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  PPP leader apologizes for ex-president's martial law debacle SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - Jang Dong-hyeok, the leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), on Wednesday apologized for the disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law debacle last year. During a press conference at the party's headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, he said Yoon's Dec. 3 declaration of martial law was a "wrong and inappropriate" measure, which caused "great confusion and inconvenience to the public and hurt party members wh January 7, 2026
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  Record amounts of smuggled cigarettes seized SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - Record amounts of smuggled cigarettes were seized last year, the Korea Customs Service (KCS) said on Wednesday. The customs watchdog said it has worked closely with major foreign customs authorities to crack down on multinational smuggling, seizing some 5.16 million packs or 103 tons of cigarettes bound for South Korea in separate cases, the largest since 2021, when about 3.6 million packs were detected. The massive seizure came after the KCS monitored January 7, 2026
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  Lee begins final leg of China trip with startup forum in Shanghai SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to China, is set to meet entrepreneurs from both countries to discuss partnership and promote future cooperation at a forum in Shanghai on Wednesday. In a written press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said that the final leg of Lee’s four-day trip to China begins with a forum attended by about 400 entrepreneurs from startups and venture companies, where they will discuss ways to strengthen co January 7, 2026
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  Lee encourages Oceans Ministry staff with hearty meals SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung has sent pizza to encourage staff at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries which was relocated to the southern port city of Busan recently, the ministry said on Wednesday. The relocation from the administrative city of Sejong, which was finalized last month, was part of Lee's campaign pledges during last year's presidential election, aimed at taking the lead in the era of Arctic shipping routes while fostering new growth engi January 7, 2026
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  A big delegation, thin deliverables from Korean state visit to China SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung arrived in China this week with one of the largest economic delegations Seoul has dispatched in years. What he returned with, critics say, was less clear. Accompanied by roughly 200 business leaders — including Lee Jae-yong, Chung Euisun and Koo Kwang-mo — Lee’s four-day state visit marked South Korea’s first presidential trip to China in eight years and the first major business delegation since 2019. The m January 6, 2026
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  Lee heads to Shanghai after meeting with Chinese Premier SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung, on a state visit to China, on Tuesday met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang and expressed hope that the talks would mark a turning point for a "breakthrough" in bilateral relations. During his meeting with Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, Lee shared that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had agreed the previous day to develop a "strategic cooperative partnership" that contributes to people's livelihood January 6, 2026
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  K-content gets a permanent address in Incheon — now comes the harder part: keeping it interesting SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - Imagine never having to fight ticket scalpers again for a G-Dragon concert. No frantic refreshing. No VIP seats resold at 6.8 million won. Just… a year-round GD performance you can drop in on, any weekend you like. That, at least, is the fantasy behind Incheon's ambitious bet on what officials are calling "K-Con Land" — a sprawling cultural complex designed to give K-pop, K-drama and digital content something they've never rea January 6, 2026
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  Chinese president calls upon Seoul to jointly uphold postwar peace order and stability BEIJING, January 05 (CGTN) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on China and South Korea to work together to safeguard the post–World War II international order and maintain peace and stability in Northeast Asia during talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. Speaking during the meeting with Lee on a state visit to China, Xi highlighted the shared historical legacy of the two countries, noting their respective sacrifices and resistance against Japanese mil January 6, 2026
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  Lee seeks Chinese legislature's support in strengthening relations SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung started his third day in China by holding talks with Zhao Leji, China's top legislator, on Tuesday. Lee met with Zhao earlier in the morning, a day after his 90-minute summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, and called for support in strengthening bilateral relations. Sharing what the two discussed, Lee said they agreed to "maturely develop a strategic cooperative partnershi January 6, 2026
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  Ex-DP lawmaker's aide under police investigation for alleged bribery SEOUL, January 6 (AJP) - A former aide to ex-Democratic Party lawmaker Kang Sun-woo is being questioned over bribery allegations, police said on Tuesday. Questioning began around 7 a.m. at a police station in Mapo, western Seoul, with the aide suspected of receiving 100 million won on behalf of Kang in return for the DP's candidate nominations for the 2022 local elections and holding onto the cash. The investigation came after a relevant recording surfaced last week, which le January 6, 2026