Lee and Ishiba share hometown dishes at Tokyo dinner while emphasizing cooperation SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru shared hometown dishes at a dinner in Tokyo on Saturday, shortly after their summit, underscoring a cooperative tone, South Korea's Presidential Office said Sunday. National Security Director Wi Seong-rak said on August 24 that the meal was held in a friendly atmosphere at the prime minister’s residence. The leaders were joined by their spouses. From South Korea, Wi and Presidential Policy Chief Kim Yong-beom attended. From Japan, Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Tachibana Keiichiro were present. The menu paired specialties from both leaders' home regions. The table featured "Ishiba-style" curry, Andong jjimdak, a traditional Korean menu with chicken, glass noodles, and vegetables simmered in a soy sauce-based stew-like sauce, Andong soju, and beer from Tottori Prefecture. The courses also included sake, Korean-style grilled eel with kimchi garnish, and white peaches from Okayama, reflecting President Lee’s preference for peaches. Wi said the selection of Andong soju and Tottori beer appeared intended to emphasize cooperation and reconciliation. During the meal, Ishiba said he ate curry often during his college years. Lee replied, "I can picture a young Prime Minister Ishiba eating curry while listening to the Japanese girl group Candies." Lee added, "Because Prime Minister Ishiba likes Korean ramen, I tried to bring every ramen on the market, but I gave up because of the volume." Ishiba told Lee he had read the Japanese translation of Lee's autobiographical essay "I Came This Far Because I Had That Dream" and asked him to sign it. The leaders also spoke while looking into photos of Andong sites, including Hahoe Village, Dosan Seowon, and Wolyeonggyo. The conversation turned to political life and public communication. Presidential spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said in a statement that both leaders noted that they were not mainstream politicians, yet rose to office after setbacks. Ishiba said, "I cannot sleep because I am replying late into the night to messages people send." Lee responded, "I am also busy sending messages, but I mostly send texts to instruct people to work." Ishiba noted that during the Edo period, the Joseon Tongsinsa played an important role. The official envoy missions were sent by the Joseon Dynasty court to Japan during the Edo period, active mainly from 1607 to 1811, to maintain peace, resume trade, and promote cultural exchange. Lee emphasized the value of shuttle diplomacy. After dinner, the two couples moved with only interpreters to a tatami room and talked for about 30 minutes over an after-dinner drink. Wi also described how the joint press document, released after the two leaders' summit meetings, was produced. He said initial coordination did not include a joint text because of the tight timetable. After reviewing the plan, President Lee directed aides to pursue a joint document with Japan, and the two sides agreed to and released a joint statement. Wi added that full joint declarations are typically issued during state visits, such as the 1998 Kim Dae Jung and Obuchi declaration or the 2003 Roh Moo Hyun and Koizumi declaration, and that this trip was a working visit. The joint statement, the first one that was issued after a South Korea-Japan summit in 17 years, set clear priorities. It pledged expanded cooperation in future industries such as hydrogen and artificial intelligence and launched a bilateral consultative body to address shared social challenges including low birth rates, aging populations, metropolitan area concentration, agriculture, and disaster safety. On security, it reaffirmed complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, close coordination on North Korea policy, continued enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions, and the need to respond together to deepening Russia-North Korea military ties. It also called for the resumption of shuttle diplomacy, more youth exchanges through working holiday programs, and cooperation on the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October and the Korea-Japan-China leaders' meeting to be chaired by Japan. The document recorded Prime Minister Ishiba’s statement that his cabinet inherits prior positions on historical recognition, including the 1998 Kim Dae Jung and Obuchi declaration. 2025-08-24 17:58:29

South Korean troops fire warning shots as North Korean soldiers cross MDL SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean troops fired warning shots after more than 30 North Korean soldiers briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Aug. 19, the United Nations Command (UNC) confirmed Sunday. The MDL, drawn under the 1953 armistice, runs through the center of the DMZ, a 250-kilometer-long buffer separating the two Koreas. Unauthorized crossings are unusual and are considered serious violations of the armistice. According to the UNC, the North Korean soldiers had been carrying out construction and repair work when they stepped across the line. South Korean forces issued repeated loudspeaker warnings but received no response, leading them to fire warning shots. The soldiers then moved back to the northern side. The UNC said its Military Armistice Commission began an investigation immediately after the incident. It noted that North Korea had notified the command in advance about its work in the zone, describing such prior communication as "valuable in reducing the risk of misunderstandings and unintended incidents." The UNC added that it remains prepared to talk with the North about this and other issues. The statement came after North Korea accused South Korea of a "dangerous provocation," claiming troops fired more than 10 rounds from a 12.7-millimeter machine gun at its soldiers near the border. Ko Jeong-chol, deputy chief of the North’s General Staff, urged the South to "immediately stop reckless military actions that could trigger clashes along the southern border." South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that warning shots were fired, saying that around 3 p.m. on August 19, North Korean soldiers crossed the MDL in the central sector before returning north. 2025-08-24 15:45:00

Lee heads to Washington with clear agenda on tariffs, security and nuclear fuel pact talks SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung left Japan on August 24 after his summit with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and is now en route to Washington for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. According to South Korean diplomatic sources on August 23, Seoul and Washington are drafting a joint statement that would say the two sides will begin discussions and technical studies on amending the bilateral nuclear cooperation agreement. The draft text would state that these talks will include South Korea's request to discuss the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Until the leaders issue the statement or say it on the record, this remains unconfirmed. The summit's confirmed and likely agenda items are as follows. The leaders will review the tariff deal outlined in late July. They will discuss broader economic coordination. Alliance issues are on the table, including the strategic flexibility of U.S. military forces in South Korea. Ministers prepared these topics in Washington this week. Foreign Minister Cho-hyun and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright on August 22. Background on the nuclear file is straightforward. The current U.S.–ROK nuclear cooperation agreement was revised in 2015 and runs until 2035. Under this agreement, South Korea needs U.S. consent even to enrich uranium below twenty percent. South Korea is not allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel. Limited research on pyroprocessing, a recycling method that does not produce weapons usable material, is permitted. These restrictions do not apply in the U.S.–Japan arrangement. South Korea's goal is to complete the nuclear fuel cycle at home. Seoul argues that gaining latitude on enrichment and reprocessing would secure fuel supply for its reactor exports, reduce pressure on interim storage that is nearing capacity, and strengthen resilience as the country faces North Korea's nuclear threat. Washington has been cautious because reprocessing can produce plutonium that could be diverted to weapons. That concern sits at the core of U.S. nonproliferation policy. Even if the two presidents announce the start of talks, it is not yet clear how far the U.S. will go toward endorsing South Korea's position. South Korean officials say they have worked to create room for progress at leader level. "We have worked to amend the agreement, and we intend to make progress through this summit," South Korea's National Security Director Wi Seong-rak told reporters before the trip. Lee's U.S. itinerary includes a business roundtable, a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and a visit to Philadelphia's Philly Shipyard on Tuesday before returning home. 2025-08-24 14:57:20

S. Korea and Japan put hydrogen and AI cooperation at center of first joint statement in 17 years SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru wrapped up their Tokyo summit on August 23 with a joint statement, the first released by the two neighbors in 17 years. The document commits both governments to closer coordination on security and to new cooperation in future industries, with hydrogen and artificial intelligence singled out as priority fields. The talks at the prime minister's office ran longer than planned, beginning at 4:55 p.m. (0755 GMT) and totaling 113 minutes. A 62-minute small group session was followed by a 51-minute expanded meeting. The leaders agreed to launch a bilateral consultative body to tackle shared challenges that cut across economics and society, including low birth rates, aging populations, metropolitan area concentration, agriculture, and disaster safety management. Future industry cooperation anchors the economic track of the agreement. During last year's election campaign, Lee pledged to accelerate South Korea's AI capabilities to lift growth and productivity, deploying advanced models across manufacturing and public services to counter demographic headwinds. Linking that agenda to Japan's strengths in next-generation energy and advanced manufacturing, the two sides placed hydrogen and AI at the heart of their forward-looking partnership. Security coordination featured prominently. Lee and Ishiba reaffirmed their support for the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the peaceful resolution of North Korea's nuclear and missile issues through dialogue and diplomacy. They agreed to maintain close policy coordination on North Korea, to work with the international community for thorough enforcement of United Nations Security Council sanctions, and to respond together to the deepening military ties between Russia and North Korea. Both leaders also underscored the importance of strengthening trilateral cooperation with the United States. The summit produced practical follow-ups. The two governments will resume shuttle diplomacy between leaders, expand youth exchanges through working holiday programs, and cooperate to ensure the successful hosting of the APEC summit in Gyeongju in October and the Korea-Japan-China trilateral summit to be chaired by Japan. Lee used his opening remarks in the expanded session to call for steady, pragmatic engagement. "Because our two countries are so close, unnecessary conflicts sometimes occur," he said. "Issues that are difficult to approach should be given sufficient time for reflection, but where we can cooperate, cooperation is what politicians in both countries must pursue." Ishiba welcomed Lee's choice of Japan as his first bilateral destination since taking office, calling it "very reassuring," and said that stronger Japan, South Korea, and United States cooperation is "very important." The joint statement also noted that Ishiba affirmed his government's overall inheritance of prior cabinet positions on historical recognition, including the 1998 Kim Dae-jung and Obuchi declaration, "A New Japan-Republic of Korea Partnership for the Twenty-First Century," which has long been viewed as a foundation for future-oriented cooperation. History still shadows the relationship. South Korea and Japan are close neighbors, yet disputes rooted in Japan's 1910 to 1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula have triggered periodic diplomatic friction. Contentious issues such as compensation for wartime forced labor, the treatment of "comfort women," and Japan-related seafood import questions were not addressed in detail at the summit. The leaders instead focused on areas where progress is possible while acknowledging that sensitive matters require time and careful handling. Lee described the meeting as a fresh start for rebuilding trust and routine leader-level engagement. He proposed that when Ishiba visits South Korea for the next round of shuttle diplomacy, the two meet outside Seoul to underscore a broader, people-to-people approach to ties. 2025-08-24 10:58:14

OPINION: Letter to President Trump - In anticipation of "Great Peace-Maker" (GPM) SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - Dear President Trump, I hope you will allow me to use the American-style "you" in this letter. There is a saying that comes to mind when I think of your effort to build a new world out of chaos. Willy Brandt, the German chancellor who pioneered East-West détente in Europe, sowed the seeds of German unification and won the Nobel Peace Prize, once said: "Peace is not everything, but without peace, everything is nothing." With wars raging and civilians dying around the world, there is nothing more important than the work of "Great Peace-Making." History has shown us what real peace-making leadership looks like. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served four terms, allied with the Soviet Union during World War II to defeat Hitler’s Germany and Imperial Japan. He went on to shape the United Nations and the Bretton Woods system, laying the foundations of the postwar order. Otto von Bismarck, Germany’s "Iron Chancellor," unified his country through realpolitik and later steered Europe away from major war through careful balance-of-power diplomacy. I recall that your own grandfather was a German immigrant. At home, you raised the banner of "MAGA," making America great again. Abroad, I believe you have pursued the role of peacemaker. You stepped in to ease military tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, brought the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia to the White House, and even invited President Vladimir Putin to Alaska to try to end the war in Ukraine. China’s Xi Jinping, by contrast, buys cheap Russian energy but offers no real effort at peace. There will be no "pax Sinica." It remains "pax Americana." It is time for you, President Trump, to reshape geopolitics as a true "Great Peace-Maker." Critics such as New York Times columnist Paul Krugman may call you a "tyrant," but I urge you to show what I would call "patchwork diplomacy" on the Korean Peninsula. Nobel laureate François Jacob once wrote of "Evolution and Tinkering" in Science. It is an idea that fits your approach well, responding creatively within limits to bring about new solutions. Tomorrow, on the 25th, you will meet President Lee Jae-myung at the South Korea–U.S. summit in Washington. What, then, is the bond between our two nations? We often use the term "blood alliance." America has been both an occupier and a divider, but also a liberator and protector. The decision at Yalta to divide Korea changed our fate. Yet the U.S. also freed us from Japan and stood with us in the Korean War. Some 36,000 Americans were killed, alongside about 137,000 South Korean soldiers and more than 1 million civilians. Without America, could South Korea have become a top-ten economy and a democracy? Just as the U.S. defended us, we now share America’s interests, values, and prosperity. I also know you have voiced doubts about us, once calling South Korea an "ATM." But our achievements were not handed to us. They were built on sweat and sacrifice. From the ruins of colonial rule, war, and division, we rose again. We sent miners and nurses to Germany, fought alongside U.S. troops in Vietnam, and worked in deserts and on construction projects across the Middle East and Africa. This is how we made what is known as the "Miracle on the Han River." Even today, South Koreans work some of the longest hours among OECD nations. At this week’s summit, you are expected to discuss tariffs, defense cost-sharing, and a new geopolitical framework. As with your dealings with the EU, defense spending of around 3.5 percent and weapons imports could be negotiated. I hope you and President Lee Jae-myung will reach a summit outcome that sets the stage for a new geopolitical order, one that could also strengthen diplomacy with Kim Jong Un and provide leverage toward China. Korea’s mythical emblem, the Samjoko, the three-legged crow, is not unlike your bald eagle. It symbolizes balance and good fortune. In both East and West, the number three is sacred: the Christian Trinity, Korea’s Cheon-Ji-In (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity), and the dialectical idea of synthesis. If you, together with the leaders of North and South Korea, can bring about peace on the peninsula—denuclearization, prosperity, normalization between the U.S. and North Korea—it would crown your role as the Great Peace-Maker. Success would more than justify a Nobel Peace Prize, as it did for Brandt and for Kim Dae-jung. Why not, at this summit, issue a communiqué inviting Kim Jong Un to the APEC summit in Gyeongju this October? Next year’s APEC will be in China, so Xi Jinping will be there. In Gyeongju, you could hold a U.S.–China summit and even bring together the U.S., China, and the two Koreas. After that, imagine visiting Pyongyang for a round of golf with both Korean leaders. The Pyongyang course even has a funnel hole where a hole-in-one is possible. As a real estate developer, you could also propose with North and South Korea the creation of a "Global AI Valley" and perhaps a "Trump Golf Course" inside the DMZ. Such a move would show bold leadership, the kind that overshadows Xi and Putin. I hope this summit will go beyond "small deals" like defense costs and instead embrace the "big deal" of becoming the Great Peace-Maker of the Korean Peninsula. Mr. President, I almost had the chance to meet you. As a journalist at a major daily, I once interviewed Warren Buffett, the "Oracle of Omaha." Later, I was offered the chance to interview you through a senior contact, but your visit was canceled. By coincidence, both you and I have a grandchild named Kai. After seeing Kai speak during the 2024 campaign, I felt certain you would win. I have read "The Art of the Deal," follow your posts on social media, and often click "like." I even published columns predicting your victory. Let me close with one of your favorite sayings: "If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big." If at this summit you show the world bold and creative diplomacy, you will move beyond those who mock you as a "trader" and stand as a statesman, the kind Kim Yo-jong once described as "a great man who can change the flow of history." Do that, and you will join the ranks of President Lincoln, remembered for embracing his rivals and leading a nation to unity. God bless you and Korea. Sincerely, Dr. Tack Whan Kim President, Institute for Future Policy Studies. National vision strategist, author of more than 20 books including "The U.S.–China Economic Power Struggle and the Future of the Korean Peninsula," former journalist at JoongAng Ilbo, visiting scholar at Georgetown University, and lecturer who has given more than 350 talks at institutions such as the National Assembly and Samsung Electronics. 2025-08-24 09:45:08

South Korea, Japan agree to launch joint response body for common challenges President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru shake hands after a press release/ Yonhap SEOUL, August 23 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru agreed Saturday to establish a bilateral consultative body to address shared challenges including low birth rates, aging populations, and disaster management following their summit meeting in Tokyo. The leaders also committed to close coordination on North Korea policy and strengthening trilateral cooperation with the United States, according to a joint statement released after the talks. Lee emphasized that both leaders recognized the critical importance of unwavering Korea-Japan and Korea-U.S.-Japan cooperation frameworks with Washington. The summit covered extensive discussions on Korean Peninsula denuclearization, economic cooperation in hydrogen and artificial intelligence sectors, and various social policy challenges. Lee said the talks addressed common issues facing both nations including low birth rates, metropolitan area concentration, agriculture, and disaster safety management through the proposed joint consultative mechanism. On security matters, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and building lasting peace. They agreed to maintain close coordination on North Korea policies while supporting successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju in October and the Korea-Japan-China trilateral summit chaired by Japan. Lee highlighted the historic nature of his visit, noting he became the first South Korean president to choose Japan as the initial bilateral destination after taking office since diplomatic normalization in 1965. The joint document release marked the first such announcement following a Korea-Japan summit in 17 years, demonstrating the countries' commitment to relationship development. The leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy between the two nations and expand youth exchanges through increased working holiday program participation. Lee described the summit as launching a new journey toward building genuine trust between the two countries and their peoples. Lee characterized both nations as optimal partners for mutually beneficial cooperation across social, cultural, and environmental sectors. He emphasized his administration's commitment to practical diplomacy centered on national interests while pursuing future-oriented win-win cooperation pathways with Japan. 2025-08-23 20:44:17

Lee pledges support for Korean diaspora during Tokyo visit SEOUL, August 23 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung held his first official meeting with Korean residents in Japan at a Tokyo hotel luncheon on Saturday, praising their contributions to Korea-Japan relations and promising expanded government support. The president described their historical struggles as foundational to both countries' development, citing their perseverance through colonial rule, national division, and life as overseas residents. Lee acknowledged the role of Korean diaspora in creating what he called a "new history" of bilateral relations, pointing to cultural exchange successes in districts like Shin-Okubo and Osaka's Ikuno Korea Town, which attracts 2 million annual visitors. He credited Korean residents with fostering trust between the two nations through cultural bridges including Korean food, K-beauty, and K-pop. The president formally apologized for historical injustices against Korean residents in Japan, specifically referencing spy fabrication cases during South Korea's democratization period. Lee stated that Korean diaspora members were "unfairly victimized" by state violence and expressed official condolences to affected families and victims. Lee emphasized his administration's commitment to protecting overseas Korean nationals' safety and rights, describing it as a fundamental government duty. He pledged to expand support for diaspora communities and promised to build a Korea that enhances their pride and confidence in their homeland. 2025-08-23 17:32:02

South Korea's Lee departs for Japan-US diplomatic tour SEOUL, August 23 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul Airport on Saturday morning for a six-day diplomatic visit to Japan and the United States, accompanied by First Lady Kim Hea Kyung. The tour includes summit meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President Donald Trump as part of Lee's "national interest-centered practical diplomacy" centered on the Korea-U.S.-Japan alliance. Lee arrived in Tokyo on Saturday morning and began his official schedule with a luncheon meeting with Korean residents in Japan. He will hold talks with Prime Minister Ishiba to discuss bilateral relationship development, followed by a friendship dinner. The meetings aim to strengthen ties between the two neighboring countries. On Sunday morning, Lee will meet with Japanese political figures from the Japan-Korea Parliamentary League before departing for the United States, arriving in Washington D.C. the same afternoon local time. The Korea-U.S. summit, described as the tour's highlight, is scheduled for Monday morning and will cover detailed discussions on the recent tariff agreement reached last month. The summit agenda includes broad security discussions on issues such as the flexibility of U.S. forces in Korea. Lee will also participate in a business roundtable with Korean and American business leaders and deliver a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank during his packed Washington schedule. On the final day Tuesday, Lee will travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to visit the Philly Shipyard acquired by Hanwha Ocean and other facilities. The president is scheduled to return to Seoul Airport early Thursday morning, concluding the diplomatic tour aimed at reinforcing trilateral cooperation frameworks. 2025-08-23 10:43:41

Elderly caregiver released after attempted murder of wife with dementia SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - A 70-year-old South Korean man who admitted to trying to kill his wife, reportedly overwhelmed by the strain of caregiving, has been released from custody. The case underscores the growing toll that eldercare is taking in a country where the number of caregiving-related crimes has steadily risen. The Seoul Northern District Court on Thursday dismissed a request for the man’s arrest warrant, ruling he posed no risk of flight or evidence destruction. He had been held on suspicion of attempted murder after turning himself in following the attack. Police said the man struck his wife, who is in her 80s and has dementia, twice on the head with a blunt object at their home on Tuesday. He confessed to the charges, telling officers that "caregiving stress and various other reasons" led him to the act. The victim was taken to a hospital but did not suffer life-threatening injuries and has since returned home. She told police she does not want her husband punished. However, because attempted murder is not a charge that can be dropped at a victim's request, prosecutors will continue with the case. Police said they plan to refer the suspect to the prosecution without detention once their investigation is complete. Cases like this are part of a disturbing trend. A study published in June by the Police Science Institute at the Korean National Police University found that South Korean courts have issued 228 convictions for caregiving-related homicides between 2007 and 2023, averaging 17.5 cases a year over the past decade. The issue reflects the country’s wider demographic challenges. South Korea has already become a super-aged society, with 20.3 percent of its population, more than 10.5 million people, now aged 65 or older. A national dementia survey in 2023 reported that 9.25 percent of seniors live with the disease, with the number of patients expected to reach 970,000 by 2025. Nearly half of families caring for dementia patients said they felt overwhelmed, citing financial costs as the biggest strain, followed by insufficient policy support and mental health pressures. About 40 percent said caregiving had negatively affected their own lives. The costs are heavy. Annual expenses per dementia patient average 17.3 million won for those cared for at home and 31.4 million won for those in facilities. In most cases, caregiving expenses outweigh medical costs. With an aging population, rising dementia cases, and growing economic and psychological strain on families, South Korea now faces a mounting social crisis that is increasingly spilling into the justice system. 2025-08-22 17:27:47

Modern take on Joseon royal ritual staged in Seoul SEOUL, August 22 (AJP) - When the lights go down, more than 40 dancers move in unison across a massive stage. As they perform, audiences are immersed in "One Dance" ("Ilmu" in Korean), the ceremonial dance of the royal ancestral ritual at Jongmyo Shrine, accompanied by music dating back to the Joseon Dynasty. With minimal stage props, the stage is filled only by the flowing sleeves of dancers dressed in white, orange, green, and blue hanbok, traditional South Korean attire. Their movements scatter outward and then return to order, creating a rhythm of harmony. A media showcase event by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater opened Thursday at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, where it will run for four days through Sunday. The show offers a modern reinterpretation of "Ilmu," part of Jongmyo Jeryeak, which has been designated an Intangible Cultural Heritage by both the South Korean government and UNESCO. Now in its fourth year, this year's production features upgraded lighting and visual design, along with new dancers. The show has garnered international acclaim, with sold-out performances in New York in 2023 following its 2022 premiere, and has since been staged annually in Seoul. Director Jung Ku-ho explained the stage structure, saying, "In the traditional Jongmyo Jeryeak, 64 dancers form lines in the square courtyard of the shrine. We tried to reconstruct that framework in a modern way on stage, simple but powerful." He added that he used "two open rectangular frames" to create "shifting architectural forms that float and come together, making a square, seen from different angles above and below." Choreographer Jung Hye-jin said, "'Ilmu' is not only the dance of the Jongmyo ritual but also a dance of alignment. The show was inspired by the idea of dancers moving in line and incorporates elements of South Korean folk dance expressed in a contemporary style across four acts. The final act, 'Shin Ilmu' ('New Ilmu'), is a newly created choreography." She continued, "If the traditional 'Ilmu' is a static dance with energy directed inward, the contemporary version seeks to release that energy outward with stronger expression. Tradition and modernity merge to reveal a new movement in the finale." Choreographer Kim Sung-hoon elaborated on the costumes, saying, "The dancers wear blue tops, red pants, and a white centerpiece to symbolize the Taegukgi (the South Korean national flag). Some formations even visualize the flag's design in motion." "Every breath has to be synchronized. Every dancer devoted countless hours to perfecting even the smallest gestures, demanding both intense focus and mental strength," said Choi Tae-hun, principal dancer of the theater. Following its Seoul run, the show will be staged in Gangneung, Gangwon Province next Friday and in Daegu Metropolitan City from Sept. 4 to 5. 2025-08-22 16:50:28