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  Former prime minister Lee Hae-chan dies in Viet Nam SEOUL, January 25 (AJP) - Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan died at a hospital in Viet Nam on Sunday after suffering a heart attack the previous day. He was 74 years old. The Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), a presidential consultative body, said, "The senior vice chairperson died at 2:48 p.m. local time," adding it is currently discussing arrangements for transporting his body to Seoul and funeral services with his family and relevant authoritie January 25, 2026
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  Lee withdraws nomination of budget minister as controversy mounts SEOUL, January 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Sunday withdrew the nomination of Lee Hye-hoon, a nominee to head the newly established Ministry of Planning and Budget amid mounting criticism over a series of allegations. Senior presidential secretary for political affairs Hong Ik-pyo said at a briefing that Lee made the decision after carefully considering a wide range of views and public assessments. Hong said she "regrettably" did not meet public expectations fo January 25, 2026
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  Enhypen's Sunghoon to serve as torchbearer for Winter Olympics next month SEOUL, January 25 (AJP) - Sunghoon, a member of boy band Enhypen, will participate in a torch relay for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan, scheduled to kick off early next month. The relay began its journey of carrying the flame across over 100 Italian provinces early last month, but details about which stretch Sunghoon will cover have not been disclosed. The former figure skater-turned-singer is expected to deliver a "message of peace and f January 25, 2026
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  Washington wants South Korea to take primary responsibility in defense vs North Korea -NDS SEOUL, January 24 (AJP) -The Trump administration has formally signaled a shift in security responsibilities on the Korean Peninsula, stating that South Korea is capable of taking “primary responsibility” for deterring North Korea with more limited U.S. military support. The assessment appears in the unclassified version of the U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) released Saturday by the Pentagon, a foundational policy document outlining Washington’s global defens January 24, 2026
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  South Korea PM tells US there was no discrimination against Coupang SEOUL, January 24 (AJP) - South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok assured U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Friday (local time) that Seoul has not discriminated against e-commerce giant Coupang, pushing back against allegations from American investors that the company faced unfair treatment. The two officials met at the White House for about 50 minutes, exceeding the originally scheduled 40 minutes, as the Coupang dispute emerged as a thorny issue in bilateral relations. Kim's January 24, 2026
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  South Korea finish fourth at AFC U-23 Asian Cup after shock penalty loss to Vietnam SEOUL, January 24 (AJP) - South Korea's under-23 football team finished fourth at the Asian Football Confederation U-23 Asian Cup on Saturday after suffering a stunning penalty shootout defeat to Vietnam in the third-place playoff, capping a deeply disappointing campaign for the former champions. The match at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium ended 2-2 after 120 minutes before Vietnam prevailed 7-6 in the shootout, handing South Korea their first-ever loss to Vietnam in the January 24, 2026
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  Korea's veteran progressive figure Lee Hae-chan hospitalized in Vietnam after heart attack SEOUL, January 24 (AJP) -Former South Korean Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, a veteran progressive politician and one of the most influential figures in the country’s liberal camp, was rushed to a hospital in Vietnam on Friday after suffering a heart attack and remains in critical condition, officials said. Lee, 73, who currently serves as senior vice chairperson of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), collapsed at around 1 p.m. local time shortly after arriving at January 24, 2026
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  South Korea is aging fast, but policy is falling behind SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - South Korea has officially entered the ranks of super-aged societies, but its policies remain anchored in a younger past. The result is a deepening crisis marked by the OECD’s highest old-age poverty rate and one of the world’s most alarming suicide rates among seniors—outcomes that experts say reflect years of delayed and fragmented responses to demographic change. According to the OECD’s Pensions at a Glance 2023, four out of ten K January 23, 2026
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  Senior US defense official to visit Seoul next week SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - A high-ranking U.S. defense official is expected to visit Seoul next week. Elbridge Colby, the under Secretary of defense for policy, is scheduled to meet with South Korean foreign and defense officials here from Jan. 25 to 27 as part of his Asia trip, which will also include a stop in Japan. The close aide to U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to outline the White House's new security strategy, announced early last month, which urges allies t January 23, 2026
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  Samsung heir to participate in multinational exercise in Thailand SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Lee Ji-ho, the son of Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong, will participate in his first overseas combined exercise next month since being commissioned as an ensign in November last year. According to military sources on Friday, Lee junior is expected to be dispatched to Cobra Gold, the largest multinational combined exercise held annually in Thailand since 1982, hosted by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. This year's exercise, slated to be held f January 23, 2026