US Senator emphasizes balance between nuclear deterrence and USFK flexibility

SEOUL, August 29 (AJP) -A United States senator said Thursday that Washington can uphold its nuclear deterrence commitment to South Korea while keeping U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) flexible enough to respond to wider challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Senator Andy Kim, a Democrat representing New Jersey, made the comments at a Capitol press conference as the U.S. considers expanding the operational scope of the 28,500 USFK troops under the concept of "strategic flexibility." Th

August 29, 2025

Impeached ex-president to be tried in absentia as he continues to stall

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol failed to show up for his trial once again on Thursday, prompting a court to proceed with it in absentia. The Seoul Central District Court said it made the decision because it could no longer afford to delay the trial, saying, "It is difficult to force Yoon to appear in court." Citing health-related reasons, Yoon has been stalling questioning by independent prosecutors as well as a trial over his botched

August 28, 2025

Skin clinics top choice for foreign medical tourists in South Korea

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - More than half of foreign patients who visited South Korea last year visited skin clinics, medical statistics reveal. According to a report by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) released on Thursday, of the 1.17 million foreigners who received medical treatments here last year, some 705,044 visited skin-related clinics, accounting for 56.6 percent, a whopping 117-fold increase from a mere 6,015 in 2009. The next most frequent treatmen

August 28, 2025

Probe into martial law debacle likely to hit snag as ex-PM avoids arrest

SEOUL, August 28 (AJP) - Independent investigators probing disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle are likely to face a setback in their inquiry after former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo avoided arrest on Wednesday. The Seoul Central District Court rejected a request for an arrest warrant for Han, citing that there is "room for legal dispute" over his alleged role in the debacle late last year, which eventually led to Yoon's ouster from office

August 28, 2025

Son Heung-min gears up for ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium

SEOUL, August 27 (AJP) - Son Heung-min, who made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Los Angeles FC (LAFC) earlier this month, is set to throw his ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium in California on Wednesday. Excitement has been building among his fans, as LAFC posted a couple of clips of him practicing ahead of his upcoming pitch at the Dodgers' home game against the Cincinnati Reds. With Los Angeles being home to the largest Korean community in the U.S., many co

August 27, 2025

Hardliner elected new PPP leader as party still grapples with Yoon's fallout

SEOUL, August 26 (AJP) - Hardline lawmaker Jang Dong-hyeok was elected as the new leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday. Jang garnered about 220,000 votes or 50.27 percent in a neck-and-neck runoff at the National Assembly in Seoul, narrowly defeating another staunch conservative and former presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo, who earned about 217,000 votes. The two-term lawmaker's win comes as a surprise as he has been vehemently opposed to the im

August 26, 2025

Lee vows to work with Trump to resume talks with North Korea in first bilateral summit in Washington

SEOUL, August 26 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung and U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to work together to resume dialogue with North Korea during their first summit in Washington on Monday. Lee, who reportedly read the U.S. leader's book "The Art of the Deal" as part of preps for the summit, opened talks with lavish praise for his past efforts to engage with Pyongyang "I hope you can bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, the only divided nation in the world,

August 26, 2025

Hearing scheduled later this week to decide former PM's arrest

SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is scheduled to face a hearing later this week that will determine his arrest over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law debacle last year. The Seoul Central District Court said on Monday that the hearing is set for Wednesday, following independent prosecutors' request for Han's arrest as part of their investigation into the debacle, after several rounds of questioning

August 25, 2025

Beijing urges Seoul to pursue 'strategic autonomy' to improve bilateral ties

SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korea needs "strategic autonomy" to achieve "steady, sustained progress" in its relations with Beijing, a state-run Chinese newspaper said Monday. In an op-ed by Global Times, a sister newspaper of the official People's Daily, the English-language daily said, "Only with strategical autonomy could South Korea earn the genuine respect of the international community, including China, and be able to navigate a complex,

August 25, 2025

What awaits Lee at his first summit with Trump

SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold his first summit with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday. The summit, which comes nearly three months after taking office in early June, would be his first major test in bilateral relations, at a time when both leaders are navigating the early stages of their terms and reassessing their foreign policy priorities for years to come. After wrapping up his visit to Tokyo last Sunday, where he met with Japan

August 25, 2025