The Korea Times

Rival defense expos agree to merge after years of costly split

Korea’s two rival ground defense exhibitions, Defense Expo Korea (DX Korea) and Korea Army International Defense Industry Exhibition (KADEX), have agreed to merge after years of operating separately, ending a split that had drawn criticism from defense companies as well as overseas buyers and military delegations. The organizing committees of DX Korea and KADEX announced reaching a final agreement to hold a joint exhibition at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Sept. 16-19. The merger is expected to eliminate confusion among exhibitors and foreign delegations while allowing Korea's defense industry to present a unified platform to overseas buyers. The two sides had failed to reach an agreement during final negotiations on May 19, but continued discussions afterward and ultimately settled their differences during a meeting between the heads of the two organizing committees. The exhibition will initially be held under the name of KADEX with DX Korea 2026, although organizers said the final name could change following consultations with the Korea Defense Industry Association. The associ

Jun 9, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Rival defense expos agree to merge after years of costly split

Foreign Affairs

President reaffirms phased approach toward NK denuclearization

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday called for a phased approach to North Korea’s denuclearization, while saying South Korea should continue pursuing dialogue with Pyongyang despite severely strained inter-Korean relations. He also reiterated that historical issues remain an obstacle to deeper security cooperation with Japan during a news conference marking the first anniversary of his inauguration. Speaking at Cheong Wa Dae, Lee said complete denuclearization remains the ultimate goal but argued that negotiations should first focus on halting additional production of nuclear materials, preventing their transfer abroad and stopping further development of intercontinental ballistic missile technology. He said setting short-, medium- and long-term goals was a more realistic approach than insisting on immediate denuclearization. “If someone says this means giving up on denuclearization, that is simply leaving reality unattended and making the situation worse,” Lee said, adding that he has discussed the idea with U.S. President Donald Trump on several occasions. Lee described inter-Korean

Jun 8, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

President reaffirms phased approach toward NK denuclearization

North Korea

Xi's planned Pyongyang visit reflects China’s influence bid, NK's nuclear ambitions

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Pyongyang is drawing attention not only as his first trip to North Korea in seven years, but also because it reflects the different strategic goals Beijing and Pyongyang hope to pursue through closer ties. Xi was scheduled to arrive Monday for a two-day visit — his first to the North Korean capital since June 2019 — coming nine months after he met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Beijing during events marking the 80th anniversary of China's victory in World War II. Analysts say Beijing is seeking to reassert its influence over North Korea at a time when Pyongyang has deepened military cooperation with Russia and accelerated the expansion of its nuclear arsenal. Pyongyang, meanwhile, appears intent on using the summit to widen diplomatic space for its claim to permanent status as a nuclear-armed state. Seoul has publicly expressed hope that Beijing will play a constructive role in issues related to the Korean Peninsula. The Ministry of Unification has likewise said it hopes Xi’s visit will contribute to peace and coexistence in No

Jun 7, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Xi's planned Pyongyang visit reflects China’s influence bid, NK's nuclear ambitions

Politics

DPK dominates local elections, wins 12 of 16 mayoral, provincial races

The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) won 12 of the country’s 16 mayoral and provincial governor races in Wednesday’s local elections, while the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) secured four, according to final results released by the National Election Commission (NEC) Thursday. The election was the first nationwide vote since President Lee Jae Myung took office last year and was widely seen as an early test of public sentiment toward his administration. The outcome was viewed as reflecting continued support for Lee and the ruling party, while delivering a setback to the PPP, which has struggled with internal divisions following former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment and the party’s defeat in last year’s presidential election. Lee called on both parties to move beyond the election and focus on governance and national unity. "I congratulate those who were elected and offer my consolation to those who fell short," Lee said during a senior aides' meeting Thursday, also marking the first anniversary of his inauguration. "Now that the election is over, I hope the

Jun 4, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

DPK dominates local elections, wins 12 of 16 mayoral, provincial races

Politics

Voters head to polls with different hopes in local elections

As polling stations opened across Korea Wednesday morning, voters streamed in to cast ballots in the nationwide local elections, each carrying their own hopes and expectations for their communities and local governments. At a polling station set up at an indoor baseball practice facility at Cheonggu Elementary School in central Seoul, residents quietly made their way through the voting process. The facility, normally used by students for batting practice, was temporarily converted into a polling station for Election Day. Among those casting ballots was Oh Eun-soon, 73, who said she came out because there was a candidate she strongly supported. “I came because there is someone I really want to see elected,” she said. “I wanted to do my part.” Elsewhere in Seoul, polling stations saw a steady stream of voters throughout the morning. At Jangchung Elementary School, voters waited their turn for election officials to guide them through the process of casting seven separate ballots for metropolitan and local offices. Families, older and younger voters were all visible among the crowd. Park

Jun 3, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji and Park Ung

Voters head to polls with different hopes in local elections

Politics

Nation heads to polls to select local gov't chiefs, councilors

Koreans will head to polling stations to select their local government chiefs and council members as voting for the ninth local elections begins Wednesday. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 14,288 locations nationwide. Voters will elect 16 metropolitan city mayors and provincial governors, 227 local government heads, 3,973 local council members and 16 education superintendents. By-elections for 14 National Assembly seats will also be held alongside the local polls. Vote counting will begin immediately after polls close. Record early voting turnout has raised expectations for higher overall participation. According to the National Election Commission, 10.49 million voters already cast ballots during the two-day early voting period held Friday and Saturday, resulting in a turnout of 23.51 percent. The figure surpassed the 2022 local elections' early voting turnout rate of 20.62 percent. The highest voter turnout in local elections was 68.4 percent, in the inaugural elections held in 1995, while the lowest was 48.9 percent in 2002. The most recent local elections in 2022 recorded a turn

Jun 3, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Nation heads to polls to select local gov't chiefs, councilors

Foreign Affairs

Korea seeks minerals, supply chain cooperation from African nations

Korea is seeking deeper ties with African nations as it looks for new partners in critical minerals and supply chains amid growing uncertainties over global trade, energy security and geopolitical tensions. The effort was highlighted at the 2026 Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Seoul, where officials discussed expanding cooperation in key industries and holding a second Korea-Africa Summit in 2029. The meeting brought together representatives from 50 African countries and four regional organizations — the African Union, the African Development Bank, the African Continental Free Trade Area and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The gathering marked the first time Korea has independently invited African countries and major regional organizations to a ministerial-level meeting focused on Africa. It also served as a follow-up to the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit held in 2024. “We gather today at a critical juncture where the global order is rapidly shifting,” Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said in his opening remarks. “The world is facing multifaceted chall

Jun 1, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Korea seeks minerals, supply chain cooperation from African nations

Politics

Veterans minister criticizes Starbucks over 'Tank Day' controversy

Veterans Minister Kwon Oh-eul on Friday criticized Starbucks Korea over its recent "Tank Day" promotion, saying the apparent use of a painful chapter in the nation's history as part of a marketing campaign deserves criticism. Speaking at a policy briefing with reporters, Kwon said the incident should be viewed as a corporate marketing decision rather than the action of an individual employee. He added that the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs would take a cautious approach toward ongoing cooperation projects with Starbucks until broader public consensus emerges over the issue. The minister made the remarks while outlining the Lee Jae Myung administration's first-year veterans policy achievements, including expanded support for descendants of independence fighters and surviving spouses of war veterans. Kwon said the government is seeking to strengthen support for groups that have long remained outside Korea's veterans welfare system. Speaking at a luncheon meeting with reporters, Kwon cited a recent revision of the Independence Patriots Act as one of the ministry's most significan

May 29, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Veterans minister criticizes Starbucks over 'Tank Day' controversy

Foreign Affairs

Iran-linked missile strike leaves Korea with few options, analysts warn

Korea faces a narrow set of realistic options in responding to the likely strike on a Korean-operated vessel by an Iran-linked anti-ship missile near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month, with experts saying military measures are effectively off the table and diplomatic pressure the only viable path — even as Washington's calls for greater Korean involvement in regional maritime operations grow louder. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Wednesday that a joint government investigation team found strong evidence suggesting the projectile that struck the vessel belonged to Iran’s Noor series of anti-ship missiles. The government cited missile debris, explosive residue and structural analysis of the blast site as part of the basis for its assessment. Seoul, however, stopped short of directly accusing the Iranian government of carrying out the attack, saying only that the missile was “Iran-linked” and declining to specify whether the launch may have involved Iran’s military, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or an Iran-backed militia group. Doo Jin-ho, director of the

May 28, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Iran-linked missile strike leaves Korea with few options, analysts warn

Defense

Lee’s OPCON push revives debate over USFK role as alliance eyes post-transfer future

President Lee Jae Myung’s renewed push for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul is provoking discussion over the future of the Korea-U.S. alliance and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) after the transition. The discussion comes as Seoul accelerates its defense agenda, saying the transfer would be possible "even tomorrow," while Washington increasingly views the alliance in broader regional terms. Security experts say the issue is gradually moving beyond potential scaling down of the USFK after OPCON transfer toward the more fundamental question of what role the force would play afterward. Lee has reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing OPCON transfer as soon as possible. His administration initially aimed to take over before the end of his term in 2030, but earlier this year the government seemingly moved up the target date to 2028. During a meeting at the Navy Submarine Command at Jinhae in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province on Tuesday, Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back said Korea would face “no major problems” even if OPCON was transferred tomorrow. Lee

May 27, 2026By Bahk Eun-ji

Bahk Eun-ji

Read more

Rival defense expos agree to merge after years of costly split

President reaffirms phased approach toward NK denuclearization

Xi's planned Pyongyang visit reflects China’s influence bid, NK's nuclear ambitions

DPK dominates local elections, wins 12 of 16 mayoral, provincial races

Voters head to polls with different hopes in local elections

Nation heads to polls to select local gov't chiefs, councilors

Korea seeks minerals, supply chain cooperation from African nations

Veterans minister criticizes Starbucks over 'Tank Day' controversy

Iran-linked missile strike leaves Korea with few options, analysts warn

Lee’s OPCON push revives debate over USFK role as alliance eyes post-transfer future

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