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

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

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

What does Trump's return to White House mean for South Korea?

SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Former President and Republican candidate Donald Trump is making a return to the presidency in a surprising fashion as he achieved an electoral college majority by securing sweeping victories in key battleground states such as Georgia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, defeating his Democratic rival and Vice President Kamala Harris. "It's a political victory that our country has never seen before, nothing like this. I want to thank the American peo

November 6, 2024

UN Security Council condemns North Korea's latest missile launches

SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - The member countries of the United Nations Security Council once again condemned North Korea's recent missile launches and other provocations. The North's recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, "in addition to the more than 100 ballistic missile launches since 2022 to date, is a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions, jeopardizes international peace and security

November 6, 2024

First Korean-American elected to US Senate

SEOUL, November 6 (AJP) - Korean-American congressman Andy Kim was elected to the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. The 42-year-old Democrat defeated his Republican rival Curtis Bashaw to secure a Senate seat for New Jersey, becoming the first ever Korean-American to serve in the upper house. The three-term congressman's victory comes after the fallout from a corruption scandal involving former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez who resigned after being convicted of taking bribes. &

November 6, 2024

Forum discusses reunification challenges between two Koreas amid growing tensions

SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - An inaugural forum brought together dozens of experts and hundreds of participants in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province last week. Hosted by the Ajou Institute of Unification in cooperation with the provincial government, the forum discussed peace and security on the Korean Peninsula while raising awareness of reunification between the two Koreas. "Despite challenges posed by the North's provocations including repeated missile launches, the province ai

November 5, 2024

South Korea's tradition of making fermented sauces slated for UNESCO listing

SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - South Korea's tradition of making fermented sauces or "jang" is highly likely to be added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO said Tuesday that "knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to jang-making" in South Korea have been selected for "inscription" by its consultive body, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The country's seasonal

November 5, 2024

South Korea to acquire more early warning aircraft from US

South Korea's E-7 aircraft flies in the sky, in this file photo taken in September 2011. Courtesy of the South Korean Air Force. SEOUL, November 5 (AJP) - South Korea will procure airborne early earning aircraft and other related equipment from the U.S. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Monday that the U.S. State Department has approved the sale of four E-7 airborne early warning & control aircraft along with relevant logistics and program support to Korea.

November 5, 2024