ASIA INSIGHT: Samsung dispute exposes wider risks to chip supply despite last-minute deal SEOUL, May 21 (AJP) - For the past couple of weeks, Samsung Electronics was locked in a labor dispute that, on its surface, looked like a routine clash between management and workers over wages and performance bonuses. But the tremors it sent through markets suggested something far larger was at stake, not just a labor standoff over pay but the stability of the global semiconductor supply chain. Even before a tentative agreement was reached late last night, the negotiations, describ May 21, 2026

US embassy in Seoul hosts artist Park Ju-eon for Freedom 250 campaign SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - SEOUL — The United States Embassy in Seoul hosted South Korean contemporary artist Park Ju-eon for a special exhibition and talk on Wednesday afternoon, using cultural diplomacy to mark the upcoming 250th anniversary of the country's founding. The event took place at the US Charge d'Affaires' residence near central Seoul. The gathering served as the second installment of Freedom of Expression: Freedom 250 U.S.-Korea Creative Dialogues. The y May 20, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Can South Korea and Japan turn shuttle diplomacy into substantive cooperation? SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - South Korea and Japan have long had a relationship that goes back and forth, sometimes improving, sometimes worsening, and then improving again. This cycle has been driven not only by practical interests, but also by historical issues between the two neighboring countries. But a quieter shift now seems to be taking place. It is not marked by dramatic breakthroughs or major progress on long-standing historical disputes. Instead, it is more gradual, built on the May 20, 2026

Korea, India to sign MOU on honoring Korean War veterans SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - South Korea and India will work together on international veterans affairs projects to honor Indian veterans who served in the 1950-53 Korean War as part of a medical support unit, Seoul’s Veterans Affairs Ministry said Wednesday. Minister of Patriots and Veterans Affairs Kwon Oh-eul and visiting Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will sign a memorandum of understanding on bilateral cooperation in international veterans affairs at the Indian Korean War May 20, 2026

ASIA DEEP INSIGHT: The center of global power is moving eastward SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - The world is passing through one of the great transitional eras of modern history. The global contest over artificial intelligence between the United States and China, the prolonged devastation of the war in Ukraine, and the widening instability caused by the conflict involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz have together accelerated the restructuring of the international order. Political uncertainty, energy insecurity, technological rivalry, and financial fra May 20, 2026

Kazakhstan ties Golden Horde legacy to tech ambitions SEOUL, May 20 (AJP) - The Kazakhstan Embassy in Seoul released a statement on Wednesday detailing an international symposium in Astana that frames the heritage of the Golden Horde as a pillar for the country's modern technological transformation. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stated that the medieval empire's advanced administrative and trade systems serve as historical precursors to the nation's current digital infrastructure goals. The UNESCO-backed event highlight May 20, 2026

Kazakhstan's President Tokayev urges digital alliance among Turkic states SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev urged member nations of the Organization of Turkic States to build a unified artificial intelligence and digital framework to secure sustainable advancement amid an unstable global environment, the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Korea said Tuesday. Speaking at an informal summit in the city of Turkistan on May 15, Tokayev positioned technological cooperation as a vital tool for economic resilience. The i May 19, 2026

Trump's Taiwan remarks expose diverging security pressures on Seoul and Taipei SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - U.S. President Donald Trump's ambiguous remarks on arms sales to Taiwan after his summit with Xi Jinping have raised fresh questions about Washington's security commitments in Asia — with different implications for each partner. For Taiwan, the concern is immediate and existential: whether Washington will sustain both political support and arms transfers in the face of Beijing's sovereignty claim. For South Korea, the dilemma is le May 19, 2026

ASIA INSIGHT: Twelve weeks on, Middle East conflict still has no way out SEOUL, May 19 (AJP) - Now about 12 weeks into the conflict in the Middle East which began with joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes against Iran in late February, there is still no end in sight. What some expected to be a short, contained confrontation has instead become a prolonged regional crisis with widening economic and political consequences. At the center of the prolonged standoff is a fundamental issue. Both sides say they want a deal, but they remain far apart on what that dea May 19, 2026

Iran stays silent on HMM Namu in call with Seoul SEOUL, May 18 (AJP) - Iran’s foreign minister blamed the U.S. and Israel for instability in the Middle East during a phone call with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, while Tehran made no mention of a recent attack on a Korean vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran’s foreign ministry. The call, reportedly requested by Seoul, was the first between Cho and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi since the HMM Namu was attacked near the Strait of Hormuz in May 18, 2026