Former S. Korean President Yoon exits ruling party PPP

SEOUL, May 17 (AJP) - Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said his resignation from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Saturday, a decision that comes just weeks before the upcoming snap presidential election. Yoon joined the PPP in July 2021, becoming its presidential nominee and securing the presidency under the party's banner. Despite his impeachment over his botched martial law debacle last year, he remained with the party until Saturday’s decision.

May 17, 2025

Pyongyang criticizes US counterterrorism non-cooperation listing

SEOUL, May 17 (AJP) -North Korea criticized the United States on Saturday for a "political provocation" after being re-designated as an "uncooperative state in combating terrorism," warning this would escalate "irreconcilable hostility" between the two countries. North Korea's state-run news media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), reported that North Korea's Foreign Ministry described the annual designation as a "unilateral and ma

May 17, 2025

Presidential candidates to face off in first televised debate this weekend

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - With just a few weeks remaining until next month's presidential election, four presidential hopefuls are set to face off in a televised debate scheduled for this weekend. In their first debate hosted by election watchdog National Election Commission slated for Sunday, Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) will present their vi

May 16, 2025

Trade ministers from South Korea, US hold tariff-related talks in Jeju

SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - Trade ministers from South Korea and the United States are continuing talks to narrow differences during a series of meetings on the sidelines of the preparatory gathering for this fall's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which wraps up in Jeju on Friday. Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun is holding talks with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer over Washington's proposed 25-percent reciprocal tariffs on South Korea

May 16, 2025

Lee Jae-myung calls for pragmatic diplomacy and phased peace with North Korea

Editor’s Note: This article is the second in a series examining the leading presidential candidates and their positions on diplomacy, security, and North Korea. SEOUL, May 16 (AJP) - As South Korea prepares for a pivotal snap election, Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung is putting forward a foreign and security policy that contrasts sharply with his conservative rival Kim Moon-soo. At the center of Lee’s approach is a push for pragmatic diplomacy, a gradual shift

May 16, 2025

PPP candidate apologizes for martial law debacle to sway voters ahead of presidential election

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday apologized for disgraced former President Yoon Suk Yeol's botched martial law debacle late last year. Speaking at a press conference at the National Assembly, Kim said he "sincerely apologizes" for the debacle, calling it "inappropriate." "Even if the Constitution grants a president the authority to declare martial law, it is inappropriate

May 15, 2025

Kim Moon-soo pushes nuclear option, calls for tighter U.S. alliance

Editor's Note: This article is the first in a series examining the leading presidential candidates and their positions on diplomacy, security, and North Korea. SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - Presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo is drawing a firm line in South Korea’s snap election, positioning himself as a staunch advocate of military strength and nuclear deterrence. Representing the conservative People Power Party (PPP), Kim has made clear that his foreign and security policy will

May 15, 2025

Tour programs to Panmunjom to resume on limited basis this week

SEOUL, May 15 (AJP) - A tour program to the truce village of Panmunjom and nearby areas is set to resume later this week after a halt of about a year and a half, the Unification Ministry said Thursday. But the program remains restricted, allowing access only to selected groups of visitors on a limited basis. About 20 government officials and executives from state-run companies are scheduled to visit there this Friday, becoming the first group to take part in the revived program a

May 15, 2025

Kim Moon-soo promises science-focused presidency in aerospace hub

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Kim Moon-soo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, pledged Wednesday to become a president who prioritizes science and technology, as he toured Jinju and Sacheon, cities in South Gyeongsang Province known for their concentration of aerospace and defense industries. In a campaign speech in Jinju, Kim urged voters to back his vision of transforming South Korea into a global leader in aerospace. “Let’s raise our aerospace technology

May 14, 2025

Protesters get prison terms for violent court intrusion

SEOUL, May 14 (AJP) - Two far-right YouTubers were sentenced to prison terms on Wednesday for resorting to violence in a protest against disgraced former President Yoo Suk Yeol's arrest over his botched martial law debacle late last year. The Seoul Western District Court handed down a sentence of one and a half years in prison to a 35-year-old man surnamed Kim, and a one-year sentence to another man in his late 20s surnamed So, for their violent intrusion into the court building

May 14, 2025