Erdoğan calls July 15 resistance unparalleled in democratic history SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the popular resistance that defeated the July 15, 2016 coup attempt stands unmatched in the history of world democracy, crediting the nation's willingness to die for its independence with powering Türkiye's rise as a global actor over the past decade. "The Turkish nation's prudence, courage, and foresight on the night of 15 July are also unprecedented in the history of world democracy," July 15, 2026

Fujairah cargo hub may offer Korea a Hormuz escape route SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - With U.S. President Donald Trump moving to charge 20 percent on cargo vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed conflict in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates is accelerating plans to develop Fujairah into a major logistics gateway outside the strategic chokepoint and offer a potential alternative route for South Korean traders. The proposal would extend the UAE's existing strategy of bypassing Hormuz beyond crude oil to containerized and July 14, 2026

AMCHAM takes Korean delegation to Washington for annual doorknock SEOUL, July 14 (AJP)-The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) is leading a delegation of Korean companies to Washington this week for its "K-Doorknock" program, aimed at helping businesses expand into the U.S. market and address a range of pending trade, investment and regulatory issues between the two countries. The initiative will make its debut during AMCHAM's annual Washington Doorknock mission, which runs from July 13 to 16 and brings business leaders t July 14, 2026

Trump reimposes Iran blockade, seeks 20% fee on cargo through Strait of Hormuz SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - Amid renewed tensions with Iran in the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. will charge a 20-percent fee on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz as it takes on the role of the waterway's "guardian." In a post on his own social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote, "The Hormuz Strait is OPEN, and will remain OPEN, with or without Iran. We are reinstating THE IRANIAN BLOCKADE, so named because it is only July 14, 2026

Seoul sends presidential chief to Qatar for emir's funeral SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) -President Lee Jae Myung on Tueday sent a message of condolence following the death of former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and dispatched his chief of staff, Kang Hoon-sik, as a special envoy to attend the funeral. According to the presidential office, Kang departed for Doha Tuesday to personally deliver Lee's condolences on behalf of the South Korean government and is scheduled to return on Thursday. Seoul typically sends cabinet minis July 14, 2026

Why Middle East conflict remains stuck after nearly five months SEOUL, July 13 (AJP) - About five months have passed, yet the end of the conflict in the Middle East remains nowhere in sight. Fighting has appeared close to stopping several times, only to break out again. Negotiations are underway, but renewed military clashes have left the prospects for a resolution increasingly uncertain. U.S. President Donald Trump continues to criticize Iran, calling it "scum," while Tehran has responded with increasingly hostile rhetoric. Even if an July 13, 2026

U.S. demands Iran publicly halt attacks on Hormuz shipping SEOUL, July 11 (AJP) - The United States is demanding that Iran publicly declare it will stop attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz and reopen all shipping lanes without transit fees, senior U.S. officials said Friday. According to Reuters and Axios, the officials made the comments during a background briefing with a small group of reporters, saying recent talks with Iran had been “productive” but that Washington expected Tehran to take visible steps to de-e July 11, 2026

South Korea pushes back on US' proposed forced-labor tariff SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - South Korea opposed a U.S. proposal to impose a 12.5 percent tariff on imports linked to forced labor, saying the measure is "unjustified" and "unnecessary" as Washington moves to expand its tariff policy under new legal grounds. Lee Seung-heon, counselor for trade, industry and resources at the South Korean Embassy in Washington, presented Seoul's position Thursday at a public hearing hosted by the Office of the United States Trade Rep July 10, 2026

Kazakhstan defies regional slowdown in ADB outlook SEOUL, July 10 (AJP) - Kazakhstan's economy is set to keep growing at a steady pace over the next two years even as the Asian Development Bank trims forecasts for much of the surrounding region, according to the bank's Asian Development Outlook released this week. The Asian Development Bank kept its projections for Kazakhstan unchanged in the July edition of the report, with gross domestic product expected to expand 4.8 percent in 2026 and 4.5 percent in 2027. The economy July 10, 2026

Türkiye's NATO moment arrives, but the price of trust remains unpaid SEOUL, July 09 (AJP) - For years, Türkiye occupied an uncomfortable place inside NATO: too important to expel, too difficult to embrace. It was the ally that bought a Russian air defense system over Washington’s objections. The country that refused to join Western sanctions against Moscow after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The state that could sell drones to Kyiv while keeping open channels to the Kremlin. The government whose president, Recep Tayyip July 9, 2026