Robots to take over GOPs in Korea but computing power poses setback SEOUL, April 28 (AJP) - Robots will take over general outposts (GOPs) along the heavily fortified border with North Korea as South Korea grapples with shrinking troop numbers due to depopulation. But maintaining a robotic fleet comes with a catch — massive computing power. The Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday it is reviewing a plan to gradually reduce troops stationed at front-line GOPs and transition to an AI-enabled surveillance system. “The ministry is r April 28, 2026

Forty years after Chernobyl and nuclear power is back in vogue SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Forty years ago today, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant became a global epitaph for technological hubris. The radioactive clouds that drifted across Europe did more than contaminate soil; they poisoned the public's trust in the atom for a generation. In a historical paradox, the very anniversary of the disaster finds the world—and South Korea included—sprinting back toward nuclear energy with newfound urgency. The shift is being driven b April 27, 2026

ASEAN specialist defines Presidnt Lee's South Asian tour as move for strategic survival SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - South Korea has locked in energy and industrial partnerships in India and Viet Nam this month to guard against a global "era of un-order." The agreements signed during the mid-April visits aim to double trade with India to 50 billion dollars and reach 150 billion dollars with Viet Nam by 2030 to counter intensifying supply chain volatility. Cho Won-deuk, director of the Center for ASEAN-Indian Studies at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, told April 27, 2026

South Korea's 1.7% growth may mark its ceiling as structural limits bite SEOUL, April 27 (AJP)- South Korea’s 1.7% first-quarter growth didn’t just beat expectations; it likely hit the ceiling. According to OECD estimates, the surprise performance suggests the economy is already running at full capacity, signaling that the nation’s structural growth potential has effectively reached its limit. Gross domestic product rose 1.7 percent in the January–March period from the previous quarter, nearly double the Bank of Korea’ April 27, 2026

Lee reaffirms his rapprochement policy toward North Korea, urging Pyongyang to respond SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Monday again reaffirmed his rapprochement toward North Korea for the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula. Lee said South Korea will "steadily push ahead with efforts toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula," in a statement read by Hong Ik-pyo, senior presidential secretary for political affairs, at an event marking the eighth anniversary of an agreement signed during a historic meeting between the tw April 27, 2026

South Korea, Australia to hold foreign ministers' meeting in Seoul this week SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is scheduled to meet his Australian counterpart in Seoul later this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday. Cho is expected to discuss cooperation in various areas including the defense and energy sectors, during his meeting with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Thursday. According to the ministry, the two sides will reaffirm their commitment to working together on shared challenges including the ongoing c April 27, 2026

Fierce showdown looms in Busan as former IT expert likely to join race for local elections SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - Ha Jung-woo, the presidential adviser for artificial intelligence and future strategies, is highly likely to declare his bid for the upcoming local elections as early as this week. The Busan native, who has been repeatedly courted by the ruling Democratic Party (DP), is expected to run in the southern port city's northwestern district of Buk-gu against Han Dong-hoon, the former leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), in what is likely to b April 27, 2026

S. Korea pursues Australian energy lifeline as Middle East conflict chokes supply lanes SEOUL, April 27 (AJP) - In a bid to exit the current energy bottleneck caused by the war in the Middle East and diversify the country's energy sources, South Korea's foreign minister Cho Hyun will host his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, in Seoul this Thursday. The April 30 summit comes as Seoul grapples with the fallout of the war in Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a blockade that has effectively stranded the fossil fuels required to power the wo April 27, 2026

South Korea secures over 74 million barrels of crude oil for May, presidential aide says SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - South Korea has secured more than 70 million barrels of crude oil for May, according to presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik. During a press briefing at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Friday, Kang said, "South Korea has secured about 74.62 million barrels of crude oil, which is equivalent to roughly 87 percent of last year's monthly average," adding that the government is "making every effort" to secure additional supplies amid April 24, 2026

Coupang overstretches into security front, stirring Korea-U.S. friction SEOUL, April 24 (AJP) - In a rare and uneasy convergence, a retail dispute has spilled into the security domain between Seoul and Washington, underscoring the growing political reach of Coupang, a New York-listed retailer whose business is almost entirely rooted in South Korea. According to lobbying disclosure reports filed with the U.S. Congress, Coupang spent a combined $1.785 million in the first quarter of 2026 – nearly doubled from $895,000 in the previous quarter - as p April 24, 2026