Samarkand hosts Uzbekistan's first sister cities forum SEOUL, July 29 (AJP) - Uzbekistan has added another international gathering to Samarkand's growing calendar, hosting the country's first International Sister Cities Forum in the ancient Silk Road city on July 24 and 25, the latest step in a deliberate campaign to make Samarkand the country's face to the world. The forum opened with a scientific and practical conference titled "Brother Cities: A New Model of Sustainable Development and Public Diplomacy," which July 29, 2026

Islamic Republic of Iran's Alamut fortress added to UNESCO World Heritage List SEOUL, July 28 (AJP) - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has inscribed Alamut Castle and six associated mountain fortifications in Iran on the World Heritage List during its 48th session in Busan, making the serial property Iran's 30th UNESCO World Heritage property, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Seoul said Tuesday. The inscription covers Alamut Castle and six associated fortifications that together formed a defensive network across the rugged Alborz Mount July 28, 2026

The East joins the West in the survival game against extreme heat SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) - South Korea joined the global survival game against extreme heat on Monday as temperatures neared 40 degrees Celsius after the monsoon fizzled out, emptying streets and farm fields alike. Children and office workers, farmers and foreign tourists alike searched for clever ways to stay cool, crowding shopping malls, subway stations and other air-conditioned spaces. By 3 p.m., the government raised the national heat crisis alert to "grave," its highe July 27, 2026

Tariffs shouldn't define Korea-U.S. partnership: AMCHAM chief SEOUL, July 27 (AJP) - A fresh round of U.S. tariffs may cloud the Korea-U.S. economic relationship, but they should not define one of the world's deepest strategic business partnerships, according to James Kim, Chairman and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. With Seoul and Washington seeking closer cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, shipbuilding and advanced manufacturing, Kim argued that sustained dialogue—not escalating trade measur July 27, 2026

When merits break: Will cockroach movement test Asia's youths? SEOUL, July 26 (AJP) - The most remarkable thing about India's Cockroach movement is not that it forced the resignation of a cabinet minister. It is that it began with an insult. When a senior judge reportedly dismissed unemployed young Indians as "cockroaches" and "parasites," Generation Z did something previous generations rarely attempted. Instead of rejecting the slur, they adopted it, transforming a satirical Instagram page into a nationwide movement t July 26, 2026

Kazakhstan plans TV debates for Kurultay elections SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) - Kazakhstan will broadcast televised debates between political parties nationwide ahead of the August 23 elections to the Kurultay, the country's new single-chamber parliament, as the Central Asian nation prepares for its first vote under a constitution adopted this spring. The plan was announced at a meeting of the Central Election Commission, Kazakhstan's state-run news agency Qazinform reported Friday. Lyazzat Suyindik, a member of the Central Elec July 24, 2026

Asia's Gen Z do not wait for permission anymore SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) - A canceled exam in New Delhi. A social media ban in Kathmandu. A housing allowance in Jakarta. A job quota in Dhaka. None of these, on its own, reads like the beginning of a national crisis. Yet each one sent hundreds of thousands of young people into the streets, and in two of those countries the government did not survive. Something has shifted in how Asia's youngest adults deal with power. The region's leaders are finding out the hard way. The July 24, 2026

US ambassador to Korea Steel will arrive in Seoul next week SEOUL, July 24 (AJP) - The new United States ambassador to South Korea will arrive in Seoul next week, ending a vacancy of about 18 months at the top of the American mission and putting a confirmed envoy on the ground just as the two governments try to turn a sweeping trade and investment deal into actual projects. Michelle Steel gave the timing Thursday (local time) in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency at the opening of the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center July 24, 2026

U.S. pressure exposes South Korea's limited Hormuz options SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains a potential flashpoint, one question is likely to keep returning to Seoul: What can South Korea realistically contribute if Washington asks for military support? Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week have revived that debate, raising fresh questions over what Seoul can realistically offer should Washington turn its expectations into a concrete request. Speaking to reporters in Manila on Wednesday af July 23, 2026

Trump's tariff maze keeps Korea guessing as another deadline looms SEOUL, July 23 (AJP) - For U.S. trading partners—foes and allies alike—it has become nearly impossible to keep up with tariff rates during President Donald Trump’s second term. The levy on South Korean imports has swung from 25 percent to 10 percent, back toward 25 percent, down to 15 percent and then back again to 10 percent — all in little more than a year. The next number could be 12.5 percent. A temporary 10 percent U.S. surcharge on imports from July 23, 2026