Korea joins UK-France-led Hormuz defense talks, Sinokor vessel slips through Hormuz SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - South Korea will take part in a defense ministerial video conference led by Britain and France on Tuesday to discuss efforts to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, as Seoul faces growing pressure to clarify its role in a possible multinational maritime mission. The Ministry of National Defense said Woo Kyung-seok, director general for defense policy planning and an Army major general, will attend the meeting on discussions related to a U.K.- and May 12, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Xi Jinping crafts imperial mirage at Temple of Heaven The meeting between the world’s two most powerful men is less a diplomatic summit than a calculated ritual of psychological capture. SEOUL, May 12 (AJP) - In a quiet corner of the Treasury Department, the steel plates have been etched with a flourish that feels more like a royal decree than a bureaucratic necessity. For the first time in the history of the American Republic, the currency carries the aggressive, looping signature of the man in the Oval Office. Combined wit May 12, 2026

China confirms Trump's visit to Beijing later this week SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump will make a state visit to China this week at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the country's Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The announcement came a day after the White House said Trump is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday ahead of a summit with Xi Jinping the following day. His trip will mark the first visit to China by a U.S. president in nearly a decade. The last such visit was also made by Trump d May 11, 2026

Standoff with Iran drags on as Trump seeks breakthrough before China trip SEOUL, May 10 (AJP) - Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's optimistic comments about imminent progress with Iran over the weekend, Washington and Tehran have yet to reach a breakthrough in talks to end the months-long Middle East conflict. Sporadic attacks along with exchanges of fire across the Persian Gulf continue to fuel tensions in the region, even as diplomatic efforts appear to remain active behind the scenes. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the country&# May 10, 2026

New Zealand ambassador hosts Māori culture night in Seoul SEOUL, May 08 (AJP) - New Zealand Ambassador Dawn Bennet hosted an evening of traditional Māori performance at her Seoul residence on Thursday, emphasizing the deep-seated societal parallels between New Zealand and South Korea. The event brought together influential guests to witness indigenous cultural displays, signaling a continued commitment to soft-power diplomacy between the two nations. The two nations share a history that predates their modern economic ties, beginning with May 8, 2026

Trump says Washington 'closing in on a deal' with Iran to end months of conflict SEOUL, May 7 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised hopes that the U.S. is "closing in on a deal" with Iran to end the prolonged conflict in the Middle East. In a phone interview with PBS News, Trump said, "I think it's got a very good chance of ending," suggesting that the deal could be reached before his trip to China for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week. But he left some doubt, saying, "I felt that way before May 7, 2026

Trump-Xi summit likely sideline Iran and security issues: Yan Xuetong SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - Iran will likely dominate the backdrop of next week’s summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, but the two leaders are unlikely to produce any coordinated strategy on the Strait of Hormuz crisis as the world drifts deeper into a fragmented “G0 order,” according to prominent Chinese international relations scholar Yan Xuetong. Yan, speaking Wednesday at a seminar titled “Changes and Prospects in U.S.- May 6, 2026

Seoul at a strategic crossroads as Hormuz crisis deepens SEOUL, May 06 (AJP) - A third Korea-bound tanker has begun a longer but safer voyage through the Red Sea to carry much-needed crude home, while an HMM cargo carrier damaged by an explosion in the heart of the Strait of Hormuz is being towed toward port — two parallel scenes underscoring the growing price South Korea is paying for its heavy dependence on Middle Eastern energy supplies. With both Washington and Tehran claiming the upper hand over the strategic chokepoint, uncer May 6, 2026

South Korea confirms HMM NAMU crew safety after Hormuz blast SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - South Korea has confirmed Tuesday that all 24 crew members of the HMM NAMU are safe and the onboard fire has been extinguished following an explosion in the Strait of Hormuz. The confirmation allows the government to transition from an emergency rescue operation to a technical investigation into the cause of the damage. The HMM NAMU, a vessel operated by the flagship carrier HMM, suffered the explosion at 8:40 pm (1140 GMT) on Monday near the United Arab Em May 5, 2026

Trump pressures South Korea to join Project Freedom after ship explosion in Hormuz Strait SEOUL, May 05 (AJP) - Following a mysterious explosion on a South Korean cargo vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, the United States' President Donald Trump has publicly pressured South Korea to deploy military forces to a U.S.-led maritime mission "Project Freedom" in the Hormuz Strait. Trump directly linked the safety of commercial shipping to participation in the naval mission, while explicitly attributing the explosion to an Iranian attack. The incident mar May 5, 2026