Minor party leader Cho Kuk declares bid for parliamentary seat in Pyeongtaek SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Cho Kuk, the leader of the minor Rebuilding Korea Party said he will run for a parliamentary seat in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province in the upcoming local elections in June. At a news conference at the National Assembly on Tuesday, Cho vowed to reform the country by rooting out insurrection forces behind disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched declaration of martial law in December 2024. Cho, who had been expected to run in one of several cont April 14, 2026

Former PPP leader to run for Busan as races for local elections heat up SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the main opposition People Power Party, said he wants to devote himself to improving the lives of residents in Busan, hinting that he will run for local elections slated for early June. Calling the southern port city his "political hometown," Han, who has yet to formally declare his candidacy, said he respects what he described as Busan's role in protecting South Korea and steering the country back on track, April 14, 2026

Nobel laureates greet visitors at downtown Seoul bookstore SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Portraits of Nobel Prize laureates line the Sejong-ro entrance corridor at Kyobo Book Centre in Gwanghwamun, offering passersby a glimpse of history's greatest minds. Among the portraits displayed are novelist Han Kang, who won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature, and Kim Dae-jung, South Korea's 15th president and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize. The exhibition brings the achievements of Nobel laureates into the heart of the city, making t April 14, 2026

South Korea rises as attractive offshore oil storage base for Gulf nations SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - South Korea is moving to capitalize on the prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz by leveraging its extensive oil stockpiling infrastructure to generate additional income while reinforcing its energy security. Although instinctively oil-poor, the country has quietly built one of the most sophisticated stockpiling systems among non-producing nations. Its extensive network of underground storage and refining infrastructure has turned it into an attractiv April 14, 2026

Hanwha Ocean ramps up Canada submarine bid with Halifax talks SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean is ramping up its bid for Canada’s $40 billion submarine program, as its chief executive met with government and shipbuilding officials in Halifax. According to Hanwha Ocean on Tuesday, CEO Kim Hee-cheol recently visited Halifax, Canada, where he met with Premier of Nova Scotia Tim Houston and other provincial officials to explore potential collaboration for the submarine program. The talks covered defense readiness, MRO capabilities, wo April 14, 2026

Early adopters but slow system: Korea's AI gap widens SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - South Koreans are among the world's fastest adopters of artificial intelligence and among the most prolific in patenting the technology, yet government and corporate support remains strikingly behind, a global comparative study found. The 2026 AI Index Report, released Tuesday by Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, is a 423-page annual assessment widely regarded as one of the most authoritative gauges of global April 14, 2026

KOSPI tests 6,000 on Iran deal hopes; Asia stocks broadly higher SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - Asian markets were broadly upbeat Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump hinted at renewed negotiations with Iran, raising hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough before the two-week ceasefire ends next Tuesday. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI led the gains, rising 3.2 percent to 5,993.59 after flirting with 6,000. The KOSDAQ gained 2.3 percent to 1,125.03 as of 11:15 a.m. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.55 percent to 57,943.50, while Hong Kong’ April 14, 2026

North Korean leader again oversees test-firing of missiles from naval destroyer SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected again the test-firing of missiles from a naval destroyer, state media reported Tuesday. "Two strategic cruise missiles and three anti-warship missiles were test-fired" last Sunday from the 5,000-ton multipurpose destroyer Choe Hyun to assess its "operational efficiency," with Kim observing it, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Kim's latest inspection of the April 14, 2026

Seoul shares details of Korean vessels with Iran amid Hormuz transit talks SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - South Korea has shared information on its vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz with Iran as part of ongoing negotiations over maritime transit, government sources said Tuesday. Jeong Byeong-ha, special envoy of the foreign minister, reportedly provided details about South Korean ships and crew members during talks with senior Iranian officials, focusing on the safety of vessels currently unable to pass through the strategic waterway. Iran had previou April 14, 2026

South Korea shares information with Iran on stranded vessels in Strait of Hormuz SEOUL, April 14 (AJP) - South Korea has reportedly shared information on its vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz with Iran, multiple government sources said on Tuesday. The development comes just a day after special envoy Chung Byung-ha arrived in Tehran the previous day to request that some 173 crew members aboard about a dozen South Korean vessels stranded in the strait, a critical chokepoint for roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply, be allowed to pass through th April 14, 2026