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  Lee holds phone talks with Singapore PM SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung talked with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong over the phone, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said on Monday. In their first phone conversation since Lee took office early this month, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues to strengthen bilateral cooperation across various fields. According to Kang, Wong congratulated Lee on his election and expressed hope for closer ties, as this year marks the 50th anniversa June 30, 2025
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  Season's first heat wave advisory issued in Seoul SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - This summer's first heat wave advisory was issued for Seoul as daytime highs soared to over 30 degrees Celsius on Monday. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) issued the advisory for the capital at noon, about 11 days later than last year. Such an advisory is issued when daytime highs soared over 33 degrees Celsius and are expected to persist for two days or longer. According to the KMA, the advisory came after the capital sweltered through June 30, 2025
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  Salaried workers to get fewer public holidays next year SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Salaried workers or those with a five-day workweek will have 118 days off next year including weekends, one day fewer than this year, the Korea Aerospace Administration said Monday. There will be 52 Sundays and 20 national holidays including Lunar New Year's Day and other make-up holidays. Three national holidays - Memorial Day, Liberation Day, and National Foundation Day - fall on a Saturday while some others such as March 1 Independence Movement Day a June 30, 2025
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  South Korean pair claims maiden LPGA victory at Dow Championship in Michigan SEOUL, June 30 (AJP) - Golfers Im Jin-hee and Lee So-mi secured their maiden LPGA title by winning the Dow Championship in the U.S. on Sunday. In the fourth and final round of the championship in Midland, Michigan, the South Korean pair finished at 20-under 260, leading to a playoff in which they birdied the first hole to beat the American team of Megan Khang and Lexi Thompson. Another South Korean team, Park Sung-hyun and Yoon Ina, tied for fourth at 11-under. With Sunday' June 30, 2025
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  President Lee names key Cabinet picks, tapping bureaucratic, political veterans SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Sunday unveiled a slate of high-profile cabinet nominees, selecting experienced bureaucrats and longtime political allies to lead his administration through a pivotal early phase. The appointments include key posts overseeing the economy, judicial reform, education, and national safety. Koo Yun-cheol, a veteran technocrat and former chief of the Office for Government Policy Coordination, was tapped as Deputy Prime Minister and June 29, 2025
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  PHOTOS: Special counsel team opens inquiry into Yoon Suk Yeol SEOUL, June 29 (AJP) - A special counsel team concluded its initial round of questioning with former President Yoon Suk Yeol, Sunday, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged insurrection related to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. Yoon was allowed to leave after 15 hours of interrogation. Prosecutors, however, plans to summon him again at 9 a.m. Monday for further inquiry. The session marked a striking moment of reversal for Yoon, who was questioned for the first time ins June 29, 2025
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  Special prosecutor to question former President Yoon over martial law case on Saturday SEOUL, June 28 (AJP) - Special prosecutor Jo Eun-seok questioned former President Yoon Suk-yeol on Saturday as a suspect in connection with the Dec. 3 martial law declaration and related charges, after Yoon arrived at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office through the main entrance at 9:55 AM. The questioning marks the first time the former leader has been investigated at the prosecution office where he once worked for over two decades, coming 16 days after the special prosecutor' June 28, 2025
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  Lee pledges proper compensation for sacrifices of war veterans and other victims SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung invited some 160 war veterans, decorated individuals, heroes and other guests to a luncheon at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday. Among the attendees were the surviving families of those who lost their lives in a 2002 naval skirmish in the West Sea, as well as victims of North Korea's sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan in March 2010 and its shelling of Yeonpyeong Island several months later. During the luncheon which was held in commemor June 27, 2025
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  US Senate passes resolution commemorating Korean War anniversary SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - The U.S. on Thursday adopted a resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War, reaffirming its alliance with South Korea. According to U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, the Senate unanimously passed the resolution coinciding with the anniversary, which recognizes "important lessons from the war, particularly the imperative of maintaining military readiness in defense of the United States and its allies." The res June 27, 2025
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  Concerns grow in Seoul as Washington signals push to raise defense spending from Asian allies SEOUL, June 27 (AJP) - Speculation has been growing that the U.S. could pressure South Korea and other Asian countries to shoulder a greater share of security costs, after NATO allies agreed earlier this week in the Hague, the Netherlands, to spend 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. Amid these developments, a White House spokesperson was quick to say on Thursday that if European allies can increase their defense spending, Asian allies can do the same. &qu June 27, 2025