North Korea lashes out as South Korea-US joint drill gets underway

SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - North Korea on Monday denounced South Korea's annual joint defense exercise with the U.S. as a "dangerous provocative act," calling it "an aggressive confrontational war rehearsal," in yet another protest, just days after a similar protest last week. The annual exercise dubbed "Freedom Shield," which kicks off on Monday, is "a dangerous provocative act of leading the acute situation on the Korean Peninsula, which may spa

March 10, 2025

Homeplus struggles to regain supplier confidence amid debt restructuring

SEOUL, March 10 (AJP) - Some suppliers that had halted deliveries to Homeplus have begun resuming shipments, even as others remain hesitant amid ongoing corporate rehabilitation proceedings. According to retail industry sources, leading food manufacturers, including Ottogi, Lotte Wellfood, and Samyang Foods, have gradually restarted their supply chains since March 7. However, companies such as Dongsuh Foods and Lotte Chilsung Beverage continue to withhold shipments, with negotiation

March 10, 2025

South Korea poised to finalize deal with Poland for additional batch of weapons shipment

SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - South Korea is poised to finalize a deal to export K2 battle tanks to Poland as early as next month, government sources here said on Sunday. The deal worth 9 trillion South Korean won (US$6 billion) will supply the European country with an additional 180 K2 battle tanks. The upcoming deal is part of massive arms agreements signed in 2022, under which Poland is procuring battle tanks, jet trainers, self-propelled howitzers, light attack aircraft, and multipl

March 9, 2025

Russia 'retakes Ukrainian-occupied territory with support from North Korean troops'

SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - Russia has reclaimed two-thirds of its northwestern Kursk territory, which was lost to Ukrainian forces last summer, as "battlefield advances" were made with the help of North Korean forces, the New York Times reported on Saturday. "Russian and North Korean soldiers have retaken about two-thirds of the land lost in the summer - but at a horrendous cost, with at least 4,000 troops killed in combat," the daily said. "As the battles dr

March 9, 2025

Rifts deepen as impeachment verdict looms after Yoon's release

SEOUL, March 9 (AJP) - With President Yoon Suk Yeol's release from detention on Saturday, attention now turns to its possible impacts on the final verdict in his impeachment trial at the Constitutional Court of Korea over his botched martial law debacle last year. Yoon returned to his official residence in Hannam-dong after some 52 days of detention at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, as prosecutors decided not to appeal a court's order the previous day to cance

March 9, 2025

Impeached South Korean president released from detention after court ruling

SEOUL, March 08 (AJP) - Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was released from the Seoul Detention Center on Saturday, 52 days after being detained on charges of inciting an insurrection related to his failed attempt to impose martial law in December. Yoon's release came after a court ruled on Friday that he could stand trial without physical detention. The court approved Yoon's release request after determining that his Jan. 26 indictment, which extended his detention, had com

March 8, 2025

Prosecutors divided over President Yoon's release order after court decision

SEOUL, March 08 (AJP) - South Korea's prosecution leadership and the special investigation team are at odds over whether to comply with a court decision to cancel President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention, sources said Saturday. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office leadership has instructed the investigation team to issue orders for Yoon's release following the court's decision, according to legal sources. However, the Special Investigation Headquarters for Martial Law,

March 8, 2025

Trump says Taiwan took most U.S. chip business, "a little bit" went to South Korea

SEOUL, March 08 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that the United States has lost its semiconductor industry primarily to Taiwan, while also mentioning South Korea's role in the global chip sector. "We gradually lost the chip business, and now it's almost exclusively in Taiwan. They (Taiwan) stole it from us. They took it from us" Trump said. "We had the chip business, and now it’s all in Taiwan, almost exclusive… a little

March 8, 2025

GM Korea labor and management to visit U.S. headquarters amid tariff concerns

SEOUL, March 08 (AJP) - Labor and management representatives of GM Korea will visit General Motors' U.S. headquarters next week to address concerns about the company's future in South Korea amid fears of withdrawal triggered by President Donald Trump's tariff threats. According to the Korean Metal Workers' Union GM Korea branch on Saturday, the delegation will visit GM's headquarters in Michigan and several local factories from March 15 to 22. CEO Hector Villa

March 8, 2025

Court orders Yoon's release from detention

SEOUL, March 7 (AJP) - A court on Friday ruled in favor of President Yoon Suk Yeol's request to cancel his arrest over his botched martial law debacle last December. The Seoul Central District Court found Yoon's indictment to be "invalid," as it was made after his detention period had expired. Given differing views over whether detention periods should be calculated in days or hours, the court further explained that there were additional grounds for canceling h

March 7, 2025