South

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national team will kick off the 2026 World Cup against South Africa on Thursday with the weight of entertaining 83,000 at iconic Azteca Stadium and soccer fans around the globe.

The match at the venue known as Mexico City Stadium during the World Cup will kick off at noon PDT and air on Fox and Telemundo.

Once the ball starts rolling, the stadium’s altitude — 7,216 feet above sea level — will be one of the biggest assets for the Mexican lineup led by coach Javier Aguirre.

It will be Mexico’s eighth opening match in a World Cup, and El Tri carries a historical burden. It has never won a tournament opener, with a record of 0-5-2, including a 1-1 draw against South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg.

Mexico coach Javier Aguirre directs his players during a friendly against Australia on May 30 at the Rose Bowl.

(Kyusung Gong / Ap Photo/kyusung Gong)

Aguirre will likely deploy the 4-3-3 formation he used during Mexico’s final warm-up match against Serbia.

“We’re ready; we’ve been working for 22 months,” said Aguirre, 67, who took the reins of the national team on Aug. 1, 2024, following Jaime Lozano’s failure at that year’s Copa América, when Mexico was knocked out in the group stage.

Since his arrival, Aguirre has led the team to its first Concacaf Nations League title and the Gold Cup. Mexico enters the tournament on an eight-game unbeaten streak, though several of those results came against lower tier opponents and at home. The two most encouraging highlights of that streak were the draws against Belgium and Portugal.

“If my teams are known for anything, it’s for their character,” Aguirre said. “My team is just like me.”

The starting goalkeeper position remains a topic of debate, but it appears Aguirre has already made his decision. Guillermo Ochoa, who will be playing in his sixth World Cup with Mexico, is considered by many to be the ideal experienced goalkeeper to use during the opener, when nerves are sure to be high. However, Raúl Rangel has been the starting goalkeeper during Mexico’s past three warm-up matches, playing the full 90 minutes each time.

Rangel, who was 10 years old when Mexico tied South Africa in the opening match of the 2010 World Cup and who fondly remembers El Tri’s victory over France that tournament, is confident between the posts.

Mexico could turn to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa to calm nerves during the World Cup opener on Thursday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)

“We’re in great shape; we proved it against Portugal and Belgium, two teams that are among the world’s elite,” said Rangel, who noted that Ochoa has instilled a sense of calm in the team.

“I do believe we can be champions. We have to start keeping that in mind and believe that it’s possible. Not everyone can boast that they played in a World Cup on home soil.”

The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem. El Tri has few players in top-tier leagues and lacks game-changers on the wings, as Diego Lainez, Uriel Antuna and Hirving Lozano were left off the final roster. Offensive output is a cause for concern. In tight matches, goals have come mainly from defenders, with César Montes and Johan Vásquez being the primary threats on set pieces.

The commitment to youth appears to be a key factor in Aguirre’s approach to building the roster. Mexican American Brian Gutiérrez brings freshness and dynamism to the midfield, alongside Erik Lira’s energy. As an option off the bench, Aguirre could turn to 17-year-old Gilberto Mora, the youngest player in the tournament, who is sure to draw cheers from the crowd.

For his part, South Africa’s 74-year-old head coach, Hugo Broos, knows the Azteca Stadium well, having marked Maradona during the 1986 World Cup semifinals. To acclimate his players to the altitude, he held training camp in Pachuca, at an elevation of 7,979 feet.

“This game is special. I’ve played in European championships, but there’s nothing like a World Cup. And we’re going to play at the Azteca Stadium — it’s incredible that this is going to happen,” Broos said.

South Africa coach Hugo Broo talks with Nigeria’s players during a World Cup qualifying match against Nigeria in Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Sept. 9.

(Themba Hadebe / Associated Press)

He expects to be challenged by Mexico.

“They’re a very well-rounded team, with great mobility and teamwork,” Broos said of El Tri. “You can tell they want to be world champions.”

South Africa will pose a real threat with Mbekezeli Mokoena driving the midfield and the speed of Oswin Appollis and Relebohile Mofokeng on the wings. The team’s main weakness lies in finishing, as Lyle Foster is their only striker, and if he doesn’t perform well, the South African side will suffer.

“We can’t say we don’t have a chance against Mexico, because that’s not true,” said Broos about his team, which is ranked 60th in FIFA rankings and will tangle with a Mexican squad ranked No. 14.

Pregame entertainment will kick off at 10:30 a.m. PDT with performances by Shakira, Burna Boy, Maná, J Balvin, and Alejandro Fernández. As a new ceremonial feature, all 26 players from each team — starters and substitutes — will participate in the ceremony by lining up around the tournament’s central emblem on the field, rather than in the traditional pregame formation.

The match is expected to be played in the rain. Protests are expected around the stadium throughout the day, including demonstrations by the teachers’ union and groups representing the families of missing persons.

Who: South Korea vs Czechia
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match
Where: Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico
When: Thursday, 8pm local time (02:00 GMT Friday)
How to follow: Keep up with all updates on Al Jazeera Sport

South Korea, Asia’s most successful team at the World Cup, begin their 2026 campaign with a game against Czechia, who are back at the tournament after a 20-year absence.

With a talented squad featuring Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae, former semifinalists South Korea – who are ranked 25th in the world – are favourites in the Group A clash and will be keen for an early win in a tough group that also includes cohosts Mexico and South Africa.

But 40th-ranked Czechia are no pushovers. With players like Adam Hlozek, Patrik Schick and Pavel Sulc, they are more than capable of pulling off an upset.

Son leads South Korea’s charge

As always, all eyes will be on South Korea’s superstar Son Heung-min, who now plays his club football for Los Angeles FC.

Set for his fourth appearance at the finals, the 33-year-old former Tottenham winger could be appearing in his final tournament, though it’s not confirmed.

Fans will be hopeful of the captain featuring on the scoresheet after he scored twice in a recent friendly.

The Koreans reached the last 16 in 2022, with Hwang Hee-chan scoring a stoppage-time winner against Portugal to take his team ‌into the knockout rounds. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward is now keen for a repeat performance at the upcoming tournament.

“If I can have another play like that, it will be great for myself and for our team,” said Hwang, who will be appearing at his third World Cup. “I am working hard for a moment like that.

“Every match is important, but the first match is especially so.”

Czechia: Two-time runners-up

As Czechoslovakia, the Czech team finished runners-up in 1934 and 1962. But since then, their record has been poor, with only four appearances, including just one past the group stage – a quarterfinal run in 1990.

The Czechs are now back at the World Cup after 20 long years, having navigated their way to the finals through dramatic penalty shootout wins in the UEFA qualifiers.

The appointment of coach Miroslav Koubek in December 2025 turned around their fortunes as they went from having a crisis-hit campaign to finishing the job with flying colours.

Now, after two decades, as they return to football’s grandest stage, the Czechs will hope to sneak into the knockouts.

With two-metre (6ft 7-inch) Slavia Prague striker Tomas Chory at their disposal, Koubek’s side will seek to impose their physicality on the ⁠South Koreans.

They are blessed with more attacking firepower in Bayer Leverkusen striker and Euro 2020 joint top scorer Schick, while Hoffenheim striker Hlozek offers another experienced option up front.

Koubek will also lean on West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek ‌and ‌35-year-old Vladimir Darida to provide experience and stability.

How does the World Cup group stage work?

South Korea, Czechia, Mexico and South Africa are in Group A.

The top two teams from each of the 12 groups – along with the eight best third-placed teams – proceed to the next phase, the round of 32, which has been introduced at the World Cup for the first time.

All square in head-to-head record

South Korea and Czechia have met three times, winning one match each, while the other game ended in a draw.

Their last meeting dates back to June 2016 – exactly a decade ago – when South Korea emerged 2-1 winners in a friendly in Prague.

Form guide:

(Last five games, latest first)

South Korea: W-W-L-L-W

Czechia: W-W-W-W-W

Czechia are in fine form heading into the opener, having beaten Kosovo and Guatemala in their pre-World Cup friendlies. Before that, they beat Denmark and Ireland on penalties in the UEFA qualifying playoffs, and also thrashed Gibraltar.

South Korea, on the other hand, are in mixed form. They beat El Salvador and thrashed Trinidad and Tobago in the pre-World Cup friendlies, but lost to Austria and the Ivory Coast.

Where to watch South Korea vs Czechia?

Fans in South Korea can watch the game on platforms Chzzk and JTBC, with kickoff scheduled at 11am local time on Friday.

In Czechia, CT Sport Plus, CT Sport and Nova Action will show the game, which is set to begin at 4am local time on Friday.

Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch it on ITV, while those in the United States can tune in to Fox.

South Korea and Czechia team news

Coach Koubek has a selection headache awaiting.

With Hlozek recently recovering from injury, and Sulc and Lukas Provod also in the mix, Koubek needs to make the tough call on which two attackers will support Schick.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s coach Hong Myung-bo has to contend with some concerns.

Winger Bae Jun-ho – one of the youngest players in the squad – is a major doubt due to an ankle injury, but left-back Lee Tae-seok has returned to team training after a sore calf.

South Korea’s predicted starting XI

Kim Seung-gyu (goalkeeper); Kim Min-jae, Lee Han-beom, Lee Gi-hyuk; Seol Young-woo, Lee Tae-seok, Hwang In-beom, Paik Seung-ho; Lee Kang-in, Lee Jae-sung; Son Heung-min

Czechia’s predicted starting XI

Matej Kovar (goalkeeper); Vladimir Coufal, David Doudera, Tomas Holes, Ladislav Krejci, Jaroslav Zeleny; Tomas Soucek, Michal Sadilek; Adam Hlozek, Pavel Sulc, Patrik Schick

You can follow the action on Al Jazeera’s dedicated FIFA World Cup 2026 page with all the latest news, match build-up and live text commentary, and keep up to date with group standings, real-time match results and schedules.

Thousands of migrants shelter in a Durban park after being driven from their homes ahead of a June 30 expulsion ultimatum.

More than 3,000 Malawians, including hundreds of children, are staying in an open field in South Africa’s port city of Durban, after fleeing what they described as escalating anti-immigrant threats and attacks.

For weeks, groups armed with sticks, whips and shields have marched through parts of the country demanding that foreigners with no papers leave by June 30.

At the park, which transformed into a makeshift transit camp in Durban on Wednesday, many people said repatriation was their only safe option.

“It’s hard to stay here,” Falesi Chukuwumba, a Malawian national, told Al Jazeera. “You can see we are outside. How can we stay in this cold? Our children can get sick.”

Sayiba John, 33, a Malawian who fled Nazareth township with her husband and three children, told the AFP news agency her daughter, a Grade 2 pupil, was forced to abandon her exams.

“They said we must go. We have no choice in the matter,” John said. “It’s better our government take us away from here than to face the anger of the South Africans.”

Ellen Mwamulima, a 45-year-old widow, mother of three and former domestic worker in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape, fled a mob who nearly caught up with her and had to hide out in the bush for two weeks.

“It’s been very difficult because we lost everything, they burnt our houses and all our belongings,” the Malawian told Al Jazeera.

The anti-migrant marches have been backed by the MK Party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, which commands strong support across KwaZulu-Natal province.

When the party called on supporters to march against undocumented migrants, thousands responded. Demonstrators accuse foreign nationals of taking jobs and economic opportunities from South Africans.

“There are undocumented foreigners working everywhere in our business field,” Mythobisi Sabelo, one of the protesters, told Al Jazeera in Durban. “People here have been trying to find work for a long time and given up. It’s becoming an issue.”

Waves of xenophobic violence

But while demonstrators blame foreigners for South Africa’s economic and social issues, others argue that foreigners, particularly those from elsewhere in Africa, are being wrongly blamed.

The violence has spread well beyond KwaZulu-Natal. Five Mozambicans have been killed in Mossel Bay. More than 150 Malawians were bussed out of the Western Cape province over the weekend.

Ghana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have repatriated hundreds of nationals this month, and a flight carrying the first group of Nigerians is due to depart Johannesburg.

About 150 additional migrants from Burundi, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe are sheltering at a government office not far from the Durban park.

South Africa has faced recurring waves of xenophobic violence since 2008, when dozens of migrants were killed and thousands displaced. Some three million foreigners – about 5 percent of the population, more than 63 percent of them from within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc – live in the country.

The latest flare-up comes as political parties campaign ahead of local government elections in November.

Migrants say they are living in fear after a campaign group gave people living illegally in South Africa until June 30 to leave. Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in South Africa says many of those returning no longer feel safe to continue living or working in the country.

June 10 (Asia Today) — Artificial intelligence is reshaping the cybersecurity battlefield, South Korea’s spy agency warned, saying North Korean hacking groups are moving toward autonomous attacks that can identify vulnerabilities, break into systems and monetize stolen data with limited human involvement.

The National Cyber Security Center, operated under the National Intelligence Service, issued the warning in its 2026 National Information Security White Paper, released Sunday.

The agency said the rapid development of AI has sharply increased the capabilities of attackers, while the spread of cloud infrastructure and the neglect of aging systems have exposed structural weaknesses in South Korea’s cyber defenses.

The agency focused in particular on the rise of agentic AI, a form of autonomous artificial intelligence that can set goals, analyze data and manipulate external systems without constant human direction.

When used by hackers, the technology can generate large volumes of phishing messages and other social engineering content, develop hacking tools such as ransomware and carry out large-scale operations with fewer people, less time and lower costs.

Concerns over the misuse of agentic AI grew recently after Anthropic’s AI model Mythos was reported to have produced Windows attack code in 31 minutes.

The shift is especially visible among North Korean hacking organizations. Global cybersecurity companies including Kaspersky and Google Threat Intelligence Group have identified signs that the North Korea-linked group Kimsuky used large language models to help write code.

Another North Korea-linked hacking group, APT45, repeatedly entered prompts at scale to search for software vulnerabilities and test whether attack code could be executed.

Analysts increasingly believe North Korea began designing and testing AI-automated attacks last year and has now largely adopted the technology. The change is seen as allowing North Korean hackers to overcome personnel limitations and launch larger attacks on a regular basis.

North Korea stole a record 2.2 trillion won, or about $1.46 billion, in virtual assets last year.

While North Korea’s cyber capabilities are advancing rapidly, many South Korean public and private systems remain vulnerable because of aging infrastructure. The risk is growing as organizations adopt AI across more areas of work without fully updating their defenses.

The agency said agentic AI is particularly suited to manipulating AI systems used by target organizations, meaning South Korea could be expanding potential attack routes unless it strengthens its security systems.

“Starting this year, agentic AI will autonomously carry out the full attack life cycle and generate tens of thousands of malicious actions per second,” the agency said. “Defense systems also must immediately shift to autonomous security operations that minimize human intervention and identify and isolate threats at machine speed.”

Experts said isolated responses are no longer enough and called for a national-level control tower capable of continuous cyber response.

“The only current method is to use AI to find security problems, patch them as quickly as possible and prevent attacks,” said Choi Byung-ho, a research professor at Korea University’s Human-Inspired AI Research Institute. “A governance system capable of responding to hacking within 24 hours is needed, but it is difficult because of issues such as delegated authority.”

— 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=20260609010003141

COLUMBIA, S.C. — After a decade of roiling South Carolina and national politics, Rep. Nancy Mace finished a distant fifth in her state’s Republican primary for governor, leaving an uncertain future for one of the nation’s unabashed politicians.

Her campaign mirrored her whipsaw career. Mace courted the support of President Trump after harshly criticizing him over the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. She emphasized her fights with other Republicans to release files from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

In the final days before Tuesday’s primary, she called for a law to prevent anyone not born in the U.S. from holding political office or serving as a judge. She suggested that Rom Reddy, another candidate for governor, wasn’t qualified because he was a naturalized citizen whose mother was from India and father from Italy.

“I didn’t come out of a slum in India,” Mace said during an appearance in Greenville County this month. “I am born and made here in America.”

By the end of her campaign she was only making sporadic public appearances. She struggled to raise money and had no presence on television. Mace mostly communicated through social media — a place she has used to her advantage since first being elected to the South Carolina House in 2017.

In a lengthy statement posted after her loss, Mace recounted her achievements in the U.S. House, saying she had “taken on the rich and powerful in both parties” and “voted to release the Epstein files and lost some support for that.”

Four congressional Republicans were part of the initial group pushing for a discharge petition forcing the files’ release. Mace and Rep. Thomas Massie lost their races, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene resigned in January.

Mace didn’t give an indication of her next plans in her concession speech Tuesday night. She is backing Alan Wilson in the runoff for governor, even though just last year she accused Wilson of protecting child sex abuse defendants.

“When children needed him to act, Wilson looked the other way,” she said.

Wilson will face Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in the runoff on June 23. Evette received Trump’s endorsement, spurring Mace to lash out on social media.

“Pamela Evette is NOT ENDORSED by DONALD TRUMP,” Mace wrote, incorrectly. “Do not believe her LIES.” Mace posted an AI-generated image of posing with Trump herself.

Mace dropped out of high school and worked as a server at the Waffle House before getting her diploma. She later attended The Citadel and became the first woman to graduate from the state’s military academy. And in recent years, she talked about the importance of defending victims of sexual assault and shared stories of being raped as a teen.

After her political career began in the South Carolina House, Mace got wide praise from Republicans in 2020 for winning back a U.S. House seat around Charleston that had flipped to Democrats for one term.

“For those folks that are out there today that maybe weren’t with us yesterday, I’m asking for a chance — a chance to prove to you that I will be a compassionate leader, a good listener, an independent thinker,” Mace said then.

Collins and Kinnard write for the Associated Press. Kinnard reported from Washington. AP writer Bill Barrow contributed from Atlanta.

A TOWN in Hertfordshire that has been compared to southern France has just had an upgrade to its lido.

The outdoor pool in Hitchin has reopened for the summer season with some new upgrades.

The 50 metre heated lido on the outskirts of the town first opened in 1938 and reopened on 23 May this year for the swim season.

It has an art deco design and is surrounded by sunbathing terraces; there’s also a lawned area for picnicking.

Prior to it reopening for this year’s summer season, Hitchin Lido had upgrades to its changing rooms including new cubicles, lockers, sinks, tile flooring and mirrors.

The funding was given to the lido from a former swimmer, Hazel Jacobs, who left money in her will after passing away two years ago.

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Paul Francis, general manager at Hitchin Lido, said: “We are truly grateful to Hazel for this wonderful gift to the Lido.

“The refurbishment has transformed the facilities for our visitors, with new lockers, improved changing rooms and a much fresher environment for everyone to enjoy.”

It’s recommended to book tickets in advance to the lido as it can get very busy during the summer.

Tickets for adults start from £5.80 and children from £2.90.

The Hertfordshire town has been compared to the south of France in recent years thanks to its European-style attraction that’s been called “Little Provence” by visitors.

Hitchin Lavender is just outside of the town and is a pretty lavender field that one visitor said “feels like France rather then Hitchin!”

This year, Hitchin Lavender opens on June 20 and closes on August 7.

Tickets can be booked online from £7.53.

If you visit the main town, you’ll find Hitchin has cobbled streets and is filled with coffee shops.

And while it doesn’t feel like Provence, Travel Reporter Alice Penwill did compare it to another destination.

She said: “When it comes to looking like France, I’d say the market square is one of the only parts that does, however it reminds me more of a town in somewhere northern like Normandy, rather than the south.

“There were food and drink vans pitched up on the sides with a few seats dotted around, a large clock and a corn exchange building with a cupola and weather vane – which I have seen in France.”

She added: “Another hint of France was the tall houses and bars with the classic-looking wooden timber beams and window frames (although this trait is arguably both French and English).

“There are at least five bakeries though, which I’ll grant the TikTokers is a key factor in all French towns.”

Hitchin is known for its bustling food and drink scene from Hermitage, which is a restaurant, cocktail bar, bagel shop, and oyster bar all under one roof.

When it comes to pubs, the Kite at The Red Hart is a popular stop, as is The George and the Wetherspoons called The Angel Vaults Inn.

June 9 (Asia Today) — Military, industry and academic experts warned Tuesday that South Korea must urgently build an integrated air and missile defense system as drone swarms, artificial intelligence-enabled attacks and missile threats become more complex.

Experts said fragmented air defense weapons cannot respond effectively to modern battlefields where drone swarms are combined with ballistic and cruise missiles. They called for linking sensors, command decisions and interceptors into a unified system.

The Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies hosted the Future of Integrated Air and Missile Defense conference at the Daejeon Convention Center. The Missile Defense Forum organized the event and Northrop Grumman sponsored it.

The conference was held alongside the InLEX KOREA 2026 defense exhibition and drew officials from U.S. Forces Korea, foreign defense attachés, South Korean defense firms and overseas defense companies.

Kim Jin-ki, chairman of the Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies, said building an integrated air defense network is directly tied to national survival in modern and future warfare. He called for closer governance among the military, industry, academia and research institutions.

Rep. Yoo Yong-won, a member of the National Assembly’s defense committee, said South Korea must move faster to advance its missile defense system and secure next-generation air defense capabilities as global interest grows in the Cheongung-II missile interceptor system.

Kim Ki-won, a senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses, said lessons from the Israel-Iran conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war point to a major shift in air defense strategy.

“Simply increasing the number of interceptors has limits when facing saturation attacks such as drone swarms,” Kim said.

He said South Korea needs AI-based intelligent engagement control and a smart defense network that links multiple sensors into one system.

Sean McLay, Asia-Pacific business development director at Northrop Grumman, said modern attacks are increasingly combining ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.

McLay said South Korea should move away from platform-centered air defense systems and toward a network-centered integrated architecture that connects sensors, command and control and engagement assets.

Northrop Grumman developed the Integrated Battle Command System, which is used by the United States and Poland. The system is built around the concept of linking any sensor to the best available shooter, allowing commanders to match threat data with the most effective response.

Former Air Force 3rd Missile Defense Brigade commander Moon Oh-sun said South Korea’s individual air defense weapons have already reached a world-class level but remain limited by organizational barriers.

“To maximize combat effectiveness, we must break down the closed and isolated silo structure among the military branches,” Moon said. “Complete integration of information sharing and command decision systems is essential.”

Kim Dae-young, a military research fellow at the Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said South Korea must also prepare for the reality that no missile defense system can intercept every threat.

Operating on the premise that “perfect interception does not exist,” Kim said South Korea should build a multilayered survival structure that allows national functions to continue even if missile defenses fail. He cited the need for public air raid shelters and other measures to help the country withstand attacks.

South Korean defense companies also presented domestic technology related to integrated air defense.

Jung Won-woo, head of LIG D&A’s air defense control development team, introduced integrated fire control network technology based on data distribution service middleware. His presentation focused on the transition from engagement control to integrated fire control.

The conference ended with a panel discussion chaired by Joo Kwang-sup, a visiting research fellow at the Sejong Institute and a retired Army brigadier general. Panelists discussed how South Korea can build an integrated air and missile defense system suited to future security conditions.

Han Kwon-hee, planning director at the Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies, said the association will work to ensure the ideas raised at the conference help strengthen South Korea’s integrated air defense capabilities and improve the global competitiveness of the country’s defense industry.

— 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=20260609010003032

June 9 (Asia Today) — South Korea and the United States share the view that Seoul’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines would provide an important alliance capability, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

The ministry said the issue was discussed last week during the inaugural meeting to implement the South Korea-U.S. joint fact sheet, known as JFS, and that the talks proceeded on the premise that the submarines would be built in South Korea.

A Foreign Ministry official told reporters that the U.S. delegation did not raise any particular objection to domestic construction of the submarines.

U.S. President Donald Trump previously said on social media that South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarines would be built at Philly Shipyard in the United States, but officials from the two countries discussed the project on the premise of construction in South Korea, the official said.

“Both sides share the view that South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarines would be an important alliance capability for South Korea’s leading role in the defense of the Korean Peninsula,” the official said.

The official said the submarine plan is intended to strengthen security in response to conditions on the Korean Peninsula and is not aimed at any specific country.

On South Korea’s push to expand its uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing rights, the official said the two sides agreed that strengthening their nuclear energy partnership serves their common interests and decided to begin full-scale talks on ways to make that happen.

South Korea faces the challenge of overcoming restrictions under its civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States, commonly known as the 123 Agreement, to expand enrichment and reprocessing rights.

Diplomatic circles have discussed options including a full or partial revision of the agreement or passage of separate special legislation.

“The joint fact sheet talks are aimed at strengthening South Korea-U.S. nuclear cooperation,” the Foreign Ministry official said. “In broad terms, this can be understood as looking at ways to adjust the current 123 Agreement.”

The launch meeting was held June 2-3 after a delay of about seven months. Foreign Ministry officials described the atmosphere as positive.

One official said the U.S. side gave the impression that it was serious about the talks. Another said the meeting proceeded in a constructive atmosphere.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun also made an unannounced visit to a working lunch on the second day of the talks to encourage the delegations.

The government remains cautious, however, because of the details of the negotiations, concerns in the United States over nonproliferation norms and uncertainty surrounding Trump’s decision-making style.

“The overall perception of South Korea’s commitment to nonproliferation is the most important thing,” the Foreign Ministry official said. “We must make efforts to avoid sending unnecessary messages.”

President Lee Jae Myung’s remarks at his first-anniversary news conference Monday, where he criticized calls for South Korea to develop nuclear weapons as “truly irresponsible,” were seen as reflecting that concern.

The government is coordinating the schedule for follow-up talks with Washington.

The Foreign Ministry official said the two sides agreed to accelerate consultations. Several more full meetings led by the two countries’ national security councils are expected, along with frequent working-level talks by sectoral delegations.

— 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=20260609010003009

History tends to repeat itself at the World Cup. Such is the case with Mexico and South Africa, two teams that will face off in the World Cup opening match for the second time in history, just as they did in Johannesburg on June 11, 2010. The score that night was 1-1.

Many still remember Siphiwe Tshabalala and his powerful shot into the top corner that beat Mexican goalkeeper Óscar Pérez, and a celebration that remains etched in the collective memory of the soccer world. Unfortunately for the South African team that night, Rafa Márquez equalized for El Tri with 11 minutes remaining during what turned out to be a disappointing World Cup for the host nation.

Sixteen years later, the 2026 World Cup kicks off, curiously enough, with the same matchup, but with the roles reversed. Mexico is now the host at Azteca Stadium, known during this competition as Mexico City Stadium, at 7,216 feet above sea level. It will be the third World Cup the venue has hosted.

“It won’t be easy at all,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said last December upon learning his team would debut against one of the hosts. “It’s a great thing to play in front of 80,000 people. We have nothing to lose.”

Mexico’s Giovani Dos Santos jumps on the back of Rafael Marquez after Mexico scored against South Africa during a World Cup group match on June 11, 2010, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

(Michael Steele / Getty Images)

On the Mexican side, the similarities to 2010 are striking — and not necessarily for the right reasons. Coach Javier Aguirre is back on El Tri’s bench — the same coach who led that campaign in South Africa — which, at first glance, might seem curious, though in practice it reflects the stagnation of a soccer team that has gone eight consecutive World Cups without advancing past the round of 16.

Former Barcelona player Márquez, who scored the equalizer, also remains connected to the national team, now as an assistant coach, with the mandate to take the reins of the team once the Aguirre era concludes after the World Cup. The squad has seen more than a dozen coaches come and go since 2010, including a qualification for Brazil 2014 that nearly ended in tragedy before a goal by the United States rescued the Mexican team and sealed its admission into the tournament.

“Javier [Aguirre] was a firefighter in 2002, he was a firefighter in 2010 and he stepped in as a firefighter again then — it’s the same old story,” said John Sutcliff, a journalist who has covered Mexico for more than 36 years. “[The federation officials] aren’t working in the best interest of the national team. There’s a lot of interest in bringing in foreigners [to the Mexican league] for business purposes and we don’t have players in Europe’s top leagues.”

Mexico’s recent record speaks for itself. It was eliminated in the World Cup round of 16 in 2010 by Argentina, by the Netherlands in 2014, by Brazil in 2018 and failed to even advance past the group stage in Qatar in 2022. Considered the “Giant of CONCACAF,” Mexico has remained dominant in its region since 2010, with five Gold Cups, although it has lost ground to the United States in the Nations League.

Outside the region, its participation in 2010 has been limited mainly to two editions of the Copa América held on U.S. soil, in which it has failed in both, reaching the quarterfinals in 2016 and being eliminated in the group stage in 2024.

“I think it’s been a roller coaster ride over these 16 years; for a moment it seemed like it was making progress, but then there were spectacular crashes,” said Gibrán Araige, a journalist who has followed El Tri through several World Cup cycles.

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez celebrates with teammates after scoring against Serbia during a friendly at Nemesio Diez Stadium on June 4 in Toluca, Mexico.

(Agustin Cuevas / Getty Images)

For Araige, the level of the 2010 squad is similar to the current one, with players who are not yet established but have solid European experience.

Of the 26 players called up by Aguirre, 10 play in Europe, but few play for elite clubs or get significant playing time on their teams, mostly hampered by injuries, as is the case with Santi Giménez (AC Milan, Italy), César Huerta (Anderlecht, Belgium), Luis Chávez (Dinamo, Russia) and Edson Álvarez (Fenerbahçe, Turkey).

For its part, South Africa has not made significant progress since 2010.

After being eliminated in the group stage, finishing behind Uruguay and Mexico in a tournament held in its own country, it became the first host nation in a World Cup to fail to advance past that stage — a record that Qatar matched in 2022.

Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the next three World Cups. In fact, this is the first time they have qualified since 2002, as they did not have to qualify in 2010, having hosted the tournament.

They were eliminated as group runners-up behind Ethiopia on the road to Brazil in 2014, they finished last in their group on the road to Russia in 2018 and finished second behind Ghana in the qualifiers for Qatar in 2022.

South African players run during a World Cup training session at Estadio Hidalgo on June 3 in Pachuca, Mexico.

(Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

They have also lacked consistency in the Africa Cup of Nations, missing the 2012 and 2017 editions.

Broos, who took over as South Africa’s head coach in 2021, sought to instill discipline and relied on local talent, which was vital in securing a spot in this year’s World Cup. During the qualifying round, South Africa won its group by finishing ahead of Nigeria and advanced despite starting the campaign with a loss due to an ineligible player used in a match against Lesotho.

Broos faced criticism for strategic errors early on, but ultimately built a competitive team that achieved historic qualification, aided by nine direct World Cup spots in the expanded tournament field.

“It’s a truly excellent group of players. We got through a very tough qualifying phase, which I think helped polish the team,” said Mark Gleeson, a journalist specializing in African soccer.

For Gleeson, South Africa missed a major opportunity to strengthen its league by failing to retain investors and wealthy clients after the 2010 World Cup and continued to operate in the same way — a trend reflected in the league’s stagnation and the scarcity of talent playing abroad.

Lwethu Makhanya (Philadelphia Union, USA), Ime Okon (Hannover 96, Germany), Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire, USA), Sphephelo Sithole (CD Tondela, Portugal) and Lyle Foster (Burnley, England) are among the few South African players competing abroad for a national team reliant on domestic soccer.

South Africa huddle during a training session at Estadio Hidalgo on June 3 in Pachuca, Mexico.

(Manuel Velasquez / Getty Images)

However, with the World Cup’s new 48-team format, the task of advancing proved less daunting for teams in the qualifying phase and at the World Cup, there will also be more opportunities to advance beyond the group stage because the best third-place finishers move on. That math could benefit South Africa even if it loses its opening match.

Should Bafana Bafana lose to Mexico, they would have to beat the Czech Republic in their second match on June 18 in Atlanta and would likely play for qualification on June 24 against South Korea in Monterrey.

“The Czechs are among the weakest in Europe, and there’s a good chance of beating them. Furthermore, South Korea is well below its own historical standards, as was evident in March with very poor results in high-pressure matches,” Gleeson said.

To prepare for the altitude in Mexico City, Broos, a former Belgian player who competed in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, brought his team in early and, starting May 30, held training camp in Pachuca, a city at higher in elevation than the capital. Several of his players are already accustomed to some altitude from playing for clubs in Johannesburg, at 5,751 feet.

“South Africa has a chance; we can compete,” Tshabalala said in an interview after the draw. “I think the pressure will be on Mexico because they’re the hosts. That gives us a real opportunity to pull off an upset.”

A scoreless draw against Nicaragua in Johannesburg days before the World Cup isn’t exactly encouraging, but it also fits with the team’s expectations and the mindset of “having everything to gain and little to lose.”

“We have to enjoy it, and when you enjoy something, you can achieve great things,” said Broos.

Johannesburg, South Africa – In the quiet mining town of Swartruggens, a small courthouse is preparing to decide whether five Mexicans accused of a major illegal drug operation will be granted bail or remain in custody.

Their arrests followed a raid on a remote farm in North West province, where police said they uncovered a large methamphetamine laboratory worth about one billion rand ($60m).

The case is one of several pointing to a pattern taking shape in South Africa’s rural interior.

The Swartruggens laboratory was not an isolated discovery.

It was one of four major meth sites linked to Mexican criminals uncovered in South Africa in just two years, a pattern that has unsettled investigators and organised crime experts.

In 2024, police dismantled a large meth facility worth about $105–110 million on a farm near Groblersdal in Limpopo. Later that year, another laboratory worth roughly $5–6 million was discovered near Tshwane, followed by arrests last year in Mpumalanga.

Then came Swartruggens.

When police moved in on the North West farm in May, they found 481 kilos of methamphetamine, containers of chemicals and firearms. Among those arrested were Mexican nationals Fabian Astorga, Jesus Alonso Medina Astorga, Luis Alberto Ramirez Rios, Jose Andres Medina and Jacquelin Lopez Madrid, alongside co-accused South Africans.

All the sites followed the same pattern: remote farmland, long distances from towns and enough isolation for criminal activity to go undetected.

For investigators, the pattern is becoming harder to ignore.

Mexicans are increasingly being found working alongside local collaborators in rural production sites, suggesting a shift from trafficking meth into Africa to producing it there.

Organised crime researcher Julian Rademeyer told Al Jazeera the model reflects a deliberate strategy.

“It’s quite a unique development where you have members of Mexican drug cartels franchising, moving chemists into remote rural areas and farms,” he said.

The approach has been building for more than a decade, he added.

The logic is straightforward: produce closer to consumers, cut transport costs and reduce exposure to border and maritime enforcement.

How it spread

Mexican-linked networks in Africa did not begin in South Africa.

Researchers trace early activity back to Nigeria, where local groups were producing meth with Mexican involvement by around 2016.

From there, the networks spread through East Africa, then south through Mozambique and Botswana, before reaching South Africa more recently.

For years, users on the streets spoke of “Mexican meth”, often assumed to be imported. That supply chain has now shifted inward.

“Now, basically, the cartel chemists are being sent here,” Rademeyer told Al Jazeera.

Analysts say multiple supply routes now feed the South African market, but the most significant change is the rise of local production.

Who looks the other way

Methamphetamine dominates parts of South Africa’s illicit drug market because cheaper drugs such as cocaine and heroin remain out of reach for many users, creating steady demand for a cheaper, highly addictive stimulant.

Crime expert Willem Els says demand is only part of the story.

“The main reason why manufacturing locally is lucrative to cartels is the local conditions that exist, where there is protection from corrupt police and politicians,” he told Al Jazeera.

“It is very lucrative. The cartels can make a lot of money because South African conditions result in undetected and protected operations.”

A separate commission of inquiry into law enforcement has heard testimony alleging deep corruption within policing structures, including missing drug consignments and suspected inside involvement in major cases.

One case under scrutiny involves 541 kilos of cocaine seized in 2021 and later stolen from a police facility, in what investigators believe was an inside job.

Former Interpol ambassador Andy Mashiale told Al Jazeera the problem is visible on the ground.

“There is no way in which police don’t know those labs,” he said. “So corruption plays a role.”

He said officers deployed to rural areas were often aware of suspicious activity but failed to act.

“What inspires the drug manufacturers or the drug cartels is the willingness of the police to enable the drug trade from happening,” he said.

South Africa’s elite Hawks unit says recent raids show progress in disrupting networks, while international partners, including the US Drug Enforcement Administration, have provided intelligence linking some suspects to the Sinaloa Cartel.

But investigators warn that the system behind the labs is resilient.

A frontier that keeps moving

US Africa Command officials have warned that Mexican cartels are now not only moving drugs through Africa, but also producing them on the continent.

For South Africa, the challenge is no longer just border control, it is institutional capacity, intelligence and corruption within the system meant to contain it.

Without deeper reform, analysts warn, the pattern is likely to continue: new farms, new labs, new chemists arriving quietly in rural provinces.

For the five men in Swartruggens, the question is immediate, whether they will be released.

For South Africa, the question is larger and more difficult: how to contain a trade that is no longer arriving at its borders, but taking root in the country.

Rademeyer says the structure is built to absorb disruption.

“It’s a game of whack-a-mole,” he told Al Jazeera. “You seize a meth lab here, you seize a meth lab there. They’ll spring up elsewhere.”

June 7 (Asia Today) — President Lee Jae-myung sharply criticized the National Election Commission on Sunday over allegations that voting rights were violated during South Korea’s June 3 local elections.

Lee called on the National Assembly to conduct a parliamentary inquiry and ordered the administration to create a joint investigation team involving prosecutors and police.

“The National Election Commission caused serious disruption to the people’s exercise of voting rights during the June 3 local elections,” Lee wrote on Facebook. “The incident itself is difficult to understand, but its response afterward and explanation to the public were also insufficient.”

Lee said the right to vote is a constitutional right that must not be restricted or infringed upon for any reason.

“This is a grave matter that damaged the foundation of popular sovereignty,” he said. “As one citizen and as the president responsible for the government, I express deep regret.”

Lee asked lawmakers to quickly pursue a parliamentary inquiry to determine the facts and prepare measures to prevent a recurrence.

He also called for discussions on fundamental institutional reforms of the election commission.

“The government will also consider every possible measure at the administrative level, given the seriousness of the matter,” Lee said. “I have instructed the creation of a joint investigation team involving prosecutors and police to clarify responsibility and thoroughly determine the full circumstances of the case.”

Lee noted that the commission is an independent institution and said its independence comes with major responsibilities.

“The chairperson of the National Election Commission is regarded as one of the five highest constitutional officeholders because the commission is an independent institution with corresponding authority, duties and responsibility, just like the executive, legislative and judicial branches,” Lee said.

“The more independent an institution is, the more important public trust becomes,” he said. “An independent institution that has lost public trust has no reason to exist.”

Lee urged the commission to conduct a fundamental review of its organization and election management system. He said the commission should take the incident seriously and show a strong commitment to reform at a level the public can trust.

— 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=20260607010002243

June 5 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s presidential office said Friday there has been no major change in the plan to build nuclear-powered submarines in South Korea as Seoul and Washington resume talks on nuclear cooperation and wartime operational control.

A senior Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters that recent security talks between South Korea and the United States were “very productive and useful.”

“There has been no major change in the position that nuclear-powered submarines will be built in South Korea,” the official said.

The official said the two sides discussed uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing and nuclear-powered submarines. The talks also included what the official described as an “umbrella” consultation framework.

“We have not set a target deadline, but we will move quickly and try to produce concrete results by the end of the year,” the official said.

South Korea and the United States held formal talks in Seoul this week on follow-up discussions related to Seoul’s push for nuclear-powered submarines and expanded rights for uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing. The talks followed earlier bilateral agreements on nuclear cooperation and submarine development.

On enrichment and reprocessing, the senior official said Seoul and Washington need “several new frameworks of agreement.”

“We intend to make progress, including by revising what needs to be revised,” the official said.

The official said talks on enrichment and reprocessing are now moving into a full-fledged phase.

“These discussions are based on trust in South Korea’s denuclearization, so there are no additional denuclearization conditions,” the official said.

Asked about coordination between Seoul and Washington on the timing of South Korea’s recovery of wartime operational control, the official said the two allies do not have a significant difference of opinion.

“Efforts to meet the conditions have continued for more than 10 years, and several years ago there was even an assessment that the conditions had been more than 90% met,” the official said. “Because there is little difference in views on the conditions, we can coordinate and align them.”

The official said the two sides also do not differ sharply on the timing of the transfer.

“There is a gap of a little over a year, about one year-plus,” the official said. “We do not see that gap as something that cannot be adjusted.”

— 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=20260605010001877

June 5 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s election chief said Friday he will resign to take responsibility for ballot shortages that disrupted voting during the June 3 local elections.

Roh Tae-ak, chairman of the National Election Commission, made the announcement during a public apology at the commission’s headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. NEC Secretary-General Huh Chul-hoon also offered to resign.

“The high public interest in local autonomy and the active expression of the people’s will through voting were damaged by the ballot shortage,” Roh said. “As chairman of the National Election Commission, I feel devastated and bear unlimited responsibility for the situation, which has damaged public trust in election management and led to distrust in the election process.”

The commission said ballot shortages occurred at 50 polling stations nationwide, including 14 in Seoul’s Songpa district. Voting was temporarily halted at 22 polling stations, the commission said. Outside reports also said the shortages caused delays and protests in parts of Seoul.

The commission said the shortages were linked to a decision to print ballots for at least 50% of eligible voters in some areas, reflecting internal discussions about reducing unused ballots as early voting rates have risen in recent elections.

Yoon Jae-soo, head of the commission’s election policy office, said the minimum number of ballots was set at 50% of eligible voters but could be adjusted depending on local conditions.

“In Songpa district, when the early voting rate of 23.3% was included, ballots equal to 73.3% of eligible voters were secured,” Yoon said. “But shortages occurred because there were differences among individual polling stations.”

The commission said it will create a fact-finding committee made up of outside experts to examine the cause of the shortages, identify problems in the response and prepare measures to prevent a recurrence.

Roh said the commission will cooperate fully with any process to determine responsibility, including a possible National Assembly investigation.

“We will sincerely take part in all procedures to confirm the commission’s responsibility for this incident and will not avoid responsibility depending on the results,” Roh said.

On Wednesday, voters at some polling stations in Seoul’s Gangnam, Gwangjin and Songpa districts had to wait because of ballot shortages. The disruption has drawn criticism from political parties, civic groups and universities over the commission’s election management.

Oh Min-seok, chairman of the Seoul Election Commission, also issued a public apology Friday.

“This was the commission’s fault, with no excuse,” Oh said. “We deeply feel responsibility for damaging public trust through poor election management that ran counter to common sense.”

— 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=20260605010001883

As the rally in AI stocks fades, investors were cautious at the open on Friday, with European markets opening to mixed sentiment following steep falls in Asian markets.

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Indices in London and Frankfurt quickly moved into negative territory, with the FTSE 100 dropping nearly 0.4% and the DAX losing 0.3% right after the opening. The Paris CAC 40 and the IBEX 35 in Madrid were both up 0.3%, while Milan’s main index was flat. So was the EURO STOXX 50, a benchmark index of 50 blue-chip companies from the eurozone.

Investors are awaiting the latest US non-farm payrolls report and keeping an eye on developments in the Middle East.

The US job data is important for forecasting what the Fed’s next move could be. Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, said in a market note, “There is now a near 40% chance of a rate hike by year-end. We expect financial markets to be extremely sensitive to today’s data,” adding that this will be the first such report with Kevin Warsh as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

In the UK, the latest data from Halifax showed that house prices unexpectedly declined in May. House prices fell 0.1% month on month, but were still up 0.5% year on year, missing expectations for a 1% jump.

Oil markets are awaiting further direction

Oil prices stabilised after falling on Thursday. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was slightly down and traded at $94.73 per barrel at 10:00 CET. It had been trading at about $70 per barrel before the start of the war in late February.

Benchmark US crude was little changed at $92.51 a barrel.

Oil prices remain under pressure as the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway crucial for global oil and natural gas transport, remains effectively closed, and the war-induced energy shock is threatening to slow economic growth and fuel inflation in many countries.

American and Iranian negotiators reached a tentative deal last week to extend their ceasefire, but the agreement has not been finalised. Meanwhile, developments in Lebanon have cast doubt on the prospects for a permanent end to the conflict.

On Thursday, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah rejected the latest ceasefire agreement between the Lebanese and Israeli governments.

“While there are few signs of progress in US-Iran talks, the oil market continues to trade on expectations of an imminent deal that would resume flows through the Strait of Hormuz,” ING commodities strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a report.

Asian markets lose steam as AI craze cools

Wall Street rallied on Thursday after falling oil prices and bond yields eased pressure on US stocks. Banks, small-cap companies and other stocks that had previously been left behind by the euphoria around artificial intelligence led the gains.

Banks also helped lead the market, including gains of 5% for Goldman Sachs, 4.7% for Fifth Third Bancorp and 4.4% for U.S. Bancorp.

They helped to more than make up for losses among some AI stocks, which took a sudden back seat after dominating the market. Analysts have been saying AI stocks may have run too high, becoming too expensive, and that the broader US stock market may be set for a slowdown following an unrelenting streak of nine straight winning weeks for the S&P 500, its longest since 2023.

On Wall Street on Thursday, computer chipmaker Broadcom’s shares sank 12.6% after it issued guidance that fell short of investors’ expectations, raising concerns about the wider AI and technology sector.

US memory chip maker Micron Technology dropped 7.7%, and cybersecurity company CrowdStrike Holdings fell 3.8%.

Still, the benchmark S&P 500 climbed 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.7% to a record high. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite edged 0.1% lower.

But in Asia, investors dumped key AI-related shares, with South Korea’s SK Hynix plunging 8.6% and Samsung Electronics shedding 5.4%.

The Kospi dropped 5.1% to 8,199.44. The index has roughly doubled over the past year, lifted by gains in major technology companies.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 1.3% to 66,573.85, with technology shares leading the decline, even as official data showed that Japan’s real wages rose for the fourth consecutive month. Chip equipment maker Tokyo Electron’s shares fell 7%.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 1.2% to 24,948.96, while the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.3% to 4,045.45.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.7% to 8,623.50.

Taiwan’s Taiex gave up 1.3%, while India’s Sensex was up 0.1%.

In other trading early on Friday, the US dollar fell to 159.96 Japanese yen from 160.03 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1635, up 0.2%. Gold prices were down 0.3%, trading at around $4,490.70.

June 4 (Asia Today) — South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Thursday proposed resuming four-way talks among South Korea, North Korea, the United States and China to help establish peace in Northeast Asia.

Chung, who is visiting Mongolia, also called for expanding the framework to include Mongolia, Japan, Russia and other regional countries. He made the proposal during a special address at the 11th Ulaanbaatar Dialogue in Mongolia.

Chung said Northeast Asia needs to build a new “peace identity” by restoring trust between South and North Korea and rebuilding peace on the Korean Peninsula.

It was the first visit to Mongolia by a South Korean unification minister. The trip was made at the invitation of the Mongolian government.

The Ulaanbaatar Dialogue is a regular international forum that covers security issues in Northeast Asia. It began in 2014 as a private academic conference and was upgraded in 2017 to a Track 1.5 forum involving government and nongovernment participants. North Korea has not attended the forum since 2019.

On the Korean Peninsula peace process, Chung said, “A four-party dialogue among the Republic of Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the United States and China is possible.”

“We should expand this framework so that other Northeast Asian countries, including Mongolia, Japan and Russia, can also join,” he said.

Chung also referred to the Sept. 19 Joint Statement adopted during the six-party talks in 2005. He said the six parties had agreed to promote lasting peace and security in Northeast Asia.

“It is time to apply that experience to today’s reality and rekindle the flame of dialogue,” Chung said.

Chung also proposed strengthening cooperation under the Greater Tumen Initiative, a multilateral platform for development and economic cooperation in Northeast Asia.

He called for connecting regional railway networks, including the Trans-Siberian Railway, Trans-China Railway, Trans-Mongolian Railway and a proposed Seoul-Beijing high-speed rail link, with the Arctic shipping route.

“By connecting transportation networks with regional markets and trade flows, we can build an innovative logistics network across Eurasia,” Chung said.

“To turn these ideas into reality, I urge the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to rejoin the Greater Tumen Initiative as a full member,” he said. “They would be the biggest beneficiary of this vision.”

North Korea was an early member of the Greater Tumen Initiative but withdrew in 2009.

Chung said three goals must move forward together: rebuilding trust between the two Koreas, institutionalizing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula and advancing multilateral dialogue in Northeast Asia.

“If these three pillars move forward together, we can build a new peace order across Northeast Asia,” he said.

After his special address, Chung met separately with Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh. Chung left South Korea on Wednesday to attend the forum and is scheduled to return Friday.

— 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=20260605010001616

June 3 (Asia Today) — Wu’er Kaixi, a former student leader of China’s 1989 Tiananmen pro-democracy movement, warned South Koreans on Wednesday not to view North Korea only as a country of the same ethnic people.

“North Koreans are certainly Koreans. They speak the same language and eat the same food,” Wu’er said at a news conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo, one day before the anniversary of the June 4 Tiananmen crackdown. “But they have been affected by the disease of communism, and that influence has seeped into their bones and DNA.”

Wu’er, also known as Uerkesh Davlet, was listed by the club as a former student leader of the 1989 Tiananmen movement for its Wednesday news conference, titled “Tiananmen 37 Years Later.”

Asia Today asked Wu’er about the future of China and what it could mean for the Korean Peninsula, noting China’s influence on the Korean War, the division of the peninsula and North Korea’s nuclear issue.

Wu’er responded by directly addressing North Korea.

“I understand that Koreans dream of unification,” he said. “But that is not simply a matter of meeting lost brothers and sisters again. It is the process of rebuilding half of a country that has been affected by communism.”

Wu’er expressed concern about what he described as a nationalist approach within parts of South Korean society.

“When I talk with friends in Seoul, I often sense conservative and nationalist sentiment,” he said. “I fully understand such feelings because South Korea has faced North Korea’s military threat directly.”

“But South Koreans who enjoy liberal democracy should have a mindset of using that freedom for the freedom of North Koreans,” he said.

Wu’er also warned against accepting North Korean propaganda at face value.

“North Korea’s military threats are calculated actions,” he said. “You should not be misled by the nationalist slogans they put forward.”

He said propaganda is used to control hungry citizens.

“North Koreans are still hungry, but they are ruled by regime propaganda,” Wu’er said.

“North Korea is no longer the North Korea we think of,” he said. “If one day South Koreans have the chance to embrace North Koreans, they will realize they are no longer the brothers and sisters they remember from the past.”

“They may be closer to Russians or Chinese,” he said. “You have to understand how a communist system changes human beings and society.”

Wu’er said South Korea’s government and people should understand the nature of the Chinese Communist Party system when considering North Korea.

During the news conference, Wu’er sharply criticized the Chinese Communist Party, saying many people mistakenly view China as a state driven by nationalism or communist ideology.

“The Chinese Communist Party is simply a criminal group,” he said. “They are not pursuing the interests of the state or the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. They are only interested in maintaining their own power and wealth.”

He dismissed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s slogan of “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” as propaganda meant to deceive the Chinese people.

“The Chinese Communist Party is driven more by interests than ideology,” Wu’er said. “Like a criminal organization seeking more profits, it endlessly tries to expand power and control.”

“To understand China, ask a criminologist rather than an international politics scholar,” he said. “If you approach it through the behavior of a criminal group, you can understand China’s foreign policy much more accurately.”

Wu’er said the Chinese Communist Party “is never satisfied” and urged liberal democracies to respond firmly as Beijing seeks to expand its control and influence.

— 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=20260603010001047

June 3 (Asia Today) — Harim Group’s domestic transactions among affiliates exceeded 1.4 trillion won, or about $914 million, last year, raising concerns that some unlisted units remain heavily dependent on business from within the group.

An analysis of Financial Supervisory Service filings and affiliate transaction data showed Harim Group’s domestic internal transactions totaled 1.44 trillion won, or about $938 million, in 2025.

That accounted for about 11.5% of the group’s total revenue of 12.41 trillion won, or about $8.11 billion.

Harim Group has a vertically integrated business structure spanning feed production, livestock, food processing, distribution and logistics. The structure has drawn attention because several unlisted affiliates reported high levels of sales from transactions with other group companies.

Sunjin Hanmaeul, an agricultural company involved in pig farming, generated 229.2 billion won, or about $150 million, of its 256.6 billion won, or about $168 million, in total revenue last year through transactions with affiliates including Harim Holdings and Sunjin. That means 89.3% of its sales came from internal group transactions. Sunjin Hanmaeul is a sub-subsidiary of Harim Holdings.

Korea Thumb Vet, an animal pharmaceutical affiliate, also generated 94.8 billion won, or about $62 million, of its 130.1 billion won, or about $85 million, in total revenue from affiliate transactions. The company is also a sub-subsidiary of Harim Holdings.

Charm Trading, a Harim Holdings subsidiary responsible for grain procurement and trading, posted 323.9 billion won, or about $212 million, in internal transactions out of 534.5 billion won, or about $349 million, in total revenue last year. That was the largest amount among the group’s affiliate transactions.

Sunjin, a core affiliate in the feed and processed meat businesses, recorded 118.138 billion won, or about $77 million, in sales through affiliate transactions. Sunjin also owns an 89.4% stake in Sunjin Hanmaeul, whose internal transaction dependence reached 89.3%.

Other unlisted affiliates also showed high dependence on internal transactions. Sunjin Ham, a processed meat manufacturer, posted an internal transaction ratio of 99.9%. Farmsco Bio Inti, a livestock production affiliate, recorded 85.8%, while ship management company POS SM reported 85.4% and manufacturing and services affiliate Donglim posted 80.2%.

Harim Group was sanctioned by the Fair Trade Commission in 2021 over allegations that affiliates steered business to Orpum, a private company wholly owned by Kim Jun-young, the eldest son of Harim Chairman Kim Hong-kuk and an assistant managing director at Pan Ocean.

At the time, the commission said affiliate support provided unfair economic benefits to the owner family and imposed corrective orders and fines. Harim challenged the decision and the case is currently in administrative litigation.

The continued transaction structure involving major affiliates such as Charm Trading, Sunjin Hanmaeul and Korea Thumb Vet has drawn attention because it appears to have changed little since the commission’s sanctions.

Harim Group’s succession structure is widely seen as centered on Kim Jun-young. Through Orpum and Korea Investment, Kim has secured influence within the ownership structure of Harim Holdings, and key affiliates are also included under that structure.

Some level of internal transactions may be inevitable in a vertically integrated industry. But critics say it is a separate issue when some unlisted affiliates continue to depend on internal group transactions for 60% to nearly 100% of their revenue, especially as regulators strengthen oversight of tunneling and unfair support involving owner families.

The Fair Trade Commission says it does not determine illegality based only on the share of internal transactions.

“Internal transactions become a problem when illegal conduct such as unfair business steering or private benefit-taking is involved,” a commission official said. “If unfair support or private benefit-taking is found, the transaction can be subject to sanctions under relevant laws.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260604010001065

June 3 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s major commercial banks are facing growing pressure from a sharp rise in long-overdue loans, with the amount of loans unpaid for more than one year exceeding 1 trillion won, or about $716 million, in the first quarter.

Loans overdue for less than one year, which could later worsen into long-term delinquencies, also approached 6 trillion won, or about $3.84 billion. The increase suggests that borrower distress is deepening, especially among corporate borrowers, despite banks’ efforts to dispose of nonperforming loans.

The sequential expiration of COVID-19 loan maturity extensions also appears to be adding pressure on delinquent borrowers.

Banks, which have continued to post strong earnings, are concerned that rising long-term delinquencies could increase loan-loss provision burdens. The longer a loan remains overdue and the lower its chance of recovery becomes, the more banks must set aside in provisions.

If the Bank of Korea raises its base rate in the second half, borrowers’ repayment burdens could grow further, increasing the risk of additional long-term delinquencies. Analysts say asset quality management could become a key factor determining banks’ earnings performance.

According to financial industry data released Wednesday, the combined balance of loans overdue for at least one year at KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank and NH NongHyup Bank reached 1.0972 trillion won, or about $716 million, in the first quarter.

That was up 49.3% from 734.9 billion won, or about $480 million, a year earlier. Compared with 261 billion won, or about $170 million, in 2024, the figure has more than quadrupled. It was also more than double the 508 billion won, or about $332 million, recorded in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The increase appeared across all five banks. By bank, NH NongHyup had the largest balance of long-term overdue loans at 474.8 billion won, or about $310 million, followed by KB Kookmin at 166.9 billion won, or about $109 million, Hana at 155.2 billion won, or about $101 million, Shinhan at 151.5 billion won, or about $99 million, and Woori at 148.8 billion won, or about $97 million.

Loans overdue for at least one month but less than one year totaled 5.8851 trillion won, or about $3.84 billion, approaching the 6 trillion won mark. The figure was slightly lower than 6.1002 trillion won, or about $3.98 billion, a year earlier, but remained high by historical standards.

By category, loans overdue for at least one month but less than three months rose from a year earlier to 2.8225 trillion won, or about $1.84 billion. Loans overdue for at least six months but less than one year, which are considered more likely to become long-term delinquencies, reached 1.1111 trillion won, or about $726 million. Both were record highs since the banks began disclosing the relevant data.

The surge in long-term delinquencies is widely attributed to a sharp increase in new overdue loans in 2024 and 2025. Higher interest rates and weak domestic demand weakened borrowers’ repayment capacity, with some distressed borrowers slipping into long-term delinquency.

The increase appears particularly concentrated among corporate borrowers, whose loans are relatively large and harder to recover. At the end of March, the banking sector’s corporate loan delinquency rate stood at 0.68%, up 0.06 percentage point from 0.62% a year earlier.

“Distress pressure has continued for a long period in sectors such as construction and real estate leasing because of the weak housing market,” an official at a commercial bank said.

A renewed period of rate increases could add to the problem. The Bank of Korea left open the possibility of at least one base rate increase in the second half during last month’s monetary policy meeting, raising concerns that banks could face greater asset quality pressure.

Higher base rates can push up market rates, including bank bond yields, increasing borrowers’ interest burdens. That could deepen distress among loans already in arrears and increase new delinquencies, potentially expanding the volume of long-term overdue loans later.

That would likely translate into higher loan-loss provisions for banks. Banks classify loans into five asset-quality categories: normal, precautionary, substandard, doubtful and estimated loss.

When a loan is classified as substandard, banks must set aside provisions equal to 20% of the loan amount. As the overdue period grows longer and repayment capacity worsens, the required provision ratio rises. Doubtful loans, which are overdue for more than three months and have low recovery prospects, require 50% provisioning. Loans classified as estimated losses after more than one year overdue require 100% provisioning.

That means if a doubtful loan deteriorates into an estimated loss, the provisioning burden doubles.

A rise in provision expenses would directly weigh on bank earnings. In 2022, the five major banks set aside 3.5422 trillion won, or about $2.31 billion, in annual loan-loss provisions, while their combined net profit rose 18.6% from a year earlier to 13.7472 trillion won, or about $8.98 billion.

But in 2023, when banks set aside more than 6 trillion won, or about $3.92 billion, in provisions because of real estate project financing distress and other factors, their net profit growth slowed to 2.6%.

Provision expenses fell sharply the following year, but as delinquencies continue to rise, the possibility of renewed growth in provisions has increased. Analysts say careful risk management has become more important.

“As the delinquency period lengthens, the sale price of nonperforming loans tends to fall, so if long-term delinquencies increase, banks disposing of bad loans will also face greater loss burdens,” a financial industry official said.

“The key will be whether banks can prevent new distress from expanding while effectively clearing existing bad loans,” the official said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260604010001073

June 2 (Asia Today) — South Korean small business owners called for more practical labor consulting and measures to ease payroll burdens during a government meeting Tuesday.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups held a roundtable on labor difficulties facing small businesses at the Korea Certified Public Labor Attorneys Association in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

Minister Han Seong-sook, government officials and representatives from convenience stores, restaurants and cafes attended the meeting to discuss labor management difficulties in the field.

Participants said complicated wage rules, including weekly holiday allowances and severance pay, have become a major management burden. They urged the government to provide professional consulting support.

At the meeting, the ministry announced support measures to help small businesses manage labor issues. The measures include a question-and-answer guidebook on commonly missed labor rules, regional on-site briefings and stronger online guidance through short-form videos.

The ministry also plans to help resolve disputes through counseling centers and labor lawyers. It said it will link a 24-hour artificial intelligence labor law counseling service with Small Business 24, a government support platform for small businesses.

Small business groups, however, expressed disappointment with the measures. They said expanding online and offline counseling channels could become a formality unless the government also secures enough budget and staffing to handle a surge in labor complaints.

They also said 24-hour AI counseling may have limits because labor disputes often involve complicated facts and competing interests that differ from case to case.

Participants emphasized that small businesses need more than basic information or counseling. They said the government should build a field-based consulting system and adopt policies that directly reduce labor cost pressures.

They said the government needs a bolder approach that goes beyond publicity-focused measures to address the core problems facing small businesses, including complex employment structures and allowance management.

“We will implement the measures announced today without disruption to create an environment where small business owners can run their businesses with confidence,” Han said.

The government said it will continue listening to difficulties in the field and review possible improvements to the system.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

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Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260602010000499

June 2 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s consumer price growth topped 3% in May for the first time in 26 months as a prolonged Middle East war drove up global oil prices, raising concerns that high inflation could continue through the second half of the year.

The consumer price index stood at 119.92 in May, with 2020 set as the base year of 100, up 3.1% from a year earlier, according to consumer price data released Tuesday by the National Data Agency. It was the first increase of 3% or more since March 2024.

Industrial products rose 4.2% from a year earlier, while service prices increased 2.8%. Petroleum prices showed the sharpest increase, jumping 24.2%, the largest gain in three years and 10 months since July 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war was at its height.

Gasoline prices rose 23.1%, diesel prices climbed 33.3% and kerosene prices increased 21.7%.

Among services, international airfares, which are directly affected by fuel costs, rose 33.5%, while overseas group tour fees increased 26.3%.

The living price index, which tracks frequently purchased items with a high share of household spending, rose 3.3% from a year earlier, showing a worsening burden felt by consumers.

Lee Doo-won, an official in charge of economic trend statistics at the data agency, said petroleum prices rose more sharply because of higher international oil prices caused by the Middle East war.

“International airfares and prices for travel and lodging-related items rose sharply as fuel surcharges linked to global oil prices increased and the number of peak-season days, including holidays, grew,” Lee said.

The government said it will work to reduce price uncertainty by stabilizing petroleum prices.

A Finance Ministry official said the government’s petroleum price cap and fuel tax cut reduced the May consumer price increase by 0.6 percentage point.

“We will make every effort to stabilize prices felt by households through petroleum price stabilization measures and a task force on livelihood prices,” the official said.

Experts said inflation led by higher global oil prices is likely to continue in the second half.

“Although the United States and Iran have announced plans to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the high oil price trend is likely to continue in the second half even if the war ends, given the destruction of local oil facilities,” said Jeong Se-eun, an economics professor at Chungnam National University.

“For South Korea, which imports all of its oil, oil prices affect overall inflation. There is also concern that abnormal weather forecast for this summer could raise agricultural prices,” Jeong said.

“With no notable downward factor in the second half, inflation is expected to stay around 3%,” she added.

Park Jin, a professor at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management, said prices are determined by market supply and demand.

“On the supply side, there are inflation concerns caused by unstable oil prices. On the demand side, there are price-increase factors such as a strong domestic stock market,” Park said. “Preemptive steps, including consideration of an interest rate hike, are needed.”

— 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=20260602010000704

The violence prompted 300 Mozambicans to return home by their own means over the weekend, with more than 500 still in the country now beginning the official repatriation process.

At least five Mozambican nationals have been killed in “xenophobic attacks” in South Africa over the weekend, the Mozambican government said, marking the first deaths officially linked to country-wide protests against undocumented immigration.

About 800 Mozambicans got caught up in violence that broke out in the southern coastal city of Mossel Bay on Friday, the government press office said in a statement received on Tuesday.

“Regrettably, seven Mozambican citizens have died, five of them as a direct consequence of the xenophobic attacks and the other two as a result of a road accident, when they were travelling in a private vehicle on their way back to Mozambique,” the statement said.

The violence prompted 300 Mozambicans to return home on Saturday, said the statement.

“The remaining just over 500 have since been sheltered in a safe location in the Western Cape Province, and as of today, 1 June, the process of their repatriation to Mozambique is already underway,” it said.

South African police said on Sunday they were investigating the deaths of two men at an informal settlement in Mossel Bay, a port town about 380km (236 miles) east of Cape Town, where xenophobic attacks had been reported.

They did not say whether the deaths were linked to the protests. It was also not immediately clear what nationalities the two men were.

But the area mayor, Dirk Kotze, voiced “deep concern and dismay at the current xenophobic attacks where people have been murdered, houses burned and families displaced”.

The region has seen anti-migrant protests similar to those reported in the financial capital Johannesburg, Durban and parts of the Eastern Cape province in recent weeks.

South Africa has faced recurring waves of xenophobic violence since 2008, when dozens of migrants were killed and thousands displaced in attacks across the country. Similar flare-ups occurred in 2015 and 2021.

The latest spike in anti-immigrant tensions comes as political parties seek support before local government elections in November.