Ishiba, Trump hold phone call, agree to meet early

SEOUL, November 8 (AJP) - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump agreed Thursday to hold an early meeting during their phone talks. The five-minute call focused on strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance, with both leaders confirming their commitment to maintaining stability in the Indo-Pacific region amid China's growing influence. Ishiba told reporters he got the impression that Trump is friendly and a person who he can speak honestly wi

November 8, 2024

Indonesian mountain erupts again, 16,000 residents face permanent relocation

SEOUL, November 8 (AJP) - Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province erupted again on Thursday morning, shooting volcanic ash 5 kilometers high with volcanic lightning observed and lava flows extending up to 1 kilometer, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) reported. The latest eruption, which occurred seven times during the morning, follows Thursday's deadly blast that killed nine people, injured 60 and damaged 2,000 h

November 8, 2024

PHOTOS: Ipdong signals onset of winter

SEOUL, November 07 (AJP) - Thursday marked Ipdong, or the onset of winter, according to the traditional farming calendar. This day, the 19th of the 24 seasonal divisions in the traditional lunar calendar, traditionally signals the beginning of "gimjang" season—the annual tradition of making kimchi.

November 7, 2024

PHOTOS: Seoul to lift greenbelt restrictions for new housing project

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - The Korean government plans to lift greenbelt restrictions in certain areas of Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province as part of efforts to build 50,000 new homes by 2031. The plan, announced Tuesday, includes about 2.2 million square meters in Seoul's Seoripul area, where 20,000 housing units will be created. It will mark the first time in 12 years that greenbelt protection has been removed in Seoul.

November 7, 2024

Conference highlights deepening Korea-ASEAN ties

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - South Korea's relationships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were highlighted at a conference in Seoul on Thursday, focusing on enhanced collaboration and partnership across various sectors. Hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ASEAN Secretariat, the conference, under the slogan of "Towards a Sustainable and Resilient Future," brought together hundreds of government officials, diplomats and other participant

November 7, 2024

UNRWA chief calls for support as Israel withdraws cooperation

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) faces a severe crisis following Israel's recent ban on the organization, stated UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini. He urged UN member states to provide critical support to prevent the agency from collapsing, which would create turmoil for millions of Palestinian refugees. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently withdrew from a longstanding cooperation agreement with UNRW

November 7, 2024

One in 10 marriages in Korea involved international couples last year

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - One in 10 marriages in South Korea last year involved international couples, according to government data released Thursday. Statistics Korea reported multicultural marriages increased by 17.2 percent to 20,431 cases in 2023, compared to the previous year. International marriages accounted for 10.6 percent of all marriages in the country, up 1.5 percentage points year-on-year. The proportion recovered from the pandemic-era low of 7.2 percent in 2021.

November 7, 2024

Lebanon accuses Israel over deadly pager explosions in ILO complaint

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - Lebanon has lodged a complaint against Israel with the UN's International Labour Organization (ILO) over deadly incidents involving explosive pagers in September. Lebanese Labour Minister Mustafa Bayram filed the complaint in Geneva, condemning the attacks as an "assault on humanity, technology, and workers." He warned that such acts, if unaddressed, could set a dangerous precedent, noting that they had led to fatalities and injuries among Leb

November 7, 2024

Yoon congratulates Trump on election win

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol phoned U.S. president-elect Donald Trump to congratulate him on his election win, the presidential office said on Thursday. During a telephone conversation that lasted about 10 minutes, Yoon congratulated Trump on his sweeping victory in Wednesday's election and discussed various issues including North Korea's recent troop deployment to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Kim Tae-h

November 7, 2024

President Yoon defends his wife, rejects calls for probe

SEOUL, November 7 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized for a mounting scandal involving his wife Kim Keon Hee and other related allegations in a televised press conference on Thursday. The apology came as he appeared to realize that it could no longer be delayed and that public concerns needed to be addressed, with his approval ratings continuing to plummet. Yoon offered explanations about Kim's alleged involvement in candidate nominations ahead of the general electio

November 7, 2024