Journalist

Haehun Jeong
  • Over 70 South Koreans to be deported from Cambodia over scam allegations
    Over 70 South Koreans to be deported from Cambodia over scam allegations SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - Some 73 South Koreans detained in Cambodia over alleged involvement in online scams and other crimes are set to be deported from the Southeast Asian country, Cheong Wa Dae said on Thursday. In a press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said a chartered flight is set to be dispatched to Phnom Penh later in the day to bring them back, with arrival expected around 9 a.m. on Friday. They are accused of swindling a total of 486.7 billion won (US$331.5 million) from 869 South Korean victims and were nabbed by South Korea's task force in collaboration with Cambodian authorities, after the brutal torture and killing of a South Korean college student in Cambodia was belatedly reveled last summer. Investigators reportedly targeted several organized scam rings to arrest a score of suspects, including a couple who used deepfake technology to swindle about 12 billion won from 104 South Koreans and tried to evade arrest by altering their appearance through plastic surgery. Kang said arrest warrants have already been issued for all of them and they will be handed over to investigators for questioning, immediately upon arrival. 2026-01-22 15:29:25
  • Lee to hold New Years press conference next week
    Lee to hold New Year's press conference next week SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will hold his first press conference of the new year next week, presidential secretary for public relations Lee Kyu-yeon said on Friday. According to the secretary, the president will outline his plans for what he has called a "great transformation," aimed at achieving a major leap forward for the country. The conference, scheduled for 10 a.m. at Cheong Wa Dae next Wednesday is expected to last about 90 minutes, with around 160 domestic and foreign journalists invited. Like his two previous press conferences in July and November last year, which marked his 30th and 100th days in office, he will deliver opening remarks and then take questions on key issues across different areas. 2026-01-16 17:37:08
  • Lee to meet residents in Ulsan as part of regional growth initiative
    Lee to meet residents in Ulsan as part of regional growth initiative SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung will visit Ulsan next week to meet residents and hear about the issues facing the industrial city. Lee, who stressed regional growth in his New Year's address, wrote on Facebook Thursday that he will hold his first town hall-style meeting of the year on Jan. 13, describing the southern city as “the heart of South Korea's industry. "Over the past 60 years, Ulsan has led our manufacturing industries including automobiles, petrochemicals, and shipbuilding, and has stood at the center of South Korea's economic growth," he wrote. "Now is the time to move forward on a new path, beyond being an industrial capital, to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in manufacturing and green industries." Lee said the government will make this year the "first year of a great leap through a major transformation," promoting growth beyond Seoul to boost regional development. He added that Ulsan, the leading city in the country's southeastern manufacturing belt, will help drive South Korea's industrial transformation. He urged residents to share their views, saying he wants to map out Ulsan's future and the country's next leap forward using citizens' collective wisdom. About 200 residents will be selected from those who apply by next Monday to attend the meeting. The meeting comes after Lee earlier outlined a vision for regional growth, with Seoul as the economic capital, the central region as the administrative capital, and the southern region as the maritime capital. 2026-01-16 10:56:12
  • Lee meets religious leaders to seek advice
    Lee meets religious leaders to seek advice SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Monday asked major religious leaders to help unite South Koreans as social conflict and divisions deepen. At a luncheon meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul with leaders of South Korea's seven key religious orders including Buddhist monks, Catholic priests, Christian pastors, and others, Lee said, "As many people feel, conflict, hatred, and hostility in our society seem to have increased." He added that the president's most important job is to bring people together, but "even though I'm trying, there are many limits." Lee asked them to do more so that people can "live hand in hand" with harmony and inclusion, saying that the essence of religion is to practice love. He added that he would take their advice to heart and do his best to move the country toward a society where people "reconcile, forgive, and embrace one another." Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said the New Year's gathering was held to seek wisdom and advice from the religious community. 2026-01-12 15:39:54
  • DPs newly elected floor leader calls for unity ahead of local elections
    DP's newly elected floor leader calls for unity ahead of local elections SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - The ruling Democratic Party (DP)'s newly elected floor leader Han Byung-do, has called for unity to build momentum for a resounding victory in the upcoming local elections slated for this summer. The three-term lawmaker Han Byung-do was elected on Sunday to replace Kim Byung-ki, who resigned late last year amid a spate of bribery allegations and other misconduct. In a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Han said, "There is no room for division and conflict," urging unity to win the local elections in June and ensure the success of the current Lee Jae Myung administration. Expressing that he felt a "heavy sense of responsibility," Han added, "To earn the public's trust, we must join forces on issues that improve people's lives, as the public is watching." He said the ruling party's role is to bring the party, government, and presidential office together to adjust differences through discussion. Han also suggested that he is willing to talk with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on state affairs. "I'm ready to discuss and negotiate with opposition parties on all issues," he said, "unless they oppose solely for the sake of opposition." Han, widely considered among aides close to former President Moon Jae-in, will serve the remainder of Kim's term until May. 2026-01-12 10:27:08
  • Lee asks Xi to play mediator role for peace on Korean Peninsula
    Lee asks Xi to play mediator role for peace on Korean Peninsula SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday said he asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to play a mediator role in maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula including North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Lee made the remarks at a luncheon in Shanghai with South Korean reporters, after his talks with Xi in Beijing the previous day. "We have to find a realistic path that helps everyone," Lee said, questioning whether North Korea could give up its nuclear weapons now, even as denuclearization remains a long-term goal. He said he asked Xi to convey South Korea's sincerity regarding the proposed phased approach to North Korea. Lee also urged caution in interpreting Xi's remarks at the summit, in which Xi said leaders should "stand firmly on the right side of history and make the correct strategic choice." When asked about the comment, Lee said he interpreted it as a Confucian saying, meaning that people should live kindly. Lee returns home later in the day. 2026-01-07 17:11:27
  • Lee begins final leg of China trip with startup forum in Shanghai
    Lee begins final leg of China trip with startup forum in Shanghai SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to China, is set to meet entrepreneurs from both countries to discuss partnership and promote future cooperation at a forum in Shanghai on Wednesday. In a written press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said that the final leg of Lee’s four-day trip to China begins with a forum attended by about 400 entrepreneurs from startups and venture companies, where they will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries while laying the groundwork for South Korean firms seeking to make inroads into the Chinese market. The forum will feature a dialogue session and business meetups. Products and technologies from leading South Korean startups seeking to expand into China will also be on display. Participants include Huo Jianjun, general manager of China Merchants Bank International, better known as CMBI, a subsidiary of China Merchants Bank, one of China's largest commercial banks. 2026-01-07 10:29:06
  • Lee heads to Shanghai after meeting with Chinese Premier
    Lee heads to Shanghai after meeting with Chinese Premier SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to China, on Tuesday met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and expressed hope that the talks would mark a turning point for a "breakthrough" in bilateral relations. During his meeting with Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, Lee shared that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed the previous day to develop a "strategic cooperative partnership" that contributes to people's livelihoods and peace. Lee expressed expectations for Li's role in enhancing bilateral relations, saying that Li oversees China's economic affairs and is responsible for stabilizing livelihoods, and has contributed to "laying the foundation for peace and cooperation in the region." Lee also hoped the two countries would expand "mutually beneficial" cooperation and promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula for shared prosperity. Citing the Korean saying "Friends are better the longer you know them, and clothes are best when they're new," Lee said he was able to exchange views candidly with him like "old friends" as it was his third meeting with Li. Lee then added China probably has a similar expression. Li responded by praising Lee for boosting the economy and improving livelihoods as his top priorities since taking office in June last year. As he wraps up his itinerary in Beijing with the meeting with Li, Lee is now traveling to Shanghai. 2026-01-06 17:10:09
  • Lee seeks Chinese legislatures support in strengthening relations
    Lee seeks Chinese legislature's support in strengthening relations SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung started his third day in China by holding talks with Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, on Tuesday. Lee met with Zhao earlier in the morning, a day after his 90-minute summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and called for support in strengthening bilateral relations. Sharing what the two discussed, Lee said they agreed to "maturely develop a strategic cooperative partnership." Stressing the role of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's supreme organ, Lee said he believes it could help raise mutual understanding and broaden common ground. Lee also praised Zhao for helping facilitate exchanges between the two countries. Zhao was quoted as saying that deepening the bilateral relationship serves the "interests of both peoples" and contributes to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and global security. Zhao also pledged that China would work with South Korea to implement agreements reached by the two leaders and to deepen cooperation. 2026-01-06 14:28:13
  • Lee, Xi push economic cooperation as summit sidesteps regional flashpoints
    Lee, Xi push economic cooperation as summit sidesteps regional flashpoints SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) -South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Monday to deepen economic and technology cooperation and frame 2026 as a “year of full restoration” in bilateral ties, even as the summit conspicuously avoided addressing several sensitive security and geopolitical issues looming over the region. Meeting for about 90 minutes at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Lee called the talks the first state-level diplomatic engagement of 2026 for both leaders and pledged to make bilateral relations an “irreversible trend of the times.” He emphasized expanding cooperation in areas tied to people’s daily lives and jointly supporting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Xi welcomed Lee’s state visit - the first by a South Korean president in about nine years, stressing the importance of frequent high-level exchanges between the two neighbors amid a rapidly destabilizing global environment. “Friends grow closer the more they interact, and neighbors grow closer the more they visit,” Xi said in opening remarks, urging the two sides to meet more often and communicate regularly. “In just two months, we have met twice and made mutual visits,” Xi said, calling it a sign that both countries attach great importance to South Korea–China relations. Xi said the world is undergoing “changes unseen in a century,” with international affairs becoming increasingly complex. Against that backdrop, he said South Korea and China share “a major responsibility” to safeguard regional peace and promote global development, adding that the two countries have broad overlapping interests and should “stand firmly on the right side of history” by making the right strategic choices as great-power competition sharpens. The two governments signed 14 memorandums of understanding and one deed of donation, spanning science and technology, digital cooperation, startups and small businesses, climate and environment, transportation, food safety, intellectual property protection, and quarantine procedures for animal and plant trade. The agreements underscored a shared effort to anchor the relationship in practical, economy-focused cooperation after years of diplomatic strain. Yet the summit’s carefully calibrated agenda also revealed what was left unsaid. North Korea fired a ballistic missile on the day Lee traveled to Beijing — a development that underscored heightened security risks on the Korean Peninsula — but the provocation was not publicly addressed in joint remarks or official readouts. While Lee reiterated the need for peace and stability, there was no explicit reference to Pyongyang’s latest launch, nor to concrete coordination measures with Beijing. The leaders also avoided direct mention of the United States’ recent military intervention in Venezuela, an issue with far-reaching implications for global energy markets and geopolitical alignments. Xi referred only broadly to rising international instability, without naming specific conflicts or actors. The omissions appeared deliberate, reflecting a shared preference to keep the summit tightly focused on restoring bilateral ties and advancing economic cooperation, while steering clear of issues that could expose strategic differences or complicate relations with Washington. Lee reaffirmed South Korea’s respect for China’s “one-China” position, a long-standing stance that remains a sensitive diplomatic signal amid rising cross-strait tensions. Discussions on other contentious issues — including North Korea’s denuclearization, maritime concerns in the Yellow Sea, and the easing of China’s informal restrictions on Korean cultural content — were described as ongoing but incremental. The Beijing meeting followed the leaders’ first summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Gyeongju in November, signaling a rapid resumption of high-level diplomacy after years of friction. Still, analysts say the summit highlighted the limits of rapprochement, with Seoul and Beijing opting for pragmatism and restraint over confronting the region’s most volatile fault lines head-on. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2026-01-05 20:23:47