All tours suspended as Cheong Wa Dae undergoes renovation ahead of Lee's move-in

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - Public access to the former presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul was halted on Friday as renovation work begins ahead of President Lee Jae-myung's move-in to the compound. Lee, who took office in early June in the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law, was unable to immediately use the compound due to the need to enhance security and overhaul facilities and has been te

August 1, 2025

President Lee to take five-day summer break starting August 4

SEOUL, August 01 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will take a five-day summer vacation next week but plans to stay updated on key national affairs throughout the break, according to the presidential office. "President Lee will be on summer leave from August 4 to 8," the office said on Saturday. "Starting from the weekend of August 2, he will stay on Jeodo Island in Geoje, where he plans to reflect on the current political landscape and spend time recharg

August 1, 2025

Top diplomats from South Korea, US meet ahead of Lee's upcoming summit with Trump

SEOUL, August 1 (AJP) - South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Thursday for their first talks since President Lee Jae-myung took office in early June. Stressing the unwavering alliance between the two countries, Cho and Rubio reaffirmed their commitment to achieving the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and expressed concern over the deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow. They also agreed

August 1, 2025

Seoul sees record number of sleepless nights in July

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - With unbearable, scorching heat showing no sign of abating, Seoul saw a record number of tropical nights this summer, when the mercury refuses to fall below 25 degrees Celsius after dark. Tropical nights in Seoul have persisted for 22 days this month, the longest stretch of sleepless nights for July since weather observations began in 1908, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Thursday. The previous record was 21 days set in July 1994. Seoul i

July 31, 2025

Prosecutors set to force Yoon to appear for questioning as court issues arrest warrant

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - Independent prosecutors are set to forcibly bring in disgraced former President Yoon Seuk-youl for questioning, as he continues to stall and refuse to cooperate with investigations. His impending arrest comes after the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday issued a warrant for Yoon, who has been detained at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province since early this month on charges related to his Dec. 3 declaration of martial law. Prosecutors led by M

July 31, 2025

Lee to head to Washington for talks with Trump 'within next two weeks'

SEOUL, July 31 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung will visit Washington as early as next month for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as a tariff-related deal was finalized on Wednesday. The upcoming summit, expected to be held in about two weeks, comes after South Korea agreed with the U.S. to lower reciprocal tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent, in return for massive investment and wider market opening. After intensive monthlong negotiations that went down to the wire befor

July 31, 2025

Powerful earthquake in Russia's far east unlikely to affect South Korea

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - South Korea is unlikely to be affected by a powerful earthquake that struck off Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, the Korea Meteorological Administration said on Wednesday. The 8.7-magnitude earthquake, which struck the area at around 8:30 a.m., prompted multiple tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Japan and other nearby Pacific countries. "We expect no direct impact on the Korean Peninsula," a KMA official said. "But given

July 30, 2025

Trump says he is ready to talk with 'everyone' for peace in apparent overture to Pyongyang

SEOUL, July 30 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump is willing to talk with "everyone" in pursuit of global peace and prosperity, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday, suggesting once again that it remains open to talks with North Korea. When asked about the possibility of resuming dialogue with the North, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce reiterated during a press briefing on Tuesday Trump's "willingness to talk with everyone in order to achieve

July 30, 2025

Elderly population surpasses 10 million

SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - The elderly population in South Korea surpassed 10 million for the first time, Statistics Korea said Tuesday. Those aged 65 and older stood at 10.12 million as of November last year, accounting for 19.5 percent of the total population of 51.81 million, roughly one in five. That also brought the average age of the population to 46.2. Amid an aging society with a super-low birthrate, the elderly population has steadily increased in recent years from 8.71 mill

July 29, 2025

Yoon refuses to appear for questioning in probe involving ex-first lady

SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to appear for questioning in a probe involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee, independent prosecutors said on Tuesday. Yoon, who has been detained at a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province since last month over charges related to his botched Dec. 3 declaration of martial law last year, was asked to appear for questioning on alleged election-related meddling but failed to show up, prompting prosecutors to summon hi

July 29, 2025