South Korean FM, new US Secretary of State reaffirm alliance in first phone conversation

SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke with newly appointed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the first time over the phone on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here, the two discussed various issues including the bilateral alliance between South Korea and the U.S, as well as trilateral cooperation with Japan. Cho expressed hopes for the continued strong alliance with Washington under the new U.S. administration, following

January 23, 2025

Prosecutors take over investigation into Yoon's martial law debacle

SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) - Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) have handed over the case involving President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle last month to prosecutors. The CIO, which is not entitled to prosecute a suspect, said on Thursday that it decided to refer the case to prosecutors. After several failed attempts to question Yoon over charges of insurrection and abuse of power, due to his continued refusal to coopera

January 23, 2025

Subway fares to rise this spring

SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - Subway fares in Seoul are expected to be hiked by 150 won this spring. Seoul Metro said on Tuesday that it has decided to raise the base fare from 1,400 won to 1,550 won in the first half of this year. The hike was much anticipated, as the Seoul Metropolitan Government tried to raise fares last year but postponed the move amid the prolonged economic downturn. The impending hike, which could take effect as early as March, comes about two years after 20

January 22, 2025

Investigators fail once again to question Yoon over martial law debacle

SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) on Wednesday failed once again to question President Yoon Suk Yeol over his botched martial law debacle last month. They visited a remand prison in Uiwang, Gyeonggi Province, where Yoon is confined, in an attempt to either bring him to the CIO headquarters in Gwacheon in the same province or question him at a separate facility there, but to no avail. They were forced to

January 22, 2025

South Korea discusses defense industry collaboration with Saudi prince

SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - South Korea discussed ways to strengthen defense ties with Saudi Arabia, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) here said on Wednesday. According to the arms procurement agency, Saudi Arabia's Prince Abdullah Bin Bandar Bin Abdulaziz, also the Minister of National Guard, met with DAPA chief Seok Jong-geon during Seok's three-day visit to the Middle Eastern country, which began on Jan. 19. He also talked with executives from top So

January 22, 2025

New US Secretary of State vows to prioritize American interests

SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - With the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, Marco Rubio began his first day as Secretary of State on Tuesday, vowing to prioritize American interests in his diplomatic agenda. The Senate unanimously confirmed the former Florida senator the previous day as the first Cabinet member to join Trump's non-consecutive second term. Trump's primary promise "when it comes to foreign policy is that the priority of the United States Department

January 22, 2025

Over 30 million people expected to travel during Lunar New Year holiday

SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - More than 30 million people are expected to travel during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, which begins this weekend. According to a survey from the Korea Transport Institute, about 34.84 million people plan to visit their ancestral hometowns or travel overseas for the weeklong holiday, up 29 percent from last year. The annual Lunar New Year exodus is forecast to peak on next Tuesday with some 6 million hitting the road to their hometowns, but their

January 21, 2025

Far-right YouTubers blamed for last week's violent court intrusion in Seoul

SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Rising speculations suggest that far-right YouTubers were the main culprits behind last Sunday's chaotic intrusion into a court in Seoul by die-hard supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who resorted to violence in protest of the president’s arrest over las month's botched martial law debacle. Some extreme YouTubers, who use their channels as their primary source of income, often rely on a slew of fake or provocative news to attract attention

January 21, 2025

Trump calls North Korea 'nuclear power'

SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Donald Trump, who was just sworn in as the 45th U.S. President in Washington, D.C. on Monday, referred to North Korea as a "nuclear power" and recalled his "good relationship" with the renegade country's leader Kim Jong-un during his first presidency in 2017. "I was very friendly with him. He liked me. I liked him. We got along very well. I think he will be happy to see me coming back," Trump said while signing a raft of ex

January 21, 2025

Yoon denies impeachment allegations during trial

SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol denied allegations linked to his impeachment during his testimony at the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, saying he neither ordered lawmakers to be forcibly removed from parliament nor intended to implement martial law despite issuing an emergency decree in December. Yoon, detained in a solitary cell on charges of insurrection and abuse of power, appeared for a hearing in his impeachment trial which started at 2:00 p.m.

January 21, 2025