Sistrology ignored? Ahad sparks buzz

SEOUL: South Korea has welcomed US President Donald Trump’s efforts to restart dialogue with North Korea but wants any renewed negotiations to produce meaningful progress on Pyongyang’s nuclear programme. South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said on Friday that Seoul supports Washington’s diplomatic outreach to North Korea, provided that it does not weaken the country’s security preparedness or leave South Korea out of the process. Wi said any renewed US-North Korea dialogue should focus on achieving tangible progress towards addressing North Korea’s nuclear weapons capabilities while also supporting efforts to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. He stressed that close coordination between Seoul and Washington would be essential if negotiations with Pyongyang resume. “We need to coordinate with the United States to ensure that any resumption of US-North Korea dialogue leads to substantive progress on the North Korean nuclear issue,” Wi said. The national security adviser also referred to Trump’s recent decision to significantly reduce major joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea. He said the move appeared to indicate Washington’s willingness to create conditions for renewed engagement with North Korea. However, Seoul remains concerned about maintaining a credible defence posture. Wi said South Korea must ensure that diplomatic efforts do not undermine military readiness. He also warned that Seoul should not be sidelined if Washington succeeds in reopening talks with Pyongyang. Trump has been seeking another meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two leaders held three summits during 2018 and 2019, but their negotiations failed to produce a lasting agreement on denuclearisation. Trump has previously criticised the scale of joint US-South Korean military exercises, arguing that some drills could send the wrong message to North Korea. His administration has continued to explore ways to bring Pyongyang back to negotiations. Meanwhile, South Korea, the United States and Japan are scheduled to hold joint military exercises from September 9 to 11. The drills are intended to test the three countries’ readiness to respond to potential missile and nuclear threats from North Korea. Wi also said Seoul was seeking closer cooperation with Washington on several issues that have occasionally created friction between the two allies. These areas include South Korean investment in the United States under a bilateral trade agreement, security cooperation, intelligence sharing and the planned transfer of wartime operational control. The treatment of US-listed South Korean e-commerce company Coupang was also mentioned among the issues requiring greater coordination.

A powerful earthquake that struck Japan’s Kumamoto region has killed at least 34 people and disrupted major manufacturing operations, exposing the continued vulnerability of the country’s industrial supply chains. The 7.1 magnitude quake damaged roads, interrupted essential services and forced several automobile and semiconductor companies to suspend production, raising concerns about delays across global supply networks. The earthquake struck on Tuesday, causing widespread destruction in southern Japan. Thousands of households were left without basic utilities while damaged roads and transport links made it difficult for businesses to continue normal operations. Kumamoto is one of Japan’s most important manufacturing regions and plays a key role in producing vehicles, auto parts and semiconductors used around the world. Toyota has temporarily suspended production at three factories in Fukuoka until August 5 because of concerns about employee safety and disruptions affecting suppliers and transport companies. The company has also decided to halt operations at one of its plants in Aichi, located more than 600 kilometres from the disaster zone, showing how shortages of essential components can quickly affect factories far from the earthquake’s epicentre. One of Toyota’s major suppliers, Aisin, also suffered disruptions at its factory near the hardest hit area. The company manufactures engines, doors and other vehicle parts for Toyota, Nissan and Daihatsu. Aisin said it plans to restart production gradually after confirming that facilities are safe and product quality can be maintained. However, it has not announced when full operations will resume. Trucks carrying supplies, including portable toilets, were seen entering the factory as recovery work continued. Local businesses reported that water services had been interrupted although electricity remained available. The latest disaster has revived memories of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, which caused severe damage to the same Aisin plant and forced Toyota to suspend production across Japan because of shortages of a critical door component. Industry officials said smaller suppliers further down the supply chain may also have been affected this time, increasing the risk of continued production delays. Auto parts manufacturer Denso said one of its suppliers had already reported damage while several others were still assessing conditions. Nissan has suspended some production at its two vehicle plants in Kyushu because of delays in receiving parts. Mitsubishi Motors has also halted certain production lines at its factory in Okayama as the effects of the earthquake continue to spread through the manufacturing sector. Kumamoto has also become one of Japan’s leading centres for semiconductor production in recent years. The region is often referred to as the country’s Silicon Valley because of its concentration of advanced chip manufacturers. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the world’s largest contract chipmaker, evacuated workers from its Kumamoto plant immediately after the earthquake. The company later confirmed that operations had started to resume within a few hours. Other semiconductor companies are expected to take longer to recover. Renesas said damage at one of its facilities included fallen ceiling panels, cracked walls and water leaks. The company plans to restart production in stages beginning on August 5. Tokyo Electron announced that it expects to resume production next week, while Sony said efforts are continuing to restore operations at its semiconductor factory in Kumamoto. Although the number of deaths is lower than the more than 260 people killed in the 2016 earthquake, this disaster has still caused significant human and economic losses. Nearly half of the fatalities occurred inside commercial buildings. Nine people died when severe structural damage struck a Nippon Paper Industries mill near the epicentre. Another seven people lost their lives at an Aeon shopping mall where authorities believe a gas explosion occurred more than an hour after the initial earthquake. The disaster has once again highlighted the challenge Japan faces in protecting both its population and its globally important manufacturing industry from natural disasters.

ANKARA: Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day was celebrated with a grand ceremony at Pakistan House in Ankara, where Türkiye’s senior leadership joined Pakistani officials, diplomats and members of the community to highlight the deep and enduring friendship between the two countries. Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz attended the event as chief guest, joined by senior political, military and diplomatic officials. The high-level participation underscored the importance Ankara attaches to its relationship with Islamabad and the longstanding bonds between the two nations. Among those attending were Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler, Chief of General Staff Gen Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, Naval Forces Commander Adm Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Land Forces Commander Gen Metin Tokel and Air Force Commander Gen Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu. Former senior officials, members of parliament, ambassadors, diplomatic representatives, Pakistani community members and media representatives also attended the ceremony. The event began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by the national anthems of Pakistan and Türkiye. Students from the Pakistan Embassy International Study Group School added a colourful touch to the celebrations with national songs and traditional performances. Guests warmly applauded the cultural presentation. A documentary showcasing Pakistan’s history, cultural heritage, natural beauty, tourism potential and social and economic development was also screened. Yilmaz: Pakistan-Türkiye ties go beyond diplomacy Addressing the gathering, Vice President Yilmaz conveyed greetings from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish people to the government and people of Pakistan. He emphasised that the relationship between Pakistan and Türkiye went far beyond conventional diplomatic ties, describing it as a unique brotherly bond rooted in shared history and mutual solidarity. Yilmaz recalled the support shown by Muslims of the subcontinent to the Turkish people during the Turkish War of Independence, saying the historic connection continued to shape relations between the two countries. He reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation with Pakistan and said both countries would continue working together to promote peace and stability in the region. The Turkish vice president also highlighted the importance of strengthening strategic cooperation and exploring new avenues for regional collaboration, including greater trilateral cooperation among Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan envoy highlights sacrifices behind independence Pakistan’s Ambassador to Türkiye, Dr Yousaf Junaid, paid tribute to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the sacrifices made during the Pakistan Movement. He said Pakistan’s independence was achieved through extraordinary courage, perseverance, determination and sacrifice. The ambassador urged Pakistanis to strengthen national unity and work collectively for the country’s stability, prosperity and development. Referring to Pakistan-Türkiye relations, Junaid said the partnership was based not merely on formal diplomacy but on shared values, history, mutual trust and strong public sentiment. He said cooperation between the two countries was expanding across defence, trade, investment, education, culture and people-to-people contacts. Jinnah exhibition adds historic touch The ceremony also featured a special photographic exhibition marking the 150th birth anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. Vice President Yilmaz, Ambassador Junaid and other dignitaries jointly inaugurated the exhibition, which highlighted Jinnah’s life, political vision, leadership and historic role in the creation of Pakistan. The event concluded with a traditional Pakistani dinner hosted in the gardens of Pakistan House. Against the backdrop of Pakistan’s green and white flags and warm Turkish hospitality, the Ankara celebration became more than an Independence Day ceremony. It served as a vivid reminder of a relationship built on history, affection and mutual trust — and of the two countries’ shared ambition to take that friendship into a stronger and broader future.