Concerns mount over South Korea's defense cost-sharing as US sets 'new standard'

SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) - Many Pundits here have begun to speculate about a possible renegotiation of South Korea's defense cost-sharing deal with Washington, after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier this week that the U.S. has set a "new standard" for defense spending with its allies around the world including those in Asia. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell also said Thursday that its European allies are setting a "global standard" for alliance

June 20, 2025

Four more South Koreans evacuated from Iran amid escalating conflict with Israel

SEOUL, June 20 (AJP) - Four more South Koreans were evacuated from Iran to neighboring Turkmenistan amid a deadly conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday. They joined about 30 other evacuees including their Iranian family members, who had arrived in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat via a land route the previous day, with transportation assistance and consular support provided by South Korean diplomatic missions there. "With Iranian airspace

June 20, 2025

Number of single-person households continues to grow

SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - An increasing number of South Koreans are opting to live alone. According to a report released by Statistics Korea on Thursday, the number of single-person households surpassed 8 million last year, up a whopping 616,000 households from a year ago. Those who live alone are increasingly likely to be employed, with some 5.1 million having jobs, up 426,000 from the previous year. By area, Gyeonggi Province had the highest number of employed single-person househ

June 19, 2025

Gov't to hand out cash vouchers to boost consumption

SEOUL, June 19 (AJP) - All South Koreans will get a cash voucher ranging from 150,000 won to 500,000 won (US$109 to $362) depending on their income brackets, as early as next month. It is part of plans to boost private consumption and revive the economy, as President Lee Jae-myung signed off on a supplementary budget worth 20.2 trillion won ($14.5 billion) during a cabinet meeting in Seoul on Thursday. The budget, which still requires parliamentary approval, also includes support

June 19, 2025

Seoul International Book Fair kicks off, welcoming over 500 exhibitors from 17 countries

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - South Korea’s largest book fair kicked off on Wednesday at COEX in southern Seoul, drawing thousands of literature lovers, authors, and publishers from around the world. The Seoul International Book Fair, co-hosted by the Korean Publishers Association (KPA), features over 500 exhibitors from 17 countries. Among the attendees was former South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who took part in an event held during the fair and also delivered a s

June 18, 2025

Presidents Lee and Lula, once injured factory workers, meet for first time at G7 summit

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met for the first time on Jun. 17 (local time) in Kananaskis, Canada, on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit. What could have been a routine diplomatic meeting carried an unexpected weight, shaped by the strikingly similar lives the two men have led. Both were invited to the summit as guest leaders. Their discussion covered bilateral cooperation, but it

June 18, 2025

Lee holds first bilateral meeting with Japanese PM in Canada

SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung held talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Canada on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit on Tuesday. After speaking over the phone last week, they met in person for the first time since Lee took office earlier this month. Lee began the talks with ice-breaking remarks likening the two countries to neighbors sharing a "front yard," and added, "There may be differences in opinion, but both countrie

June 18, 2025

Neighboring private schools in Seoul connect through exchange classes

SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - Primary students from two private schools in southern Seoul had a special opportunity to interact through a series of classes as part of a two-day event last week. Fourth to sixth-grade students from the British international school Dulwich College Seoul and the country's oldest Catholic school Gyeseong Elementary School, took turns visiting each other's campuses for a day. More than 180 students immersed themselves in a variety of extracurricular clas

June 17, 2025

South Korea heightens travel advisory for Iran

SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Koreans are advised to avoid travel to Iran as its conflict with Israel further escalates, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The ministry heightened its travel advisory for all of Iran with immediate effect, urging South Koreans currently in the country to "leave as soon as possible." It also advised those planning to travel to the Middle Eastern country to cancel or postpone their trips. Several areas there had already been u

June 17, 2025

Bilateral talks between Seoul and Washington canceled as Trump leaves G7 early

SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung, who is in Canada attending the Group of Seven (G7) summit, was unable to hold his planned talks with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday. According to the presidential office here, the two were scheduled to sit down for talks on the sidelines of the summit, but the meeting was canceled after Trump decided to cut his G7 trip short. In a press briefing in Calgary, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lak also said, "Trump is hurr

June 17, 2025