Uzbekistan and Tajikistan expand cultural ties through new diplomatic initiatives SEOUL, March 18 (AJP) - Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have entered a more active phase of cultural cooperation, the Uzbekistan Embassy in South Korea announced on Wednesday, March 18, 2026. This partnership is driven by a surge in festivals, film screenings, and theater tours designed to bring the two nations closer together. The relationship between the leaders of the two states has been a primary catalyst for this growth. Mutual visits and joint participation in cultural events have March 18, 2026

UAE pledges priority oil supply to Korea amid global supply concerns SEOUL, March 18 (AJP) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has pledged to prioritize crude oil supply to South Korea amid global supply uncertainties, Seoul’s presidential office said Wednesday. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik, who returned earlier in the day from a visit to the UAE as a special envoy of President Lee Jae Myung, told a briefing that Abu Dhabi had assured Seoul it would be given top priority in crude shipments. “The UAE made it clear that no coun March 18, 2026

US no longer needs help from allies including South Korea, Trump blasts SEOUL, March 18 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his country no longer needs naval assistance from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries, as well as Australia, Japan, and South Korea, to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and secure. "Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance - WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea," Trump wr March 18, 2026

Trump delays summit with Xi about a month as Middle East conflict drags on SEOUL, March 17 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday he has asked to push back his planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for later this month, citing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. When asked by reporters at the White House if the summit is set to go ahead as planned, Trump said, "I don't know, we're working on that right now." He added, "We've requested that we delay it a month or so." "We're spea March 17, 2026

GULF CRISIS: Trump's call to jointly police Hormuz puts allies in a dilemma SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - The United States has initiated the war against Iran, but the fallout from Tehran’s weaponization of the Strait of Hormuz — a maritime route vital to Asia-Pacific economies that together account for roughly 70 percent of global output — is now being shifted onto those countries, according to the logic advanced by President Donald Trump. Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump called on South Korea, the United Kingdom, France March 16, 2026

Trump hints at possible delay of upcoming Beijing trip, presses allies to send warships SEOUL, March 16 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump Sunday hinted that his upcoming trip to China later this month might be delayed, while repeating his call for allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help keep it open and safe amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East. In an interview with the Financial Times, just a day after he urged five countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the U.K., which are "affected" by the closure of the stra March 16, 2026

Astana braves the frost for a new Kazakhstan ASTANA, March 15 (AJP) - A leaden sky hung low over Astana on Sunday morning, stubbornly refusing to deliver the slight thaw promised by the local forecast. Instead, the mercury hovered at a biting -4°C, and the city’s wide avenues were flanked by mounds of snow stained with soot and dust, while footpaths were glazed in a treacherous layer of ice. Despite the chill, the capital’s residents appeared early. Clad in heavy winter coats, citizens moved with a hurried, q March 15, 2026

Analysis: Iran war puts Korea and US allies to test as Trump asks for warship support SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) -As the war with Iran enters its third week, the conflict is no longer a distant geopolitical crisis for South Korea as it is rapidly becoming a test of alliance politics, energy security and the limits of Seoul’s willingness to project military power far beyond the Korean Peninsula. The shift came after Donald Trump on Saturday openly urged energy-dependent countries — including South Korea — to send naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz to s March 15, 2026

Kazakhstan prepares for national constitutional referendum ASTANA, March 14 (AJP) - Kazakhstan stands on the threshold of a truly historic stage in its development as citizens prepare to vote in a national referendum on a new draft of the Constitution. Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov stated that the new draft serves as a foundation for the long-term stability of the state and a timely response to global challenges. The reform process involved a Constitutional Commission of 130 members that reviewed more than 12,000 proposals submitt March 15, 2026

Trump calls on Korea, allies to send warship as Hormuz tensions rise SEOUL, March 15 (AJP) - United States President Donald Trump said Saturday (local time) that countries affected by Iran’s attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz should send warships alongside the United States to help keep the key oil shipping route open. Writing on Truth Social, the social media platform Donald Trump launched after leaving the Oval Office in 2021, nations affected by the attempted closure of the waterway would be "sending war ships" alongside March 15, 2026