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Korean industry minister forges ties with Trump administration officials
SEOUL, March 1 (AJP) - South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Ahn Duk-geun, has conducted a series of high-level meetings with senior Trump administration officials in Washington D.C., marking the first major trade discussions between the two nations since President Trump's second inauguration. The meetings, which took place from Feb. 26 to 28, included talks with Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and U.S. Trade Representative Ja
March 1, 2025
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SK chief meets Viet Nam's communist party chief to discuss energy cooperation
SEOUL, February 16 (AJP) - SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has met with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, to discuss strengthening cooperation in the energy sector and fostering bilateral ties. Chey, who also serves as the chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, met with Lam in Hanoi on Friday, according to a report by Viet Nam’s state-run news agency VNA. “SK Group possesses world-class capabilities in the energy sector, and we seek to co
February 16, 2025
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North Korea 'poised to mass-produce ICBMs,' US commander says
SEOUL, February 14 (AJP) - North Korea is likely to soon begin mass production of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, a U.S. military commander speculated on Thursday. In a written statement to the Senate Committed on Armed Services, Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, claimed North Korea "probably can deliver a nuclear payload to targets throughout North America," cit
February 14, 2025
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North Korea condemns arrival of US nuclear-powered sub in Busan
SEOUL, February 11 (AJP) - North Korea on Tuesday condemned the arrival of a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine in Busan the previous day. The USS Alexandria, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, docked at a naval base in the southern port city to resupply and provide rest for its crew. Commissioned in 1991, the Alexandria is making its first visit to South Korea. "We express grave concern over the U.S. dangerous hostile military act that can lead the acute military confrontation in the reg
February 11, 2025
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South Korean shipbuilders post first profits in 13 years
SEOUL, February 07 (AJP) - For the first time in over a decade, South Korea’s three major shipbuilders turned a collective operating profit in 2024, buoyed by a surge in high-value liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier orders and a global ship-replacement cycle. Their combined operating profit reached 2.17 trillion won ($1.63 billion), marking a significant turnaround from years of losses. HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering led the resurgence, reporting an operating profit of
February 7, 2025
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Korea to launch $23.4 billion fund to support battery, bio sectors
Acting President Choi Sang-mok speaks at a ministerial meeting held in the Government Complex Sejong, Feb. 5, 2025. Yonhap SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - South Korea plans to establish a 34 trillion won ($23.4 billion) fund aimed at bolstering its high-tech industries, with a focus on batteries and biotechnology, as the country prepares for potential economic headwinds from U.S. protectionist policies. The fund, tentatively named the "Strategic Advanced Industry Fund," will be managed
February 5, 2025
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South Korea conducts joint aerial drill with US, Japan
SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea on Wednesday conducted a joint aerial drill with the U.S. and Japan involving a U.S. B-1B strategic bomber. The show of force came just a day after North Korea fired multiple short-range missiles into the East Sea, ahead of the inauguration of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the Defense Ministry here, the trilateral drill, which also involved the deployment of the country's F-15K fighter jets and Japan's F-2 fighters, was the fir
January 15, 2025
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Pentagon chief nominee refers to North Korea as 'nuclear power'
SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - U.S. Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth has referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power." In a written response submitted to the Senate Committee on Armed Services for his confirmation hearing, Hegseth said, "status as a nuclear power, its intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads and its growing cyber capabilities all pose a threat to stability on the Korean peninsula, in the Indo-P
January 15, 2025
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Korean shipbuilders anticipate boom on strong demand from US, China
A large ship on a dry dock/ Getty Images Bank SEOUL, January 15 (AJP) - South Korea’s shipbuilding industry is poised for a resurgence, fueled by prospects of deeper collaboration with the incoming Trump administration and a surge in Chinese demand. Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun revealed on Monday that the Trump administration is preparing “comprehensive institutional reforms to bolster naval power and support related shipbuilding industries.” Official announcements deta
January 15, 2025
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North Korea confirms successful test-launch of hypersonic ballistic missile
SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - North Korea said on Tuesday that it had successfully test-launched a new intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) equipped with a hypersonic warhead. "The hypersonic glide vehicle of the missile fired northeastward at a launching ground in a suburb of Pyongyang..... accurately landed on the waters of simulated target," the renegade country's state-run Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, confirming its IRBM launch the previous day. According to K
January 7, 2025
