ASIA INSIGHT: What Xi's possible visit to Pyongyang would mean for Korean Peninsula SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - Speculation emerged last week that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been preparing to visit Pyongyang to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, possibly before the end of this month or early next month. It comes after Xi hosted U.S. President Donald Trump in Beijing earlier this month, where the two leaders reaffirmed their shared goal of North Korea's denuclearization. Then, barely a week later, Russian President Vladimir Putin also arrived in Beijing. N May 27, 2026

South Korea links Iranian missile to cargo ship attack SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - The South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday that an older Iranian anti-ship missile is highly likely to have struck the cargo ship HMM Namu earlier this month, signaling a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions. The conclusion marks a decisive shift from the stance of strategic caution maintained by South Korea since the May 4 attack in the Strait of Hormuz. According to earlier government briefings and maritime records, the HMM Namu, a May 27, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Hidden danger behind Japan's new defense plan By mixing business supply lines and robot drones into its military strategy, Japan is turning factories into front lines. SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - When Chinese officials stopped shipping rare minerals to Japan last year, nobody saw a military attack. There were no warplanes in the sky and no warships at sea. Instead, the blow hit Japan right on its factory floors and technology labs. It was a silent punishment. Japan's Prime Minister, Takaichi Sanae, had just warned China abo May 27, 2026

Iran denies seeking transit tolls in Strait of Hormuz SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - The Iranian government rejected allegations that it plans to impose transit tolls on commercial vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz, announcing a joint maritime security mechanism with Oman, the Embassy of Iran in Seoul said Monday. Any financial or logistical shifts in the strait directly impact South Korea, which faces a deepening energy security crisis. Thanks to the country's effort to diversify its sources for crude oil, South Korea's relianc May 27, 2026

Quad launches joint Indo-Pacific maritime surveillance initiative SEOUL, May 27 (AJP) - The U.S., Japan, India and Australia agreed Tuesday to launch a joint maritime surveillance initiative in the Indo-Pacific, as growing concerns over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea sharpened fears over the vulnerability of global shipping lanes and energy supplies. The four nations — known collectively as the Quad — announced the "Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration" during a foreign ministers' meeting May 27, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: China takes wheel in EV era while Japan and South Korea feel pinch SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - There was a time when the global automobile world felt almost immutable. Germany stood for engineering precision. Japan perfected reliability. America sold aspiration. And China simply assembled parts. That no longer holds. Electric vehicles are not simply a new kind of car. They are a new kind of industrial system. In that shift, China has done something few expected, moving from the margins of manufacturing to the center of technological competition. Chi May 26, 2026

AJP Focus: Asia's energy shock far from over despite Hormuz reopening talks SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) - South Korea and other Asian economies heavily dependent on Gulf energy supplies are bracing for prolonged disruptions even as diplomatic momentum builds toward a potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with analysts warning that supply chains, refining operations and shipping flows could take months to normalize. Iran is expected to allow commercial shipping through the strait about 30 days after a peace agreement with Washington is finalized, Nikkei repo May 26, 2026

Spiritual Asia series: Vedas, Upanishads, and Cheonbugyeong cosmos in AI era This is the third installment of AJP’s “Spiritual Asia” series exploring the religious traditions and philosophical foundations that have shaped Asia’s spiritual consciousness. This chapter turns to the ancient texts of Hinduism — the Vedas and Upanishads — and their enduring ideas on cosmos, consciousness and the nature of existence in the emerging AI era. In the twenty-first century, humanity stands at the threshold of a vast civilizational tran May 26, 2026

Shinsegae's Chung vows to take full responsibility over police finding SEOUL, May 26 (AJP) -Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin issued a second public apology Tuesday over Starbucks Korea's controversial "Tank Day" promotion, bowing deeply in a five-minute televised public apology and saying he would seek forgiveness "through actions, not words" in a rare public act of contrition by a major South Korean business leader. Speaking at the Josun Palace hotel in Seoul, Chung said the company took the controversy "very heavil May 26, 2026

Suspect dead after shooting outside White House SEOUL, May 24 (AJP) - A suspect who allegedly opened fire near a security checkpoint outside the White House was shot and killed by U.S. Secret Service officers Saturday evening. The incident occurred at around 6 p.m. local time when an individual approached a checkpoint near the White House grounds and began firing at officers. Secret Service personnel returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect, who later died at a nearby hospital, according to multiple U.S. media reports. No S May 24, 2026