Journalist
Tthe Embassy of Uzbekistan in the Republic of Korea
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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S. Korean special envoy enters Tehran as failed US-Iran talks trap tankers in Hormuz SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - Special envoy Chung Byung-ha arrived in Tehran on Monday to negotiate the release of 26 South Korean tankers and 173 crew members currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The diplomatic surge follows a direct order from Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as Seoul attempts to bypass the paralysis of international mediation to protect the maritime corridor that provides 70 percent of the crude oil imports of the nation. The arrival of the envoy marks a strategic pivot for Seoul, which has traditionally relied on Washington to secure the Persian Gulf. By launching this high-stakes bilateral channel, South Korea is effectively signaling that it can no longer wait for a global consensus that has evaporated following the collapse of multilateral peace efforts over the weekend. The regional crisis escalated on February 28 when a coalition led by the United States and Israel launched massive strikes against the nuclear and naval infrastructure of Iran. While a fragile ceasefire briefly paused the violence, the Islamabad Talks between Washington and Tehran failed on Sunday after 21 hours of deadlock. The breakdown centered on demands from Tehran for control over the strait and the unfreezing of billions in assets, which the United States flatly rejected, leading to the current effective blockade of the waterway. Chung is scheduled to hold discussions with Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and other senior leaders to establish a safe passage for Korean-linked vessels. These ships, primarily ultra-large crude carriers and liquefied natural gas tankers, are currently frozen in place as insurers and shipping companies treat the passage as a total war zone. This diplomatic initiative draws on a deep, decades-long reservoir of bilateral goodwill that has persisted despite the geopolitical friction of the last decade. The relationship is famously symbolized by the 1977 agreement to rename streets in each capital, resulting in the prominent Teheran-ro in the Gangnam district of Seoul and Seoul Street in Tehran. These landmarks represent a history of economic and cultural exchange that both nations have sought to preserve even as international sanctions complicated official trade. Throughout the era of heightened sanctions, Seoul maintained a functional relationship with Tehran under the surface, often serving as a quiet intermediary for humanitarian concerns. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Korean government prioritized the delivery of medical equipment and test kits to Iran, utilizing a specialized humanitarian channel to bypass financial restrictions. This history of cooperation provides the current envoy with a unique level of access that other Western-aligned diplomats currently lack. The visit by the special envoy took place while desperation in Seoul is driven by a dwindling energy clock, with internal reports suggesting that strategic petroleum reserves have fallen to critical levels. The economic security of the country is at stake as long as these vessels remain trapped behind an Iranian naval screen that requires individual coordination for safe passage. In a parallel move, the government has appointed Lee Kyung-chul as the new Special Representative for Middle East Peace to address the broader geopolitical fallout. Lee, a veteran of United Nations Security Council affairs, will focus on long-term stability and the resolution of the Palestinian conflict to prevent the current war from expanding into a permanent regional conflagration. The return of the envoy remains unscheduled as the ministry monitors the progress of the talks and the evolving military posture of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. Seoul continues to coordinate with the European Union and regional partners to ensure that any breakthrough for its own vessels does not further destabilize the fragile security of the strait. 2026-04-13 16:56:51 -
Tehran blames shifting US demands as marathon Islamabad talks fail SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - Indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington concluded in Islamabad after a 21-hour marathon session ended without a final agreement. According to a debriefing released on Monday by the Iranian Embassy in South Korea, the discussions represented the highest level of engagement between the two sides in the past year. While the talks were the longest held in twelve months, the Iranian mission detailed a collapse in momentum just as the parties were reportedly "a few steps away" from a breakthrough. The main agenda for the session, which began on April 11, focused on a proposed Iranian framework and various positions held by Washington. Mediated by Pakistan, the delegations addressed a range of high-stakes issues, including regional developments and the security of the Strait of Hormuz. The engagement pitted the Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, against Vice President JD Vance in an effort to de-escalate recent military tensions. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that "Iran entered the negotiations in good faith with the aim of ending the conflict". However, the embassy statement suggests that the potential "Islamabad Understanding" was derailed by what Araghchi described as "excessive demands, shifting conditions, and threats of blockade". Reflecting on the outcome, Araghchi remarked that "No lessons have been learned. Goodwill begets goodwill; hostility brings hostility". Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei noted that reaching a comprehensive agreement in a single session was not realistic given the prevailing atmosphere of distrust. While significant gaps remain on key points, the embassy indicated that Tehran views diplomacy as an ongoing process rather than a single event. Iran has stated it will continue to utilize diplomatic channels to safeguard its national interests and security. 2026-04-13 16:24:42 -
Exo starts world tour as 32,000 global fans fill Seoul arena SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - K-pop boy band Exo members -- Suho, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun -- opened their sixth concert tour in Seoul last Friday. The group performed for 32,000 fans over three days at the KSPO Dome in southern Seoul, marking the band's first concert series in six years and four months. The three-day concert in Seoul proved that the group remains a major force in the K-pop scene despite a long break from the stage. Their last major tour was held in 2019, and this new series, titled "EXO PLANET #6 - EXhOrizon in SEOUL," is designed to show the group and their fans starting a new chapter together. The group performed a variety of their most famous songs, including 'MAMA' and 'Love Shot'. At the end of the final show, which was also streamed online to fans around the world, the members shared their feelings about returning to live performance. "I had worries since it was a performance after a long time, but seeing you smile gave me strength. EXO-L is like the four seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter to us. Thank you for loving us without change for 14 years," the members said. "We said if forever exists, it would be our story, and it was possible thanks to all of you who kept that place until now. I want to be on stage with you for the rest of my life." The tour will now move to 14 different regions. The group is scheduled to perform in Ho Chi Minh on April 25. In May, they will visit Nagoya, Taipei, Bangkok, and Macau. The schedule continues in June with stops in Osaka, Jakarta, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur, followed by performances in Manila, Tokyo, Kaohsiung, and Singapore in July. 2026-04-13 14:08:06 -
Sookmyung University highlights human-centered AI research at global conferences SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - The Empathic AI Women's Engineering Talent Training Team at Sookmyung Women's University in South Korea is presenting a series of research papers at major international computer science conferences. As part of the Brain Korea 21 program, the team is developing human-centered artificial intelligence designed to address social isolation and communication barriers. Professor Kim Byung-Gyu leads the multidisciplinary group, which conducts research on emotion recognition, generative AI, and human-computer interaction. His group will present a multimodal emotion recognition model called EmoXFormer at the IEEE International Conference on Pattern Recognition (ICPR) 2026. This technology integrates different signals to identify human emotions more accurately. In the field of virtual reality, a group led by Professor Dong Suh Yeon presented two papers at the IEEE International Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp) 2025. Their work involves a method to measure heart rates using the area around the ear when a user's face is obscured by a headset. This allows for stable emotion recognition even when a user is moving. Professor Kim Sangyeon and his team are focusing on digital accessibility for the elderly. At the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) 2026, they will introduce an AI-based tool that helps older users identify digital buttons and icons more easily through color and spatial cues. Other researchers on the team have focused on cybersecurity and data systems. Professor Jeong Seonghoon developed a model to detect evolving cyber threats for the IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks (DSN) 2026. Professor Choi Yoonhyuk also presented research on improving recommendation systems at various conferences, including AAAI 2026 and WSDM 2025. "We are expanding the practical applications of empathic AI through these diverse research achievements," said Professor Kim Byung-Gyu. "Based on our global research capabilities, we plan to contribute to fostering talent who will solve social problems and lead the AI industry in the future." 2026-04-13 10:17:58 -
S. Korean researchers develop smart OLED patch to accelerate wound healing speed SEOUL, April 13 (AJP) - A research team in South Korea has developed a wearable electronic patch that can speed up the skin wound-healing process by about 200 percent using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), compared to conventional wound treatment methods. The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said Monday that a joint research group led by Professor Choi Kyung-cheol successfully created the self-regulating platform that uses light to control the release of medicine onto a skin wound. The project included researchers from the Korea Institute of Ceramic Engineering and Technology (KICET) and Chungbuk National University. Traditional wound care often relies on ointments or light therapy, but it can be difficult to maintain the correct dosage. Too much medication can cause side effects, while light therapy, known as photobiomodulation (PBM), loses its effectiveness if the light intensity is not properly balanced. The new patch solves those problems by using light to create reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body. These molecules act as a biological switch that tells the patch when to release medication. As the light intensity changes, the amount of medicine released adjusts automatically to match the wound's needs. The device is designed as a thin, flexible patch that sticks directly to the skin, even on curved areas of the body. It operates at a steady temperature of about 31 degrees Celsius (87.8 degrees Fahrenheit), which eliminates the risk of low-temperature burns during long-term use. Testing showed the patch can function reliably for more than 400 hours. During animal trials, wounds treated with the smart patch showed a 67 percent recovery rate after 14 days. In comparison, a control group that used conventional techniques showed only a 35 percent recovery rate. The researchers found that the patch not only accelerated the healing process but also helped skin grow back with a healthy barrier of protective proteins. The patch delivers a specialized extract from Centella asiatica, a plant often called tiger grass, which is a common ingredient in skin repair treatments. By combining the regenerative power of 630-nanometer red light with precise drug delivery, the system ensures the medicine is only used when necessary. "This research moves beyond simply applying light therapy to using light as a tool to control the treatment itself," Professor Choi Kyung-cheol said. The team plans to expand the technology into an intelligent platform that can react to a patient's specific condition to treat various diseases and injuries. Ph.D. candidate Yeon Hye-jeong served as the lead author of the study, which was featured as the cover story for the March issue of the journal Materials Horizons. The project was supported by KAIST President Lee Kwang-hyung, KICET President Yoon Jong-seok, and Acting President Park Yu-sik of Chungbuk National University. (Reference Information) Journal/Source: Materials Horizons Title: A self-regulating wearable OLED patch for accelerated wound healing via photobiomodulation-triggered drug delivery Link/DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5MH02129D 2026-04-13 09:28:16 -
Police intensify search as escaped wolf remains at large for fourth day SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - Authorities in the central city of Daejeon have deployed drones and specialized tracking teams on Saturday to locate an escaped wolf that fled a zoo safari as the search enters its fourth day without a confirmed sighting. The two-year-old male wolf was last detected by a thermal imaging camera at 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, but it has since vanished into the rugged terrain surrounding the facility. Recent heavy rainfall and deteriorating weather conditions hindered initial aerial efforts, leading officials to believe the wolf may be taking cover in burrows or dense brush that obscured its heat signature from recovery teams. The search operation involves approximately 90 personnel and 10 drones focused on the mountainous areas of the Jung District. To prevent the animal from fleeing further into inhabited zones, ground teams have been minimized in favor of high-altitude surveillance. Officials expect that as temperatures drop after sunset, the wolf’s body heat will provide a sharper contrast against the cooling ground, allowing thermal sensors to pinpoint its exact location. Once spotted, the strategy will shift from observation to containment, with experts planning to herd the animal toward a designated capture zone without causing undue stress that could provoke a flight response. The prolonged disappearance has placed local authorities on high alert, as the window for a controlled recovery narrows. City officials emphasized that night operations remain the most viable path to a resolution, given the increased visibility of moving targets under infrared light. A spokesperson for the city of Daejeon stated, "It is much easier to find moving individuals by checking with drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras at night than during the day. It is important to find the wolf quickly by focusing on night searches from tonight until dawn." 2026-04-11 17:54:19 -
Police launch manhunt as burglar flees with BTS entry bracelets SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - Law enforcers in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, have launched an intensive manhunt on Saturday for a burglar who snatched 500 BTS concert entry bracelets from a ticket booth, police said. The robbery could spark a massive security disruption involving scalpers and ordinary fans. The suspect reportedly seized the cache of credentials at approximately 3:20 p.m. (0620 GMT) before escaping the scene, prompting the police to secure surveillance footage and monitor major exit routes. The theft represents a sophisticated threat to the event’s perimeter, as the stolen items serve as the primary physical authorization for fans to enter the concert grounds. The loss of 500 bracelets creates a significant security vacuum that could allow unauthorized individuals to bypass rigorous digital checkpoints. While organizers typically cross-reference tickets with government identification to issue the bands, those wearing the bracelets are regarded as having passed all security checkpoints, including bag-checks and ID-checks. If the stolen credentials enter the illicit secondary market, they risk triggering a wave of illegal entries that could overwhelm the venue’s designated capacity and compromise the safety of the people. Organizers now face the daunting task of invalidating the serial numbers associated with the stolen batch or implementing an entirely new identification system hours before the gates open. Any lack of synchronization between legitimate ticket holders and those possessing the stolen wristbands is expected to cause substantial delays and friction at the entrance. In Seoul and its surrounding districts, where crowd management is a matter of heightened administrative concern, this breach exposes a critical vulnerability in the logistical chain of international touring. Police investigators are currently analyzing forensic evidence and witness testimony to narrow the search for the suspect. A police official told reporters: "We are mobilizing available personnel to swiftly apprehend the suspect and are cooperating with the organizers to ensure the stolen bracelets are not used illegally." 2026-04-11 17:38:14 -
South Korea defends president as historical parallel triggers diplomatic crisis SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - South Korea defended its president on Saturday after his explicit comparison between Israeli military operations and 20th-century historical atrocities ignited a diplomatic quarrel with Tel Aviv. The rupture started on Friday when President Lee Jae Myung shared a video on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. The footage, posted by a user named Jvnior and captioned with claims that Israeli soldiers were torturing a Palestinian child, was from September 2024. Bridging the current conflict with East Asian historical trauma, Lee wrote, "Wartime homicide is no different from matters that we take issue with, such as the forced (enslavement of) comfort women, and the massacre of Jewish people." The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a swift condemnation, accusing Lee of relying on a fake account to spread anti-Israeli disinformation. Arguing that the South Korean leader trivialized the mass murder of Jews right before Holocaust Remembrance Day, the ministry stated, "The remarks by the President of Korea, Lee Jae Myung … are unacceptable and warrant strong condemnation." It further noted, "Yet we have not heard a single word from the President about the terrorists who were at the center of this event. Nor have we heard a word from the President regarding the recent Iranian and Hezbollah terror attacks against Israeli citizens." Lee refused to retract the statement. Shifting the argument to international law, he posted an update expressing frustration with Israel's reaction. "It is disappointing that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has not once reflected on the global community's criticism of its relentless inhumane and internationally unlawful actions, which have caused immense suffering," he wrote. He added, "For the sake of universal human rights and the national interests of the Republic of Korea, I must work harder to find things I can do." By Saturday morning, the escalating friction forced the South Korean foreign ministry to intervene. Attempting to manage the fallout, the ministry posted on its official X account that Israel had misunderstood the president's intent. The government expressed regret that Tel Aviv interpreted a statement of belief in universal human rights as an attack on a specific geopolitical issue. This explicit departure from Seoul's usual quiet alignment with Washington stems from a mix of personal ideology and acute economic pressure. The president's political lens was shaped by his childhood as an underage factory laborer and his career as a human rights lawyer. His reference to comfort women points to the unresolved trauma of Korean women sexually enslaved by imperial Japanese forces during World War II, a history that deeply influences his view on state violence. At the same time, the expanding Middle East conflict is creating immediate problems for South Korea. With Israel conducting strikes in Iran and Lebanon, and civilian casualties mounting, the resulting disruption to the global economy is hitting South Korea hard. The country relies heavily on exports and imported energy, making the regional instability a direct threat to its national interests. The foreign ministry concluded its intervention by balancing its defense of the president with reassurances to Israel. "The Government of the Republic of Korea remains steadfast in its opposition to all forms of violence and anti-humanitarian acts, including the acts of terrorism pointed out by Israel," the ministry stated, adding: "Furthermore, we continue to empathize deeply with the unspeakable suffering endured by Israel due to the Holocaust, and we once again express our profound condolences to the victims of the Holocaust.." 2026-04-11 14:38:29 -
S. Korea clears 26.2 trillion won relief as war risks mount SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - South Korea has approved a 26.2 trillion won supplementary budget on Saturday, authorizing a massive injection of liquidity to shield households and industry from the volatility of a prolonged Middle East war. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok presided over an extraordinary cabinet meeting at the Government Complex Seoul to finalize the spending package, which cleared the National Assembly late Friday night. The legislative consensus marks a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation as the administration of Lee Jae Myung moves to counter mounting inflationary pressures. This second supplementary budget of the current administration signals a shift toward aggressive fiscal interventionism. By targeting the bottom 70 percent of earners with direct cash transfers and instituting caps on energy prices, the government is attempting to construct a firewall between the domestic economy and global geopolitical instability. The measure arrives as surging oil prices threaten to derail a fragile recovery and erode the purchasing power of low-income families. Under the approved plan, 32.56 million citizens will receive high-oil-price relief payments ranging from 100,000 won to 600,000 won. The government has allocated 4.8 trillion won for these specific grants. Recipients of basic livelihood benefits and near-poverty households are slated to receive their first disbursements within the month, while the remaining eligible population will be processed following a review by a specialized inter-departmental task force. To stabilize a market rattled by supply chain disruptions, Seoul has set aside 4.2 trillion won to support a maximum price system for petroleum. This industrial shield is bolstered by subsidies designed to cover the price differential for imported naphtha, a critical feedstock for the petrochemical sector. Public infrastructure also receives a temporary boost; the K-Pass public transportation discount will be doubled to 50 percent to lower commuting costs for the working class. The budget further extends a lifeline to the primary sector, providing fuel-linked subsidies to farmers and fishers who have seen their margins vanish under the weight of rising diesel costs. Additional funds are dedicated to easing the fuel burden for coastal passenger vessels, ensuring that essential transit links to island communities remain viable. The supplementary budget was submitted to the legislature on March 31 as regional tensions in the Middle East escalated. Following intense negotiations, the ruling and opposition parties reached a final agreement during the plenary session on April 10. 2026-04-11 10:58:43 -
US and Iran arrive in Islamabad as Hormuz deadlock threatens global energy supply SEOUL, April 11 (AJP) - Iranian and American delegations arrived in the Pakistani capital on Saturday for a summit intended to end their six-week war, though the specific timing of the first session remains unannounced as mediators attempt to resolve a last-minute impasse over Iranian preconditions. While both teams have checked into the Serena Hotel, the high-security venue where the negotiations are set to occur, officials from the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a formal plenary session has not yet commenced. The meeting occurs under a proximity format, a diplomatic arrangement where mediators shuttle between separate rooms to avoid direct confrontation before a baseline agreement is reached. This distance reflects the fragility of the peace process, which began following the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28 and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz. For Washington, the priority is the immediate and unconditional opening of that waterway, which handles 20 percent of global petroleum transit, while Tehran views its control of the strait as a primary bargaining chip to secure the lifting of economic sanctions. The lead negotiator for the United States is Vice President JD Vance, a former senator who has become the administration's chief diplomatic envoy for the conflict. He is joined by special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, representing the White House’s attempt to bypass traditional State Department channels in favor of a personalist approach. Upon his departure for Pakistan, Vance warned that the American team would not be "receptive" to delays or tactical maneuvers by the Iranian side. Representing the Islamic Republic is Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament and a veteran of the Revolutionary Guard who has assumed a central role in the nation’s wartime leadership. Before arriving in Islamabad, Qalibaf stated that negotiations would not begin in earnest unless Washington accepted certain "preconditions," including a ceasefire in Lebanon and the immediate release of frozen Iranian assets. Iranian state media has emphasized that their 70-member delegation includes technical experts in banking and energy, signaling a focus on concrete economic concessions. The conflict, which the Trump administration dubbed Operation Epic Fury, has severely disrupted global supply chains and sent oil prices to their highest levels in four years. In the weeks of active combat, American and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites and military infrastructure, prompting Tehran to mine the Strait of Hormuz. The current two-week ceasefire, brokered by Islamabad, has provided a temporary reprieve, but the threat of a return to hostilities persists if the current summit fails to produce a breakthrough. A central point of contention remains the status of Iran’s nuclear program. Washington is demanding a "total blockade" of Iran’s path to a nuclear weapon, seeking terms that go beyond the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) which the first Trump administration exited in 2018. Tehran, meanwhile, has proposed a 10-point plan that calls for the recognition of its right to enrich uranium and the payment of "war reparations" through an international investment fund. Pakistani security forces have placed the capital on strict lockdown, with thousands of police and paramilitary personnel guarding the "Red Zone" surrounding the hotel. While the Iranian delegation arrived on Friday evening and Vance’s team landed early Saturday, the "proximity" of the negotiators has yet to translate into a face-to-face meeting. Technical teams from both sides are currently reviewing the logistical details of the maritime ceasefire and the verification protocols required to ensure the safe passage of merchant vessels. The current truce is scheduled to expire in twelve days. 2026-04-11 09:56:05