AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Journalist

&
""
Latest by
  • North Korean foreign minister Choe Son Hui arrives in Moscow for official visit
    North Korean foreign minister Choe Son Hui arrives in Moscow for official visit SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui arrived in Moscow on Saturday for an official visit at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Russian state media reported. Russia's Foreign Ministry said Choe was visiting Moscow at Lavrov's invitation, according to RIA Novosti. Details of the purpose of the trip and her schedule have not been disclosed. The visit comes as Pyongyang and Moscow deepen political and military ties under a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed in 2024. North Korea has also sent troops to support Russia's war effort in Ukraine, including operations in Russia's Kursk region, further strengthening security cooperation between the two countries. Russia and North Korea have continued to publicly emphasize their close strategic alignment. 2026-07-18 15:35:14
  • North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui Arrives in Moscow for Official Visit
    North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui Arrives in Moscow for Official Visit North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui arrived in Moscow on July 18 for an official visit, according to Russian state media. The Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Choe's arrival at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The specific purpose and details of the visit have not been disclosed. Choe previously visited Moscow in October 2022 and November 2024, where she met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. North Korea and Russia are developing their relationship into a military alliance, having signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty in 2024. North Korea has sent troops to support Russia in its war against Ukraine, particularly assisting in efforts to reclaim the Kursk region, which was occupied following a surprise attack by Ukraine. This has led to an assessment that the strategic alliance between North Korea and Russia has strengthened.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 15:32:00
  • Rep. Lee Geon-tae Withdraws from Debate on Prosecutorial Investigative Authority
    Rep. Lee Geon-tae Withdraws from Debate on Prosecutorial Investigative Authority Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon and Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Geon-tae were set to engage in a debate regarding the issue of abolishing the prosecutorial investigative authority, but Lee reversed his decision just one day later.On July 18, Lee announced on Facebook, "I judged that it is not right to ignore the wishes and concerns of the party members who support me," stating, "I will not proceed with this debate." Previously, on July 16, Han proposed a public debate to the Democratic Party, asking, "Why is the abolition of the prosecutorial investigative authority against the public interest?" In response, Lee agreed to discuss why the prosecution should not have investigative authority in front of the public, leading to the arrangement of the debate.Lee explained, "The reason I agreed to the debate was that I believe Han Dong-hoon is responsible for leading politically motivated prosecutions alongside Yoon Seok-yeol. I wanted to clearly question that responsibility before the public." In response, Han accused Lee of backing out of the debate, stating, "I heard that Democratic politicians and some supporters pressured him to run away because they feared being overwhelmed in the debate. A public party is finished if it is embarrassed. The Democratic Party is done." Meanwhile, both sides had tentatively agreed to hold the debate on July 22 at 5 p.m. on JTBC, but Lee's announcement on the same day led to the cancellation of the event.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 15:08:00
  • Hanwhas Philly Shipyard wins U.S. missile test vessel contract tied to Golden Dome
    Hanwha's Philly Shipyard wins U.S. missile test vessel contract tied to Golden Dome SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - Hanwha Philly Shipyard has been selected to build two next-generation missile range instrumentation vessels (MRIVs) for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), marking a major defense contract that will support the Trump administration's planned Golden Dome missile defense system. The U.S. shipbuilder, acquired by South Korea's Hanwha Group last year, said on Saturday it had been selected alongside U.S.-based TOTE Services for the program. Under the agreement, Hanwha Philly Shipyard will construct the vessels, while TOTE Services will oversee shipbuilding management. The new ships, to be named Golden Defender, will replace the aging Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, which entered service in 1965 and 1970, respectively. The vessels are designed to track missile speed, altitude and flight trajectories during missile tests while collecting telemetry data for the MDA. Delivery of the first vessel is scheduled for 2030. Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said the vessels would help restore U.S. maritime dominance while supporting President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense initiative. According to the shipyard, Vought said the program is valued at about $2 billion. "The MRIV program is central to the Trump administration's Golden Dome initiative and will strengthen U.S. national security," David Kim, chief executive of Hanwha Philly Shipyard, said in a statement. "We are proud to help build America's next generation of defense capabilities." Michael Coulter, chief executive of Hanwha Defense USA, said the company was pleased to support a critical U.S. defense mission and would continue advancing the shipyard's capabilities. The contract was announced during the naming ceremony for the Lone Star State, the fourth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The shipyard and TOTE Services are building five NSMVs for the U.S. Maritime Administration, with three vessels already delivered. The Lone Star State is expected to be delivered later this year, while the fifth and final vessel is scheduled for delivery in mid-2027. 2026-07-18 14:57:23
  • Son Heung-min Scores in Return Match, Eases World Cup Disappointment
    Son Heung-min Scores in Return Match, Eases World Cup Disappointment Son Heung-min, captain of the South Korean national football team, made a triumphant return to his club LAFC after the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, scoring his first goal of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season.On July 18, in a match against LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, Son started the game and found the net in the 57th minute.With LAFC leading 2-0, Son received a pass from Mark Delgado and struck the ball with his right foot into the goal. This marked his first goal against local rivals LA Galaxy since joining LAFC last summer.This goal also represents Son's first in the MLS this season. Prior to this match, he had recorded nine assists in the league without scoring, while netting two goals in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.With Son's goal, LAFC was ahead 3-0 against LA Galaxy, closing in on a victory.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 13:40:00
  • Court Rules Kim Woo-joongs Spouse Owns Parts of Nam June Paiks My Faust
    Court Rules Kim Woo-joong's Spouse Owns Parts of Nam June Paik's 'My Faust' Jeong Hee-ja, the spouse of the late Kim Woo-joong, founder of Daewoo Group, has been recognized as the owner of parts of Nam June Paik's iconic series 'My Faust.'According to Yonhap News on July 18, the Seoul Central District Court's Civil Division 34, led by Judge Kim Chang-mo, ruled in favor of Jeong in a lawsuit against Uyang Industrial Development (formerly Daewoo Development) for the return of certain artworks.Jeong sought the return of 188 artworks currently held by Uyang Art Museum, but the court acknowledged her ownership of only three pieces: 'My Faust - Economics' and 'My Faust - Spirituality' by Nam June Paik, along with a work by German artist Sigmar Polke, ordering their return by Uyang Industrial Development.Jeong stated, "Around 1991, my husband’s Uyang Industrial Development displayed and stored my personal artworks at the Gyeongju Hilton Hotel and Uyang Art Museum, but I was unable to retrieve them during the transfer of management rights at Uyang Industrial Development." She filed the lawsuit in July of last year.The court based its decision on testimonies from the curator of Uyang Art Museum, the gallery representative who sold the artworks, and a former staff member of Jeong's office, confirming that the two Nam June Paik pieces and one Sigmar Polke piece were purchased directly by Jeong. The court also noted that Jeong had sent multiple requests to Uyang Industrial Development in 2014, stating that she had purchased the artworks with personal funds and would reclaim them if necessary.However, the court did not recognize ownership of the remaining 185 pieces, citing a lack of objective evidence proving Jeong's purchase. Jeong claimed that she assigned an 'M' code to her owned artworks in the collection card while serving as the director of Uyang Art Museum, but the curator who created the card testified that 'M' codes were also assigned to works whose ownership was not confirmed, and corrections were made once the actual owner was identified.The court concluded, "The mere fact that some artworks were coded as 'M' in the collection card does not definitively establish Jeong's ownership."Uyang Industrial Development has appealed the first-instance ruling. The two Nam June Paik works recognized as Jeong's property are part of the 13-piece 'My Faust' series, inspired by Goethe's 'Faust.' Nam June Paik completed this series between 1989 and 1991, addressing 13 elements of human civilization, including environment, agriculture, economics, population, nationalism, spirituality, health, art, education, transportation, communication, research and development, and autobiography.'My Faust - Economics' is a 3.1-meter tall altar-like structure symbolically representing the economic system using televisions and currencies from around the world. 'My Faust - Spirituality' combines televisions with various religious symbols and video objects to illuminate the essence of the human spirit in modern civilization.Both works had been kept in a state of disrepair at Uyang Art Museum for an extended period but were restored and made publicly accessible following the museum's reopening and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit held in Gyeongju last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 13:24:00
  • Small-, mid-cap stocks outperform as chip rout weighs on Koreas blue chips
    Small-, mid-cap stocks outperform as chip rout weighs on Korea's blue chips SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - South Korea's small- and mid-cap stocks outperformed large caps this month as a sharp selloff in semiconductor shares weighed on the broader market and prompted retail investors to rotate into theme stocks and defensive sectors. The KOSPI large-cap index fell 20.6 percent between July 1 and July 16, underperforming the benchmark KOSPI's 19.5 percent decline over the same period, according to Korea Exchange data. The KOSPI mid-cap index lost 6.2 percent, while the small-cap index slipped 1.6 percent, significantly outperforming large caps. The trend marked a reversal from June, when the large-cap index gained 0.9 percent while the mid- and small-cap indexes fell 10.5 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively. Investors shifted toward smaller stocks as concerns over a peak in the semiconductor cycle triggered heavy selling in market heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, while foreign buying also slowed. Samsung Electronics has fallen 23.7 percent so far this month, while SK hynix has lost 30.5 percent. Samsung shares dropped to 255,000 won on July 16 from 334,000 won at the end of June, while SK hynix fell to 1.842 million won from 2.65 million won. Among small-cap stocks, so-called "patriotic theme" shares led gains. Hansung Enterprise surged 245 percent this month, while Monami and ENEX climbed 211 percent and 162 percent, respectively. Among mid-caps, cosmetics and food shares outperformed. Cosmax rose 17 percent, Amorepacific Holdings gained 15 percent, and Kolmar Korea added 8 percent, while Orion Holdings and Lotte Wellfood advanced 8 percent and 6 percent, respectively. 2026-07-18 12:45:38
  • President Lee Calls for Increased Agricultural Subsidies to Ensure Food Security
    President Lee Calls for Increased Agricultural Subsidies to Ensure Food Security 이재명 대통령이 농업보조금과 관련해 "이제라도 식량 안보를 지키고 농촌과 농업, 농민을 살리려면 농업보조금을 늘려야 한다"고 말했다. 이 대통령은 지난 17일 엑스(X·옛 트위터)에서 우리나라 농업보조금이 타 선진국에 비해 적다고 적은 송미령 농림식품부 장관의 엑스 글을 공유하며 이같이 적었다. 이 대통령은 "농업은 매우 중요한 안보 전략산업"이라며 "만약의 비상사태를 대비해 경제적 효율이 없더라도 반드시 국가 생존을 위한 최소한을 지켜내야 한다"고 강조했다. 이 대통령은 "이 때문에 각국이 농업보조금을 지급하는데 우리는 여타 선진국에 비해 보조금이 매우 적다는 사실"이라며 "효율성 높은 농어촌기본소득이 농업지원금 증액 효과를 조금은 내고 있고, 증시 활성화로 농어촌특별세가 폭증해 재원도 충분해 지고 있다"고 지적했다. 이어 "개방적 통상국가로서 시장 개척을 위한 시장 개방도 불가피한데, 그로 인한 이익의 일부로 그로 인해 피해 입는 영역에 지원해 실질적 손실이 없게 하는 것도 중요하다"며 "송 장관님 농식품부 공직자들과 함께 열심히 해서 큰 성과 내 주시고 계신데 감사드린다"고 말했다. 이 대통령이 함께 공유한 글에서 송 장관은 "우리나라 농업보조금, 다른 농업 선진국에 비해 적다"고 밝혔다. 농업보조금은 2025년 기준 519만원 수준인데, 유럽연합(2023년) 2580만원, 일본(2024년) 967만원에 비해 적다는 설명이다. 송 장관은 "여러 가지 힘든 상황 속에서도 묵묵히 현장을 지키고 계신 우리 농업인들의 어려움을 좀 더 세심하게 설명 드리지 못해 죄송한 마음"이라며 "대통령님께서 보여주신 농업·농촌에 대한 관심을 더 세심하게 살피고, 우리 농업인들의 어려움을 조금이라도 덜어드릴 수 있게 최선을 다하겠다"고 약속했다. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 12:40:00
  • Reactions Split Along Party Lines to Cho Jung-siks Constitutional Amendment Proposal
    Reactions Split Along Party Lines to Cho Jung-sik's Constitutional Amendment Proposal Cho Jung-sik, the Speaker of the National Assembly, proposed on July 17 during the 78th Constitution Day celebration that the 22nd National Assembly finalize a constitutional amendment. This suggestion elicited contrasting reactions from the ruling and opposition parties. The Democratic Party expressed support and called for the swift formation of a constitutional amendment committee, while the People Power Party responded sharply, stating that the Democratic Party and the Speaker lack the qualifications to discuss amendments.Park Sung-hoon, the chief spokesperson for the People Power Party, criticized the ruling party in a statement on July 18, saying, "The current major ruling party is using the legislative power granted by the people solely as a tool for party interests and political strife."He added, "Before discussing amendments, the Democratic Party should reflect on the current constitution and the spirit of parliamentary democracy, which they have trampled upon. How can those who disregard constitutional principles and rule of law lead a constitutional amendment that will shape the nation's future?"Park further asserted that the underlying motive is to permanently entrench parliamentary monopoly power and manipulate the power structure to their advantage, emphasizing that the People Power Party will not tolerate any strategic attempts to justify parliamentary dictatorship.Na Kyung-won, a member of the People Power Party, also took to Facebook the previous day, stating, "The reality is that there is no provision in the current constitution to stop the unchecked power of a single-party dictatorship and parliamentary overreach. The constitutional amendment to allow the sovereign people to directly question the National Assembly's confidence must be actively discussed."In contrast, Han Byeong-do, the acting leader and floor leader of the Democratic Party, welcomed Cho's proposal, stating, "The discussion of constitutional amendments that inherit the achievements of the 1987 system while opening a new future for South Korea is a historical task that can no longer be delayed. We must immediately form a constitutional amendment committee and gather the will of the people."He added, "The Democratic Party will do its utmost to ensure that a constitutional amendment reflecting the demands of the changed era and guaranteeing popular sovereignty is realized as soon as possible, and we hope for the proactive participation of the People Power Party."Political analysts suggest that, given the current deadlock in negotiations over the composition of the National Assembly, the opposition is unlikely to actively respond to the immediate formation of a constitutional amendment committee. In fact, Jeong Jeom-sik, the floor leader of the People Power Party, provided a general response to reporters after the Constitution Day celebration, stating, "We have repeatedly expressed that we do not fundamentally oppose constitutional amendments, so we will consider discussions moving forward."However, the People Power Party had previously declared its intention to abstain from voting when a constitutional amendment proposal was presented in May, suggesting that a constitutional amendment committee should be formed in the second half of the 22nd National Assembly. Therefore, if the composition of the National Assembly is finalized and an agreement is reached to form a constitutional amendment committee with equal representation from both parties, discussions on amendments could gain momentum.Meanwhile, Cho emphasized the need for constitutional amendments to include provisions such as the inclusion of the spirit of the May 18 Democratic Movement in the preamble, restrictions on the president's power to declare a state of emergency, restructuring of power, and electoral reform.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 12:08:00
  • Iran Reports Explosions on Two Oil Tankers in Hormuz Strait Amid Rising Tensions
    Iran Reports Explosions on Two Oil Tankers in Hormuz Strait Amid Rising Tensions Two oil tankers exploded in the Hormuz Strait, resulting in a large fire, as armed conflict in the region entered its seventh day on July 18.According to the Iranian state news agency IRNA, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that the explosions occurred around midnight local time after the vessels were deceived by U.S. intelligence while attempting to pass through a mine-laying area in the southern Hormuz Strait.The explosions reportedly took place at approximately 12 a.m. local time. This incident comes as the U.S. and Iran have been exchanging airstrikes in the region, effectively abandoning a ceasefire agreement.Iran has asserted its control over the Hormuz Strait, emphasizing that vessels must obtain permission to safely navigate the northern strait, which is closer to Iran.The IRGC declared, "The Hormuz Strait has become extremely unstable due to U.S. aggression, and we firmly announce that it is completely closed. As long as U.S. acts of invasion continue, no chemical fertilizers or even a drop of crude oil or gas can be exported through this region."They further advised, "Vessels should not be deceived to protect their assets and, above all, their lives. Do not enter the mine-laying area."* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-07-18 11:12:00