Journalist

Park Sae-jin, Kim Hee-su
  • Global fans throng merchandise booths as BTS prepares return
    Global fans throng merchandise booths as BTS prepares return SEOUL, March 21 (AJP) - Fans from across the globe gathered at official BTS merchandise booths in central Seoul on Saturday, marking a festive prelude to the first major performance by the group following a prolonged hiatus. The process for purchasing items, including a new lightstick for the seven-member group, was governed by a strict reservation system to manage crowds and prevent unauthorized resale. Lana Ro, 25, from Russia, bought two lightsticks—one for herself and one for her friend. Having followed the group for three years, she focused on the specific design of the items. "I bought a special edition of the lightstick just now," she said. She also selected apparel in various colors. "These are T-shirts in different colors. I bought one white and one red," she said. The scene near the stalls remained orderly as fans of different ages and nationalities waited to buy exclusive merchandise ranging from apparel to limited-edition collectibles. While there were no long lines due to the reservation system, the area remained active with fans taking photos and exchanging small gifts. Adriana, an American teaching in Seoul for six months, was among those who secured a large volume of products. She moved through the area holding a full load of items in both hands, representing the diverse demographic that has traveled to the capital for the event. The atmosphere remained focused on the shared experience of the fandom and the tactile connection to the group through these products. Ami Ostrovskaia, 23, from Russia, has been a fan of the group for six years. On Saturday, she limited her purchase at the booth to a single item. "I only bought a lightstick today. We will go to the pop-up store in Shinsegae Department Store," she said. For Ostrovskaia, who was interested in a wider range of apparel, the cost of the clothing kept her from a shopping spree. Each T-shirt at the booth is priced at 59,000 won. Ostrovskaia expressed a particular interest in the designs featuring the members, but had to hold back due to her budget. "I like the T-shirt with black-and-white photos of the seven members. I want to have each one of them, but I don’t have enough money," she said. Despite the financial considerations, she described her connection to the group as a personal support system. Showing a tattoo related to her fandom, she explained the role the members have played in her life. "I think it’s because they’re always saving me when I go through really rough times. They’re always there to help me, to listen to me," she said. The booths are scheduled to remain open throughout the evening as the city prepares for the start of the performance. 2026-03-21 19:31:39
  • Last tanker to clear Hormuz before closure arrives in Korea
    Last tanker to clear Hormuz before closure arrives in Korea SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - A crude oil tanker that narrowly passed through the Strait of Hormuz before Iran’s closure has arrived in South Korea on Friday, raising concerns over potential supply disruptions. The government and the refining industry are bracing for a worsening supply situation, viewing the vessel as the last shipment to clear the strait before the blockade took effect. According to industry sources, the tanker Eagle Vellore arrived at the Port of Daesan in Seosan, South Chungcheong Province, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. The Malaysia-flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) departed from Iraq’s southern port of Al-Basra in late February, carrying crude oil for HD Hyundai Oilbank, and managed to escape the Strait of Hormuz just before Iran imposed its blockade. The vessel left Al-Basra on Feb. 26 and was transiting the strait two days later, when U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran took place. Despite warnings from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that passage through the strait would not be allowed, the crew accelerated to full speed and managed to exit the waterway shortly before it was effectively sealed off. With the strait now closed, the Eagle Vellore is believed to be the last crude carrier to have passed through the route. The tanker is carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil, roughly equivalent to South Korea’s daily oil consumption. The shipment, contracted by HD Hyundai Oilbank, will be unloaded and stored in tanks before being refined at the Daesan petrochemical complex. With around 70 percent of South Korea’s crude imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz, prolonged disruption is expected to significantly affect supply. Domestic refiners are already facing a near halt in tanker arrivals from April, leaving them little choice but to rely on existing inventories for the time being. The government has secured 24 million barrels of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates, but it is expected to take considerable time before the shipments arrive in Korea. In response, Seoul is also exploring the possibility of resuming imports of Russian crude oil for the first time in nearly four years since April 2022. The government is additionally weighing the release of 22.46 million barrels of strategic reserves in coordination with the International Energy Agency, though it remains cautious about taking that step. 2026-03-20 17:18:09
  • Korea stays out of joint statement by US allies condemning Iran
    Korea stays out of joint statement by US allies condemning Iran SEOUL, March 20 (AJP) - South Korea signaled strategic caution by staying out of a joint statement by key U.S. allies, condemning Iran over its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz while stopping short of committing to the U.S. call for naval support in the region. warships to the crippled waterway. A foreign ministry official said Friday that Seoul is “well aware of the situation” regarding the joint statement by the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada condemning Iran, adding that the government “plans to review the matter while taking various factors into consideration.” The statement was initially issued by six countries. Canada joined later. “We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces,” the seven countries said in the statement. They warned that such disruptions to international shipping and the global energy supply chain pose “a threat to international peace and security,” and urged Iran to immediately cease attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities. The statement also called for an end to attacks on commercial vessels, as well as the laying of mines and the use of drones and missiles. In addition, the countries expressed readiness to “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait,” while saying they would welcome participation from other countries. The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20 percent of global oil shipments pass, is a critical maritime chokepoint. Tensions have surged as Iran, currently in conflict with the United States and Israel, moves to restrict traffic in the area, raising concerns over a global energy crisis. The joint statement is widely seen as an effort to ease tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has reportedly voiced frustration over allies’ reluctance to deploy naval assets. Notably, however, the statement did not include any commitments related to military support, such as dispatching warships. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also declined to disclose details of diplomatic communications, saying “it is difficult to reveal the contents of discussions conducted through diplomatic channels.” Speaking at a parliamentary session on Tuesday, he gave an ambiguous response when asked whether the United States had formally requested the deployment of naval forces. “It could be seen as a request, or not,” Cho said. He said the government would prioritize national interests and the safety of its citizens. However, as other U.S. allies move swiftly to align with Washington, questions remain over how long South Korea can maintain this cautious posture. The pressure comes after Trump said on Truth Social on March 14 that he would ask five countries to send warships to the region to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open, safe and free,” before later expanding the request to include two more. 2026-03-20 15:09:16
  • GULF CRISIS: Hormuz as much insurance chokepoint as energy lifeline
    GULF CRISIS: Hormuz as much insurance chokepoint as energy lifeline SEOUL, March 19 (AJP) - The Strait of Hormuz is not just a chokepoint for global energy flows, but for insurance that is turning pricier every day from the protracted suspension and growing risk. Ships do not pass through Hormuz simply because sea lanes are physically open. They move only when insurers are willing to price and underwrite the risk. That makes U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to provide war-risk insurance more than a shipping support measure. It is an attempt to stabilize the commercial logic that keeps oil flowing. In that sense, the emerging blockade is not purely military. It is financial as well — shaped as much by underwriting decisions as by missiles or mines — and increasingly dependent on who controls the information used to assess risk. U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to offer war-risk insurance for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz is being presented as an effort to keep oil and cargo moving. But the move also reveals a deeper reality: in a modern maritime crisis, control over insurance — and over the information used to price danger — can matter almost as much as control over the waterway itself. The Strait of Hormuz is usually described in military terms, as a narrow corridor vulnerable to missiles, drones and naval confrontation. Yet shipping executives and insurers note that trade through the strait depends not only on naval protection but also on whether underwriters are willing to cover the voyage. In that sense, Hormuz is not just a military chokepoint. It is also an insurance chokepoint. That helps explain why Trump’s push matters even if it does not fundamentally remake the market. War-risk insurance is typically underwritten through a network of private insurers and reinsurers, many of them operating through Lloyd’s of London. Premiums are rarely withdrawn outright at the first sign of danger. More often, they are repriced sharply as risks rise, and that repricing can become a powerful barrier to trade. The shift is already visible in the numbers. Hormuz is fast turning into one of the world’s most expensive waterways as war-risk premiums surge multiple times over prewar levels. For some tankers, a single transit now carries insurance costs in the hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of dollars. According to broker Marsh, premiums for war damage coverage in the region have risen from about 0.25 percent of a vessel’s value to as high as 1 to 1.5 percent, with some deals even higher. For tanker operators, the question is no longer just whether a ship can physically pass through the strait, but whether the economics of doing so still make sense. From the perspective of the insurance industry, Trump is stepping into an existing market rather than creating a new one. “Every large loss already needs reinsurance,” a Korean Re executive said. Most vessels transiting Hormuz already rely on some layer of reinsurance from global players. The U.S. plan, in that sense, would sit on top of an existing structure rather than replace it. Still, the proposal matters because insurance is not simply a matter of capital. It is also a matter of confidence. Underwriters price risk based on the information they trust, and the marine insurance market has long relied on London as one of its central benchmarks for judging danger. The issue is not merely whether risk exists, but whether it can still be measured with enough confidence for commerce to continue. That is where the current crisis points to something larger than shipping. Much of the insurance market’s pricing power has historically rested on access to trusted information, whether from commercial intelligence, maritime monitoring or the broader Western security ecosystem. Insurers do not usually gather battlefield intelligence on their own. They inherit risk signals from the system around them. If those signals become less reliable, the implications spread quickly. Premiums rise not only because ships are in more danger, but because the market becomes less certain about how to interpret that danger. In that sense, the Strait of Hormuz is becoming a test not only of naval deterrence but of informational credibility. That, in turn, links the insurance story to a broader geopolitical question: alliance cohesion. Recent political signals have raised questions about the state of transatlantic coordination. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was not involved in the initial U.S. strikes on Iran and would not join offensive operations, while officials in London indicated they were not part of final U.S. deliberations. Even without any public breakdown in intelligence cooperation, such signals can feed doubts about whether the benchmarks that underpin global risk pricing still hold. If London is no longer fully aligned with Washington, the informational edge long associated with London-centered underwriting could come under pressure. Seen from Seoul, Trump’s insurance initiative looks more symbolic than transformative. A Korean Re executive said the impact on the global market would likely be limited, perhaps easing premiums slightly at the margin but not changing the basic fact that most vessels are already covered through existing structures. The deeper problem is that no government backstop can fully resolve a crisis of immeasurable risk. Public support can help absorb losses. It cannot by itself restore confidence if the market believes the threat environment is too unstable to price. “In a war, you cannot say with confidence that coverage will remain stable,” the executive said. South Korea is not entirely removed from these dynamics. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance holds a significant stake in Canopius, a major insurer operating within the Lloyd’s market, making it the only Korean firm with direct exposure to this system. A Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance official said, “We are closely monitoring the current situation, but so far, neither Canopius nor we have received any reports of losses or claims.” What is unfolding in Hormuz, then, is not just a story about ships, missiles or insurance contracts. It is a story about who gets to define risk in a crisis — and how that power can shape the flow of global trade. The waterway remains a geopolitical battleground. But it is also something else: a market test of whether insurers, governments and allies still share the same picture of danger. If they do not, the real disruption may come not only from attacks at sea, but from the quiet recalculations made in underwriting rooms far from the Gulf. 2026-03-19 17:04:30
  • UAE pledges priority oil supply to Korea amid global supply concerns
    UAE pledges priority oil supply to Korea amid global supply concerns SEOUL, March 18 (AJP) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged to prioritize crude oil supply to South Korea amid global supply uncertainties, Seoul’s presidential office said Wednesday. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who returned earlier in the day from a visit to the UAE as a special envoy of President Lee Jae Myung, told a briefing that Abu Dhabi had assured Seoul it would be given top priority in crude shipments. “The UAE made it clear that no country will receive oil ahead of South Korea. Korea is their number one priority in crude supply,” Kang said. The two sides also agreed to allow South Korea to make emergency crude purchases from the UAE whenever necessary, he added. As part of the agreement, Seoul secured an additional 18 million barrels of crude oil through multiple supply channels. Of the total, 6 million barrels will be transported by three UAE-flagged tankers, while another 12 million barrels will be shipped via six South Korean vessels. An additional tanker carrying naphtha is currently en route to South Korea, Kang said. The latest deal follows an earlier emergency purchase of 6 million barrels from the UAE, bringing the total secured volume to 24 million barrels. The move comes amid rising tensions involving Iran, which have heightened concerns over the security of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. The escalating geopolitical risks have fueled uncertainty in global energy markets, prompting countries heavily reliant on Middle Eastern crude to secure alternative or emergency supplies. South Korea, which depends on imports for the vast majority of its energy needs, is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in Middle Eastern supply routes. The UAE has long been one of Seoul’s key crude suppliers, with bilateral energy cooperation further strengthened through strategic projects such as the Barakah nuclear power plant. Kang said the agreement is expected to help stabilize the domestic oil supply amid ongoing uncertainties. Beyond short-term supply measures, the two countries also agreed to strengthen long-term cooperation to guard against potential disruptions in energy supply chains. They plan to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on crude supply chain cooperation in the near future, which will include efforts to explore alternative supply routes and enhance joint response mechanisms in times of crisis. 2026-03-18 14:21:25
  • GULF CRISIS: Korean naval ability to answer Trumps Hormuz call in doubt
    GULF CRISIS: Korean naval ability to answer Trump's Hormuz call in doubt SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump made pretty much clear that Washington expects South Korea to join escort operations in the Strait of Hormuz, but defense experts doubt the country's navy capabilities can meet the call. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has attacked at least 10 vessels, including tankers and tugboats, using missiles and surface drones, and threats to strike any attempting to pass the waterway off Iran coastline. A strategic chokepoint between Iran to the north and Oman to the south, the Strait of Hormuz is just 30 kilometers at its narrowest point. Much of the cargo that passes through it is bound for South Korea, Japan, China and India, which together account for roughly 70 percent of global output. With Tehran effectively treating the closure of the strait as a fait accompli, oil-producing nations and the global shipping industry have begun suspending operations or seeking alternative routes. The main threat to tankers and escorting warships comes from land-based anti-ship missiles and suicide drones, experts say. While much of Iran’s conventional naval and air assets, along with some missile bases, have reportedly been put out of action by successive U.S. and Israeli strikes, there is a broad consensus that not all launch sites have been eliminated. At sea, Iran’s forces are limited to small boats and unmanned surface vessels. Even if these assets attempt to lay mines or carry out surprise attacks, modern naval forces are capable of detecting and neutralizing such threats, experts say. But without neutralizing Iran’s dispersed coastal missile batteries and long-range drone platforms, simply reinforcing naval escort operations would leave U.S. and allied ships operating for weeks or even months under persistent aerial threats. “As long as land-based threats remain, maritime escort operations are structurally limited to a temporary fix, and inherently dangerous,” one analyst said. A South Korean naval officer, speaking on terms of anonymity, explained that fully ensuring the safety of tankers would require deployment of ground forces to secure Iranian-held islands near the strait and installation of air defense systems to block missile and drone launches. It would also require completely neutralizing land-based launch sites. “Even with such measures, missiles launched from deeper inland would remain a threat, meaning multiple brigades, or even division-level ground forces, along with layered air defense systems would be necessary,” he said. “Without addressing land-based threats, sending more escort ships is less about managing risk and more about dispersing it,” he said. Should Seoul respond to Trump’s request, the most readily available option is the Cheonghae Unit, currently operating in the Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy and escort missions. While the unit’s 4,000-ton-class destroyers are equipped with close-in weapon systems, surface-to-air missiles, and torpedoes, experts agree that they are not designed for the kind of high-intensity threat environment currently seen in the Strait of Hormuz. “In reality, the Cheonghae Unit can engage only a limited number of targets at once,” said Jeong Kyung-woon, a researcher at the Korea Association of Military Studies. “Given radar and system constraints, the unit lacks the means to effectively counter multiple incoming drones or missiles.” However, this picture might change if South Korea operates under U.S. command and control, being integrated into American intelligence networks and missile defense systems. Paik Seung-hoon, a researcher at the Middle East Institute of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, said that in such a case, participation with just two or three ships could be feasible as part of a combined task force. “However, there’s a fundamental issue,” Paik said. “If South Korea operates under U.S. wartime operational control, it would be seen as endorsing and participating in the conflict against Iran.” “If, on the other hand, Seoul wants to carry out an independent mission, as it did in 2020, when it retained wartime operational control and focused on protecting Korean merchant vessels, it would need to deploy a separate fleet of around 10 ships, including Aegis destroyers, submarines, and mine countermeasure vessels,” he said. Sources say that, within military circles, there is a growing consensus that if South Korea is to deploy naval assets to the Strait of Hormuz, it would need to form a new task group centered on Aegis destroyers. Such a force would require not only close-in defense systems but also advanced air and missile defense capabilities to intercept Iranian threats, along with logistics and maintenance support for sustained operations far from home waters. Operational difficulties extend to sustainment. The naval officer said it takes three to four weeks for a 7,000-ton-class Aegis destroyer to reach the Strait of Hormuz from South Korea. Once deployed, ships typically require resupply every 15 days for fuel, food, and ammunition. “In near-war conditions, returning to port for resupply is virtually impossible,” he noted. “A fully self-sustaining expeditionary task group, with large supply ships enabling continuous operations at sea, would be necessary.” Caught between alliance pressure and operational limitations, Seoul faces a difficult dilemma: given the close defense relations, it cannot easily ignore Washington’s request, yet it also cannot readily commit to a mission that may exceed its capabilities. “The U.S. ultimately wants to shift some of the burden, not just financially, but in terms of responsibility,” Paik said. “We need to watch how the situation unfolds, but if deployment remains a possibility, it would be better to prepare accordingly rather than avoid it outright.” “At the same time, South Korea must clearly define the nature of its mission, including command structure and assigned roles, before making any decision,” he said. 2026-03-17 16:42:52
  • GULF CRISIS: Trumps coalition push puts Koreas Cheonghae Unit in spotlight
    GULF CRISIS: Trump's coalition push puts Korea's Cheonghae Unit in spotlight SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for other countries to help escort commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has drawn cautious and broadly noncommittal responses from allies, with South Korea’s Cheonghae Unit emerging as the most likely naval asset should Seoul decide to participate. South Korea and other countries asked by Washington to help protect merchant vessels from Iranian attacks in the strategic waterway are quietly weighing the request, while officials in Seoul stress that no formal decision has been made. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, carrying roughly 20 percent of global crude oil shipments. At its narrowest point, the channel is about 39 kilometers wide. As the conflict between the United States and Iran has intensified, Iran has begun laying naval mines in the waterway after U.S. strikes degraded much of its conventional military capability, effectively halting civilian shipping. Trump has argued that countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy should take responsibility for securing the route. “We have already destroyed 100 percent of Iran’s military capability, but it’s easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close-range missile somewhere along this waterway,” Trump said, emphasizing the need for naval escort operations. He claimed the United States itself does not rely heavily on the route for energy supplies and urged countries that do to help protect it, with his tone shifting within a day from “hopefully” urging allies to participate to saying “I’m demanding” that they join and adding “we will remember” if they do. Governments identified as potential members of an escort coalition are weighing their responses as pressure from Washington grows more direct. For South Korea, the naval unit most suited to such a role is the Cheonghae Unit, an anti-piracy force deployed in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia. Formed in March 2009, the unit is the South Korean Navy’s first permanently deployed overseas combat unit. Its name comes from Cheonghae-jin, the maritime base established by the Unified Silla naval commander Jang Bogo. Under United Nations Security Council resolutions addressing piracy, the unit’s mission has been to escort Korean and foreign vessels in waters off Somalia and protect Korean nationals in the region. Since its establishment, the Cheonghae Unit has maintained a continuous presence in the Gulf of Aden on a rotational basis. Each deployment typically includes a 4,400-ton destroyer, a maritime operations helicopter and a 30-member UDT/SEAL boarding team, with roughly 300 personnel in total. The destroyer is equipped with anti-ship missiles, a 127-millimeter main gun, surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes and a close-in weapon system. Through operations such as the rescue of hijacked vessels in the “Dawn of the Gulf of Aden” mission and the escort of hundreds of merchant ships, the unit has become a symbol of the Korean Navy’s blue-water operations. The Cheonghae Unit operates under the direct control of South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, allowing the navy to maintain a permanent operational presence in distant waters. Its deployment is based on an overseas troop dispatch mandate that requires annual approval from the National Assembly. The mandate designates the Gulf of Aden off Somalia as the primary area of operations and defines the mission as counter-piracy, escort duties and protection of Korean nationals. However, it also includes a clause allowing operations in “other waters designated for the protection of our nationals in emergency situations.” In 2020, when tensions between the United States and Iran escalated after Washington killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the South Korean government used this clause to expand the Cheonghae Unit’s operational area to waters near the Strait of Hormuz without separate parliamentary approval. At the time, Seoul avoided formally joining the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct and instead carried out an independent mission focused on protecting Korean vessels. Defense experts say any redeployment to Hormuz now would likely require renewed review by the National Assembly because the situation has evolved into an active armed conflict. Six years ago the unit operated largely on its own in a limited mission. Any new deployment would take place during an ongoing war and potentially as part of a multinational naval operation. Military analysts also note that the operational environment in the Strait of Hormuz differs significantly from the anti-piracy missions the Cheonghae Unit typically performs. “The biggest threats to tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are Iran’s land-based anti-ship missiles and drones,” said Jeong Kyung-woon, a research fellow at the Korea Association of Military Studies. “If those land-based threats are not neutralized, the risks will remain even if naval forces escort tankers,” he said. Iran’s remaining naval capabilities include small attack craft and mine-laying operations, while missiles and drones launched from coastal areas and nearby islands pose additional threats. International reaction to Trump’s proposal so far has been negative. China’s state-run Global Times criticized the idea, saying it resembled “someone who set the fire now asking the whole world to help put it out.” Japan has also signaled caution. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday that Tokyo is considering possible responses within the limits of domestic law. Its defense minister said the government wasn't considering the option of sending its self defense forces to the Middle East. Australia's transport minister also made a similar remark. The South Korean Navy maintained a reserved stance. “The U.S. president has made certain remarks, but those need to be translated into concrete requests before we can offer any real opinion,” a Navy official in Seoul said. “We need to see exactly what is being asked before discussing whether it is feasible.” 2026-03-16 16:21:39
  • Hyundai halts sales of some Palisade models after U.S. fatal accident, plans recall
    Hyundai halts sales of some Palisade models after U.S. fatal accident, plans recall SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor has suspended sales of certain versions of its large sport utility vehicle (SUV), the All-New Palisade, after identifying a potential safety issue. Hyundai said Saturday that the power-folding function of the second- and third-row seats may fail to detect contact with occupants or objects under certain conditions, prompting the company to temporarily halt sales of vehicles equipped with the feature. According to Reuters, a two-year-old girl died in Ohio on March 7 in an incident related to the Palisade’s power seat mechanism. Hyundai said it plans to resume sales after improving the vehicle’s anti-pinch safety function. For vehicles already sold, the automaker plans to carry out a voluntary recall and will report the measure next week to South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The company said it will strengthen overall system safety by increasing the sensitivity of the occupant and object detection system and limiting the power-folding seat function to situations when the tailgate is open. The exact number of vehicles subject to recall is still being calculated, but the measure is expected to cover models produced through March 11 this year. The affected vehicles are estimated at 57,474 units in South Korea and 74,965 units in North America. The All-New Palisade exported about 100,000 units worldwide last year, while 59,506 units were sold in South Korea, according to the company. Hyundai apologized for the inconvenience caused to customers, saying it will continue to prioritize safety and thoroughly review all related issues to maintain customer trust. 2026-03-14 15:42:22
  • Ryu Hyun-jin retires from national team after WBC as Korea loses to Dominican Republic
    Ryu Hyun-jin retires from national team after WBC as Korea loses to Dominican Republic SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - South Korean ace Ryu Hyun-jin will retire from international baseball after the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), bringing an end to a national team career that spanned two decades. Ryu started for South Korea in the WBC quarterfinal against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, on Friday, pitching 1⅔ innings. He threw 40 pitches and allowed three hits and two walks while striking out one batter and giving up three runs. South Korea was overpowered by the Dominican lineup and fell 10–0 in a seven-inning mercy-rule defeat. “It’s disappointing, very disappointing,” Ryu said after the game. “I should have given our fielders more time to settle in, but I couldn’t do that.” He added that the experience would still benefit younger players on the team. “It will be a valuable lesson for the younger players who had the chance to compete on a big stage,” he said. Born in 1987, Ryu treated the tournament as his final appearance for the national team. He was first selected for the national squad shortly after making his professional debut in 2006 and went on to become one of the central figures of South Korean baseball in international competitions. He represented South Korea in major tournaments including the 2006 Doha Asian Games, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 WBC. At the Beijing Olympics, Ryu delivered a memorable performance by throwing a 126-pitch shutout against Canada, helping South Korea secure the gold medal. In the 2009 WBC, he contributed as both a starter and reliever as South Korea finished runner-up. After moving to Major League Baseball in 2013, injuries including elbow and shoulder surgeries limited his participation in international events. However, at the request of the national team, he returned to wear the Taegeuk mark again for the first time in 16 years and made his WBC comeback after 17 years. Ryu had prepared the game against the Dominican Republic as his final appearance for the national team. “I hope today becomes a starting point for younger players to step up and lead the team going forward,” he said. 2026-03-14 15:06:44
  • PM Kim says Trump asked if Kim Jong-un wants talks with U.S.
    PM Kim says Trump asked if Kim Jong-un wants talks with U.S. SEOUL, March 14 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Saturday that U.S. President Donald Trump asked him whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is interested in resuming dialogue with the United States. Kim said he spoke with Trump for about 20 minutes on Friday about North Korea and other issues during a meeting at the White House. He added that much of the conversation involved Trump asking for his views on the North Korean issue. According to Kim, he told Trump that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung often describes Trump as “the only leader capable of resolving the Korean Peninsula issue.” Kim said Trump showed strong interest in North Korea during the conversation and even asked an aide to bring a photo taken with Kim Jong-un at Panmunjom while discussing the matter. “President Trump said he maintains a good relationship with Chairman Kim and asked whether Kim wants to engage in talks with the United States or with him personally,” Kim told reporters. Kim said he responded by noting that Trump is the only Western leader who has held direct talks with the North Korean leader and that he believes Trump has unique capabilities as a peacemaker on the Korean Peninsula. “He appeared to find the remarks meaningful and reacted with satisfaction,” Kim said, without disclosing further details about the advice he gave the U.S. president. Kim also said he asked Trump whether he could submit a more detailed written memo in English outlining his views before leaving the United States, adding that the U.S. president agreed. Kim said Trump indicated that a potential meeting with the North Korean leader could take place during or after his upcoming visit to China, though the timing was not the most important factor as long as dialogue and contact with Pyongyang resume. Trump is scheduled to visit China from March 31 to April 2 for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, raising speculation that the trip could open a path toward renewed U.S.-North Korea diplomacy. Earlier in the visit, Kim met U.S. Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss bilateral issues, including the recently passed Special Act on Investment in the United States, which aims to support expanded South Korean investment in the U.S. and strengthen industrial cooperation between the two allies. 2026-03-14 14:30:16