New USFK chief takes office

SEOUL, December 20 (AJP) - South Korea welcomed a new commander of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) amid political turmoil following President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived martial law debacle earlier this week. General Xavier Brunson, who is replacing General Paul LaCamera, who has held the position since July 2021, took an oath during the change of command ceremony at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, at 2 p.m. "I look forward to working alongside each of you as we b

December 20, 2024

Yoon refuses to accept impeachment trial documents for third time

SEOUL, December 20 (AJP) - The presidential office has refused to accept delivery of documents related to President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment trial for the third time this week, the Constitutional Court of Korea said on Thursday. These documents are part of the ongoing trial proceedings following his abrupt declaration of martial law earlier in the week. During a briefing, the court's spokesperson Lee Jin explained that the documents were first delivered via Korea Post on

December 20, 2024

Top university leaders to discuss upcoming challenges at forum in Seoul

SEOUL, December 20 (AJP) - South Korea's top university leaders will gather in Seoul next week for a forum to discuss the challenges and tasks the country faces ahead of the new year. Co-organized by English-language news agency AJP and its Korean-language affiliate Aju Business Daily, the University Presidents' Future Forum 2025 will bring together leaders from prestigious universities and other academic institutions including the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Tec

December 20, 2024

Far-right media may have shaped Yoon's martial law decision

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol’s December 3 martial law decree, criticized as both extreme and impractical, has ignited scrutiny over his decision-making process and alleged reliance on far-right media sources. Analysts suggest that conspiracy theories promoted by far-right YouTube channels, which have propagated unfounded claims of election fraud, may have influenced the president’s controversial actions. The channels in question have repeatedly

December 19, 2024

Acting president's veto of six bills sparks backlash from Democratic Party

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo on Thursday vetoed six controversial bills, exercising presidential power for the first time since assuming interim leadership following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol. The vetoes, which include four agricultural bills and two related to parliamentary procedure, were approved during an extraordinary Cabinet meeting convened by Han earlier in the day. “My heart feels heavy as I ask the National Assembly t

December 19, 2024

US raises alarm over Russia's possible shift on North Korea's denuclearization amid growing military ties

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - The U.S. has raised concerns that Russia may shift its stance on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "Russia may be close to accepting North Korea's nuclear weapons program, reversing Moscow's decade long commitment to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," said U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield during a Security Council meeting in New York on Wednesday. "We believe that Moscow will become more r

December 19, 2024

Yoon marks low-key birthday as he prepares for impeachment trial

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - President Yoon Suk Yeol quietly marked his 64th birthday on Wednesday without any official schedules or festivities. His low-key birthday came amid his suspension from presidential duties after a motion to impeach him over his abrupt declaration of martial law was passed last week. But the presidential office in Yongsan received over 2,000 letters congratulating Yoon on his birthday, and some of his die-hard supporters also sent flowers to the Constitution

December 19, 2024

Acting President Han talks with Japanese PM on the phone

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - Acting President Han Duck-soo spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba over the phone on Thursday. Han's conversation with Ishiba came after his phone call with U.S. President Joe Biden last weekend. During their talks which lasted about 20 minutes, Han assured Ishiba that the country's state affairs including diplomatic and security policies would be managed without disruptions in accordance with the Constitutional law and order, despi

December 19, 2024

Oxford team promotes Korean language education

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) -- Researchers at the University of Oxford are expanding efforts to promote Korean language education amid surging worldwide interest in Korean culture. Oxford's Korean studies program has signed memorandums of understanding with South Korea's Pyeongtaek University and Indonesia's Pancasila University to develop and share Korean language curricula, Professor Jieun Kiaer said Wednesday. The initiative responds to growing demand for Korean lang

December 19, 2024

U.S. Senate passes annual defense bill maintaining current level of USFK upkeep

SEOUL, December 19 (AJP) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday approved a defense bill which includes Washington's commitment to maintaining about 28,500 American troops in South Korea. The annual National Defense Authorization Act, which allocates $895 billion for defense and security for fiscal year 2025, passed the Senate with a decisive 85-14 vote after clearing the House last week. The bill's passage comes amid concerns that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump may seek to red

December 19, 2024