South Korea, Saudi Arabia agree to expand defense cooperation SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - South Korea has agreed to strengthen cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the areas of security and defense, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday. Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back met his Saudi counterpart Khalid bin Salman Al Saud in Riyadh over the weekend, where they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand biliteral cooperation. They said the MOU would establish a joint framework covering research and development, defense technology, and syste February 9, 2026

More South Korean firms to offer five-day Lunar New Year break as outlook brightens SEOUL, February 08 (AJP) - A new survey shows that more than six out of ten South Korean businesses plan to observe a five-day holiday for the upcoming Lunar New Year. The findings also indicate that the number of companies reporting a decline in economic conditions has dropped significantly compared to last year, suggesting a recovery in business confidence. The Korea Enterprises Federation (KEF) released the results of its Lunar New Year Holiday Survey on February 8, after polli February 8, 2026

Is dialogue in the offing as UN exempts North Korean aid from sanctions? SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) has decided to exempt a slew of humanitarian aid projects to North Korea from sanctions, multiple diplomatic sources said on Friday. Some 17 such projects, which had been on hold at the UNSC's sanctions committee on North Korea for about a year, were granted exemptions in a unanimous decision on Thursday, which some analysts interpret as Washington extending an olive branch to Pyongyang. The projects, which sought ext February 6, 2026

US senators raise alarm over lifting nuclear restrictions on South Korea SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - A handful of U.S. senators have sent a letter to President Donald Trump, expressing concerns over allowing South Korea to pursue nuclear enrichment and the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, it was revealed on Friday. In the letter sent on Jan. 30, four U.S. Democratic senators Chris Van Hollen, Edward Markey, Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden urged Trump to implement the "strongest possible non-proliferation measures in any revised nuclear cooperation agree February 6, 2026

South Korea in talks with UNC for more access to DMZ SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - South Korea is in close consultations with the U.N. Command (UNC) on ways to effectively manage the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the Ministry of Defense said on Friday. The development comes as South Korea reportedly proposed managing the southern side of the heavily fortified zone, which extends 2 kilometers south of the demarcation line separating the two Koreas. South Korea is seeking civilian access to more areas on the southern side of the front line, February 6, 2026

30-man roster unveiled for next month's World Baseball Classic SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - A 30-man roster for the World Baseball Classic, an international tournament, was unveiled by the Korea Baseball Organization on Friday. The tournament will be held from March 5 to 17, with games played in Houston, Miami, Puerto Rico and Tokyo. The roster includes two Major League Baseball players such as outfielder Lee Jung-hoo of the San Francisco Giants and shortstop Kim Hye-seong of the Los Angles Dodgers. Also included are four MLB players of Ko February 6, 2026

Coupang to face another questioning amid US House's probe into 'unfair' practices SEOUL, February 6 (AJP) - Harold Rogers, e-commerce giant Coupang's interim chief in South Korea, is set to appear for another round of questioning in Seoul on Friday over allegations related to a massive data breach detected late last year. Rogers is accused of obstructing official duties by allegedly destroying evidence during an internal investigation into a data leak that affected more than 3,000 users and exposed their sensitive personal information last November. He is February 6, 2026

White House has no specific timeline on hiking tariffs on Korean exports SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) -The White House said Thursday that there is no clear timeline for U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariff hike on South Korean goods, underscoring continued uncertainty over the future of the bilateral talks despite a flurry of visits by senior Seoul officials. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in a press briefing on Thursday said that she could not specify when Washington would raise “reciprocal” and sector-specific t February 6, 2026

Canada's head of defense procurement to visit presidential office on submarine talks SEOUL, February 06 (AJP) -Canada's minister for state for defense procurement Stephen Fuhr will visit the presidential office to hear last-minute pitch from Seoul on the government-sponsored Korea's bid for Canada's multibillion-dollar submarine contract ahead of the final tender submission next month. Fuhr will meet with presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik whom he last met on Jan. 28, when Kang visited Canada as a special envoy of President Lee Jae Myung for February 6, 2026

Defense officials from Seoul and Beijing meet for first working-level talks in four years SEOUL, February 5 (AJP) - Defense officials from South Korea and China held working-level talks in Beijing on Thursday, their first such meeting in about four years. According to the Ministry of Defense, the South Korean delegation led by Lee Gwang-seok, in charge of the ministry's international policy met with his Chinese counterpart Guo Hongtao. First launched in 1995, the meeting was held for the first time since the last one, which was via Zoom in June 2022. The two si February 5, 2026