South

July 27 (Asia Today) — A South Korean court sentenced former President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, after finding him guilty of making false statements during his successful 2022 presidential campaign.

The Seoul Central District Court said Yoon’s statements concerned his relationship with Jeon Seong-bae, a shaman also known as Geonjin, and his alleged introduction of a lawyer to former tax official Yoon Woo-jin.

“The impact of a candidate publicly making false statements during a debate or other campaign event on an election is extremely significant,” the court said. It added that the seriousness of Yoon’s conduct should not be regarded as minor.

Yoon’s attorneys said the court misunderstood the facts and relevant law and accepted only the special counsel’s arguments. They said they would appeal.

If the ruling is upheld by the Supreme Court, the main opposition People Power Party could be required to return about 39.7 billion won, or $27.1 million, in campaign expenses reimbursed by the government following Yoon’s election.

It would be the largest repayment of election expenses by a political party in South Korean history.

Yoon was charged over comments he made while running for president.

During an interview at the launch of a Buddhist leaders’ forum on Jan. 17, 2022, Yoon said a party official had introduced him to Jeon and that he and his wife, former first lady Kim Keon Hee, had never met Jeon together.

Prosecutors argued that Yoon had repeatedly received advice from Jeon and falsely portrayed their relationship as a chance introduction during the campaign.

Yoon was also charged over remarks at a Kwanhun Club debate on Dec. 14, 2021. He denied introducing a former senior prosecution official as an attorney for Yoon Woo-jin, a former district tax office chief who had faced a bribery investigation.

The court said Yoon’s statement contradicted the nature of his relationship with the former tax official.

Under South Korean election law, candidates who receive at least 15% of the vote can receive full government reimbursement of eligible campaign expenses. Candidates who receive between 10% and 15% can recover half of their expenses.

A political party must return reimbursed campaign expenses and the candidate’s deposit if its presidential nominee receives a final conviction carrying a fine of at least 1 million won, or about $680, for an election-law offense. The repayment must generally be made within 30 days.

The ruling adds to Yoon’s mounting legal problems following his removal from office over his brief declaration of martial law in December 2024.

The Supreme Court this month upheld a seven-year prison sentence against Yoon for offenses that included obstructing authorities attempting to detain him and violating legal procedures surrounding the martial law declaration.

Yoon was separately sentenced to life imprisonment in February after a lower court convicted him of leading an insurrection through the martial law declaration. His appeal is pending before the Seoul High Court.

In June, a lower court sentenced him to 30 years in prison for ordering military drone flights into North Korea in an alleged attempt to escalate tensions and create a justification for martial law. Yoon has appealed that ruling.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260727010009828

Lee Kang-In makes the switch to Atletico after helping Paris Saint-Germain to consecutive Champions League titles.

South Korea midfielder Lee Kang-In has agreed to join Atletico Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain, the Spanish club.

Atletico said on Saturday the player would sign a contract through June 2031. The transfer fee was undisclosed, but it is reportedly between 35 and 40 million euros ($39.8m and $45.5m).

The 25-year-old Lee played all three group-stage games at the World Cup, where South Korea failed to advance after losing twice.

Born in Incheon, Lee moved to Spain when he was 10 to join Valencia’s training academy and ended up playing 62 games for the club. After a stint with Mallorca, he joined PSG in 2023, scoring 16 goals in 124 appearances.

He will now play for an Atletico side that finished La Liga in fourth place and reached the Copa del Rey final last season. Lee will help fill the creative void left by Antoine Griezmann, who has left for the MLS as Atletico’s all-time top scorer.

The world claims to regard education as a universal right. Its financial system tells a different story.

⁠New figures released by UNESCO show that 113 countries with a total population of 6.1 billion now spend more on servicing debt than educating their people. In low-income countries, debt payments are nearly four times education expenditure. In 18 of the most heavily indebted countries, governments spend at least five times more on debt than on education.

These are not merely signs of strained public finances. They reveal a stark political hierarchy.

Creditors possess enforceable claims on government revenues. Children possess declarations, development goals and promises. When the two collide, creditors are paid first.

The consequences are visible in overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings, teacher shortages, unaffordable school fees and children leaving education prematurely. Yet these outcomes are generally described as funding gaps or failures of domestic governance, as though governments had freely decided to neglect their schools.

In reality, many governments are operating inside an international financial order that sharply restricts what they can choose.

The ⁠World Bank reports that developing countries transferred $741bn more to external creditors in principal and interest between 2022 and 2024 than they received in new financing. This was the largest net debt outflow in at least 50 years. In 2024 alone, low and middle-income countries paid a record $415bn in interest.

In other words, the financial flows are frequently moving in the opposite direction from the one suggested by the language of development assistance.

Poorer countries are commonly portrayed as beneficiaries of Western generosity. But vast amounts of public wealth are travelling from debtor countries to bondholders, commercial banks, multilateral institutions and wealthier creditor governments.

Money that could hire teachers, provide school meals or build classrooms is instead leaving the country.

This is particularly perverse because education is not simply another item of government consumption. It is an investment in a society’s future capacities. Cutting it may make debt payments easier today, but it will weaken productivity, public revenues and social resilience tomorrow.

Debt contracts are treated as binding obligations whose breach can trigger credit downgrades, capital flight, lawsuits and exclusion from financial markets. The right to education, by contrast, carries no comparable machinery of enforcement.

No ratings agency downgrades creditors when a country cannot afford enough teachers. No financial penalty is imposed on bondholders when debt service forces children out of school. Markets do not panic when classrooms collapse.

The system disciplines governments for failing creditors, not for failing children.

UNESCO has proposed expanding debt-for-education swaps. Under these arrangements, a creditor cancels or restructures part of a country’s debt in exchange for government investment in agreed educational programmes.

Such initiatives can produce tangible gains. A 2023 agreement with France helped Ivory Coast finance more than 30 schools in underserved areas. A German agreement with Egypt supported school feeding and basic services, while an earlier Spain-Peru programme funded education projects across vulnerable regions.

These programmes are worthwhile. But they are not a solution to the larger debt crisis.

Debt swaps typically cover only a small fraction of what countries owe. They are negotiated selectively, depend on creditor consent and may add new layers of external monitoring to domestic spending. Most importantly, they leave untouched the principle that creditors are entitled to repayment unless they voluntarily concede otherwise.

The question becomes how to persuade creditors to permit a little more education, rather than why the claims of creditors should take priority in the first place.

That question is especially urgent because education aid is also falling. UNESCO projects that international assistance for education could decline by as much as 30 percent between 2023 and 2027.

Debtor countries are therefore being squeezed from both sides: aid is retreating while debt payments continue.

The familiar recommendation that developing countries should mobilise more domestic resources is inadequate. Progressive taxation and reduced corruption matter. But additional revenues will not transform education systems if they are immediately diverted towards debts contracted at high interest rates, or made more expensive by currency depreciation.

Nor can the problem be solved by demanding ever more austerity. Education budgets consist largely of recurring expenditure, especially teachers’ salaries. When governments are instructed to freeze public-sector wage bills, they cannot solve teacher shortages or expand access, however often international institutions proclaim education a priority.

A more serious response would begin with large-scale debt cancellation for countries in distress, automatic suspension of payments during economic and climate emergencies, far cheaper concessional financing and a fair multilateral mechanism for restructuring sovereign debt.

At present, debt negotiations are fragmented among private creditors, bilateral lenders and international institutions. Debtor governments must bargain with powerful financial actors while trying to avoid being punished for seeking relief.

A binding United Nations framework for sovereign debt could establish shared rules, require both borrowers and lenders to act responsibly and prevent holdout creditors from obstructing restructuring. It could also make social rights central to assessments of what a country can genuinely afford to repay.

The world needs to move towards the idea that debt repayment cannot come at any human cost. A debt is not sustainable when paying it requires dismantling the institutions on which a society’s future depends.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

A China Coast Guard vessel has fired its water cannon at Philippine government boats near Scarborough Shoal, the latest in a series of confrontations in the disputed South China Sea.

July 23 (Asia Today) — South Korea and the United States have opened a shipbuilding cooperation center in Washington, moving their partnership beyond government declarations and preliminary agreements toward developing and implementing commercial projects.

The Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center will serve as a base for $150 billion in planned shipbuilding investment, U.S. shipyard modernization, workforce development and joint research.

The center’s opening was accompanied by 15 agreements involving South Korea’s three largest shipbuilders, U.S. shipyards, technology companies, universities and research institutions.

The agreements give the Make American Shipbuilding Great Again initiative, known as MASGA, a more detailed framework. Its success, however, will depend on how quickly the center can generate ship orders, maintenance contracts and actual investments.

South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources and the U.S. Department of Commerce jointly held the opening ceremony Thursday at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington.

About 130 government, congressional, corporate and industry officials from the two countries attended, including South Korean Trade, Industry and Resources Minister Kim Jung-kwan and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Michelle Steel also attended.

The center was established as a follow-up to the Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Initiative signed May 8. Operations began about two months after the two governments reached the agreement.

“KUSPC is an unprecedented cooperation platform in the global shipbuilding industry and a symbol of South Korea’s firm commitment to helping rebuild the U.S. shipbuilding industry,” Kim said.

Kim said the center would help South Korean shipbuilding technology take root across U.S. coastal industrial regions.

He also said the planned $150 billion shipbuilding investment would be implemented promptly and called on the United States to provide continuing ship orders, investment incentives and regulatory relief.

‘Team Korea’ formed for U.S. market

The center will connect South Korean shipbuilders with U.S. shipyards, technology companies and research institutions.

Its work will include improving shipyard productivity, training skilled workers, developing equipment supply chains, supporting joint technology projects and identifying direct investment opportunities.

Center President Lee Jong-geon said the organization would link the two governments with shipyards, universities, research institutions and investors.

He said the center would support workforce training, productivity consulting and joint technology development to help restore the fundamental competitiveness of the U.S. shipbuilding industry.

The 15 agreements announced at the ceremony cover four areas: the creation of Team Korea, supply chain cooperation, workforce development and joint technology research.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Heavy Industries joined the Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding Association, the Korea Research Institute of Ships and Ocean Engineering and the new center to form Team Korea for coordinated expansion in the U.S. market.

The three shipbuilders will focus on shipyard modernization and the development of equipment supply chains. The research institute will handle studies and demonstrations of future maritime technology while the center will provide local market information and business networks.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering agreed to work with Siemens Digital Industries Software on digital systems for next-generation ship design and production.

The company also plans to provide Fraser Industries with shipyard productivity assessments and support for the introduction of automation technology.

Hanwha Ocean will work with the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia to help local manufacturers enter the shipbuilding supply chain.

South Korean marine equipment company JJ & Companies will provide equipment and vessel repair technology to Nichols Brothers Boat Builders and Everett Ship Repair to strengthen local maintenance, repair and overhaul capacity.

HD Hyundai Samho also signed a contract to supply four port cranes to Washington United Terminals at the Port of Tacoma, extending the partnership beyond shipyards to port modernization.

Workforce programs target labor shortage

The center will also support programs designed to address the shortage of skilled shipbuilding workers in the United States.

Hanwha Philly Shipyard will provide welding, painting and other technical training at Delaware County Community College in Pennsylvania. The program will connect classroom instruction with internships and employment at the shipyard.

Samsung Heavy Industries and Vigor Marine Group plan to establish a workforce training center equipped with virtual reality and augmented reality welding systems.

The Korean research institute, shipbuilding association and partnership center will also work with the American Bureau of Shipping to develop technical certification, safety training and qualification programs.

The South Korean government plans to dispatch retired engineers and production specialists to U.S. shipyards to advise on process efficiency, yard operations, quality control and environmental management.

U.S. shipyard managers and engineers will also be offered one- to two-month training placements at South Korean shipyards.

Joint research to combine Korean production and U.S. technology

South Korea plans to invest 120 billion won, or about $80.4 million, over five years in joint shipbuilding research with the United States.

Seven South Korean companies and institutions and nine U.S. organizations will carry out eight projects combining South Korean shipbuilding and production capabilities with U.S. artificial intelligence and robotics technology.

The projects include AI-based ship design optimization, 3D printing of marine components measuring up to 16 feet, autonomous welding of aluminum naval vessel panels and automated painting of large ship sections.

Other projects include autonomous transporters for large ship blocks, fully automated pipe-spool production, AI-based virtual reality training and autonomous navigation and engine controls for software-defined unmanned vessels.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries will work with U.S. defense technology company Anduril Industries to develop and test autonomous navigation and engine automation platforms for unmanned vessels.

Samsung Heavy Industries will collaborate with Saronic Technologies on unmanned surface vessels and the application of automation systems at U.S. shipyards.

Hanwha Ocean will jointly design a global fast sealift vessel with Leidos subsidiary Gibbs & Cox.

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering will also work with ABSG Consulting to develop and verify an operating platform for next-generation autonomous vessels.

The center will begin operations with 6.6 billion won, or about $4.4 million, in government funding this year.

Its initial operating period runs from 2026 through 2028 with a budget of 19.93 billion won, or about $13.4 million. It will operate as a nonprofit organization from the Korea International Trade Association’s Washington office.

The government also plans to link the center with a bilateral shipbuilding investment council established in June.

South Korea’s strategic investment corporation and state-run financial institutions, including the Export-Import Bank of Korea, Korea Development Bank and Korea Trade Insurance Corp., will provide financing for investments in U.S. shipyards and vessel construction projects.

Orders and long-term contracts remain key test

South Korean shipbuilders said the center represents a shift from government-level pledges to the development of specific commercial projects.

They said South Korean strengths in ship design, production management and smart shipyard technology could support U.S. shipyard modernization while creating opportunities in workforce training and equipment supply.

U.S. requests for information on combat vessels and military support ships have also raised expectations for future cooperation.

Industry officials cautioned, however, that the number of agreements signed will be less important than the volume of actual orders and investments they produce.

South Korean shipbuilders have begun entering the U.S. Navy maintenance, repair and overhaul market. Stable profitability will require the companies to move beyond individual repair assignments toward multiyear contracts and bundled service agreements.

The pace of shipyard investment will also depend on how the $150 billion financing package is structured and what conditions are attached to it.

Other unresolved questions include how much work can be awarded to South Korean shipbuilders, how investment responsibilities will be divided between companies and state financial institutions and whether U.S. regulations and domestic-content requirements will be eased.

Industry officials said the center must become more than a liaison office and establish itself as a business development organization connecting the U.S. government, Congress, ship purchasers and local shipyards.

They said MASGA’s performance will ultimately be judged by commercial and naval vessel orders, long-term maintenance contracts and completed shipyard investments.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260723010008621

The ‘Farmgate’ scandal nearly cost President Cyril Ramaphosa the leadership of his African National Congress in 2022.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has won a court challenge temporarily halting a parliamentary impeachment process over misconduct allegations linked to the “Farmgate” scandal.

The Western Cape High Court granted Ramaphosa an “interim interdict” that temporarily prevents the impeachment committee from proceeding with public hearings while the president challenges the legality of a 2022 report that found he “may have committed” serious violations and misconduct.

“Pending the determination by this court of the applicant’s review … respondents are interdicted from proceeding with a public impeachment hearing,” Judge Andre le Grange announced on Friday.

“Farmgate”, a scandal involving half a million dollars stashed in a sofa at Ramaphosa’s ranch, nearly cost the president the leadership of his African National Congress (ANC) in late 2022. Meanwhile, allegations of corruption within the party contributed to the ANC losing its majority in an election in May 2024, the most closely contested vote in South Africa‘s democracy.

Ramaphosa has always denied any wrongdoing and ruled out resigning over the incident since the allegedly undeclared stash of foreign currency came to light after it was reported stolen in 2020.

The president said the $580,000 that was hidden at his luxury Phala Phala farmhouse in the northern Limpopo province was proceeds from the sale of buffaloes. But the episode has been a major embarrassment, raising questions about why he had so much money stuffed in furniture.

Friday’s ruling is a boost for Ramaphosa as he also awaits the outcome of a separate court case challenging an independent panel’s findings that he may have a case to answer over the scandal.

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the president respects the ruling.

“[He] reaffirms his respect of judicial independence and separation of powers enshrined in our Constitution,” Magwenya said in a statement. “The president will continue to cooperate with and abide by processes of accountability.”

Political analysts expect Ramaphosa to remain in power, even if the impeachment process does get off the ground and ultimately leads to a vote on whether he should be removed from office.

Ramaphosa still enjoys the backing of his ANC party, the country’s biggest, which leads a coalition government. The ANC holds about 40 percent of seats in the National Assembly. It is not clear how all the ANC’s coalition partners would vote in the impeachment process.

Israeli attacks come amid ongoing talks with Lebanese officials to implement framework for peace between two countries.

The Israeli army has attacked the southern Lebanese town of al-Mansouri and carried out blasts in the nearby village of Majdal Zoun, Lebanon’s National News Agency reports, despite the “ceasefie” and ongoing talks between the two countries.

The explosion in Majdal Zoun on Friday was heard as far away as city of Tyre, over 15 kilometres (nine miles) away, according to local reports.

The attack and demolitions have become a routine feature of life in southern Lebanon, despite a United States-brokered framework that is supposed to end the fighting and lead to “peace”.

On Thursday, an Israeli strike on an ambulance in Nabatieh al-Fawqa injured two medics. The Lebanese Health Ministry called the attack a “flagrant violation of international and humanitarian laws and norms”.

Israel has been systematically levelling entire villages near the border, with Israeli officials openly declaring the objective of erasing Lebanese towns out of existence to create a “security zone”.

Israel occupies nearly fifth of Lebanese territory and has killed more than 4,000 people since fighting erupted on March 2, maintaining that its operations are aimed at stopping Lebanese armed group Hezbollah from launching assaults into northern Israel.

However, the demolitions bear close resemblance to Israel’s tactics in Gaza, where a “ceasefire” has not halted the Israeli military’s campaign to destroy the territory. Rights advocates say Israel’s policies aim to make the strip uninhabitable.

US President Donald Trump promised to “help” Lebanon during a White House meeting with Lebanese president Joseph Aoun earlier this week.

Asked whether there will be a timeline for Israel’s withdrawal from the country, Trump said: “They’re in the process of doing that. They’re in the process of redeploying [to] other sections.”

Under the framework agreement signed in Washington on June 26, the Lebanese army is to take over Israel-occupied territories in the south, provided that Hezbollah is disarmed.

Lebanese and Israeli officials have been meeting regularly to discuss the implementation of the deal with the next round of talks scheduled for August 4 in Italy.

Hezbollah has rejected the agreement outright, with its leader Naim Qassem calling the deal “null and void” and calling for armed resistance to push Israel out of Lebanon.

The deal sets no timeline for withdrawal. Instead, it outlines two “pilot zones” where the Lebanese military “will gradually assume full and effective security responsibility”.

The Lebanese army deployed to the first pilot-zone villages this week. But residents returning to Froun and Ghandouriyeh say their villages were never occupied by Israeli forces, arguing that Israel has not given back any territory.

July 22 (UPI) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in Manila on Wednesday for a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations, met with Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his counterpart in China, Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Meanwhile, police clashed with protesters outside who criticized the United States’ involvement in area conflicts and blamed the Trump administration for fueling tension in the region. Some protestors held up signs that said, “U.S. out of everywhere!” and “War criminals not welcome! Ban Rubio! Ban Trump!”

Rubio spokesman Tommy Pigott said the secretary of state met with Marco “to reaffirm our ironclad alliance and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The two men confirmed that “there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea” and discussed other matters, Pigott said.

Tensions between the Philippines and China have been high lately over the disputed South China Sea. On Monday, the Philippine military accused Chinese coast guard personnel of striking and injuring a Philippine sailor. China said the Philippine officers instigated the conflict.

China claims most of the South China Sea, including areas that hold the exclusive economic zones of other countries including the Philippines.

In person at the ASEAN conference, Rubio behaved politely toward his Chinese counterpart, saying he appreciated China withholding support for Iran and opposing a toll in the Strait of Hormuz. He also said the countries were taking steps to establish boards of investment and trade.

He did not mention recent claims by U.S. President Donald Trump that China interfered in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

“Look, these are the two most powerful countries in the world,” Rubio told reporters Wednesday. “It would frankly be reckless and irresponsible for the U.S. and China not to have a relationship.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit the United States in September.

In contrast to his remarks Wednesday, Rubio’s words in an opinion column that the U.S. State Department placed in Philippine newspapers this week were somewhat less measured when it came to the conflict over the South China Sea.

“If those waters fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon, both the United States and the ASEAN states would face dire new threats to their sovereignty, security and economic futures,” he wrote.

July 22 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s ruling Democratic Party leadership race has descended into an increasingly bitter dispute over allegations that members of a controversial religious group may be attempting to influence the party’s Aug. 17 national convention.

The dispute began after former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, a candidate for party leader, raised the possibility that the Shincheonji Church of Jesus was intervening in the election.

Shincheonji is a South Korean religious movement whose alleged political activities have become the subject of a national investigation. The church has denied allegations that it directed members to join political parties or interfere in elections.

Kim’s claims have revived questions about why proposed legislation authorizing a special counsel investigation into Shincheonji was abandoned while rival candidate Jung Chung-rae was serving as Democratic Party leader.

The controversy has escalated beyond the original allegations. Jung has denied wrongdoing and threatened legal action, while his allies have demanded that Kim produce evidence, apologize or withdraw from the race.

Party members have warned that the dispute could deepen factional divisions and make it difficult to reunify the party after the convention.

The conflict is increasingly being viewed as a proxy battle between supporters of President Lee Jae Myung and those aligned with Jung.

Kim is generally associated with the party faction loyal to Lee. Jung, a former party leader, has developed his own base among rank-and-file members, and several senior party figures have publicly rallied behind him.

“The essence of this convention is to defeat an alliance of anti-Lee forces, divisive elements and Shincheonji,” Kim said Tuesday. “We must also examine, one by one, why the Shincheonji special counsel investigation did not proceed.”

Kim did not identify Jung by name. His remarks, however, were widely interpreted as criticism of Jung because proposed special counsel investigations into Shincheonji and the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification were abandoned during Jung’s tenure as party leader.

Rep. Lee Geon-tae, an ally of President Lee, reinforced Kim’s allegation in a social media post.

“It appears difficult to dismiss Shincheonji’s alleged intervention in the party convention as mere speculation,” Lee said. “We need to determine why the special counsel legislation was halted.”

Jung denied the allegations and said he would take legal action against the dissemination of false information.

Rep. Moon Jeong-bok, a Supreme Council member aligned with Jung, challenged Kim during a party leadership meeting Wednesday.

“What evidence supports the claim of a secret alliance with Shincheonji, and why is this allegation being used to place the party in danger?” Moon said. “He said he has evidence, so he must disclose it and accept responsibility.”

Reps. Choi Min-hee, Lee Sung-yoon and Han Min-soo, who are running for seats on the party’s Supreme Council and are considered Jung allies, issued a similar demand at a news conference.

They said Kim should apologize and withdraw his candidacy if he could not substantiate the allegation.

“He is portraying the Democratic Party as though it were violating the constitutional separation of religion and politics to gain an advantage in the election,” they said.

Some party officials said Kim’s accusation could backfire because Jung’s supporters may interpret it as an attempt to associate all of them with Shincheonji.

“It could be understood as linking every party member who supports Jung to Shincheonji,” a Democratic Party official said. “That could provoke voters and create even greater barriers between groups of supporters.”

Party members said the larger concern was that the fight could undermine unity long after the leadership election ends.

The repeated allegations, threats of lawsuits and demands for candidates to withdraw have pushed debate over party policies and future priorities into the background, they said.

“A certain level of conflict was expected before the convention, but the candidates are now crossing lines that should not be crossed,” another Democratic Party official said.

“The candidates and party leadership must prevent further division so these wounds do not remain after the primary is over.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260723010008191

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a gathering of southeast Asian foreign ministers, to discuss how to manage bilateral tensions ahead of a planned summit between US President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping.

The meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathering of foreign ministers in Manila on Wednesday came amid tensions over China’s conduct in the disputed South China Sea and the US war against Iran. ASEAN countries have expressed concerns about both issues at the meeting.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have also been complicated by Trump’s accusations that China meddled in US elections, allegations Beijing has dismissed as “pure fabrication”.

Rubio said the US and China have “great differences” that are likely to persist “for the foreseeable future”, but that he and Wang discussed the need to manage those disagreements to ensure Xi has a “very positive visit” to the US. Xi is expected to visit in September.

Wang said the US must “respect China’s core interests … effectively manage differences and disagreements, and address China’s legitimate concerns”, according to an official Chinese summary of their meeting. It described the talks as “pragmatic, positive and constructive”.

The two sides agreed to “make sound preparations for the next stage of high-level exchanges,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

‘Commerce as geopolitical weapon’

Wednesday’s meeting came two days after a confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the South China Sea left a Philippine sailor injured, leading both countries to summon each other’s ambassador.

The incident this week took place on Monday at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal. The Philippines ⁠said Chinese coastguard struck one of ⁠the Philippine navy staff on the head with a wooden baton, while China said the Philippine personnel were the first to attack and accused Philippine vessels ⁠of ramming a Chinese patrol boat.

Rubio said the altercation benefited nobody, adding that Washington had ⁠reiterated in all its meetings that it was bound by a defence treaty to stand up for Manila.

“We intend to live up to our treaty obligations, and I think we’ve done so, and will continue to do so,” he said.

Rubio’s remarks echo an opinion piece he published in Philippine media on Tuesday about Beijing’s conduct in the South China Sea. Rubio warned of “dire new threats” if those waters were to “fall under the control of a power willing to use commerce as a geopolitical weapon”.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea via a line on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, and is at the centre of long-running disputes over a multitude of islands.

Disputes between the Philippines and China have increased in recent years as Manila takes a bolder stance while pursuing closer defence ties with the US, Australia and Japan.

The US has increased military financing for the Philippines to $100mn for the 2026 fiscal year and is providing an additional $9mn to expand a coastguard pier on the island of Palawan “to enhance Philippine maritime ⁠law enforcement presence and sustain operations in the South China Sea”, the State Department said in a fact sheet.

Discussing the US relationship with ASEAN member states, Rubio said the security and prosperity of the US and southeast Asia were closely interconnected.

“I believe very much that the future and the story of the 21st century will be written in this region and by how events unfold here,” he said.

Iran ‘not serious about talks’, says Rubio

Rubio also addressed the situation with Iran in a meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers, claiming that Tehran was responsible for the latest escalation.

“The problem we’re having right now is that they’re not serious about talks,” Rubio said. “If they’re serious, we’re serious. If they’re not, then we will do what’s necessary to protect our interests, and also the interests of our allies.”

The US has carried out strikes on Iran for eleven consecutive nights, including targeting roads, bridges and power plants in recent attacks, all but shattering an interim peace deal agreed by the two sides last month.

Rubio stressed that Iran could not be allowed to control the Strait of ‌Hormuz, as it could set a dangerous precedent for other parts of the world.

The top US diplomat also confirmed he would meet on Thursday with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss the Ukraine war, saying that Washington remained open to playing a constructive role in ending the conflict.

South Africa: Fassi; Williams, Kriel, de Allende, Arendse; Moyo, Reinach; Steenekamp, Marx, Sadie, C Wiese, van Heerden, de Villiers, PS du Toit (capt), J Wiese

Replacements: Venter, Wessels, Louw, Dixon, van Staden, Jantjies, Libbok, Willemse.

Wales: Murray; Rees-Zammit, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Mee; Edwards, Tomos Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), D Lewis, Teddy Williams, Beard, Mann, J Morgan, Wainwright

Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Warren, F Thomas, Reffell, Botham, Morgan-Williams, Hawkins.

Yellow card: Warren 65

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR) & James Doleman (NZRFU)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZRFU)

July 17 (Asia Today) — A South Korean court Thursday rejected an arrest warrant for former Prosecutor General Shim Woo-jung over allegations that he participated in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s failed declaration of martial law.

The Seoul Central District Court said prosecutors had not sufficiently demonstrated that Shim was likely to destroy evidence.

The court also said the progress of the investigation and related court proceedings made it difficult to conclude that he posed a flight risk.

The court separately rejected an arrest warrant for Jeon Moo-gon, a former head of the policy planning division at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office.

The court said Jeon’s arguments, the progress of the investigation and the evidence collected did not indicate that he was likely to flee or destroy evidence.

Shim and Jeon are accused of reviewing plans to dispatch prosecutors to a joint martial law investigation headquarters under instructions from then-Justice Minister Park Sung-jae on Dec. 3, 2024.

Investigators also suspect they discussed how to handle crimes that would fall under military court jurisdiction after the martial law declaration.

They are further accused of participating in the preparation of a document concerning court jurisdiction under martial law.

The second special counsel team led by Kwon Chang-young requested arrest warrants for Shim and Jeon on Tuesday on allegations of participating in an insurrection and abusing their authority to obstruct the exercise of rights.

The special counsel team’s failure to secure their detention could complicate its investigation into allegations that senior prosecution officials participated in the martial law attempt.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260716010006339

July 17 (Asia Today) — A senior U.S. lawmaker proposed building as much as 80% of some American naval vessels in South Korea while reserving sensitive technology and final assembly for the United States.

Rep. Ami Bera of California, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee overseeing East Asia and the Pacific, said Thursday that relying exclusively on domestic shipyards was unrealistic because the United States lacks sufficient workers and production capacity.

Bera spoke at a South Korea-U.S. shipbuilding and maritime innovation forum hosted by the Korea Foundation and the RAND research organization in Arlington, Va.

“To say we are going to build everything in the United States is wrong,” Bera said, urging Washington to make greater use of allied manufacturing capacity.

He suggested that South Korean shipyards could produce hulls and other components accounting for 75% to 80% of a vessel, while highly sensitive systems could be manufactured and installed in the United States.

Bera also proposed a distributed construction model under which components would be produced at different locations before being brought to the United States for final assembly.

“If we do not have the workers or construction capacity in the United States, we have to build where ships can be built,” he said.

Bera said combining the capabilities of the United States and its allies would strengthen deterrence and help prevent a military conflict with China.

Technology controls and visas remain obstacles

Bera said President Donald Trump had discussed nuclear-powered submarine construction with South Korea.

Such cooperation would require the two countries to address technology sharing and export control restrictions, he said.

Bera cited the security partnership among the United States, Britain and Australia as a possible model for resolving issues related to joint naval construction.

The partnership, commonly known as AUKUS, includes plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines with American and British assistance.

Bera also called on the United States to facilitate the entry of South Korean engineers and technicians needed to support investments by Korean shipbuilding companies.

He described the detention of more than 300 South Korean workers in Georgia in September as an “embarrassing fiasco” and said the visa problem must be resolved.

The United States has encouraged South Korean companies to invest in American manufacturing while immigration restrictions have complicated the deployment of specialized Korean personnel to construction sites and shipyards.

Expert says U.S. rebuilding could take decades

Shin Jong-gye, a professor emeritus of naval architecture and ocean engineering at Seoul National University, said China’s overall shipbuilding capacity by gross tonnage was more than 230 times that of the United States.

He said China had more than 50 dry docks large enough to accommodate aircraft carriers.

Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia is the only U.S. shipyard capable of designing and building nuclear-powered aircraft carriers.

Shin said the United States must expand both its physical shipyard capacity and its ability to build vessels quickly and efficiently.

South Korea, Japan and China benefit from building commercial and naval vessels within the same industrial ecosystems, allowing them to share technology, workers and supply chains, he said.

The United States lacks a comparable commercial shipbuilding base and therefore cannot obtain the same economies of scale, Shin said.

South Korea, Japan and China together account for more than 95% of global commercial shipbuilding.

Shin said rebuilding an industry requires accumulated experience, technology and repeated construction cycles.

He estimated that rebuilding the U.S. shipbuilding sector independently could take 20 to 30 years, while cooperation with South Korea could significantly shorten the process.

Shin proposed initially building complete ships in South Korea while developing supply chains in the United States. American production could then be expanded gradually.

He said protecting South Korean intellectual property, providing appropriate compensation and resolving visa restrictions for Korean specialists would be essential.

Hanwha, HD Hyundai respond to Navy request

Michael Coulter, president and chief executive officer of Hanwha Defense USA, said protectionism was one of the largest obstacles to industrial cooperation.

He said South Korea and the United States often viewed each other primarily as export markets rather than partners sharing a common industrial base.

Coulter said the U.S. Navy had issued a request for information after consulting the South Korean government and Korean shipbuilders.

The request examined the possible use of a vessel construction manager who would help finalize a ship’s design before construction begins.

South Korean shipyards generally complete designs before starting construction, while U.S. Navy projects often undergo design changes after work has begun, increasing costs and delaying delivery, Coulter said.

The U.S. government has asked Hanwha about options ranging from building combat vessels and supplying motors to constructing hulls in South Korea before installing American technology, he said.

Coulter said, however, that the administration and Congress had not reached a unified position.

He called on the two countries to integrate portions of their industrial bases rather than treat each investment or contract as a conventional export transaction.

Hong Suk-hwan, president and chief executive officer of HD Hyundai USA, proposed a two-track strategy involving investment in U.S. shipyards and partnerships with existing American companies.

Hong said HD Hyundai had built about 5,000 vessels during the past 50 years and could apply its skilled workforce, manufacturing experience and supply network to the United States.

He also proposed a “bridge strategy” in which American workers would train at South Korean shipyards for about three years while ships were being constructed there.

The trained workers could then return to the United States as supervisors and production managers at American shipyards.

U.S. law limits overseas warship construction

Brittany Clayton, a senior operations researcher at RAND, said complicated U.S. defense procurement procedures, unpredictable orders and design changes during construction remained major barriers to cooperation.

The Navy, Defense Department and Congress all play roles in funding and policy decisions, making rapid action difficult, she said.

Clayton said companies needed consistent and predictable demand from the U.S. government before making long-term investments.

She also cited proposed legislation restricting the overseas construction of American combat vessels.

Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, whose district includes the Bath Iron Works shipyard, introduced an amendment to the fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill that would restrict foreign construction of combat ships.

Clayton said distributed construction could provide an alternative, with components built at multiple locations before being integrated and tested in the United States.

She also suggested beginning cooperation with strategic sealift vessels, which contain fewer sensitive military technologies than combat ships.

The Senate Armed Services Committee included language in its fiscal 2027 defense authorization legislation that would permit the acquisition of up to two noncombat vessels from allied shipyards, including bulk fuel carriers and strategic sealift ships.

Trump said Wednesday that his administration was examining shipbuilders in South Korea and other countries and could purchase some vessels built outside the United States.

Kristin Gunness of San Diego State University said the university had signed an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries to establish a marine engineering and shipbuilding center.

She said the university was also developing exchange programs with Seoul National University and other South Korean institutions.

Shin proposed short-term educational programs involving retired South Korean professors and American universities to train ship designers and production managers.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260717010006342

July 17 (Asia Today) — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that the government will designate Dec. 3 as People’s Sovereignty Day to commemorate citizens who resisted the 2024 martial law declaration and preserve the country’s democratic values.

Lee made the announcement during a citizen event marking the launch of the presidential Light Committee at Cheong Wa Dae on Constitution Day.

“The government of popular sovereignty will firmly uphold the most basic and fundamental principle that the people are the owners of the country,” Lee said.

He said South Korea must ensure that democracy and popular sovereignty are never threatened again.

“No one should attempt to stand above the Constitution,” Lee said.

The presidential Light Committee was established in March to promote projects preserving the spirit of citizens who opposed the Dec. 3, 2024, martial law declaration. The committee officially launched Monday.

Park Mi-kyung, chairwoman of the Gwangju Federation for Environmental Movement, was appointed to lead the committee.

Lee recalled the citizens who rushed to the National Assembly after martial law was declared, remained outside the legislature for several nights over concerns that martial law could be imposed again and participated in outdoor demonstrations calling for the president’s impeachment during the winter.

“The great people of our country chose solidarity over division, peace over violence and action over silence,” Lee said.

“They clearly demonstrated that South Korean democracy may be shaken, but it will never collapse.”

Lee said the committee will preserve and document what his administration calls the “Revolution of Light,” referring to the public movement opposing martial law.

“Through the Light Committee launched Monday, we will remember and record this great history for generations,” Lee said.

He said the government will designate Dec. 3 as People’s Sovereignty Day so citizens can remember the events together each year.

“This will allow the values of democracy to be fully passed down to future generations forever,” Lee said.

The president also announced plans to systematically collect and preserve records related to the public opposition to martial law.

The government will develop a digital archive to document citizen participation and promote South Korea’s democratic experience internationally, he said.

Lee described the country’s model of citizen-led democracy as “K-democracy.”

“I hope the brilliant lights of many colors that our citizens raised in the streets and public squares will become a bright beacon illuminating democracy around the world, beyond South Korea,” Lee said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260717010006351

The diplomatic spat is rooted in the ongoing dispute between China and the Philippines over sovereignty in the South China Sea.

The Philippines has lodged a diplomatic protest with China over what it called the “racist depiction” of Filipinos in a series of videos published by state-backed newspaper China Daily.

The videos, which depicted Filipinos as monkeys, went “beyond political debate” and resorted to “demeaning, dehumanizing, and racist depictions of Filipinos,” the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro raised the issue directly with China’s ambassador to the country, while the department also lodged a formal diplomatic protest condemning the videos.

Its embassy in Beijing separately published an open letter addressed to the editor of China Daily, flagging the outlet for “breach of editorial norms and principles”, and urging the publication to “uphold dignity, respect, and truth” in public discourse.

China Daily describes itself as China’s most-read English-language newspaper. It claims a combined audience of more than 470 million people. It has more than 110 million followers on Facebook, where the videos were shared.

The videos were published as part of a series marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award, in which an international tribunal ruled overwhelmingly in favour of the Philippines and found that China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea had no legal basis under international law.

Beijing has rejected the ruling and continues to assert sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, where tensions have remained high.

The dispute centres on features including the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, both of which are claimed by China and the Philippines.

The South China Sea is estimated to have 11 billion barrels of untapped oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

The dispute has led to repeated confrontations between Chinese coastguard vessels and Philippine ships, including collisions and the use of water cannon that Manila says have endangered its personnel and fishermen.

The Philippines has received diplomatic backing from the United States and other allies including Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, which have repeatedly called for respect for the 2016 arbitral ruling.

In a joint statement released this month, the countries reaffirmed their support for what they described as the tribunal’s “legally binding” and “definitive” findings and warned against “unilateral actions including by force or coercion that threaten peace and stability in the region”.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China Daily had not publicly responded to the Philippine protest at the time of publication.

July 16 (Asia Today) — The South Korean government is considering lowering the maximum age for exemption from criminal punishment from 14 to 13 for juveniles who commit violent, serious or repeated offenses.

The debate intensified after President Lee Jae-myung ordered officials Tuesday to reconsider an initial proposal that would lower the age by only one year and apply the change to limited categories of crimes.

Lee questioned whether the proposed change was substantial enough during a Cabinet meeting.

Under South Korean law, children younger than 14 cannot be held criminally responsible. Those ages 10 through 13 who commit offenses may instead receive protective measures under the Juvenile Act.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family presented the Cabinet with the results of a public consultation on the issue. It proposed making some 13-year-old offenders eligible for criminal punishment when they commit particularly serious or repeated crimes.

Cabinet members, however, raised concerns that applying different ages of criminal responsibility depending on the type of offense could create legal problems.

The minimum age of criminal responsibility has remained unchanged since South Korea enacted its Criminal Act in 1953.

A deliberative survey of 212 citizens showed that 46.7% supported lowering the age only for violent, serious or repeated offenses while 30.2% favored lowering it for all offenses.

Among participants who supported a reduction, 55.8% favored lowering the threshold by one year.

The government is expected to conduct a second public consultation to determine whether the change should apply only to specified offenses or to all crimes. The process also will consider whether the current threshold should be lowered from younger than 14 to younger than 13 or younger than 12.

The Ministry of Justice is expected to lead the second consultation because the proposal requires a detailed legal review.

Officials will need to determine which offenses qualify as violent or serious and whether applying different criminal responsibility standards according to the offense would conflict with the purpose of the juvenile justice system.

The second consultation could begin this month and conclude within one or two months.

The government said it would gather additional public input before reaching a final decision.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family also plans to pursue revisions to the Criminal Act and Juvenile Act while considering the creation of an interagency committee focused on preventing juvenile delinquency.

Officials said the government would strengthen post-offense management and rehabilitation programs designed to reduce repeat offenses regardless of whether the age threshold is lowered.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260716010006327

July 14 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s new court administration chief warned Tuesday that growing outside pressure is making it more difficult for judges and other court employees to perform their duties independently.

Supreme Court Justice Roh Kyung-pil, 62, made the remarks during his inauguration as minister of the National Court Administration at the Supreme Court in Seoul.

“External pressure and burdens that make it difficult for judges to conduct independent trials and for court members to perform their duties in a stable manner are increasing,” Roh said.

He said the National Court Administration would serve as a protective barrier so judges and other employees could carry out their responsibilities according to the law and their professional judgment.

“The National Court Administration will provide firm support so that all members of the judiciary can confidently perform their duties in accordance with laws and principles,” Roh said.

He also pledged to strengthen personnel and material resources for judges and court employees working in difficult positions.

“The more demanding the position, the more we must reduce the burden, even slightly, so they can concentrate on their work,” he said. “We will expand the necessary personnel and physical foundations and develop effective support measures.”

Roh’s appointment filled a position that had remained vacant for about four months.

Former court administration chief Park Young-jae resigned in February after the ruling bloc pushed three controversial judiciary bills through the National Assembly.

The measures included the creation of a criminal offense for intentionally distorting the law, a system allowing constitutional challenges to court judgments and an expansion of the number of Supreme Court justices.

Park stepped down in protest against the legislation.

Roh was born in Haenam County in South Jeolla Province. He graduated from Gwangju High School and Seoul National University’s College of Law.

He was appointed as a judge in 1997 and later served as a Supreme Court research judge, a Seoul High Court judge and a presiding judge at the Gwangju and Suwon high courts.

Roh was appointed to the Supreme Court in August 2024.

The head of the National Court Administration oversees judicial administration under the direction of the chief justice and supervises court administrative operations and personnel.

The position does not involve directing judges’ decisions in individual trials but carries significant responsibility for the judiciary’s budget, staffing and administrative policies.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260714010005202

July 14 (Asia Today) — The U.S. Navy has asked major South Korean shipbuilders for information about their ability to design and build destroyers and fleet support vessels, potentially opening the world’s largest naval market to South Korea’s shipbuilding industry.

The requests for information mark a significant step in Washington’s effort to address shipyard capacity constraints and strengthen its maritime industrial base with help from key allies.

The development comes as South Korea and the United States expand cooperation under MASGA, short for Make American Shipbuilding Great Again, a bilateral initiative intended to revitalize U.S. shipbuilding through investment, workforce development, technology cooperation and naval vessel maintenance.

The prospective U.S. market could dwarf South Korea’s recent efforts to win Canada’s next-generation submarine program, estimated by the industry at about 60 trillion won, or approximately $43 billion. Long-term U.S. naval construction and modernization spending could reach about 1.6 quadrillion won, or roughly $1.2 trillion, according to industry estimates cited in South Korea.

U.S. Navy examines Korean shipbuilding capacity

Naval News reported Friday that the U.S. government had issued two requests for information involving destroyer-class surface combatants and medium-sized fleet tankers.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean responded to requests covering both destroyers and support vessels. Samsung Heavy Industries submitted information concerning fleet replenishment ships, an area in which it has extensive commercial tanker-building experience.

A request for information is an early market-research procedure rather than a formal order or bidding process. It allows a U.S. government agency to assess potential suppliers, technical capabilities, prices and delivery schedules before deciding whether to proceed with a procurement program.

The inquiries are nevertheless notable because U.S. law and defense procurement rules generally require Navy vessels and major hull components to be built in American shipyards.

Changes to existing law or a congressionally approved national security exemption would probably be required before a U.S. warship could be constructed at a South Korean yard.

The outreach reflects growing concern about delays, workforce shortages and limited production capacity within the U.S. shipbuilding industry. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has repeatedly reported that Navy shipbuilding programs are running years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget.

U.S. policymakers are also seeking ways to respond to China’s rapidly expanding naval and commercial shipbuilding capacity.

Korean companies highlight destroyer experience

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean have experience designing and constructing some of the South Korean Navy’s most advanced surface combatants.

South Korea’s Sejong the Great-class and Jeongjo the Great-class destroyers use the U.S.-developed Aegis combat system, which is also installed aboard the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

That experience could make South Korean shipbuilders attractive partners in vessel design, component manufacturing or joint production, although U.S. technical, security and domestic-content requirements would remain major obstacles.

South Korea’s latest Aegis destroyers displace more than 8,000 tons and incorporate advanced radar, missile defense and stealth-related technologies.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries has also been developing export-oriented destroyer designs and has pursued partnerships with U.S. defense contractors and shipbuilders.

Hanwha Ocean has established a direct foothold in the United States through its acquisition of Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania. The company has announced plans to expand the yard’s capacity and introduce South Korean production technology.

The company has also completed maintenance work on U.S. Military Sealift Command support ships at its Geoje shipyard in South Korea.

The USNS Wally Schirra, a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship, entered the Geoje facility in September 2024 for maintenance, repair and overhaul work. The ship departed after approximately six months of repairs.

Such projects allow South Korean yards to demonstrate their ability to meet U.S. Navy technical standards and delivery requirements, while helping Washington reduce maintenance backlogs.

MASGA moves from proposal to implementation

The Navy inquiries come as the two governments seek to turn MASGA into a broader industrial partnership.

South Korea proposed the initiative as part of trade and security negotiations with the Trump administration. The package includes investment in American shipyards, training for U.S. workers, supply-chain development and maintenance services for U.S. naval vessels.

South Korea and the United States signed a memorandum in May establishing a bilateral shipbuilding partnership initiative and plans for a Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Partnership Center in Washington.

The program is expected to support cooperation among government agencies, shipbuilders, research institutions and equipment suppliers in both countries.

U.S. officials have increasingly acknowledged South Korea’s mass-production capabilities. U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll praised South Korean defense manufacturing during a congressional hearing in April, citing Hanwha as an example of an effective industrial production model.

The U.S. administration has also pushed for faster construction of commercial and naval vessels as part of its effort to restore the country’s maritime industrial capacity.

Legal and political barriers remain

Despite the growing cooperation, an RFI does not guarantee that South Korean shipyards will receive orders for U.S. Navy vessels.

Congress would have to address laws that restrict foreign construction of naval vessels. U.S. labor unions and domestic shipbuilders could also resist proposals they believe would transfer American jobs or defense production overseas.

A possible compromise could involve South Korean companies investing in U.S. yards, supplying ship components or jointly constructing vessels in both countries rather than building complete American warships in South Korea.

South Korean shipbuilders could also provide designs and production management systems while final assembly takes place at an American facility.

Industry specialists said the South Korean government will need a coordinated strategy involving the presidential office, defense and industry ministries and diplomatic officials if Korean companies are to secure a meaningful role.

They said technical competitiveness alone may not be sufficient because major defense contracts are also shaped by alliance politics, domestic employment considerations and long-term security relationships.

South Korean companies recently faced difficulties in European and Canadian defense competitions despite offering competitive prices, technology and local production plans.

The prospective U.S. programs therefore represent both a major commercial opportunity and a test of Seoul’s ability to coordinate industrial policy with security diplomacy.

For South Korean shipbuilders, the immediate goal is not necessarily the full construction of U.S. destroyers at Korean yards. Securing design work, component orders, maintenance contracts or joint-production projects would still mark an important expansion of the country’s naval defense industry.

The Navy’s decision to formally examine South Korean capabilities indicates that cooperation once considered politically difficult is now under active consideration.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260714010005100

South Korea will further boost its airborne electronic warfare capabilities, buying another two platforms based on the Bombardier Global 6500 bizjet. These will eventually complement the four Global 6500-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft that Seoul has already ordered, and which you can read about here.

Canada’s Bombardier Defense announced today that its Global 6500 had been selected for a second South Korean special mission aircraft program. The aircraft have been acquired by Korean Air, which will modify them for the electronic warfare role. Specifically, these will be standoff jammer (SOJ) aircraft, intended to disrupt enemy electromagnetic signals from a safe distance.

“The Global 6500 aircraft is in demand around the world because of its performance and versatility, and we’re extremely proud that it was chosen for two very advanced, yet different defense missions in South Korea,” said Michael Anckner, vice-president of worldwide sales at Bombardier Defense. “This aircraft is trusted because of its proven military track record, yet it remains highly adaptable as defense needs evolve.”

The Global 6000 series is already a popular choice for military special missions adaptations. Outside of South Korea, prominent examples include the Saab GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft, as well as the German Luftwaffe’s PEGASUS signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force opted for a Global 6000-based solution for its E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program, and the U.S. Army ordered a Global 6500-based solution for its ME-11B High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES), which will be the service’s next-generation intelligence-gathering aircraft. 

All these applications are aided by the Global’s relatively high-altitude flight profile, which provides a significant standoff capability, increasing line of sight for the sensors, and helping keep the jet and its onboard operators further away from enemy air defense systems. In general, bizjet platforms are also becoming increasingly cost-effective, helped by steady improvements in jet engine technology.

Both Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Korean Air had presented offerings for the SOJ to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), which serves as the central administrative agency of the South Korean Ministry of National Defense.

DAPA had approved the plan for the development of the so-called Block I Electronic Warfare System Development Project in April 2025, with around $1.2 billion earmarked for the program by 2034.

As of September last year, KAI was teamed with Hanwha Systems and was pitching a design based on the Global 6500 airframe. Meanwhile, Korean Air was partnered with LIG Nex1 and, according to some reports, was proposing a platform based on the Gulfstream G550. Other reports suggested that both teams favored the Bombardier bizjet, which provides commonality with the new South Korean AEW&C aircraft.

KAI had argued that it was the best fit for the requirement based on its previous involvement in the Peace Eye program, which provided South Korea with a version of the E-7A Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft, as well as the forthcoming Baekdu II intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform. KAI is also an established airframer, building the T-50/TA-50/FA-50 series as well as the KF-21 fighter and various helicopters.

Meanwhile, Korean Air is involved in heavy aircraft maintenance, military aircraft upgrades, and the development of drones, while LIG Nex1 developed advanced electronic warfare systems for the KF-21, as well as for warships, submarines, and reconnaissance aircraft.

From relatively early on, there had been indications that the Korean Air bid was favored. Reports in the South Korean media said that the proposal “scored higher” in the bid evaluation process by DAPA, which had been “evaluating each company’s electronic warfare equipment technology and airframe integration capability, among other factors.” 

In the past, DAPA had said that the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) required four aircraft capable of “paralyzing enemy air-defense networks and wireless command and communication systems in times of crisis.” While Bombardier has said it is providing two Global 6500s for the program, it remains possible that more might be added. We have approached the company for clarification.

South Korea becomes the latest nation to invest in an SOJ platform, reflecting the growing interest in these capabilities, especially as higher-end and longer-range air defense systems proliferate.

The U.S. Air Force has introduced the EA-37B Compass Call as a standoff electronic attack platform, while earlier this year we looked in detail at Turkey’s HAVA SOJ, based on the Global 6000 airframe and intended to undertake a similar kind of mission.

Typically, SOJ platforms are intended to support air operations by suppressing enemy air defense radars, disrupting command-and-control networks, and interfering with communications through long-range deception and noise jamming, all while remaining outside hostile airspace. By degrading an adversary’s sensing and coordination capabilities, they enable friendly aircraft to penetrate defended airspace through safer access corridors. In modern warfare, the effective use of SOJ platforms has become a critical capability, serving as a force multiplier and delivering significant asymmetric operational advantages.

In addition to jamming systems, the SOJ aircraft generally also have a surveillance capability, with passive electronic support measures (ESM) equipment, while some might include an onboard radar or other sensors. ESM, which is a passive system, can geolocate threats and communications nodes, and that data can be shared in real time with tactical aircraft and missile units to prosecute strikes.

In its rendering of the aircraft, Korean Air presented a platform with prominent fairings alongside the fuselage sides as well as a canoe-type fairing below the fuselage. The fuselage fairings likely contain conformal antennas, which may well be associated with active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology.

AESAs can be used to send out highly focused beams of electromagnetic energy to jam hostile radars and other radio-frequency sensors and emitters in the air, on land, and at sea. This is a capability we have talked about before in relation to the U.S. Air Force’s EA-37B. Potentially, these same AESA antennas could be used to trigger cyber attacks, a capability you can read more about here.

According to South Korean outlet Chosun, the aircraft should have a jamming range of “at least 200 kilometers [124 miles] to cover the entire Korean peninsula.” Additionally, “high-performance transmit-and-receive antenna technology is required to secure enemy electronic signals while disrupting the enemy by emitting powerful radio waves.”

While designed to work from outside hostile airspace, there have been increasing questions about the ability of specialized aircraft like these to survive against more capable air defenses, with the threat of long-range anti-air missile systems only set to grow. However, this kind of platform makes unique sense for South Korea, which has a very specific threat to counter: North Korean air defenses are becoming more capable, and hardened borders mean the geographic area that the new SOJ is expected to cover is clearly established. Criticism of aircraft survivability and range is less of an issue in this case.

At the same time, although South Korea has long relied heavily on the United States for defense, Seoul has increasingly emphasized greater strategic autonomy. This includes developing sovereign electronic warfare and AEW&C capabilities, reducing its reliance on U.S. military assets and American-provided equipment for these critical missions.

As well as the new SOJ and AEW&C platforms, the ROKAF is also set to receive four Baekdu II ISR aircraft. KAI is developing these in partnership with LIG Nex1 under a $675-million contract, with the mission equipment to be installed on the Dassault Falcon 2000LXS bizjet airframe.

The contract is due to be completed by the end of 2026, and the new ISR jets will replace the four Hawker 800XP Peace Pioneer signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft that first entered service with the ROKAF in 2001. These are known locally as the RC-800B Baekdu and are operated alongside a similar number of RC-800G Geumgang imagery intelligence (IMINT) aircraft provided under the Peace Krypton program.

Photos show the RC-800B Baekdu SIGINT aircraft:

A photo shows the RC-800G Geumgang IMINT aircraft:

Meanwhile, the ROKAF also operates two modified Dassault Falcon 2000S bizjets in a SIGINT role. These RC-2000s were also procured under the Baekdu project between 2011 and 2018 and incorporate a greater proportion of Korean-built electronics than the RC-800Bs. These aircraft are also specially equipped to detect North Korean missile launches.

A photo shows the RC-2000 SIGINT aircraft:

Then there is the AEW&C fleet, currently comprising four Boeing E-737s, and set to be bolstered by four new aircraft based on the Global 6500 airframe, valued at roughly $2.2 billion. As we have discussed in the past, these will be outfitted by L3Harris and will include the EL/W-2085 AESA radar from Israel’s Elta. This series of radars is already used in AEW&C aircraft operated by Israel, Italy, and Singapore. The new radar planes are due to be introduced by 2032.

Returning to the new SOJ aircraft, the fact that North Korea possesses dense, layered air defenses concentrated near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) makes an electronic attack platform like this a key enabler for military operations. This is only becoming more important as North Korean defenses continue to mature.

Beyond enhancing operational effectiveness, the SOJ program strengthens South Korea’s defense industrial base, which is fast becoming a true global player.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

July 13 (Asia Today) — South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is facing mounting pressure from an allegation that he deserted his military post four decades ago and growing opposition to his plan to consolidate the country’s three service academies.

The two controversies have converged, raising questions about whether the Lee Jae Myung administration can maintain momentum behind its broader military reform agenda.

Complaint filed over parliamentary testimony

Kim Young-soo, head of the Korea Institute for Military Rights and a former Navy major, filed a police complaint against Ahn on June 27. The complaint alleges Ahn violated a law governing testimony and evidence before the National Assembly.

At a news conference at the National Assembly on Monday, Kim claimed Ahn left his post without authorization for about seven months while serving as a supplementary-duty soldier with an Army unit in Gochang County in 1984.

Kim also alleged that military police arrested Ahn and detained him for 30 days.

The complaint argues that Ahn gave false testimony during his confirmation hearing in July 2025 when he denied that such incidents had occurred.

The case is being investigated by Yongsan Police Station in Seoul. Police are scheduled to question Kim as the complainant Thursday.

The allegations have not been substantiated and remain under investigation.

Ministry calls allegation “clearly false”

The Defense Ministry rejected the desertion allegation Friday, calling it “clearly false.”

According to Ahn and the ministry, he completed his required service and was discharged from supplementary duty in January 1985. He returned to Sungkyunkwan University in March but was told in June that he was required to perform additional service.

The ministry said the issue arose after Ahn’s mother served lunch to active-duty soldiers at the request of his company commander. The period during which the incident was internally reviewed was mistakenly omitted from the administrative process when Ahn was initially released from duty, leading to his recall in August.

The ministry said Ahn was never detained or subjected to disciplinary action.

It has declined to publicly release his military service record, however, arguing that disclosing an incorrect 40-year-old document could create further misunderstanding regardless of the underlying facts.

Ahn has said he will seek to have the record corrected after leaving office.

SBS reported Sunday that a small number of ruling-party officials had examined the military records and said they contained no entries related to desertion or detention.

Military academy announcement abruptly postponed

Amid the dispute, the ministry abruptly postponed the scheduled release of its basic plan for establishing a unified armed forces academy. The announcement was canceled about 100 minutes before a briefing Monday.

The proposal calls for jointly selecting cadets for the Army, Navy and Air Force academies. Cadets would receive common instruction during their first two years and service-specific education during their third and fourth years.

The government has also reportedly considered relocating the Korea Military Academy from its current campus in northeastern Seoul to South Jeolla Province.

The ministry attributed the postponement to Ahn’s attendance at a presidential meeting and his schedule accompanying President Lee to a NATO summit.

The decision was widely interpreted, however, as a response to strong opposition from retired military organizations and alumni associations.

Academy alumni stage first joint protest

The alumni associations of the Army, Navy and Air Force academies held a rally outside the National Assembly on Wednesday opposing the consolidation plan and the proposed relocation of the Army academy.

It was the first time the three associations had jointly mobilized over the issue.

People Power Party Reps. Han Ki-ho and Lim Jong-deuk, both graduates of the Korea Military Academy, attended the demonstration. They described the proposal as a deterioration of national defense rather than genuine reform and called for it to be reconsidered from the beginning.

Twelve former commanders of the Army Training and Doctrine Command also issued a statement calling for a review of the plan.

The opposition People Power Party has linked the military service allegation with the academy consolidation proposal and called for Ahn’s resignation.

Independent lawmaker Han Dong-hoon has also demanded that Ahn release his military service record.

A public petition seeking Ahn’s impeachment had received more than 310,000 signatures as of Sunday.

Thursday’s police questioning of the complainant is expected to become the first major turning point in the dispute over Ahn’s service history.

The policy battle, however, is unlikely to disappear regardless of the investigation’s outcome.

Opposition to consolidating the academies and dismantling the Defense Counterintelligence Command has already developed independently of the allegation against Ahn. The unprecedented joint protest by the three academy alumni associations demonstrates the extent of that resistance.

The ministry’s continued refusal to release Ahn’s service record is also prolonging the controversy. Its decision to postpone correction procedures until after Ahn leaves office risks allowing the dispute to remain a source of political conflict.

At the same time, treating the military service allegation and the academy reform proposal as a single political issue could undermine a substantive national security debate.

Defense experts familiar with the controversy say the allegation should be investigated according to the law, while the merits of military reform should be debated separately according to the national interest.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260713010004389