Journalist

Choi Song-hee
  • Ex-foreign minister to assume role as South Koreas new envoy to US this weekend
    Ex-foreign minister to assume role as South Korea's new envoy to US this weekend SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - Former Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is set to assume her post as South Korea's ambassador to the U.S. later this week, becoming the country's first female envoy to Washington. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that Kang, who served as foreign minister under former President Moon Jae-in, will take on the ambassadorial role on Oct. 4. Kang previously led New York-based think tank Asia Society, which fosters relations between the U.S. and Asian countries. Appointed as South Korea's first female foreign minister in 2017, she served until February 2021, playing a role in the North Korea–U.S. dialogue between 2018 and 2019. Her appointment as South Korea's envoy to Washington comes as talks between the U.S. and North Korea are anticipated to resume amid U.S. President Donald Trump's renewed rapprochement with Pyongyang. A graduate of Yonsei University who later earned a Ph.D. in communications from the University of Massachusetts, Kang began her career as an English presenter at terrestrial broadcaster KBS and also served as an interpreter for late former President Kim Dae-jung. Kang's extensive experience also includes several roles at the United Nations, establishing her as an expert in multilateral diplomacy. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 16:15:18
  • South Korea, US agree to launch dedicated visa desk in Seoul
    South Korea, US agree to launch dedicated visa desk in Seoul SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - South Korea has agreed with the U.S. to set up a dedicated visa desk at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul to streamline visa processes for South Korean companies investing in the U.S. The decision was made after the two sides met in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday for their first meeting since forming a working group to address the issue. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said the desk is expected to launch sometime in October, with details to be announced on the U.S. Embassy's website soon. The meeting was attended by officials from both countries' foreign, labor, and other relevant ministries, including Kevin Kim, a senior official from the U.S. State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. The U.S. clarified the activities allowed for workers under the B-1 business visa, confirming that they can apply for it to provide services including the installation and repair of equipment and devices in the U.S. The same activities are also permitted those under the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The clarification comes after a sweeping raid by U.S. immigration authorities, which detained more than 300 South Koreans, mostly employees of Hyundai Motor Group and LG Energy Solution, working at a joint electric vehicle battery plant under construction in Georgia, who held either ESTA or B-1/B-2 visas. Agreeing to strengthen cooperation between South Korean consulates and U.S. immigration agencies, the U.S. pledged to prevent similar incidents from happening again. South Korea stressed the need to fundamentally improve its visa-issuance process to facilitate investment and implement projects there, while the U.S. admitted legislative hurdles but pledged to come up with feasible solutions. LG Energy Solution welcomed the establishment of the dedicated visa desk, thanking the government for the swift measure. "We will thoroughly prepare and work diligently to complete the construction and operation of our U.S. plants as scheduled," the company said in a statement. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 10:12:42
  • South Korea, US to discuss visa issues in first working-level meeting after Georgia raid
    South Korea, US to discuss visa issues in first working-level meeting after Georgia raid SEOUL, September 29 (AJP) - Officials from South Korea and the U.S. will hold a meeting in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to discuss visa-related issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Monday. The first working-level meeting between South Korea and the U.S. since the "voluntary" deportation of over 300 South Korean workers, following a week-long detention earlier this month, aims to discuss ways to facilitate the entry of South Korean workers into the U.S. and address visa-related issues. Ministry officials including those from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups are expected to hold talks with their U.S. counterparts from the Departments of Homeland Security, Commerce, and Labor, led by Kevin Kim, a senior official in the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Their meeting comes after Seoul asked Washington to form a "working group" to come up with measures after some 317 South Korean workers, mostly LG Energy Solution staff, were forced to return home earlier this month after being detained for a week. They had been working at a construction site for an electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia and were caught in the largest single-site workplace raid in U.S. history by immigration authorities, as they were allegedly working without valid permits after entering the U.S. under either the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) or short-term B1 business visas. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-29 14:36:44
  • US command ship docks in Busan
    US command ship docks in Busan SEOUL, September 25 (AJP) - The USS Blue Ridge, the command ship of the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, arrived on Thursday in South Korea's southern port city of Busan to replenish supplies and provide rest for crew members. According to the Navy, the ship will carry out activities aimed at enhancing cooperation between the two allies. "The arrival of the Blue Ridge will strengthen exchange and cooperation between the U.S. and South Korean navies," said a Navy officer. Commissioned in 1970, the Blue Ridge commands aircraft carriers, Aegis destroyers, and submarines of the 7th Fleet. Measuring 194 meters long and 33 meters wide, it accommodates more than 1,000 crew members and fleet staff. The Blue Ridge participated in last week's trilateral exercise with South Korea and Japan in international waters south of Jeju Island. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-25 13:28:57
  • Seoul seeks to document abuses amid claims of US detention mistreatment
    Seoul seeks to document abuses amid claims of US detention mistreatment SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - South Korea’s Foreign Ministry has begun surveying more than 300 of its citizens who were detained by U.S. immigration authorities in Georgia, after some former detainees alleged they were subjected to mistreatment while in custody. The survey, distributed this week to 316 South Koreans who have since returned home, asks respondents to describe the circumstances of their arrest and their experiences during detention. It will remain open for a week, and participants may also request follow-up interviews, officials said Monday. The initiative comes after detainees claimed they were denied access to legal counsel, held in poor conditions and subjected to verbal abuse while in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Several of those detained had reportedly overstayed their visas or violated immigration rules, according to U.S. officials, though rights groups in South Korea have criticized the scale of the enforcement operation. The South Korean government said it plans to use the results to identify systemic issues and, if warranted, raise concerns with Washington. “We are committed to ensuring that the rights of our citizens are protected, even when they are overseas,” a ministry official said. The episode underscores the often fraught nature of U.S. immigration enforcement, which has drawn international scrutiny in recent years. Georgia, home to one of the largest immigration detention complexes in the United States, has faced multiple lawsuits alleging unsafe and inhumane conditions. A 2020 whistle-blower complaint, for example, accused a facility in Irwin County of performing unnecessary medical procedures on female detainees, sparking investigations by the U.S. Congress. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-22 14:36:57
  • Govt launches task force to tackle US visa issues after Georgia immigration raid
    Gov't launches task force to tackle US visa issues after Georgia immigration raid SEOUL, September 18 (AJP) - The government launched an interagency task force to address issues related to U.S. visas. The task force, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, aims to ensure that the concerns raised by South Korean businesses are reflected during negotiations with the U.S. The move follows the weeklong detention of hundreds of South Korean workers during a sweeping immigration raid in Georgia earlier this month. The task force will also work with business lobbies such as the Korea Enterprises Federation and the Korea Federation of SMEs, with plans to hold regular meetings to tackle strategies for streamlining visa processes and easing U.S. entry for South Korean businesspeople. During his meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun proposed forming a "working group" to discuss visa-related issues and prevent similar incidents from recurring. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-18 17:24:17
  • Travel advisory issued for parts of Cambodia
    Travel advisory issued for parts of Cambodia SEOUL, September 16 (AJP) - A travel advisory was issued for some parts of Cambodia amid a rise in employment scams and detentions involving South Korean nationals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The advisory includes a special travel warning for Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, Bokor Mountain in Kampot Province, and Bavet, a border town in Svay Rieng province. The ministry urged South Koreans planning to visit these areas to cancel or postpone their trips. Those currently in the affected regions are advised to relocate to safer areas. "We will continue to closely monitor the situation in Cambodia and determine whether any further adjustments are necessary," the ministry said. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-16 16:37:54
  • South Korea, China to hold foreign ministers meeting in Beijing
    South Korea, China to hold foreign ministers' meeting in Beijing SEOUL, September 15 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Beijing this week, making his first trip to China since assuming his post. According to the Foreign Ministry, Cho is scheduled to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday during his two-day visit. The meeting's agenda is expected to include North Korea-related issues and raise concerns over large steel structures recently installed by Chinese authorities in waters near the West Sea. Although it is China's turn to visit Seoul following his predecessor Cho Tae-yul's trip to Beijing in May last year, Cho intends to prioritize practical diplomacy over protocol. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-15 11:31:49