the American market by requiring vessels operating between U.S. ports to be built domestically. South Korean shipbuilders — including Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean — are world leaders in both commercial and military ship construction, but they face tight limits when it comes to direct involvement in U.S. naval and commercial projects. “The leadership of both countries must act swiftly to resolve these barriers,” Seok said, adding that South Korean firms are eager to expand cooperation. Hanwha’s overseas shipyard in the Philippines, he noted, cannot by itself meet U.S. requirements for new vessels. To bridge the regulatory gap, Seok proposed several models of cooperation. These include prioritizing Korean-made parts for U.S. ships, assembling ships in U.S. shipyards from pre-fabricated blocks built in Korea, and constructing ships in Korea to a basic operational level before installing sensitive systems in the United States. Such hybrid approaches, he said, could boost U.S. shipbuilding capacity while safeguarding national security concerns. The talks come as the U.S. Navy struggles with production bottlenecks and cost overruns in its shipbuilding programs, while South Korea’s shipyards continue to rank among the most competitive globally. For decades, Korean companies have been dominant in commercial shipbuilding — particularly LNG carriers — and are now expanding aggressively into naval vessels, including destroyers, submarines and amphibious ships. Another item under negotiation is the U.S.–South Korea Reciprocal Defense Procurement Agreement (RDPA), which would allow the two countries to treat each other’s defense companies as domestic suppliers in government contracts. While Seoul has pressed for the deal, Washington has delayed approval amid concerns about potential impacts on U.S. workers and shipyards. Seok expressed optimism that the RDPA could be concluded once remaining U.S. procedures are resolved, saying it would strengthen alliance-based defense supply chains. “This agreement is critical to overcoming protectionist barriers and enabling practical cooperation in naval shipbuilding,” he said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-18 10:20:44