North Korea attends Russian forum, fueling prospects of energy cooperation amid closer ties SEOUL, October 14 (AJP) - North Korea has sent delegates to a forum in Russia, raising speculation about possible talks to secure energy supplies from Moscow to help ease its chronic power shortages. The state-run Korean Central News Agency reported on Tuesday that a delegation led by Minister of Electric Power Industry Kim Yu-il left Pyongyang to attend the 8th Russian Energy Week International Forum this week. This marks North Korea's second attendance at the forum since 2018. The three-day forum scheduled to open on Wednesday at Moscow's Manezh Central Exhibition Hall and Gostiny Dvor near the Kremlin, will discuss various energy-related topics including nuclear energy, oil, gas, coal, and climate. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has hosted the event annually since 2017, will deliver speeches at the main session. Russia, abundant in energy resources, has shown interest since the early 2000s in exporting surplus power from its Bureya hydroelectric power station in the Amur region to the Korean Peninsula. In August 2011, then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visited the facility to bolster energy cooperation between the two countries. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-14 13:49:28

Swedish crown princess to visit Korea this week to deepen bilateral ties SEOUL, October 13 (AJP) - Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria will make an official visit to South Korea this week, accompanied by a high-level business delegation, in a trip aimed at bolstering economic and diplomatic cooperation between the two nations, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Monday. The visit, scheduled for Oct. 15 to 17, will include meetings with President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration in trade, investment, science, and cultural exchange. It will be the first official visit to South Korea by a Swedish heir to the throne in a decade. During her stay, the crown princess is also expected to visit Panmunjeom, the border village within the Demilitarized Zone that has long symbolized the division of the Korean Peninsula. She will attend the Korea–Sweden partnership meeting, which brings together government and industry leaders from both countries, and pay respects at the Swedish War Memorial in Busan, honoring Sweden’s contributions to the United Nations forces during the Korean War. “The visit will serve as a foundation for future-oriented cooperation between the two countries,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-13 17:35:37

South Korea discusses security measures with Cambodia amid rising crimes SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Amid a string of crimes targeting South Koreans in Cambodia, authorities are considering measures to strengthen consular support and bolster local investigative capabilities to crack down on them. According to government sources on Sunday, South Korea is in talks with Cambodia to bolster security by increasing police personnel at the South Korean Embassy in Phnom Penh and forming a joint task force to tackle the rise in employment scam-related crimes including kidnappings. The talks came after it was belatedly revealed that a South Korean college student, who had visited the Southeast Asian country after being lured by an online employment scam in August, was later found to have been tortured and killed. The tragic incident prompted South Korea to raise the travel alert for the region. Currently, the embassy has only three police officers, making it difficult to respond to the growing number of such incidents. In addition to increasing embassy staff, discussions are underway to set up a dedicated desk within the Cambodian police department to focus on crimes involving South Koreans. The move is based on a similar effort in the Philippines, which has been in place since 2012 to assist with crimes that local authorities find difficult to manage independently. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-12 17:04:07

Pyongyang readies party anniversary with show of arms and socialist unity SEOUL, October 09 (AJP) -Buoyed by high-profile summits with Chinese and Russian leaders, North Korea is set to mark the 80th anniversary of its ruling Communist party on Friday with a grand display of its latest weaponry and the presence of dignitaries from fellow socialist nations. Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Pyongyang on Thursday, making the highest-level visit from Beijing since 2019 to attend the anniversary celebrations of the Workers’ Party of Korea. Li is leading a Chinese delegation at the invitation of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and the North Korean government, according to Xinhua News Agency. He was received by North Korean Premier Kim Tok Hun and other senior officials at an official welcoming ceremony that included an inspection of a guard of honor. “China and North Korea are socialist neighbors with deep traditional ties. Under the strategic guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un, our relations have gained new vitality,” Li said. Russia, which has strengthened military ties with Pyongyang after North Korea sent combat troops and ammunition to support its war against Ukraine, dispatched Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council. The Russian delegation also includes Vladimir Vasilyev, leader of the United Russia party in the State Duma, and Vladimir Yakushev, the party’s secretary general. Other members are Alexander Kozlov, Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources, and Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of Primorsky Krai — reflecting expanding economic cooperation with North Korea. North Korea is preparing a large-scale military parade on the eve of the anniversary, though plans may be adjusted due to rain in the forecast. Other foreign dignitaries include Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-09 16:05:49

Hotels in flurry of preparations ahead of APEC summit in Gyeongju SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - As the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea comes just around the corner, accommodation arrangements for leaders and heads of state have become a point of contention. With both U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected to attend, the historic city of Gyeongju is drawing attention as it prepares to host the multilateral gathering from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. Recently, Hotel Shilla asked customers to cancel reservations during the period around the summit, suggesting that Xi might stay there during his visit to Seoul and possibly meet with Trump. In mid-September, China reportedly inquired with the hotel about making a booking. Initially it was expected that the two leaders would stay at separate hotels during the summit, with Trump at Grand Hyatt in Seoul and Hilton in Gyeongju, and Xi considering Hotel Shilla in Seoul and Kolon Hotel in Gyeongju. But Hotel Shilla later resumed bookings during the period, suggesting possible disagreement in arranging talks between Trump and Xi. There have been talks of a possible trilateral meeting between the leaders of South Korea, China and the U.S. in Seoul on the sidelines of the APEC summit, but it now remains uncertain as Xi is likely to stay only in Gyeongju. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Details about Xi's itinerary here are not finalized," and merely said it supports diplomatic exchanges among APEC members. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 17:02:48

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 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 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 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, 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