NPMK shines light on short-lived crown prince of Joseon, ‘patron of arts’

An ongoing exhibition at the National Palace Museum of Korea shines a light on the life and accomplishments of Crown Prince Hyemyeong, a 19th century regent of the Joseon era (1392-1910) considered a patron of the arts who was gifted in poetry and literature. Opened last week, “Hyomyeong: Crown Prince and Patron of Arts” is being held through Sept. 22 at the museum located inside Gyeongbokgung in Seoul. The exhibition is themed around how Hyomyeong (1809-1830) worked to promote the a

CultureJune 30, 2019

Trump, Kim Jong-un to meet at Panmunjom: Moon

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have agreed to meet at Panmunjom, an inter-Korean border village, President Moon Jae-in announced after a summit with Trump, who called it "just a step" that's perhaps "important."Moon noted that it will be the first time for the leaders of the Cold War foes to hold a meeting at Panmunjom since the Korean War ended with the Armistice Agreement in 1953. Moon was speaking at a joint press conference with Trump at Che

North KoreaJune 30, 2019

Prosecution probes hiring irregularities involving LKP leader’s son

The prosecution said Sunday that it had launched an investigation into possible hiring irregularities at telecom company KT involving the son of Hwang Kyo-ahn, chairman of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. The minor Minjung Party’s youth branch filed a complaint against the Liberty Korea Party leader for alleged obstruction of business, claiming that his son was hired by the country’s largest telecom company because of Hwang’s position.The complaint was filed after Hwang

Social AffairsJune 30, 2019

[Breaking] DMZ 'closed to tourists' on N. Korean side: tour firm

The Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas was closed to tourists on the North's side on Sunday, a tour company said, amid speculation US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong -un would meet there."The DMZ is closed to tourists visiting from the North Korean side today," tweeted Koryo Tours, the market leader in western tourism to the isolated country. (AFP)

North KoreaJune 30, 2019

Trans-Korea gas pipeline project needs ‘economic approach’

The two Koreas and Russia should take an economic -- not political -- approach to the trans-Korea gas pipeline project to make the idea feasible, said the chief of the Korea Energy Economics Institute at a forum on Friday. “As for the gas pipeline project, South Korea, North Korea and Russia have different interests and calculations,” said Cho Yong-sung, president of the KEEI, in a keynote speech during a forum, titled “Trans-Korea Gas Pipeline Project: Enhancing Regional Coope

IndustryJune 30, 2019

Trump calls on Korean business leaders to invest more in US

US President Donald Trump on Sunday called on owners of South Korea’s biggest conglomerates to expand their investments in the United States during a meeting before a bilateral summit with President Moon Jae-in. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Senior Vice Chairman Chung Euisun, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, CJ Group Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn and other officials from the business c

EconomyJune 30, 2019

Trump on possible Kim encounter: 'He very much wants to'

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Kim Jong-un "very much wants" to meet him, a day after inviting the North Korean leader to "say hello" in the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula."We'll see. He very much wants to. We are trying to work it out," Trump told reporters about a possible third face-to-face meeting between the pair after summits in Singapore and Hanoi."It will be very short but that's OK. A handshake means a lot," he added, wi

North KoreaJune 30, 2019

[Photo News] Trump's DMZ diplomacy

President Moon Jae-in, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump held a historic trilateral meeting at the Demilitarized Zone on Saturday, after Kim accepted Trump’s unexpected offer to meet at the inter-Korean border. Accompanied by Kim, Trump crossed the Demarcation Line dividing the two Koreas. The two leaders also held talks in the Freedom House at the truce village of Panmunjom.Sunday, June 30Saturday, June 29 

Foreign AffairsJune 30, 2019

Trump says he will visit DMZ with Moon

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will travel to the inter-Korean border together with South Korean President Moon Jae-in later in the day. He made the announcement during a meeting with a group of South Korean business leaders at a Seoul hotel. It marks the first official confirmation that Moon will join Trump's "long-planned" trip to the Demilitarized Zone.Cheong Wa Dae has kept it a secret whether Moon would go there or not apparently for security reasons.On his offer of

Foreign AffairsJune 30, 2019

Trump offers to meet Kim at inter-Korean border

 WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- US President Donald Trump has offered to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the inter-Korean border during his two-day trip to South Korea.Trump made the offer on Twitter on Saturday (Japan time), hours before he flew into Seoul after attending the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan."After some very important meetings, including my meeting with President Xi of China, I will be leaving Japan for South Korea (with President Moon)," Trump wrote."

Foreign AffairsJune 29, 2019

Activist groups hold rallies to welcome, protest Trump's Seoul visit

South Koreans appeared to be nearly equally divided Saturday with activists from both conservative and progressive groups staging massive rallies to either welcome or oppose US President Donald Trump's trip to Seoul. Trump arrived in Seoul earlier in the day following his trip to Osaka, Japan, to take part in the Group of 20 summit. The US leader later attended a welcome dinner hosted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife, Kim Jung-sook, at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. Tru

Social AffairsJune 29, 2019

Moon dines with Trump ahead of summit

US President Donald Trump had a dinner meeting with President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae on Saturday, soon after arriving in South Korea from Japan, where he attended a Group of 20 summit.He landed at Osan Air Base in Gyeonggi Province on Air Force One and was greeted by South Korean and US officials including Washington's top envoy in Seoul, Harry Harris. Trump then boarded the Marine One chopper bound for the US military base in Yongsan in central Seoul. He used a car to reach Cheong Wa

Foreign AffairsJune 29, 2019

Trump anticipates 'really interesting' visit to DMZ

US President Donald Trump said Saturday he expects to have a "really interesting" visit to the inter-Korean border amid keen attention on the possibility of his meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un there.He was speaking to pool reporters just before joining a welcome dinner hosted by President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook at Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul's presidential office, shortly after his arrival in South Korea.On a potential three-way summit between the two Koreas and the

Foreign AffairsJune 29, 2019

G20 members, except US, recommit to Paris climate deal

OSAKA, Japan -- Nineteen members of the G20, without the United States, agreed Saturday to the "irreversibility" of the Paris climate deal and pledged its full implementation, after two days of talks.The language in the final statement after the summit in Japan's Osaka mirrors that agreed during last year's G20, but was hard-won after objections from the United States.In a final statement, the participants vowed joint efforts to lower carbon emissions by financing sustainable developme

World NewsJune 29, 2019

S. Korean FM, Ivanka Trump to attend forum in Seoul

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is scheduled to meet with Ivanka Trump in Seoul later this week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Saturday. Kang and Trump, the daughter of US President Donald Trump and also a White House adviser, will both attend a forum under the theme of "strengthening economic power of global women" at a Seoul hotel Sunday, the ministry said. The forum will bring in some 60 female business women, civic workers and government officials, including

Foreign AffairsJune 29, 2019

Moon ends Osaka trip, set for talks with Trump

OSAKA, Japan -- Having engaged in a brisk round of high-profile bilateral and multilateral summit diplomacy in Osaka, South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed back to Seoul on Saturday. He will have no time to rest this weekend, however, as he will immediately greet US President Donald Trump and hold bilateral talks. Trump's two-day visit to South Korea, his first since November 2017, is widely seen as another crucial event for the slow-going Korea peace process.It comes amid hig

Foreign AffairsJune 29, 2019

'Back on track': Trump, Xi agree to resume trade talks

OSAKA, Japan (AFP) -- US President Donald Trump said trade negotiations with China were "back on track" after "excellent" talks Saturday with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in which Washington reportedly agreed to hold off on new tariffs.The crunch talks on the damaging trade war between the world's top two economies came on the sidelines of a meeting of the G20 in Japan's Osaka, with all eyes on whether the pair would agree a truce. "We had a very good meeting

EconomyJune 29, 2019

China, US agree at Xi-Trump meeting to restart trade talks: Xinhua

BEIJING (AFP) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump agreed on Saturday to restart fractious China-US trade negotiations, with Beijing saying Washington agreed not to slap new tariffs on its exports, according to Chinese state media.The two countries will restart the talks "on the basis of equality and mutual respect", according to the official Xinhua news agency after the two leaders met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka.  Xi opened the meeti

EconomyJune 29, 2019

BTS tops global ticket chart

Ticket sales from stadium concerts in three countries have earned K-pop group BTS the No. 1 position in the world, a US poll agency said Saturday. Pollstar said BTS gained the top position on LIVE75 chart with an average of 51,106 tickets earned from six sold-out performances at three stadiums on the group's current world tour.London's Wembley Stadium had the highest ticket count of the three buildings, with 114,583, followed by the Stade de France in Paris with 107,328 tickets and 84,728 fans a

PerformanceJune 29, 2019

Actress found dead in Jeonju hotel

Actress Jeon Mi-seon, 48, was found dead in a hotel room in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, at around 11:45 a.m. Saturday, according to police officials.Local police were dispatched upon the call of Jeon's manager that the actress had gone missing.The actress was scheduled for a two-day stay at the hotel for a provincial tour of a theatrical play.Jeon, who was already deceased at the time of discovery, is likely to have taken her own life, officials said.Detailed investigation on the re

Social AffairsJune 29, 2019