South Korea, US conduct joint anti-terror drill in Seoul SEOUL, December 15 (AJP) - A joint drill between South Korea and the U.S. is underway in Seoul, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. The two-day drill, dubbed "Winter Tiger," which runs Tuesday, is aimed at responding to nuclear and radiological terrorism, involving about 120 officials from both countries. Participants are simulating a radiological terror attack to evaluate emergency response capabilities and cooperation strategies between the two countries. The annual drill, co-hosted with the U.S. Departments of War and Energy, has been held since 2017. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-15 15:03:16

Lee to visit Japanese PM's hometown next month SEOUL, December 9 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is planning a visit to Japan's historic city of Nara next month for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Nara, the ancient capital during the island country's early imperial era, is Takaichi's hometown. As part of shuttle diplomacy to strengthen bilateral ties, Lee previously said he had expressed his desire to visit Nara during a meeting with her in late October on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the southeastern city of Gyeongju, and she had welcomed the idea. Lee is also considering a visit to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping after his trip to Japan. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-09 09:58:18

US envoy reaffirms Washington's commitment to denuclearization of North Korea SEOUL, December 08 (AJP) - Acting U.S. Ambassador to Seoul Kevin Kim on Monday reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in collaboration with South Korea. After a closed-door meeting in Seoul earlier in the day with South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo, Kim said U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung "reiterated their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea," which remains "our current Korea policy." His comments appear intended to counter concerns raised after a recent U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) report omitted the customary phrasing. The report, released last Friday, also does not contain any mention of North Korea. Kim then highlighted ongoing cooperation between the two allies on various issues, citing his recent meetings with Unification Minister Chung Dong-young and Defense Minister Ahn Kyu-baek. He added that talks with South Korean officials will continue. When asked about any talks or progress in revising the bilateral nuclear energy pact, Kim said discussions are under way, but it still remains to be seen. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-08 14:30:51

Seoul presidential office moving back to Blue House by X-mas SEOUL, December 07 (AJP) - The presidential office in Seoul will return to the Blue House by Christmas while readying a stronger national data-protection measures and a renewed push for dialogue with North Korea as the Lee Jae Myung administration moves beyond the phase of "a stabilization of diplomacy, security and governance" in the first six months after a snap election and presidential impeachment. The move out from Yongsan premise will be "essentially finished around Christmas," said presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik in a press briefing on Sunday, looking back the first six months under Lee presidency. The return to the presidency’s “rightful home” will become a symbolic reset for the administration as it enters its second phase, he said. The government will reinforce its data-security framework before year-end following the massive personal-information leak at Coupang, building on what officials described as an “initial comprehensive response” already in place. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac used the six-month briefing to emphasize that while inter-Korean relations have seen little movement, the administration has rebuilt the diplomatic environment needed to attempt genuine engagement next year. He rejected speculation that Seoul might adjust its joint military drills with the United States as a goodwill gesture toward Pyongyang, saying the idea is “not under direct consideration” and stressing that exercises remain a function of “evolving security circumstances.” ' Pyongyang has not responded to Seoul’s recent offer of military talks to clarify parts of the Military Demarcation Line and prevent accidental clashes, but President Lee has reiterated that dialogue remains open and necessary. Wi said the administration had worked “without pause” to normalize foreign and security policy that he argued had deteriorated in previous years. He pointed to the stabilization of the Korea-U.S. alliance, “unexpectedly forward-looking” progress with Japan, and the shift of Korea-China ties from their “worst point” toward a recovery track as groundwork for a relaunch of inter-Korean diplomacy. He added that the presidential office plans to execute a “Korean Peninsula Peace Coexistence Process” beginning next year, now that broader regional alignments have been reset. The administration also outlined follow-up steps to last month’s security and tariff negotiations with Washington, including task forces on enriched uranium consultations, nuclear-powered submarine cooperation, and expanded defense-budget coordination. Working-level talks will begin this month, with tangible results expected in the first half of next year. Wi said these efforts reflect Seoul’s intention “to assert a more proactive defense posture” while reaffirming U.S. security guarantees and moving toward the eventual restoration of wartime operational control. On the economic front, Kang and Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom highlighted the successful conclusion of the Korea-U.S. tariff negotiations as a signature achievement of the administration’s first half-year. Kim said public trust and “the competitiveness of Korean manufacturing” were the foundation of the breakthrough and signaled that Seoul will use the agreement to upgrade the alliance into a 21st-century technology-security-economic partnership. The presidential office said it evaluates its six-month performance under three themes: restoring the public’s everyday economic conditions, normalizing foreign and security policy, and governing with a citizen-first framework. As for the ruling party’s proposal to establish a special court division to handle insurrection-related cases, the presidential office said it would proceed only within “the narrowest constitutionally permissible boundaries.” * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-07 19:32:04

Working-level officials set to hammer out implementation measures for bilateral agreements in Washington SEOUL, December 1 (AJP) - Officials from South Korea and the U.S. are set to meet for further working-level discussions in Washington this week after the two countries released a comprehensive joint fact sheet last month detailing agreements on bilateral trade and security. According to the Foreign Ministry, Deputy Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo is set to meet with U.S. counterpart Christopher Landau on Monday in the first high-level talks since the release of the joint fact sheet on Nov. 14. Park is expected to urge the U.S. to expedite the implementation of the agreements, which include a U.S. commitment to support the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, uranium enrichment, and the construction of nuclear submarines using U.S.-supplied fuel. Upon arriving at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., Park told reporters, "We will discuss various issues and how to make progress in implementing the agreements outlined in the fact sheet." When asked about establishing a bilateral consultative body on the matter, he said, "We will talk about that and other related issues." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-12-01 16:18:52

South Korea imposes sanctions on Prince Group and others over online scams in Southeast Asia SEOUL, November 27 (AJP) - The government has imposed sanctions on 15 individuals and 132 business entities including Cambodia-based conglomerate Prince Group for their involvement in online scams and crimes targeting South Korean citizens in Southeast Asia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday. This marks the country's first independent and largest sanctions against transnational criminal activities. According to the ministry, the sanctions target criminal organizations and their affiliates and other accomplices. The Prince Group, along with China-based Huiyuan Group, allegedly involved in large-scale online scams and money laundering, are among those sanctioned. The Prince Group was previously sanctioned by the U.S. and U.K., and the Huiyuan Group was flagged by the U.S. Treasury for money laundering. Sanctioned individuals and entities will face asset freezes, restrictions on financial transactions, and entry bans. The ministry said, "These sanctions demonstrate our commitment to fighting organized crimes, fraudulent schemes, trafficking, and other illicit operations in Southeast Asia. We will continue to work closely with international authorities to tackle these issues." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-27 17:10:45

UN committee adopts resolution on North Korea's human rights abuses SEOUL, November 20 (AJP) - A resolution condemning North Korea's human rights violations was adopted by a UN committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here said on Thursday. Quelling speculation that Seoul might withdraw under President Lee Jae Myung's rapprochement with Pyongyang, the resolution, co-sponsored by South Korea and 60 other countries, was passed at the UN General Assembly in New York the previous day for the 21st consecutive year and will be presented to the plenary session next month. After co-sponsoring the resolution from 2008 to 2018, South Korea withdrew under the Moon Jae-in administration due to concerns about inter-Korean relations, but rejoined in 2023 under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration's tougher stance toward the North. The resolution strongly condemns ongoing severe human rights abuses in North Korea and also addresses the renegade country's worsening humanitarian conditions. The ministry said, "We will continue to cooperate with the international community to improve the human rights of North Korean people." * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-20 15:28:09

South Korean envoy to attend Angola's 50th independence anniversary SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - Former Ambassador Kim Dong-chan is visiting Angola this week as a special envoy to mark the central African country's 50th anniversary of independence. According to the Foreign Ministry, Kim is scheduled to attend the celebrations hosted by President João Lourenço and deliver a letter from South Korea's Foreign Minister. The ministry said that economic cooperation with Africa's second-largest oil producer, which is rich in natural resources, is strengthening, especially backed by recent contracts won by South Korean companies to build large oil tankers there. Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975, after nearly 500 years of colonial rule. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-10 11:05:29

Washington requests 'more time' to sign tariff deal with Seoul, FM says SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Amid growing speculation over why South Korea and the U.S. are still unable to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for their recent tariff-related deal, which was finalized on the sidelines of last week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Thursday that Washington has requested "more time." When asked what has caused the delay, Cho said during a parliamentary hearing, "Given the deal's vast scope, it is just taking time to check and fine-tune details between the two sides through an extensive review process." "I have heard that the U.S. side is in the final stage of review with relevant government agencies there," he explained, assuring lawmakers who had raised concerns about possible disagreements over specific terms or other issues. Cho added that both sides have already exchanged near-final drafts, hinting at the deal's imminent signing along with the release of a joint fact sheet outlining all the details. Nevertheless it remains to be seen when it will happen, as it has been repeatedly delayed. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-06 17:00:34

Unification Ministry undergoes organizational revamp to restore inter-Korean relations SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - In its latest organizational overhaul, the Ministry of Unification revived its office handling inter-Korean dialogue while abolishing the one responsible for addressing North Korea's human rights violations and related issues. The ministry said on Tuesday the newly streamlined structure for its affiliated agencies took effect at midnight, after going through relevant legislative procedures. The office, abolished two years ago under disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's hardline stance against North Korea, was reinstated along with its subcommittees and relevant agencies including those overseeing the inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong. In line with the revamp, which appears to reflect President Lee Jae Myung's engagement policy toward North Korea and his series of conciliatory gestures since taking office earlier this year, the ministry's staff will increase from 533 to 600, with senior positions rising from 18 to 20, while the number of departments and teams will expand from 52 to 58. A ministry official explained that the reorganization, which involved renaming or merging some agencies, aims to normalize the ministry's functions and restore inter-Korean relations. Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young, marking his 100th day in his post late last month, stressed that the reorganization reflects the Lee administration's commitment to pursuing peace on the Korean Peninsula. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-04 17:44:28