The U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers in retaliation for attempted strikes on a Navy warship, prompting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to fire ballistic missiles at a Jordanian base and attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating regional tensions significantly.
South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung visits France for a four-day summit with Macron, marking 140 years of diplomatic ties and advancing cooperation in AI, space, and nuclear technology amid broader geopolitical uncertainty.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun retained his position in President Lee Jae Myung's Cabinet reshuffle, signaling Seoul's preference for diplomatic continuity amid escalating tensions with Washington over investment commitments, security negotiations, and military exercise reductions.
President Trump pressured South Korea on investment negotiations and Iran cooperation while scaling back joint military exercises, as the allies remained divided on a September investment deal target amid strained security ties.
South Korea and Argentina's leaders agreed to cooperate on energy supply chains, strengthening bilateral ties and potentially enhancing both nations' energy security through strategic partnership amid global supply chain restructuring.
President Lee Jae Myung attended NATO's summit to negotiate a procurement framework agreement and propose expanded defense partnerships, positioning South Korea to capture greater market share of Europe's rising military spending amid the Ukraine war.
[Editorial] Defense cooperation with NATO could cost Korea
South Korea and NATO agreed Tuesday to negotiate a defense procurement pact granting Korean companies access to NATO's approximately 15 trillion won annual defense market, expanding cooperation as NATO seeks technological capabilities amid the Ukraine conflict.
President Lee Jae Myung embarks on a five-day diplomatic tour attending NATO's Turkey summit to strengthen defense industry cooperation, then visits Mongolia for a state summit addressing economic ties and regional security partnerships.
President Lee Jae Myung attends NATO's July summit in Turkey seeking to deepen security cooperation, promote South Korean defense exports to the alliance's 32 members, and establish foothold in the world's largest defense procurement market.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visits Europe from June 4-18 for the G7 summit and Vatican meetings, aiming to expand Korean companies' market access, strengthen EU security cooperation, and reinforce Korea's status as a globally responsible power.
South Korea's National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said investigators cannot yet confirm Iran's responsibility for the HMM Nahmoo tanker attack in the Hormuz Strait, while keeping all possibilities open and expediting the military-led investigation.
South Korea's stock market rebounded over two percent Wednesday as investors bought semiconductor shares amid Middle East tensions, while Samsung and SK hynix's record AI chip profits sparked labor disputes over profit-sharing with workers.
Trump claimed Iran attacked a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, urging Seoul to join US shipping operations, but Iran's embassy firmly denied involvement, citing security concerns in its defensive waters.
South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung visited India in April 2026, establishing urgent supply chain partnerships in shipbuilding, semiconductors, and energy amid Middle East instability and Chinese competition threats.
South Korea's National Security Office acknowledged that the Coupang dispute is delaying Korea-US security consultations on nuclear submarines and uranium enrichment, vowing to resolve the corporate matter swiftly while handling it separately from broader alliance cooperation.
South Korea's diplomatic-security discord hampers unified response as North Korea strengthens Chinese and Russian ties to fund nuclear weapons development, while internal factions clash over peninsula policy and intelligence sharing with allies.
President Lee Jae-myung visited France for five days to co-chair the Lumiere Summit with President Macron, discussing advanced technology cooperation and potentially addressing South Korean troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz.
President Lee Jae Myung visits France for four days starting Sunday to co-chair the Lumière cinema summit with President Macron and conduct bilateral talks, strengthening 140-year diplomatic ties through discussions on film, AI, and economic cooperation.
Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco concludes productive two-day Korea tour securing aerospace, AI, and defense cooperation agreements, then meets U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington amid tensions over migrant deaths in American custody.
President Lee Jae Myung completed an 11-day state visit securing $950 billion in semiconductor deals with Silicon Valley and critical minerals agreements with South American nations, returning to address domestic priorities including real estate and stock market policy.
South Korea's National Security Council convened with economic and diplomatic officials to address trade and security concerns with the US, with adviser Wi Sung-lac emphasizing inter-departmental cooperation amid rising external uncertainties following the ambassador's return.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attended a NATO summit to negotiate defense procurement agreements and expand arms exports to European members, potentially accessing a fifteen-trillion-won defense market as NATO increases spending amid security challenges.
South Korea's President Lee pledged $100 million aid to Ukraine while discussing repatriation of two captured North Korean soldiers with President Zelensky at a NATO summit, addressing humanitarian concerns amid North Korea's military involvement in Russia's war.
South Korean President Lee and Canadian PM Carney agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in defense and critical minerals Tuesday, despite South Korea losing a 39.1 billion dollar submarine contract to Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attends NATO Summit in Turkey to strengthen defence partnerships and boost arms exports amid rising global demand, while positioning Seoul as a strategic player bridging European and Asian security concerns.
President Lee Jae Myung completed South Korea's first presidential visit to Europe, establishing strategic partnerships with the EU, Belgium, Italy, Germany, and Canada while attending the G7 summit to address global challenges including Ukraine, Middle East conflicts, and protectionism.
President Lee Jae Myung condemned Israel's seizure of two Korean aid ships in international waters and instructed officials to review issuing an arrest warrant for Netanyahu, potentially straining Seoul's ties with Israel and the United States.
South Korean President Lee and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi meet November 19 in Andong to discuss U.S.-China summit outcomes, Middle East tensions, and Korea's potential CPTPP accession, marking their third summit strengthening bilateral economic and diplomatic ties.
South Korea's national security adviser condemned an attack on a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, stating the strikes were unjustified aggression. Officials are investigating the incident's nature and perpetrator while coordinating internationally to maintain navigation freedom.
South Korea's KOSPI surged 6.45 percent to record 7,384.56 points amid semiconductor strength and Middle East peace optimism, while North Korea's revised constitution dropped unification references, signaling a "two hostile states" policy shift.
Trump's administration classified NATO allies as cooperative or uncooperative based on Iran war support, pressuring countries like Britain and France while limiting intelligence sharing with South Korea, prompting allies to pursue greater strategic autonomy amid concerns about shifting geopolitical arrangements.
South Korea's special counsel demanded 30 years prison for ex-President Yoon over alleged drone dispatch to Pyongyang, while President Lee secured energy supplies and deepened regional partnerships amid Middle East uncertainties.
President Lee Jae-myung meets Vietnam's General Secretary To Lam in Hanoi to advance strategic economic cooperation, targeting 150 billion dollars bilateral trade by 2030 while expanding collaboration in nuclear power, infrastructure, semiconductors, and critical mineral supply chains.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris to expand bilateral cooperation on security, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, strengthening their global strategic partnership.
President Lee Jae Myung visits France this week for summit talks with Emmanuel Macron, co-chairing a cinema summit and conducting bilateral meetings to expand cooperation in security, economy, technology, and culture while commemorating 140 years of diplomatic ties.
Mexican Chancellor Roberto Velasco Álvarez visits South Korea August 23-25 to strengthen bilateral investment and deepen cultural, technological, and educational exchanges with meetings including the foreign minister and Samsung leadership.
President Lee concluded an 11-day, 44,000-kilometer trip across the US and South America, securing 13 agreements on artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and energy security, including Argentine crude oil imports starting next year to diversify South Korea's energy sources.
South Korea negotiated a NATO framework agreement granting defense companies access to a $9.9 billion procurement market, positioning Seoul as a key arms supplier amid global defense market shifts and regional security tensions.
South Korea negotiated historic first-ever defense procurement access with NATO, enabling its companies to enter the alliance's $9.9 billion annual joint market, reflecting the nation's remarkable two-decade transformation into a globally competitive defense exporter.
South Korean President Lee pledged $100 million in reconstruction aid to Ukraine during his first official summit with President Zelensky at NATO in Turkey, while maintaining Seoul's policy against providing lethal weapons to warring nations.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung attends the NATO summit in Turkey to deepen security cooperation with member states and establish footholds in the world's largest defense market while promoting Korean defense export capabilities.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung travels to Turkey and Mongolia for a five-day diplomatic mission to expand Seoul's security partnerships, attending NATO's Ankara summit from July 7-8 to strengthen defense cooperation and market access for Korean arms manufacturers.
President Lee Jae Myung embarks on a 10-day European diplomatic tour visiting Belgium, Italy, and the Vatican before attending the G7 summit in France, aiming to strengthen South Korea-EU economic ties, defense cooperation, and address shared security challenges including North Korea and supply chain resilience.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and US President Trump held their first phone call in seven months, discussing the US-China summit, Korean Peninsula peace, investment implementation, and alliance strengthening amid geopolitical tensions.
South Korea's security chief said the nation is reviewing potential military roles in U.S.-led Hormuz initiatives following an unexplained explosion aboard a Korean cargo ship, with possible contributions ranging from minimal to substantial involvement.
The US and Iran are nearing a memorandum to end their war and initiate nuclear negotiations, prompting Trump to pause military operations in the Strait of Hormuz after one day, with Iran reviewing the proposal's terms.
South Korea considers its first major US investment to ease bilateral tensions with the US.
Singapore's Prime Minister Lee visited India to prioritize energy security cooperation, establishing ambitious bilateral trade targets of $50 billion by 2030, reflecting both nations' commitment to strengthening economic ties amid regional strategic considerations.
President Lee designated Vietnam as Korea's "optimal partner" during a business forum in Hanoi, strengthening bilateral economic ties and signaling Seoul's commitment to deepening strategic cooperation with Southeast Asia's largest economy.