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Park Ji-won

Korea Times Politics & City Reporter

Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.

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Foreign Affairs

Ex-Japanese PM calls on Seoul to mend Tokyo-Beijing rift

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — South Korea should take the lead in reviving trilateral diplomacy with China and Japan by pushing for a three-way summit as soon as possible, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Friday. Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, Hatoyama said Seoul is uniquely positioned to bridge a deepening rift between Tokyo and Beijing. "What I expect the most is that South Korea will take the lead in holding a trilateral summit by talking to China as early as possible, as the current relations between Beijing and Tokyo are not easy. I hope South Korea could create that mood," said Hatoyama, the 93rd prime minister of Japan and current president of the East Asian Community Institute. Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated sharply following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said Japan could respond to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan. China, which considers Taiwan its own territory under the One China principle, responded by slashing the number of flight

Jun 26, 2026By Park Ji-won
Ex-Japanese PM calls on Seoul to mend Tokyo-Beijing rift
Foreign Affairs

UN chief candidates call for stronger multilateralism as global institutions weaken

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Candidates vying to lead the United Nations gathered at the Jeju Forum, Thursday, to call for a renewal of multilateralism at a moment when the international body's influence is waning and global cooperation is fracturing under the weight of conflict. The session, titled "Reimagining Multilateralism: A Dialogue with U.N. Secretary-General Candidates," brought together Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the 73rd U.N. General Assembly and former minister of foreign affairs of Ecuador, as well as International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi, U.N. Conference on Trade and Development Secretary General Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and former President of Senegal Macky Sall. Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile and former U.N. high commissioner for human rights, could not attend in person due to a scheduling conflict and instead sent a video message. The session came as the U.N. faces severe funding shortfalls and a growing number of global conflicts,

Jun 25, 2026By Park Ji-won
UN chief candidates call for stronger multilateralism as global institutions weaken
  • Former UN chief slams US for leaving int'l organizations
Foreign Affairs

Korea, Japan must strengthen defense alliance amid US uncertainty, says ex-Japanese foreign minister

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Japan and South Korea should build a stronger security alliance to anchor regional stability as U.S. commitment to East Asia becomes less certain, former Japanese Foreign and Defense Minister Taro Kono said Wednesday. “I think it is indispensable for peace and stability for East Asia that Japan and Korea create a very strong security alliance, not just the economy. Japan and Korea need to sit down and discuss security in the region,” Kono said during the “Asia-Pacific in the age of American First: Asian Leaders’ View” press conference, held on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity. “If you look at the situation in East Asia, Japan and Korea only have each other. The Philippines is a bit far away, Australia is even further down. There is the United States — yes, the U.S. military is still present on the Korean Peninsula and Japan. But I think we need to step up our own effort for stability in the region,” he said, while stressing that Washington remains indispensable. Kono pointed out that while European countries will still be

Jun 25, 2026By Park Ji-won
Korea, Japan must strengthen defense alliance amid US uncertainty, says ex-Japanese foreign minister
North Korea

Seoul-Tokyo economic security ties to deepen as NK-Russia axis grows, former Japanese spy chief says

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — South Korea and Japan will deepen economic security ties as the bond between North Korea and Russia grows stronger, former Japanese spy chief Shigeru Kitamura said Wednesday. "North Korea has been focusing on nuclear issues and has recently been putting efforts into building intense relations with Russia. It is the reality that Pyongyang is supplying their warheads to Russia in return for foreign currency," Kitamura said in an interview with The Korea Times on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity. "In the future, economic security between Seoul and Tokyo will be a big part in bilateral cooperation and the two countries will be able to cooperate in many forms." Kitamura, a former secretary-general of Japan's National Security Secretariat and one of the key aides to the Abe administration, attended the forum as a speaker for a session titled "Between Collective Defense and Collective Security: Toward a New Security Architecture in East Asia." During the session, he argued that alliances are essential to keeping the region stable, particularly a

Jun 24, 2026By Park Ji-won
Seoul-Tokyo economic security ties to deepen as NK-Russia axis grows, former Japanese spy chief says
Foreign Affairs

Seoul rules out Hormuz toll, eyes Middle East reconstruction projects

Korea is positioning itself for a postwar role in Middle East reconstruction while maintaining firm opposition to any tolls on Strait of Hormuz passage, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Monday, as the diplomatic fallout from the U.S.-Iran conflict continues to influence Seoul's regional strategy. “To drive the participation of Korean companies in regional reconstruction and build a comprehensive economic partnership with the Middle East, the foreign ministry launched a dedicated comprehensive economic cooperation team on Korea-Middle East, while using overseas embassies to actively scout for tailored cooperation opportunities across the region,” Cho said during a press conference. “The ministry has been preparing for the post-war era since before a potential U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding.” The agreement, signed electronically by Washington and Tehran, extends the ceasefire and sets the stage for reopening the strait. Korea is among the countries reportedly being considered for participation in a $300 billion (459 trillion won) private fund designed to channel investment in

Jun 22, 2026By Park Ji-won
Seoul rules out Hormuz toll, eyes Middle East reconstruction projects
North Korea

Kakao Map showing detailed North Korean geographical data goes viral online

South Korean map service Kakao Map’s detailed geographical data of North Korea went viral online recently, as the information had previously been blocked on South Korean apps. Many users on X, formerly Twitter, shared posts Monday saying they found it surprising that Kakao Map includes detailed data about North Korea. “Kakao Map shows us Pyongyang. I feel like I have been there,” a user wrote. The reactions reflect the decade-long censorship against North Korean information. Due to the fact that the two Koreas are technically at war and other political reasons, South Koreans have long been prevented from accessing information about the North. For instance, if a South Korean comes into contact with someone from the North, they are required to report it to the government. A Korea Times reporter using Kakao Map found that anyone can zoom in and zoom out to see the names of North Korean mountains, railway stops and universities. While the reporter was not able to search the app by searching place names, by simply moving the cursor, details on the map could easily be reviewed. Kakao, the

Jun 22, 2026By Park Ji-won
Kakao Map showing detailed North Korean geographical data goes viral online
Foreign Affairs

Korea wants Jeju Forum to be global platform of peace, int'l cooperation: foreign minister

Someday, "Jeju" could carry the same global resonance as "Davos," but as a name synonymous with peace, cooperation and dialogue rather than economic power. That is the ambition Foreign Minister Cho Hyun laid out for the 21st Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, which will run this Wednesday to Friday on Korea's southern island. “As Davos, a mountain city of the Alps, became a brand of the World Economic Forum itself, we hope the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity will position itself as a platform to contribute to world peace, and therefore the name ‘Jeju’ becomes a symbol of peace, cooperation and dialogue in the international community,” Cho said during an interview with The Korea Times June 5. Cho serves as the co-chair of the forum alongside Jeju Gov. Oh Young-hun. The ministry is participating in the event as a co-host starting this year, showing the government's commitment to elevating the status of the annual global event. The minister said Korea's unique historical trajectory — being the only country since World War II to transition from foreign aid recipient to major

Jun 22, 2026By Park Ji-won
Korea wants Jeju Forum to be global platform of peace, int'l cooperation: foreign minister
Defense

Defense ministry expands outreach to US Congress over OPCON transfer bill

Korea’s defense ministry said Friday it is expanding its outreach to the U.S. Congress in response to a Senate bill that seeks to increase Congress' power to examine the transfer process of wartime Operational Control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul. The bill, if passed, could be a major challenge to Seoul's plan to take over the OPCON by 2028 or even as early as the end of 2027. A defense ministry official said, “(Korea and the U.S.) are in close consultations based on a shared understanding that OPCON transfer will continue to bolster the combined defense posture of the Korea-U.S. on the defense on the Korean Peninsula.” While adding that it is inappropriate for the ministry to evaluate pending legislation in the U.S. Congress, the official said, “We are actively expanding outreach to Congress.” The remarks came as the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Armed Services passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2027 on June 11, which obliges the Pentagon chief to report on the transfer roadmap to Congress every 90 days. The bill reads, “Not later than Mar

Jun 19, 2026By Park Ji-won
Defense ministry expands outreach to US Congress over OPCON transfer bill
Foreign Affairs

UN secretary-general candidates to speak at Jeju Forum next week

The Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity opens on Jeju Island next week, bringing together candidates for the position of the next United Nations secretary-general alongside policymakers and scholars to debate cooperation in an increasingly divided world. The 21st edition of the annual international security forum runs from June 24-26 at Haevichi Hotel & Resort Jeju and Jeju Stone Park, under the theme "Reinventing Cooperation in a Fragmented World." The three-day program includes up to 68 sessions spanning U.S.-China power games, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, the Korean Peninsula security situation, climate change and the role of local governments in global affairs. A plenary on June 25 titled "Reimagining Multilateralism: A Dialogue with U.N. Secretary-General Candidates" is among the most closely watched events on the agenda. Confirmed participants include Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile and former U.N. high commissioner for human rights; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the 73rd U.N. General Assembly and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuad

Jun 16, 2026By Park Ji-won
UN secretary-general candidates to speak at Jeju Forum next week
North Korea

Trump's captionless Kim Jong-un photo sparks talk of renewed North Korea diplomacy

Hours after declaring an end to the war with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump posted a captionless photo of himself with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un — a move experts say signals openness to renewed summit talks with Pyongyang, even if North Korea is unlikely to become an immediate priority for the administration. Trump uploaded the image to Truth Social on Sunday (local time), showing him walking with Kim through a garden in Singapore on June 12, 2018, during the summit at which the two leaders agreed to pursue denuclearization and improved bilateral ties. The post came roughly an hour after Trump announced the U.S. would sign a deal with Iran Monday, an agreement he said would bar Iran from possessing nuclear weapons and lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “Barack Hussein Obama’s Deal with Iran, the JCPOA, was an easy, beautiful, smooth road to a Nuclear Weapon, which Iran would have had six years ago, and would have used long before now. My Agreement with Iran is the exact opposite, A WALL TO NO NUCLEAR WEAPON! In fact, they no longer want a Nuclear Weapon, nor

Jun 15, 2026By Park Ji-won
Trump's captionless Kim Jong-un photo sparks talk of renewed North Korea diplomacy
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