Japan's arms export shift tests Korea's security calculus amid regional buildup SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - Japan’s decision to allow exports of lethal weapons for the first time since World War II marks a decisive step in Asia’s quiet arms buildup, raising both strategic opportunities and deep-seated concerns for South Korea as regional security dynamics shift. The government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi this week revised its “Three Principles on Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology,” expanding exports beyond non-lethal categor April 23, 2026

President Lee pitches S. Korean growth model as Viet Nam pursues infrastructure surge SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung committed to deepening strategic cooperation in nuclear energy, transportation, and finance during a meeting with Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung in Hanoi on Thursday. Lee framed the partnership as a catalyst for a new "Red River Miracle," drawing direct parallels between South Korea's rapid post-war industrialization and the current development trajectory of Viet Nam. The diplomatic push comes as Se April 23, 2026

INTERVIEW: Malaysia has a key role in Korea's post-Gulf energy redesign: envoy SEOUL, April 23 (AJP) - The Global South is moving to the center of South Korea’s strategic calculus, underscored by this week’s presidential visits to India and Vietnam, as Malaysia seeks to harness the momentum to leverage complementary strengths — not just to mitigate Gulf-driven disruptions, but also to redesign energy security, its top envoy to Seoul said. Energy security will serve as the starting point for deeper alignment, with Malaysia’s LNG export April 23, 2026

Rome pivots to Seoul as lunar race demands global alliance SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - Italy and South Korea are formalizing a strategic aerospace corridor as the technical and economic pressures of the second lunar age render national isolation obsolete. During the 2026 Italian Space Day in the South Korean capital on Wednesday, Teodoro Valente, the president of the Italian Space Agency, told a delegation of industry leaders that the era of the solo spacefaring nation has ended. As the global community readies for a permanent human presen April 22, 2026

Fresh uncertainty arises as Trump extends ceasefire with Iran indefinitely SEOUL, April 22 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday extended a ceasefire with Iran indefinitely until Tehran submits a "unified proposal" to end the conflict in the Middle East, reversing a statement he made only hours earlier that there would be no extension. "We have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump wrote on his own platform Truth Soci April 22, 2026

Ankara anchors S. Korean industrial future as Middle East war chokes global supply SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - The assembly lines in South Korea's southern industrial city of Ulsan and the semiconductor hubs of Gyeonggi, south of Seoul, are facing a systemic threat as a full-scale conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel has effectively paralyzed the primary energy lanes of the world since the end of February. With the Strait of Hormuz blocked and the flow of Middle Eastern crude to South Korea curtailed, the Embassy of Türkiye in the Republic o April 21, 2026

Korea-India summit pivots steel, shipbuilding toward new growth axis amid China pressure SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - South Korea’s steel and shipbuilding industries, long squeezed by China’s dominance, are turning to India as a new anchor for growth, with Seoul and New Delhi moving to lock in deeper industrial cooperation at the highest level. During the first Korean presidential visit to India in nearly eight years, President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to elevate bilateral ties into an industry-wide partnership built on joint ventures April 21, 2026

Trump rules out further extension of Iran ceasefire as deadline approaches SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) - The U.S. is unlikely to extend its two-week ceasefire with Iran, which expires this week, U.S. President Donald Trump told Bloomberg on Monday, downplaying the chances of another extension. During a phone interview, Trump said the ceasefire would end "Wednesday evening Washington time" - a deadline extended by a day from an initially expected Tuesday expiry, after he announced the temporary truce on April 7 following threats to strike Iranian faci April 21, 2026

Lee, Indian PM Modi agree to upgrade CEPA, target $50 bln trade SEOUL, April 20 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed Monday to continue negotiations to upgrade their bilateral trade pact with the aim to double two-way trade to $50 billion by 2030. At a summit held during Lee’s state visit to India, the two leaders announced they would resume talks on upgrading the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in May, seeking to modernize the framework in response to evolving supply chain and April 20, 2026

Trump warns of no ceasefire extension as U.S.-Iran talks set for April 20 SEOUL, April 18 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday warned that the United States may not extend the ceasefire with Iran if no agreement is reached by April 22, stepping up pressure on Tehran. “Maybe I won’t extend it, but the blockade is going to remain. So you have a blockade, and unfortunately we’ll have to start dropping bombs again,” he said aboard Air Force One while returning to Washington from Phoenix, Arizona. The United States and Iran April 18, 2026