Seoul:President Lee Jae Myung has directed the South Korean government not to pursue membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) this year, as announced by his spokesperson.
According to Yonhap News Agency, President Lee emphasized the need for thorough discussions with farmers and fishermen before making a decision about joining the trade agreement, which includes 12 countries. This was conveyed through a written press briefing by spokesperson Kang Yu-jung.
In related news, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Gen. Jin Yong-sung, described a recent mine blast near the inter-Korean border as a "provocation" by North Korea. He committed to reviewing response measures amid criticism from opposition lawmakers who alleged the military was hesitant to label the September 21 incident as a provocation.
Additionally, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) confirmed it was excluded from a June trilateral meeting with the United States and Japan concerning North Korean cyber threats. This exclusion surfaced following a report by a local newspaper indicating the U.S. requested the exclusion during the fifth Trilateral Diplomatic Working Group meeting.
South Korea's foreign ministry asserted that the country is rigorously enforcing export controls on Russia, noting that no commercial petroleum products have been confirmed as exported to Russia through customs procedures. The ministry detailed that South Korea bans strategic item exports to Russia and requires case-by-case authorization for 1,402 non-strategic items with potential military applications.
In other news, prominent Korean filmmakers have urged politicians to avoid politicizing the historical film "The Assassin(s)" in light of controversies surrounding its historical inaccuracies. Directors Chung Ji-young and Lee Myung-se, among others, made this appeal at a press conference during the Busan International Film Festival.