Journalist
Kim Hee-su, Han Jun-gu
khs@ajupress.com
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Korean submarine scores high with Canadian crew ahead of Ottawa decision SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - The Canadian crew after their first onboard journey aboard a South Korean submarine had only high praise for the ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, boosting Team Korea’s momentum in the final stretch of Ottawa’s multibillion-dollar competition to replace its aging submarine fleet. The KSS-III-class diesel-electric submarine arrived at Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt on Saturday after a nearly two-month voyage from Jinhae in southern Korea, marking the first trans-Pacific deployment by a South Korean submarine. The vessel was officially welcomed Monday before scheduled joint exercises with the Royal Canadian Navy and allied forces. The visit comes at a crucial stage in Canada’s Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, or CPSP, aimed at replacing the country’s aging Victoria-class submarines with up to 12 modern diesel-electric vessels. Glenn Copeland, managing director of Hanwha Defence Canada, described the timing of the submarine’s arrival as significant as Ottawa prepares to narrow the field. Hanwha Ocean, the maker of ROKS Dosan, is leading the Korean consortium against the European rival led by Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, with the Canadian government expected to make its choice as early as next month. “I think this is the best conventional submarine available in the world today,” Copeland said, arguing that the KSS-III meets Canadian operational requirements in range, endurance, size and weapons capability. “We feel very positive about our chances,” he added. “Right now, if you ask anyone, they will say it is 50-50. But there are clearly factors working in our favor.” The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho departed Jinhae on March 25 and traveled roughly 15,000 kilometers across the Pacific, stopping in Guam and Hawaii for supplies. Two Canadian sailors boarded the submarine in Hawaii on May 7 and sailed aboard the vessel to Victoria, giving Ottawa a rare firsthand opportunity to evaluate Korean submarine operations at sea. Their reactions were notably enthusiastic. Petty Officer 2nd Class Jake Dixon compared the experience to “buying a brand-new Tesla and then you’re coming out of a ’99 Honda Civic,” according to local media reports. Lieutenant-Commander Brittany Bourgeois, who also spent about two weeks aboard the submarine, praised the vessel’s condition and spacious interior. “Being on board a modern submarine really opened our eyes to the possibilities ahead of us,” she said. The positive reviews could strengthen South Korea’s standing as Canada grapples with severe operational strain in its submarine fleet. Ottawa currently operates four Victoria-class submarines purchased secondhand from Britain in 1998, but reports indicate only one remains operational while the others are undergoing repairs. Rear-Admiral David Patchell, commander of Canada’s Pacific fleet, recently told CBC that the country needed replacement submarines “yesterday.” “We’ve operated submarines for more than 100 years, but we have not truly been a submarine-owning nation,” Patchell said. “With 12 modern submarines, Canada can become one.” The contest has increasingly evolved beyond submarine specifications into a broader strategic and industrial competition. Hanwha Ocean has sought to distinguish itself through wider economic cooperation proposals, including an equity investment in Canadian space startup Reaction Dynamics and a $345 million steel infrastructure project tied to Algoma Steel. Canadian media have generally viewed the Korean bid favorably compared with TKMS’ proposal centered on German launch infrastructure technology. Still, analysts note that the KSS-III’s strengths could also pose questions for Canadian planners. Its vertical launch system and heavy strike capability — developed in response to threats from North Korea and broader regional tensions involving China — may exceed the Royal Canadian Navy’s current operational requirements, which do not include ballistic or cruise missile submarine missions. By contrast, TKMS’ Type 212CD is widely viewed as highly suitable for Arctic operations because of its smaller size, maneuverability and ability to operate in shallow and ice-covered waters across Canada’s Arctic archipelago. But the German bid faces mounting concerns over delivery schedules. TKMS already has a substantial production backlog tied to orders from Germany, Norway, Singapore, Türkiye and India, leading some Canadian defense analysts to question whether deliveries could realistically meet Ottawa’s target timeline in the mid-2030s. For South Korea, the Pacific crossing itself may prove strategically significant beyond the Canadian bid. The deployment demonstrated not only the endurance and operational reliability of the KSS-III platform, but also Seoul’s growing ambition to compete directly with established European defense manufacturers in high-end naval procurement markets increasingly shaped by geopolitical competition and supply-chain reliability. A South Korean Navy official said the Dosan Ahn Chang-ho is expected to participate in joint exercises with Canadian forces in early June, though exact schedules have not been disclosed. 2026-05-26 16:57:59 -
N. Korea tests mixed-fire tactics as Xi's possible Pyongyang trip looms SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - North Korea fired several close-range ballistic missiles and artillery rockets into the Yellow Sea on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, amid speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping could visit Pyongyang soon. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected various types of projectiles, including close-range ballistic missiles, fired from the area of Jongju, North Pyongan Province, toward waters off the North’s west coast at around 1 p.m. The close-range ballistic missiles flew about 80 kilometers, and the military believes North Korea also fired artillery rockets, a type of multiple rocket launcher system, along with them. It is unusual for North Korea to fire close-range ballistic missiles and artillery rockets at the same time. The launch is seen as an apparent attempt to demonstrate its ability to evade air defenses and conduct mixed-fire strikes. Military authorities are also keeping open the possibility that loitering munitions, or so-called suicide drones, may have been used in the launch. Officials reportedly detected trajectories on radar that differed from those of typical ballistic missiles or artillery rockets, raising the possibility that a new weapons system was involved. The military said further analysis is needed to make a precise assessment. The launch marked North Korea’s first ballistic missile firing in 37 days and its eighth such launch this year. On April 19, North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles from the eastern coastal area of Sinpo, South Hamgyong Province, toward the East Sea, claiming they were equipped with cluster warheads. North Korean state media said Kim Jong-un oversaw the launch of five upgraded Hwasong-11 Ra tactical ballistic missiles, which struck a target zone 136 kilometers away and covered an area of about 12.5 to 13 hectares. The test was aimed at assessing new warheads carrying cluster bombs and fragmentation mines. The South Korean Unification Ministry later noted that an unusually large number of commanders from North Korean frontline units were present at the test, saying this appeared to underscore Kim’s push to expand tactical missile deployments against South Korea. Tuesday’s launch drew attention as it came amid speculation that Xi could visit North Korea as early as this week. If Xi’s visit takes place following recent U.S.-China and China-Russia summits, it would be Xi’s first trip to North Korea since June 2019. “The government once again calls on North Korea to respond to our peace policy and efforts to reduce tensions,” South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a briefing Tuesday. Park said South Korea will continue pursuing a phased and pragmatic approach to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue while maintaining close coordination with the international community. 2026-05-26 16:07:04 -
Lee calls for faster push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday called for accelerating South Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, as the government is seeking to unveil a basic plan for the development of a Korean nuclear-powered submarine by the end of this month. “We must speed up the introduction of AI and drone technologies and move faster to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, a key strategic asset for future defense capabilities,” Lee said during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae. Lee said South Korea must hurry its transition into a future-oriented, advanced military. His remarks came as the Navy recently submitted a formal request to the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the acquisition of Korean nuclear-powered submarines. The request marks the first step in the country’s weapons acquisition process, under which the military formally lays out operational requirements, concepts of operation, the number of units needed and the timing of deployment for a new weapons system. “South Korea’s defense capabilities currently rank fifth in the world, and its annual defense spending far exceeds North Korea’s annual gross domestic product,” Lee said. “We already have sufficient capability to defend ourselves, but we must further strengthen our defense power in the face of the harsh international reality of self-reliance and survival of the fittest.” Lee also called for greater national efforts to foster the country’s defense industry by continuously expanding research and development budgets, localizing key components and strengthening public-private cooperation. “Winning a war is important, but efforts to build peace so that war does not break out are also very important,” he said. “Above all, what matters most is the attitude that we will take responsibility for and defend our own security.” Lee also called for a swift transfer of wartime operational control from Washington to Seoul, after U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson recently told the House Armed Services Committee that the transition could be completed before the first quarter of 2029. “Only with a firm commitment to self-reliant defense can we earn the respect of our friends and keep our alliance even stronger,” Lee said. “I ask that the transfer of wartime operational control proceed swiftly and smoothly, in a way that further strengthens the South Korea-U.S. alliance.” “True and capable security is not only about winning a war, but also about creating peace so that war does not break out,” Lee said. “We will do our utmost to strengthen our defense capabilities in a way that supports peace on the Korean Peninsula and South Korea’s continued progress.” 2026-05-26 11:27:51 -
Hanwha Power signs MOU with Canadian university to support submarine bid SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - Hanwha Power Systems said Tuesday it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Alberta to jointly conduct research and development on clean energy technologies, as part of efforts to support Hanwha Ocean’s bid for Canada’s submarine procurement project. The agreement, signed Friday, was arranged as part of an industrial and technological cooperation program linked to the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, or CPSP, in which Hanwha Ocean is competing with Germany's TKMS. Under the MOU, Hanwha Power and the university will work on energy recycling technologies, including systems that generate electricity from gas turbine waste heat and pressure energy. The company also plans to explore the feasibility of applying such technologies in the North American market, drawing on the University of Alberta’s research capabilities and talent pipeline. Beyond joint R&D, the two sides will assess potential industries where the technologies could be used, review business structures and evaluate economic viability as part of efforts to move toward commercialization. “We are pleased to work with the University of Alberta, a hub of the energy industry,” said Michael Sicker, head of Hanwha Power Systems Americas. “We hope students will grow into future energy experts through this cooperation, while Hanwha Power will also gain a valuable opportunity to verify and advance its technologies in Canada.” David Bressler, vice president of international and enterprise at the University of Alberta, said, “This will also provide our students with a valuable foundation to apply basic research to real industrial settings.” 2026-05-26 10:40:46 -
Trump weighs resuming strikes on Iran as talks hit deadlock SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a possible resumption of airstrikes on Iran, raising concerns that military confrontation between Washington and Tehran could return to the forefront after he canceled plans to attend his eldest son’s wedding and decided to remain in Washington. The move came as little progress has been made in negotiations since Washington delivered what U.S. media described as a “final offer” to Iran on May 20. Trump is reportedly seriously considering new strikes if Tehran does not accept the proposal soon. According to U.S. political circles and foreign media reports, Trump met with key national security officials at the White House on Friday, including Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, to review the status of negotiations with Iran and possible military options. Axios reported that Trump is increasingly frustrated with the talks and is seriously considering resuming strikes unless there is a breakthrough. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was absent due to a trip to Europe, while Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not attend because he was at the U.S. Naval Academy graduation ceremony, according to reports. Trump had initially planned to spend the Memorial Day weekend at his golf club in New Jersey after a speech in New York on Friday evening, before traveling to the Bahamas over the weekend for the wedding of his eldest son, Donald Trump Jr. But he said on Truth Social that he would skip the wedding due to “circumstances pertaining to the Government” and his “love of the United States of America,” adding that he felt it was important to remain at the White House during “this important period of time.” Defense and intelligence officials have also reportedly canceled holiday plans as they prepare for the possibility of renewed military confrontation in the Middle East. The U.S. and Iran have been engaged in indirect talks since agreeing to a temporary cease-fire on April 7, discussing Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, its nuclear program and terms for ending the war. Washington reportedly delivered a final proposal to Tehran on May 20 that included terms for maintaining the cease-fire, handling nuclear material and guaranteeing passage through the strait. If Iran rejects the offer, the Trump administration is said to be reviewing renewed strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure, missile sites, nuclear-related facilities and leadership targets. Iran, however, has acknowledged that talks are continuing while maintaining that a deal is not imminent. Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said discussions on key issues are still underway, while figures close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have reportedly said the talks are focused on ending the war and that other issues will not be addressed until that goal is achieved. U.S. officials have described the negotiations as “painful,” saying the process remains stuck in an exchange of draft documents with little substantive progress. At the same time, mediators including Pakistan and Qatar are said to be making last-minute efforts to prevent another escalation. Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir arrived in Tehran on Friday to meet Iranian leaders, while Qatari officials are also reportedly involved in efforts to revive the talks. Some U.S. officials believe that unless an unexpected breakthrough emerges within the next 24 to 48 hours, Trump could move closer to ordering renewed airstrikes. 2026-05-23 17:45:48 -
Naegohyang becomes first N. Korean club to win Asian women's football title SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s Football Club defeated Tokyo Verdy Beleza of Japan on Saturday to win the Asian women’s club football title. Naegohyang beat Tokyo Verdy 1-0 in the final of the 2025-26 Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League (AWCL) at Suwon Sports Complex, with captain Kim Kyong-yong scoring the winner in the 44th minute. The victory made Naegohyang the first North Korean team to win the tournament and will also receive $1 million in prize money. The AWCL, Asia’s top women’s club football competition, was officially launched in the 2024-25 season. Naegohyang FC reached the final after defeating South Korea’s Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals at the same venue on Wednesday, also thanks to a decisive goal by Kim. The visit marked the first trip by North Korean football players to South Korea since the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. It was also the first visit to South Korea by a North Korean women’s football club team. 2026-05-23 16:15:27 -
Lee pays respects to former President Roh in Bongha Village SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung attended a memorial ceremony for former President Roh Moo-hyun in Bongha Village in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on Saturday. Lee made the remarks marking the 17th anniversary of Roh’s death, saying he would push ahead with reforms regardless of pushback from vested interests. “Beyond mourning you, I now feel the heavy responsibility and weight as president of the Republic of Korea, and I seek to carry on your will,” Lee said. Referring to the Oct. 4 South-North Summit Declaration, which included efforts toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of a peace regime, Lee said he would continue Roh’s vision. “I will steadily walk the path of peaceful coexistence and shared growth, inheriting the will of the president who turned the line of division into a path of peace and achieved the declaration,” Lee said. Lee said Roh envisioned a Korea where no one is driven to give up on life over making a living, and where people are treated with dignity. Lee also drew applause when he said, “After you left us, countless Roh Moo-hyuns were born again on this land. I am one of them.” It marked Lee’s first attendance at Roh’s memorial ceremony as a sitting president. Lee, who took office in June last year, attended the ceremony on May 23 last year as a presidential candidate. 2026-05-23 15:59:20 -
Stray Kids to headline new music festival 'STRAYCITY' in Latin America SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - K-pop boy band Stray Kids will headline "STRAYCITY," a new music festival set to debut in Latin America this September, Live Nation and JYP Entertainment said Saturday. The festival will be held in three cities: Bogota, Colombia, on Sept. 9; Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Sept. 14; and Mexico City on Sept. 25. Stray Kids will headline all three editions. The lineup also includes JYP Entertainment’s seven-member rookie boy group NEXZ and local artists Andrés Obregón, RENEE, BAD MILK, Kei Linch, K4OS and Cocho, with supporting acts to vary by city. The festival name draws from "Stray," part of the group’s name, and is planned as a recurring international event anchored by Stray Kids’ global fanbase. Stray Kids officially debuted in March 2018 following a 2017 JYP Entertainment reality program. The eight-member group is known for producing much of its own music through 3RACHA, an in-house production unit consisting of Bang Chan, Changbin and Han. The festival follows Stray Kids’ recent world tour "dominATE," which spanned 56 shows across 35 regions. As part of the tour, the group held eight stadium concerts across five Latin American cities in 2025, with stops in Santiago, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Lima and Mexico City. Stray Kids has also expanded its presence on the global festival circuit, with headline performances at Lollapalooza Paris, I-Days in Italy, British Summer Time Hyde Park in London and Lollapalooza Chicago. The group is set to headline The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York on June 6, followed by Rock in Rio in Brazil on Sept. 11. 2026-05-23 14:25:39 -
NPT talks collapse again over nuclear disputes involving N. Korea, Iran SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - The 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) ended Friday without adopting a consensus document, as member states failed to narrow differences over North Korea, Iran and nuclear disarmament. The four-week conference, held at the U.N. headquarters in New York, had been expected to produce a final document on strengthening the NPT regime. But negotiations broke down over regional nuclear threats and how to implement disarmament commitments. It was the third straight failure after similar breakdowns in 2015 and 2022, raising concerns about the credibility of the NPT system. The latest meeting had been expected to face difficulties from the outset, as it opened amid heightened international tensions, including the U.S.-Iran war. Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.N. Do Hung Viet, who chaired the conference, announced late Friday that member states had failed to reach consensus on the final document. He later told a news conference that “no one blocked consensus,” but said “a very important reason” for the failure was a provision in the final draft stating that Iran “can never seek, develop or acquire any nuclear weapons.” Negotiators worked until the final hours, preparing a fourth revised draft and distributing it to delegations early Saturday, but still failed to bridge differences. References to North Korea’s nuclear program were removed entirely during the revision process. Kim Sang-jin, South Korea’s deputy permanent representative to the U.N., expressed deep regret that the document failed to include even a brief message on North Korea. “It should have been clearly stated that North Korea can never have the status of a nuclear-weapon state under the NPT regime,” Kim said. Viet explained that references to specific regional issues, including North Korea and Iran, had to be removed to secure space for the NPT’s three main pillars — disarmament, nonproliferation and the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Attempts to include stronger language on nuclear-weapon states’ disarmament obligations also faced resistance, while a call for follow-up talks on the expired U.S.-Russia New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was left out of the final draft. Izumi Nakamitsu, the U.N. high representative for disarmament affairs, criticized nuclear-weapon states for demanding nonproliferation commitments from non-nuclear states while failing to meet their own disarmament obligations. The failure to reach consensus for a third consecutive review cycle is “a serious lesson that the entire international community must take to heart,” she said. 2026-05-23 14:10:17 -
North Korean football club's South visit unlikely to thaw inter-Korean ties: report SEOUL, May 23 (AJP) - North Korean women’s football club Naegohyang FC’s recent visit to South Korea is unlikely to lead to a broader thaw in inter-Korean relations, a South Korean state-run think tank said Friday. A recent report by the Institute for National Security Strategy said the visit should be viewed not as a signal of reconciliation but as “a limited form of contact between two states through an international sporting event,” according to researcher Kim Bo-mi. Naegohyang FC arrived in South Korea on May 17 to participate in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League. The North Korean side defeated Suwon FC Women 2-1 in the semifinals on May 20 and is set to face Japan’s Tokyo Verdy in the final at 2 p.m. Saturday in Suwon. The visit marked the first trip by a North Korean sports team to South Korea since 2018, drawing attention amid prolonged tensions between the two Koreas. But Kim said the behavior of the North Korean delegation and Pyongyang’s state media coverage suggested the North was intentionally avoiding any narrative of inter-Korean reconciliation or ethnic unity. “North Korea made clear that it views South Korea not as a partner for exchange and cooperation, but as a separate state encountered in an international competition,” Kim wrote. During the tournament, North Korean players and officials also appeared cautious about attaching political meaning to the visit, repeatedly emphasizing that they were focused “only on football.” Kim said it remains unlikely that the visit will trigger rapid improvements in inter-Korean ties or revive large-scale sports exchanges such as unified Korean teams, which were pursued during periods of relatively friendly relations in the past. “For the time being, inter-Korean relations are likely to show a complex pattern in which military tensions and limited exchanges coexist,” she said. Kim urged Seoul to recognize North Korea’s participation in limited exchanges under international norms and develop policies that reflect the changing nature of inter-Korean relations. 2026-05-23 10:50:51