SEOUL, May 17 (AJP) - Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his resignation from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday, a decision that comes just weeks before the upcoming snap presidential election. Yoon joined the PPP in July 2021, becoming its presidential nominee and securing the presidency under the party's banner. Despite his impeachment over his botched martial law debacle last year, he remained with the party until Saturday’s decision.

SEOUL, May 17 (AJP) -North Korea criticized the United States on Saturday for a "political provocation" after being re-designated as an "uncooperative state in combating terrorism," warning this would escalate "irreconcilable hostility" between the two countries. North Korea's state-run news media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported that North Korea's Foreign Ministry described the annual designation as a "unilateral and ma

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - With just a few weeks remaining until next month's presidential election, four presidential hopefuls are set to face off in a televised debate scheduled for this weekend. In their first debate hosted by election watchdog National Election Commission slated for Sunday, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) will present their vi

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - Trade ministers from South Korea and the United States are continuing talks to narrow differences during a series of meetings on the sidelines of the preparatory gathering for this fall's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which wraps up in Jeju on Friday. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is holding talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over Washington's proposed 25-percent reciprocal tariffs on South Korea

Editor’s Note: This article is the second in a series examining the leading presidential candidates and their positions on diplomacy, security, and North Korea. SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - As South Korea prepares for a pivotal snap election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is putting forward a foreign and security policy that contrasts sharply with his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo. At the center of Lee’s approach is a push for pragmatic diplomacy, a gradual shift

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday apologized for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle late last year. Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, Kim said he "sincerely apologizes" for the debacle, calling it "inappropriate." "Even if the Constitution grants a president the authority to declare martial law, it is inappropriate

Editor's Note: This article is the first in a series examining the leading presidential candidates and their positions on diplomacy, security, and North Korea. SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo is drawing a firm line in South Korea’s snap election, positioning himself as a staunch advocate of military strength and nuclear deterrence. Representing the conservative People Power Party (PPP), Kim has made clear that his foreign and security policy will

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - A tour program to the truce village of Panmunjom and nearby areas is set to resume later this week after a halt of about a year and a half, the Unification Ministry said Thursday. But the program remains restricted, allowing access only to selected groups of visitors on a limited basis. About 20 government officials and executives from state-run companies are scheduled to visit there this Friday, becoming the first group to take part in the revived program a

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, pledged Wednesday to become a president who prioritizes science and technology, as he toured Jinju and Sacheon, cities in South Gyeongsang Province known for their concentration of aerospace and defense industries. In a campaign speech in Jinju, Kim urged voters to back his vision of transforming South Korea into a global leader in aerospace. “Let’s raise our aerospace technology