More Korean ships clear Hormuz, but hull fouling delays departures SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Five more Korean-operated vessels stranded inside the Strait of Hormuz have passed through the waterway and resumed normal operations, South Korea’s Oceans Ministry said Thursday, reducing the number inside the strait to 13. The five ships are carrying a total of 21 Korean crew members, with one of them bound for South Korea, according to the ministry. A total of 87 Korean nationals remain aboard vessels inside the strait, including 33 serving on fore June 25, 2026

Kazakhstan signs €100 million deal with Damen to build Caspian shipyard SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Kazakhstan and Dutch shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group signed a framework agreement in Brussels on Tuesday (local time) to develop a €100 million ($113.6 million) shipyard in the Mangystau region, the province home to Kazakhstan's two main Caspian ports, targeting what analysts have consistently identified as the weakest link in the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Cargo volumes crossing the Caspian surged more than 63 percent in 2024, r June 25, 2026

CEPA 's signing between Korea and Thailand to elevate ties: envoy SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - Contrary to its image abroad as a holiday resort or golfing destination, Thailand is strengthening its technology-driven manufacturing base to revive economic growth that has slowed to below 2 percent, while inviting South Korean capital, technology and expertise to accelerate its digital and industrial transformation, Thailand's ambassador to South Korea said. "Korea in itself is an important market for Thailand, but more uniquely Korea's advan June 25, 2026

Kazakh and Uzbek leaders discuss strengthening bilateral relations SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - To strengthen their decades-old close friendship and bilateral relations, the leaders of the two largest countries in Central Asia have engaged in a meeting via a phone call on Wednesday (local time) that extends from their April Bukhara meeting, where strategic cooperation in trade, logistics, and energy sectors was discussed. Kazakhstan's Presidential Office said that the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoye June 25, 2026

US rules out Hormuz tolls, dozen Korean-run ships remain stranded SEOUL, June 25 (AJP) - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday firmly dismissed the idea of charging tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying such a move is "not going to happen." Speaking during a press briefing in Kuwait City as part of his tour of the Gulf region, Rubio said, "I think the whole world will be against any mechanism that charges money to use an international waterway," adding, "When we mean open the straits, we mean op June 25, 2026

Extra 4 ships run by Korean carriers exit Hormuz, 26 Koreans aboard SEOUL, June 24 (AJP) - Four more ships operated by South Korean carriers have passed through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran agreement aimed at ending the war, Seoul’s Oceans Ministry said Wednesday. The vessels, which had been waiting inside the strait, completed their passage and are now sailing normally, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said. A total of 26 South Korean crew members are aboard the four ships. One of the vessels is bound for South Korea. June 24, 2026

When elections falter, trust becomes real test of democracy SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - Democracy rarely fails all at once. More often, it unravels gradually through procedural confusion, administrative breakdowns, allegations of irregularities, and a slow erosion of public trust in the systems meant to ensure fairness and transparency. South Korea's June 3 local elections, marked by irregularities and disruptions, is an uncomfortable reminder that even mature democracies can be fragile and that public trust, once strained, is difficult to June 23, 2026

Luxembourg looks to deepen partnership at National Day celebrations in Seoul SEOUL, June 23 (AJP) - Luxembourg marked its annual National Day at a reception in central Seoul on Monday, highlighting the country's deepening partnership with South Korea across various sectors including finance, advanced technology, and green growth. In his opening remarks at the reception which was held at The Hotel Shilla, a day ahead of the country's public holiday on June 23, Luxembourg Ambassador to Seoul Jacques Flies said the occasion provided an opportunity to re June 23, 2026

Asia's currencies wobble again, but this is not another IMF moment SEOUL, June 22 (AJP) - Asia's currencies are flashing warning signs again, stirring uncomfortable memories of the late 1990s, when one collapsing exchange rate after another triggered a regional financial meltdown. This time, however, the story is fundamentally different. From South Korea’s won and Indonesia’s rupiah to the Philippine peso, parts of Asia have come under renewed pressure as Gulf energy disruptions raise inflation risks, U.S. interest rates remain e June 22, 2026

Two ships run by Korean carriers exit Hormuz under U.S.-Iran deal SEOUL, June 22 (AJP) - Two ships run by South Korean carriers have left the Strait of Hormuz under a U.S.-Iran agreement, marking the first such departures since the two countries reached a deal aimed at ending the war. No South Korean crew members were aboard the vessels, and neither ship was bound for South Korea, according to Seoul’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. “The vessels have not yet fully cleared the danger zone,” the ministry said. “Consideri June 22, 2026