Lee vows to work with Trump to resume talks with North Korea in first bilateral summit in Washington SEOUL, August 26 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to work together to resume dialogue with North Korea during their first summit in Washington on Monday. Lee, who reportedly read the U.S. leader's book "The Art of the Deal" as part of preps for the summit, opened talks with lavish praise for his past efforts to engage with Pyongyang "I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world, so that you can meet with at the appropriate time," raising prospects for rapprochement with the North, in line with Lee's recent series of conciliatory gestures toward Pyongyang since taking office in early June. Trump also said he would "come" to South Korea for the upcoming APEC summit, scheduled this fall in the historic southern city of Gyeongju, which could pave the way for another meeting with Kim, possibly at the truce village of Panmunjom or elsewhere, although it remains uncertain whether Kim will want to talk with either Trump or Lee. Among the key topics on the summit's agenda, Lee expressed his willingness to increase defense spending for the evolving posture of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), while embracing greater "flexibility" in its role for broader regional security and other challenges, in line with Washington's push to "modernize" the bilateral alliance. But Trump unexpectedly implied that Washington wants to own the "land where we have the big fort," likely referring to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province here, the largest U.S. overseas military base. He declined to provide further details, only hinting at possible adjustments by saying, "I don't want to say that now." Regarding the two countries' tariff-related deal, agreed last month to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in return for massive investment and wider market opening, Trump said, "I think we have a deal done. They had some problems with it, but we stuck to our guns." "They want to renegotiate the deal, but that's okay," he further explained. "That doesn't mean they get anything, but I don't mind, but we're going to have some very serious discussions about different things, including trade," suggesting that additional demands may come later, as specific details of some sticking points in the trade deal as well as key defense issues were largely unaddressed or unsettled. However, Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung later clarified in a press briefing that there was no discussion or request regarding further opening of agricultural products and other produces, a contentious issue due to strong opposition from farmers and manufacturers here. After the summit at the White House, which lasted about 140 minutes, Lee attended a business forum with senior U.S. officials, mingling with business leaders and other executives from major companies including Boeing and Nvidia. Later in the evening, he delivered a keynote speech at Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), where he presented his vision for the bilateral alliance between Seoul and Washington. On Tuesday, Lee is scheduled to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, then travel to Pennsylvania to visit a memorial hall dedicated to independence fighter Seo Jae-pil, also known as Philip Jaisohn, and tour a Hanwha-owned shipyard before returning to Seoul. 2025-08-26 11:06:11

Beijing urges Seoul to pursue 'strategic autonomy' to improve bilateral ties SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korea needs "strategic autonomy" to achieve "steady, sustained progress" in its relations with Beijing, a state-run Chinese newspaper said Monday. In an op-ed by Global Times, a sister newspaper of the official People's Daily, the English-language daily said, "Only with strategical autonomy could South Korea earn the genuine respect of the international community, including China, and be able to navigate a complex, changing international landscape while playing a more active and constructive role." It pointed out that bilateral relations between the two countries "had reached a low point not seen since the establishment of diplomatic ties," blaming Seoul's "misperceptions" of Beijing under the previous administration for a "severe erosion of political mutual trust" between the two countries. But it also expressed optimism that the Lee administration could bring a "new opportunity for improvement and development," describing the two countries as "inseparable neighbors." The op-ed came as South Korean special envoys, led by former National Assembly speaker Park Byeong-seug, visited Beijing over the weekend, coinciding with the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. They began their four-day trip by meeting Beijing's Foreign Ministry chief Wang Yi and delivering Lee's letter to President Xi Jinping, inviting him to the upcoming APEC summit, which is scheduled to be held in the historic southern city of Gyeongju this fall. 2025-08-25 16:51:38

What awaits Lee at his first summit with Trump SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. The summit, which comes nearly three months after taking office in early June, would be his first major test in bilateral relations, at a time when both leaders are navigating the early stages of their terms and reassessing their foreign policy priorities for years to come. After wrapping up his visit to Tokyo last Sunday, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to further bolster shuttle diplomacy between the two neighbors, Lee headed straight to Washington for his first meeting with the leader of South Korea's closest ally, which comes a bit later than his predecessors. Although Lee briefly attended a multilateral gathering in Canada shortly after his inauguration on June 4, his summit with Trump technically marks his official debut on the international diplomatic scene. All eyes are on the summit, whose outcome is likely to reshape South Korea's partnership with the U.S. on regional security and economic cooperation. But major challenges await him, with the summit holding particular importance as it takes place amid escalating global trade wars and rising protectionism fueled by Trump's sweeping tariff policies under his "America First" mantra. One of the major issues Lee immediately faces is a follow-up to a recent tariff deal, in which Seoul and Washington agreed last month to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in return for massive investment and wider market opening. After months of arduous negotiations, the deal was struck at the last minute, just days before Trump's unilaterally-set Aug. 1 deadline. But in an indication of difficulties ahead, Trump hinted that further adjustments could follow, saying the deal's "sum will be announced" when Lee visits the White House, despite calling it a "full and complete" agreement. At the time, trade negotiators from both countries, for some reason, left out security and defense matters during their negotiations, unlike initial expectations of a broader package deal covering all issues under Trump's "one-stop shopping strategy." That would now require Lee and Trump to finalize additional details of the deal at the summit, while also discussing a wide range of issues from bilateral cooperation and defense cost-sharing to joint efforts for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula in response to North Korea's growing nuclear arsenal and other regional conflicts. At the center of the discussions would be Trump's push for South Korea to pay more for the upkeep of some 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here, even though the two sides had already reached an agreement under the previous administrations with Seoul shouldering US$1.03 billion annually. The agreement is scheduled to take effect next year and remain in place until 2030, with annual adjustments based on consumer price inflation. But Trump has repeatedly raised the issue, claiming that South Korea is paying "very little" for the upkeep and arguing that Seoul should contribute more for its own defense. Furthermore, Washington continues to signal that its allies should play a stronger role in regional security and take greater responsibility for collective defense. Revealing a "leaked" draft of negotiations for the trade deal, the U.S. daily Washington Post recently reported that Washington "wanted Seoul to boost defense spending to 3.8 percent of GDP, up from 2.6 percent last year, and to increase its $1 billion-plus contribution to cover the annual costs of basing the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops in South Korea." In this sense, Trump is likely to push Seoul for a steep increase in the upkeep of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) and other contributions, while also urging it to embrace more "flexibility" in the USFK's evolving posture toward broader regional security in the Indo-Pacific, which is believed to be intended to keep China's growing influence in check. During a press conference at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province earlier this month, the USFK Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson said that what matters is enhancing capabilities rather than adjusting troop levels, explaining the U.S.' "strategic flexibility" as the "ability to place your forces in space and time as needed." He added, "One of the things I think about is not about numbers at all. I think about capabilities," emphasizing the need for "changes within USFK." Brunson's remarks may raise discussions about possible changes in the role of the USFK as one of the key topics on the summit's agenda within the broader framework of "modernizing" the bilateral alliance, as Washington seeks to expand the scope of U.S. troops' presence here beyond defending against North Korean threats. With many pressing issues on the table, the success of Lee's first major diplomatic outing to the U.S. would depend on how he effectively fends off any additional demands from an erratic hard-bargainer like Trump, who has a reputation for his dealmaking skills, and whether they can reach agreements that are mutually beneficial, instead of one-sided concessions. The true test is whether Lee can live up to his commitment to prioritize national interests, as he has preached through his so-called "pragmatic diplomacy." After concluding the summit with Trump, Lee will travel to Pennsylvania the following day to tour a shipyard in Philadelphia operated by South Korean conglomerate Hanwha, which it acquired last year for $100 million, accompanied by an entourage of business leaders and other officials. Including such an itinerary appears to be related to the trade deal, which negotiators say was concluded largely due to Seoul's proposal dubbed "MASGA" (Make America Shipbuilding Great Again). That includes a pledge to invest $150 billion to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry over the coming years, as part of a massive $350 billion investment in the U.S., along with the purchase of $100 billion worth of liquefied natural gas and other energy products. Lee returns home on Thursday. 2025-08-25 08:23:34

Lee to put past deals on historical issues to rest ahead of summit with Japanese PM SEOUL, August 21 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung said he will respect past deals with Japan on wartime forced labor and former sex slaves, in an interview with Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun published on Thursday, ahead of his trip to Tokyo later this weekend. Lee said that for many South Koreans it would be "very difficult to accept" but "undesirable to overturn" them, referring to a murky deal struck by the former Park Geun-hye administration in 2015 to settle the matter. The agreement let Japan off without further apologies, instead setting up a compensation fund for victims of sexual slavery during World War II. At the time, the Park administration failed to immediately inform the victims that the deal was "final" and "irreversible" through secret concessions from Seoul, while trying to persuade them to accept it. When asked whether his upcoming summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, slated for Saturday, would cover past deals and other historical issues, a Japanese Embassy official in Seoul declined to comment, saying it is "unclear" whether they are on the summit's agenda. Calling Japan a "very important country," Lee also expressed hope to further strengthen "shuttle diplomacy" to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries this year. Lee also stressed that trilateral cooperation with the U.S. is vital to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and engage in talks on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Lee is set to depart for a two-day trip to Tokyo on Saturday, before heading to Washington for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump next week. 2025-08-21 16:01:45

Nonagenarian ex-North Korean soldier attempts to return home after decades in South Korea SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - A handful of surviving former North Korean soldiers have recently expressed their willingness to return to the North, with one of them attempting to cross the border in Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday. The Unification Ministry here said earlier this week that six former North Korean soldiers have recently requested repatriation. Now in their 80s and 90s, they spent decades in prisons here after refusing to abandon communist ideologies and pledge their allegiance to the South. The ministry said these are believed to be the last remaining prisoners of war (POWs) here, though others may still remain. Among them was 95-year-old Ahn Hak-sop, who tried to cross a bridge in Paju, north of Seoul, on his way to Panmunjom to enter North Korea. The bridge is inside a restricted military zone that requires approval from both the South Korean military and the United Nations Command. He was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint. Ahn said he had endured "humiliation and torture" for refusing to sign such a statement, claiming that it would be "unfair to remain buried here even after death." His supporters also argued that former POWs should be allowed to return to their homeland. The ministry said it is reviewing the matter on humanitarian grounds but stressed that immediate repatriation is impossible due to various factors and circumstances. "Various options are under review," a ministry official said. Ahn, who hailed from Ganghwa Island , was captured in 1953 during the Korean War and spent 42 years in prison before being released in 1995. In 2000, shortly after the first inter-Korean summit, South Korea repatriated some 63 long-term prisoners through Panmunjom. At that time, Ahn declined to join, vowing to continue his struggle here until U.S. troops leave the Korean Peninsula. No further repatriations have taken place since then. 2025-08-20 17:37:03

Kim Jong-un's sister throws another tantrum against South Korea SEOUL, August 20 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Yo-jong, has again criticized South Korea, saying it is not even a "partner" in diplomatic relations. South Korea "cannot be a diplomatic partner of the for decades..... and now we are sick and tired of it." She also mocked Lee, saying he is "not the sort of man who will change the course of history," and dismissed his recent overtures to take gradual steps toward restoring inter-Korean relations as merely a fanciful "pipe dream." Her latest outburst came just days after the North Korean leader denounced South Korea's ongoing joint military exercise with the U.S., calling it a "clear expression" of hostility toward Pyongyang. 2025-08-20 14:36:42

Annual report on North Korean human rights abuses to be kept under wraps SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - The Unification Ministry here said on Tuesday that it will continue compiling its annual report on human rights abuses in North Korea, though it will be published for internal use only. The report, mostly based on testimonies from North Korean defectors, documents their suffering and harrowing tortures during their escape from the isolated country. The ministry has published the report annually since 2018, although some previous governments had kept it under wraps. When asked why the report is kept confidential, a ministry official explained during a press briefing, "The disclosure of the report has had little effect on improving the human rights situation in North Korea," adding that merely naming and shaming the North may appear "confrontational." The latest decision was also due to the lack of fresh testimony. 2025-08-19 17:30:25

South Korea taps new envoys to Washington and Tokyo ahead of key summits this week SEOUL, August 19 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung is expected to soon appoint new envoys to the U.S. and Japan, ahead of his summits with the leaders of both countries that begin later this week. According to government sources, former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has been named ambassador to Washington, and former envoy to Viet Nam Lee Hyuk has been tapped as ambassador to Tokyo, with their agrément procedures currently underway. Lee is scheduled to sit for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo on Saturday, before flying to Washington for his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, since taking office in June. Kang served as South Korea's first female foreign minister under former President Moon Jae-in, working with top U.S. officials during Trump's first term from 2017 to 2021. She also served as a senior adviser at the United Nations (UN) and currently heads New York-based think tank Asia Society, which fosters relations between the U.S. and Asian countries. Lee, who held ambassadorial posts in the Philippines and Viet Nam, is known to be well-versed in affairs with Japan. Meanwhile, Noh Kyu-duk, former chief negotiator in denuclearization talks with North Korea, has also been tapped as ambassador to the UN. 2025-08-19 15:58:09

Scorching heat to persist next week after torrential rains SEOUL, August 16 (AJP) - Scorching heat gripped most of South Korea on Saturday, with advisories in effect nationwide and feels-like temperatures climbing to as high as 37 degrees Celsius. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), daytime highs ranged from 31 to 36 degrees Celsius in the southeastern city of Daegu and nearby North Gyeongsang Province, while the southwestern province of Jeonbuk recorded 33 degrees. After heavy rains across the country last week, scorching weather is forecast to persist through the weekend and into next week, with tropical nights likely in some areas. "Temperatures will stay around 33 degrees next week, and hot and humid conditions will continue," a KMA official said, urging people to take precautions against heat-related illness. 2025-08-16 17:48:05

Comedy-drama 'My Daughter Is a Zombie' draws 4 million viewers SEOUL, August 16 (AJP) - Comedy-drama "My Daughter Is a Zombie" has drawn more than 4 million moviegoers less than two weeks after its release, becoming the biggest box-office hit of the year. According to the Korean Film Council on Saturday, the film attracted 290,000 viewers on Friday alone, bringing the total to 4.05 million. It is the fastest release this year to reach the milestone. Released on July 30, the film has stayed No. 1 at the box office since opening day. Directed by Pil Gam-sung, the film follows a father who tries to protect his daughter, the world's last remaining zombie. The film stars well-known actors including Cho Jung-seok and Jo Yeo-jeong. The film is also performing well overseas. Since its Aug. 8 North American release, it has become the year's top-performing Korean film, and was ranked No. 2 in Vietnam and No. 3 in Indonesia on opening weekend. 2025-08-16 17:11:17