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  Lee congratulates Thai PM on reelection SEOUL, April 8 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung spoke by phone with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Wednesday to congratulate him on his reelection, Cheong Wa Dae said on Wednesday. The call, which was made the previous day, came after Anutin, who led the conservative Bhumjaithai Party to a landslide victory in Thailand's general election last February, was reelected as the country's prime minister on March 19. He became the first Thai prime minister to win April 8, 2026
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  Lee urges bipartisan unity, defends extra budget in meeting with party leaders SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung met with leaders of both the ruling and opposition parties on Tuesday, urging bipartisan cooperation and national unity as South Korea faces a major crisis amid the prolonged conflit in the Middle East. At a luncheon meeting at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul, Lee said, "Internal unity is especially important when a country faces a crisis." He added that South Korea is in a "major crisis" caused by external factor April 7, 2026
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  Seoul sends envoy to Kazakhstan, Oman, and Saudi on energy mission SEOUL, April 07 (AJP) - South Korea is dispatching a government delegation led by a senior presidential envoy to key energy partners in Central Asia and the Middle East to secure crude oil and naphtha supplies as the country braces for fallout from prolonged disruptions of the Strait of Hormuz. Kang Hoon-sik, chief of staff to President Lee Jae Myung, will depart Tuesday for Kazakhstan, Oman and Saudi Arabia in his capacity as special envoy for strategic economic cooperation, the April 7, 2026
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  Lee set to meet ruling, opposition party leaders over lunch SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung is set to meet with leaders of both the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) at Cheong Wa Dae in central Seoul on Tuesday to discuss measures to cope with the deepening Middle East crisis. Lee is scheduled to hold a luncheon meeting with DP leader Jung Chung-rae and PPP leader Jang Dong-hyeok. The meeting comes roughly seven months after the last one held in September last year and about two April 7, 2026
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  More companies voluntarily join efforts to save energy amid skyrocketing oil prices SEOUL, April 7 (AJP) - More companies are voluntarily joining energy-saving efforts including alternating vehicle use as part of measures to cope with energy shortages amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said on Tuesday. Major conglomerates such as CJ, GS, Hanwha, HD Hyundai, Hyundai Motor, Lotte, Samsung, SK, and POSCO are requiring employees to leave their cars at home once a week depending on the last digit of their lice April 7, 2026
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  Trump sets Hormuz deadline, singles out South Korea over Iran war support SEOUL, April 07 (AJP)-U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated a deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 8 p.m. Tuesday, warning of military action while again singling out South Korea, saying Washington had received little help from its allies. “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night,” Trump said at a White House press briefing, as he pressed Tehran to accept a deal to restore oil transit. Iran, April 7, 2026
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  Seoul in a bind as Tehran imposes selective screening for Hormuz access SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - Iran is allowing a trickle of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz under a selective access regime, with ships linked to "friendly" nations securing passage while South Korean tankers remain stranded, exposing Seoul's limited leverage in the deepening energy crisis. At least 15 ships transited the chokepoint over the past 24 hours with prior authorization from Tehran, a fraction of normal traffic, underscoring tight controls imposed after the ou April 6, 2026
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  Korea's fiscal deficit tops 100 trln won for second year despite ratio easing SEOUL, April 6 (AJP) - South Korea's managed fiscal deficit ratio to gross domestic product eased slightly to below 4 percent last year on improved tax revenue, while the deficit still exceeded 100 trillion won ($66.3 billion) for a second consecutive year, according to a government settlement report for fiscal 2025. The Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed the managed fiscal balance at a deficit of 104.2 trillion won last year, slightly narrowing from 104.8 trillion won in April 6, 2026
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  Seoul eyes alternative routes, envoys to Gulf as Hormuz disruption persists SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) - South Korea is exploring alternative shipping routes — including the Houthi-risk Red Sea — and preparing diplomatic outreach to major oil producers, as officials brace for prolonged supply disruptions from the Middle East conflict likely to extend through April. The shift reflects growing concern that instability in the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint handling roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG trade — will not ease quickly, forci April 6, 2026
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  Private contracts offer some relief for Korea from Australia's hint of LNG export curbs SEOUL, April 06 (AJP) -South Korea’s liquefied natural gas supply chain faces a fresh hit as Australia — an increasingly critical supplier amid Middle East disruptions — signals possible export curbs to prioritize domestic demand. warning comes as Seoul leans more heavily on Australian LNG to offset heightened risks stemming from the Middle East war. Despite government reassurance of stable supply, industry officials caution that tightening export controls by m April 6, 2026