Xi vows to strengthen ties with North Korea in letter to Kim Jong-un SEOUL, October 12 (AJP) - Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening strategic communication and cooperation with North Korea in a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, state media reported on Sunday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim received the letter on Oct. 9, which was a reply to his earlier message to Xi on Oct. 1 in celebration of the 76th anniversary of China's National Day. In the letter, Xi stressed the enduring bilateral relationship, describing the two countries as "great neighbors, friends, and comrades who help each other." He also expressed China's willingness to deepen friendly exchanges with North Korea while enhancing strategic cooperation to confront international and regional issues. KCNA also reported that North Korean premier Pak Tae-song met with Li Qiang, China's premier and second-ranking leader, who made a rare visit to the North last week on behalf of Xi to attend a massive military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country's sole ruling Workers' Party. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-12 14:11:38

North Korean leader sends congratulatory message to Xi on China's founding anniversary SEOUL, October 1 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 76th anniversary of China's founding, reaffirming his commitment to enhancing strategic communication and cooperation between the two countries. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim said Pyongyang remains "steadfast" in its relations with Beijing, seeking to "steadily develop the traditional..... friendship no matter how the international situation may change." Expressing North Korea's willingness to work with China to "further strengthen and develop their friendly and cooperative relations," he proposed joint efforts to "defend peace and stability in the region and the rest of the world through close strategic communication and cooperation." Kim has traditionally sent congratulatory messages to Xi on the occasion of the anniversary, which has been observed since Mao Zedong's proclamation on Oct. 1, 1949. This year's notably lengthy message emphasized strategic cooperation between the two allies on regional security, while mentioning China's efforts to protect its "territorial sovereignty," likely referring to Taiwan. The move appears aimed at strengthening ties, following Kim's recent attendance at China's "Victory Day" parade earlier this month and a summit with Xi. Meanwhile, KCNA reported that Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui returned from Beijing after meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Premier Li Qiang during her visit early this week. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-10-01 14:10:27

South Korea to send special envoy to Egypt to mark 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - Park Beom-gye, a lawmaker from the ruling Democratic Party, will visit Egypt next week as a special envoy, presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said in a press release. His visit from Sept. 20 to Oct. 2 comes in celebration of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Cairo. Park will meet with key figures and officials in Egypt to further strengthen bilateral relations while explaining South Korea's foreign policies and discussing ways to enhance cooperation across various sectors between the two countries. He will also deliver a personal letter from President Lee Jae Myung to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-26 15:19:04

South Korea appoints new envoy to Tokyo ahead of outgoing Japanese PM's visit next week SEOUL, September 26 (AJP) - Former envoy to Viet Nam Lee Hyuk has been appointed as South Korea's new ambassador to Tokyo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. Born in 1958, Lee graduated from Korea University with a degree in economics before joining the ministry along with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac. The seasoned diplomat with deep expertise in Japanese affairs also served in ambassadorial posts in the Philippines and Viet Nam. The appointment was made just ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's upcoming meeting with outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is scheduled to visit the country's southern port city of Busan next week. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-26 14:36:46

Defense chiefs of South Korea, Saudi Arabia hold talks in Riyadh SEOUL, September 22 (AJP) - South Korea and Saudi Arabia pledged to strengthen their defense partnership during high-level talks in Riyadh, the South Korean defense ministry said Monday. South Korea's Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-baek described his talks with Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s National Guard minister, on Saturday as “a meaningful first step” in expanding military collaboration. The trip marked his first visit to the Middle East since assuming the post. Ahn underscored South Korea’s role as a strategic partner in the kingdom’s Vision 2030, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s sweeping modernization plan that includes diversifying defense suppliers and investing heavily in military technology. He highlighted South Korea’s growing profile as an arms exporter, the ministry said. Prince Abdullah welcomed the minister’s visit and voiced hope that the two nations could broaden cooperation through joint projects, personnel exchanges and expanded military education programs. Both sides agreed to meet again soon to assess progress and discuss regional security issues. South Korea has steadily expanded its presence in the Middle East defense market, most notably with major arms deals in the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-09-22 13:31:30