US, S. Korea in contact over martial law declaration

The US and South Korea are communicating over Seoul's emergency martial law declaration Tuesday night. “The Administration is in contact with the ROK government and is monitoring the situation closely,” the White House National Security Council told Voice of America in a statement, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law late Tuesday.

Dec. 4, 2024

Foreign minister convenes senior meeting on martial law

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul has convened a senior officials' meeting concerning the declaration of martial law at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Seoul. The announcement follows President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of emergency martial law during a surprise late-night TV address Tuesday. The emergency senior officials' meeting chaired by Cho commenced at 11:43 p.m. on Tuesday. A Foreign Ministry official in Seoul, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the min

Dec. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Why Hong Kong's foreign domestic worker policy shouldn't be model for Korea

While the 98 Filipina caregivers in Seoul city’s pilot program are protected under South Korea’s Labor Standards Act, Act on the Employment Improvement of Domestic Workers and statutory minimum wage, some government officials have been talking about making the project more like Hong Kong’s foreign domestic helper scheme. Some have said Korea should follow Hong Kong’s model and exclude foreign domestic workers from the minimum wage. Foreign caregivers here could be hired t

Dec. 3, 2024

Ruling party slams main opposition’s delay in anti-spy law revision

The ruling People Power Party on Tuesday denounced the main opposition’s delay in passing the revision to the country’s espionage law, which aims to broaden the scope of activities that are punishable. The revision to Article 98 of the Criminal Act, floated by the ruling party earlier this year, seeks to change the wording of the legislation defining subjects punishable by law, from “a person who acts as a spy for an enemy country” to those from “a foreign nation.&r

Dec. 3, 2024

Russia used some 60 N. Korean ballistic missiles in Ukraine war: report

Russia is believed to have used some 60 ballistic missiles provided by North Korea in the war against Ukraine, a Ukrainian media outlet has reported, citing its intelligence authorities. Andrii Chernyak, the representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine's defense ministry, shared the analysis in an interview with Radio Svoboda, according to a report by local media outlet RBC on Monday. Chernyak confirmed that the Russian army had launched about 60 KN-23 ballistic missiles at Ukraine

Dec. 3, 2024

US unveils new package of chip export controls against China

The United States on Monday announced a new semiconductor export control package against China, including curbs on high-end chips for artificial intelligence that are likely to affect the South Korean industry. The Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security unveiled the package on the Federal Register, including restrictions on exports of high bandwidth memory (HBM) chips. Two South Korean firms -- Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix -- and Micron Technology lead the global HBM

Dec. 3, 2024

S. Korea to tighten security rules for drones, undersea cables

South Korea will tighten security regulations for drones, undersea cables and offshore wind power plants to mitigate security and supply chain risks to major infrastructure, the presidential office said Monday. Wang Yun-jong, third deputy national security adviser, led an intragovernmental meeting with 13 agencies to discuss potential security threats to key infrastructure and draw up integrated responses. "Reliance on foreign imports for key drone components could lead to supply chain risk

Dec. 2, 2024

S. Korean embassy hires lobbying firm formerly led by top Trump official

The South Korean Embassy in Washington has hired Mercury Public Affairs, a lobbying firm formerly co-chaired by Donald Trump's incoming White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, to shape Seoul's economic strategy and forge vital connections with Trump’s team ahead of his second term. The contract, finalized on Nov. 18 -- less than two weeks after the election results were confirmed -- became effective immediately and will remain in force through Dec. 31, 2024, according to the comp

Dec. 2, 2024

Korea-Africa Foundation names advisory commitee members

The Korea-Africa Foundation announced on Thursday a list of 24 advisory committee members from diplomatic, media, business, academia, culture, and health care communities to enhance the foundation’s programs and operations. Established in June 2018 under Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foundation focuses on long-term research to strengthen Korea-Africa partnerships. "We anticipate actively utilizing the expertise of advisory committee members in implementing our projects

Dec. 2, 2024

[Contribution] Exploring Kazakhstan: Land of tourist wonders

By Nurgali Arystanov Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea Kazakhstan, the world's ninth-largest country, is a land of breathtaking natural beauty, deep cultural heritage and unique tourist opportunities. From snow-capped mountains and expansive steppes to futuristic cities and ancient Silk Road sites, Kazakhstan offers a variety of experiences for every traveler. Its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, coupled with a growing network of inter

Dec. 1, 2024

[Reporter’s Notebook] Inside Korea’s diplomatic failure at Japan’s memorial ceremony

South Korea's diplomatic fallout over Japan's memorial ceremony on Sado -- an event Seoul had anticipated as a tribute to Korean victims forced into labor in the island's mines -- was far from unexpected. The outcome was the foreseeable result of missteps: the South Korean Foreign Ministry's complacency and its narrow fixation on securing the presence of a high-ranking Japanese official, at the expense of addressing critical diplomatic priorities. The failure also stemmed fro

Dec. 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Estonian foreign affairs committee chair expresses worries over growing NK-Russia ties

Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament, expressed deep concerns over the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia during a recent interview with The Korea Herald. During a visit to Seoul last month, Mihkelson highlighted the strong diplomatic and security ties between Estonia and South Korea, noting the upcoming opening of Korea's embassy in Estonia as a milestone that will enhance cooperation and support shared commitment to

Dec. 1, 2024

Sudan expresses gratitude to S. Korea for humanitarian support

The Sudanese embassy in Seoul expressed its gratitude to the South Korean government for offering humanitarian aid at a press briefing held in Seoul. According to the United Nations, Sudan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in recent history after nearly a year of war amid international inattention and inaction. The situation in Sudan is dire, with over 8.4 million people, including 2 million children under the age of five, forced to flee their homes in the wake of the conflict. South Korea

Dec. 1, 2024

Top US envoy to Seoul joins S. Korean YouTuber in fusion of traditions on Thanksgiving

US Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg celebrated Thanksgiving in his host country, joined by a South Korean YouTube celebrity for a cooking session blending the two countries' traditional cuisines, a video released by the US Embassy in Seoul showed Thursday. The video showed Goldberg, wearing a dark apron and white cooking gloves, carefully adding toppings to a pizza-shaped "yakbap," a Korean dessert made with glutinous rice and sweetened soy sauce, using ingredients common

Nov. 28, 2024

S. Korean, Latvian presidents agree to expand bio, defense cooperation

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, held a summit Thursday to enhance cooperation in the bio and defense industries and address shared security concerns, Yoon's office said. The two leaders agreed to expand partnerships in the bio and pharmaceutical sectors, with Rinkevics highlighting Latvia as a strategic gateway for South Korean companies seeking to enter the European market, the office said in a release. Latvia is home to prominent pharmaceutical fir

Nov. 28, 2024

Japan will pay for failing to honor promises, minister says

South Korea's top diplomat said Thursday that Japan would "bear the cost" of tarnishing its international image and reputation if it continues to renege on its commitments to address the historical issue of forcibly mobilizing Korean workers during its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul publicly criticized Japan for failing to honor its pledge to hold a memorial ceremony to sincerely honor the sacrifices of Korean forced laborers at the Sado Gold Mine in

Nov. 28, 2024

FM Cho says he takes 'full responsibility' for Sado mine memorial dispute

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Wednesday he takes "full responsibility" for the controversy over Japan's memorial ceremony for Korean wartime forced labor victims, expressing regret over Tokyo's failure to honor the promises it made to the international community. Criticism emerged after Japan hosted the event for Sado mine forced laborers earlier this week, which failed to properly acknowledge the victims or the site's full history of forced mobilization of labor dur

Nov. 27, 2024

US Ambassador Goldberg to leave Seoul, retire in January

Philip Goldberg, the United States ambassador to South Korea, will step down from his post in Seoul next January, closing a chapter in his diplomatic career, according to a diplomatic source. Goldberg’s departure, concluding more than 3 1/2 decades of service with the US Foreign Service, is set to align with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in office. Goldberg officially began his tenure as US ambassador to South Korea in July 2022, ending an 18-month va

Nov. 27, 2024

Top diplomats of S. Korea, G7 members voice concerns over NK troop deployment to Russia

The top diplomats of South Korea, Canada, France, and Italy have voiced concerns over the threat posed by North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in its war with Ukraine, pledging to work together for a concerted response, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his counterparts from Canada, France, and Italy raised the issue during separate talks held on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting in Fiuggi,

Nov. 27, 2024

Yoon expected to meet Ukraine's special envoy as early as Wednesday: sources

President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to hold a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov as early as Wednesday, sources close to the matter said. The Ukrainian delegation, which arrived in South Korea on Wednesday, is also expected to meet with Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun as early as later in the day, according to the sources. During the meetings, Umerov is anticipated to share intelligence on North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and seek South Korea�

Nov. 27, 2024