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  South Korean prime minister signals cautious review of trade deal after US court ruling SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said Saturday that South Korea will "wisely" monitor the situation following a US Supreme Court decision that invalidated a key tariff program, suggesting possible adjustments to a previous bilateral trade agreement. The remarks, made during a public briefing in the city of Pohang on Saturday afternoon, address the potential fallout from a 6-3 ruling by the US Supreme Court on Friday. The court found that President D February 21, 2026
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  US trade representative signals new tariff investigations likely to include South Korea SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - The United States plans to launch broad trade investigations that are expected to target South Korea as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to replace a tariff program recently struck down by the US Supreme Court. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement on Friday (local time) that new investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 will likely cover most major trading partners. These probes allow the US governme February 21, 2026
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  White house to exempt cars and minerals from new 10 percent tariff SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - The White House has made a decision that could provide significant relief for South Korean manufacturers, announcing Friday (local time) that it will exclude passenger cars and critical minerals from a new 10 percent import tax. The exemptions were included in a proclamation for a new temporary import surcharge that takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on February 24. This new policy follows a United States Supreme Court ruling earlier that day that struck down th February 21, 2026
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  OPINION: $10 Trillion "Trump Effect" Boomerang - a turning point for US-led trade order “Wherever law ends, tyranny begins.” — John Locke The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on February 20, 2026, will be remembered less as a trade ruling than as a constitutional moment. In a 6–3 judgment, the Court struck down President Donald J. Trump’s sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), concluding that the statute did not authorize the president to levy what were, in substance, taxes. February 21, 2026
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  South Korea's presidential office to hold emergency meetings after US court tariff ruling SEOUL, February 21 (AJP) - South Korea's presidential office announced Saturday it will convene a high-level meeting of relevant ministries this afternoon to discuss the fallout from a United States Supreme Court decision that struck down President Donald Trump's centerpiece tariff policy. The meeting, scheduled for 2 p.m. (0500 GMT), will be co-chaired by National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac and Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy. It follows a sepa February 21, 2026
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  BTS Comeback-29: How K-pop is woven into the Korean heritage SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - On a chilly afternoon during the Lunar New Year holiday, the long line outside the National Museum of Korea curled past the plaza and into the nearby park. Families carrying gift boxes, grandparents holding grandchildren’s hands, and young couples in padded coats waited patiently for their turn to enter. For many, this was not a detour between holiday meals. It was the destination. Over two days of the Seollal break — Feb. 16 a February 20, 2026
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  Korea's main index touches new ceiling, defying regional caution SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Korea’s main KOSPI played solo with eyes set on the next historic milestone of 6,000, regardless of simmering tensions in the Middle East that weighed on markets across the region and the globe. The key index rose 2.3 percent to close Friday at 5,808.5, bouncing right back after dipping to 5,684.9. The blue-chip KOSPI 200 advanced 2.3 percent to 859.6. It diverged from regional peers. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.1 percent to 56,825.7, while February 20, 2026
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  Impeached ex-president apologizes but still defends botched martial law bid SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday apologized for the pain caused by his botched declaration of martial law in 2024, while defending it as a "measure solely intended to save the country and its citizens." His remarks came just a day after the Seoul Central District Court handed down a life sentence on charges of insurrection and abuse of power over his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Despite the apology, Yoon insisted that deploying t February 20, 2026
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  KAIST confers honorary doctorate on Formosa Group Chair Sandy Wang SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on February 20 that it has awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration to Sandy Wang, Standing Member of the Formosa Group Executive Management Committee and Chair of Formosa Bio. The ceremony took place during the university's 2026 commencement exercises. Wang was recognized for her role in leading the strategic growth of Formosa Group by prioritizing sustainabilit February 20, 2026
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  New firefighters ready to serve communities in Incheon SEOUL, February 20 (AJP) - Some 116 new firefighters graduated from the Incheon Fire Academy in Ganghwa, Incheon on Friday. The new graduates, the academy's 27th class, pledged to protect the lives and property of citizens. Over 24 weeks since enrolling in September last year, the graduates completed rigorous training as part of the academy's mission to nurture elite firefighting personnel ready for the field. They will be assigned to about a dozen fire stations across In February 20, 2026