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  Putin signs mutual defense pact with North Korea into law SEOUL, November 10 (AJP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a law ratifying a treaty that pledges mutual military support between Russia and North Korea. Initially signed during his visit to Pyongyang in June, Putin submitted the treaty to the State Duma, the lower house of Russia's parliament last month. It was subsequently approved by the Federation Council, the upper house. The military pact commits the two countries to come to each other's aid in th November 10, 2024
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  Ex-pollster with ties to first couple grilled by prosecutors SEOUL, November 8 (AJP) - Myeong Tae-kyun, the enigmatic figure at the heart of a widening political scandal engulfing South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and First Lady Kim Keon Hee, appeared before prosecutors on Friday. The 54-year-old former pollster arrived at the Changwon District Prosecutors Office, where he is expected to face questioning regarding his relationships with the first couple. Expressing remorse for his past actions, Myeong stated, "I feel sorry to the peop November 8, 2024
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  French, Canadian envoys mark end of WWI with warning on global tensions SEOUL, November 8 (AJP) - The French and Canadian embassies in Seoul marked the 106th anniversary of the end of World War I (1914- 1918) Friday reflecting on lessons from the Great War for today’s global hostilities. The solemn commemoration at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul drew dozens of attendees, including diplomats, military officials and members of the French and Canadian communities in South Korea. The event included a poetry reading by high school students, a m November 8, 2024
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  Conference highlights deepening Korea-ASEAN ties SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - South Korea's relationships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were highlighted at a conference in Seoul on Thursday, focusing on enhanced collaboration and partnership across various sectors. Hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Secretariat, the conference, under the slogan of "Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Future," brought together hundreds of government officials, diplomats and other participant November 7, 2024
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  One in 10 marriages in Korea involved international couples last year SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - One in 10 marriages in South Korea last year involved international couples, according to government data released Thursday. Statistics Korea reported multicultural marriages increased by 17.2 percent to 20,431 cases in 2023, compared to the previous year. International marriages accounted for 10.6 percent of all marriages in the country, up 1.5 percentage points year-on-year. The proportion recovered from the pandemic-era low of 7.2 percent in 2021. November 7, 2024
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  Yoon congratulates Trump on election win SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol phoned U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election win, the presidential office said on Thursday. During a telephone conversation that lasted about 10 minutes, Yoon congratulated Trump on his sweeping victory in Wednesday's election and discussed various issues including North Korea's recent troop deployment to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-h November 7, 2024
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  President Yoon defends his wife, rejects calls for probe SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized for a mounting scandal involving his wife Kim Keon Hee and other related allegations in a televised press conference on Thursday. The apology came as he appeared to realize that it could no longer be delayed and that public concerns needed to be addressed, with his approval ratings continuing to plummet. Yoon offered explanations about Kim's alleged involvement in candidate nominations ahead of the general electio November 7, 2024
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  What does Trump's return to White House mean for South Korea? SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump is making a return to the presidency in a surprising fashion as he achieved an electoral college majority by securing sweeping victories in key battleground states such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, defeating his Democratic rival and Vice President Kamala Harris. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. I want to thank the American peo November 6, 2024
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  UN Security Council condemns North Korea's latest missile launches SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - The member countries of the United Nations Security Council once again condemned North Korea's recent missile launches and other provocations. The North's recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, "in addition to the more than 100 ballistic missile launches since 2022 to date, is a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, jeopardizes international peace and security November 6, 2024
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  First Korean-American elected to US Senate SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Korean-American congressman Andy Kim was elected to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The 42-year-old Democrat defeated his Republican rival Curtis Bashaw to secure a Senate seat for New Jersey, becoming the first ever Korean-American to serve in the upper house. The three-term congressman's victory comes after the fallout from a corruption scandal involving former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez who resigned after being convicted of taking bribes. & November 6, 2024