PM calls for follow-up steps on 'unprecedented' summit deal with US

South Korea's prime minister on Tuesday instructed the Cabinet to make thorough efforts in preparing follow-up measures to the agreement reached in last week's summit between South Korea and the United States, saying the summit produced "never-before-seen" outcomes. On Friday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart, Joe Biden, held their first face-to-face summit in Washington and agreed on a wide range of issues, including a vision to pursue a global COVID-19 vacci

May 25, 2021

No possibility of China's economic action against S. Korea over its summit deal with US: Cheong Wa Dae official

A top Cheong Wa Dae official dismissed speculation Tuesday that China may launch another round of economic retaliation against South Korea over its latest summit agreement with the United States that touched on a sensitive regional security issue. Asked about the odds of Beijing's action against Seoul during a radio interview with CBS, a Seoul-based broadcaster, the official said, "I don't think so." Related speculation, reported by some media outlets, is based on "excessively p

May 25, 2021

Moon orders thorough steps to follow up on his summit deal with Biden, Cheong Wa Dae says

President Moon Jae-in instructed the government and his Cheong Wa Dae team Monday to take thorough follow-up measures to implement his summit agreement with US President Joe Biden, according to his office. Moon convened a meeting with his Cheong Wa Dae aides and also had a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum as scheduled, a day after returning from his visit to the US for the summit talks. Citing deals on economic cooperation, COVID-19 vaccines, the alliance and the Korea peace pro

May 25, 2021

DP chief says S. Korea-US relations pick up momentum for 'complete change' through summit

The ruling party chairman on Monday hailed the outcome of the recent South Korea-United States summit, assessing that the bilateral relationship picked up momentum for a "complete change." "I evaluate that the Korea-US relationship has (gained) momentum for a complete change, qualitatively unprecedented in the past. It has, in other words, entered into a strategic tipping point," Rep. Song Young-gil, who leads the Democratic Party (DP), said in a meeting of the supreme party

May 24, 2021

Politicians raise voices in support of Samsung chief

Some politicians have raised their voices in support of granting clemency to jailed Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, after remarks from President Moon Jae-in appeared to open up that possibility. Earlier this month, Moon said he would “judge after hearing many opinions from the public,” suggesting Lee might be pardoned. He had taken a different tone at a New Year’s press conference, saying, “Now is not the time to say pardon.” In his more recent statement he said, &ld

May 24, 2021

Moon’s vision for vaccine hub gains big boost

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- President Moon Jae-in’s vision for a global vaccine production hub has gained a big boost from his summit talks with President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday. The two leaders unveiled a new vaccine partnership to expand manufacturing and scale up global vaccine supply, pledging unified efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic. The US is home to high-tech vaccine developers like Pfizer and Moderna, while Korea is the world’s second-largest manufacturer of b

May 23, 2021

Moon, Biden agree to bolster chip alliance, lift missile ban

President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden agreed to work together on expanding semiconductor supplies and terminate a missile pact that capped Seoul’s missile development at their first in-person meeting over the weekend in the US. Moon wrapped up the five-day trip Sunday. The two allies are seen as bolstering economic and military ties as the US increasingly finds itself at odds with China seeking to exert influence in the region. Samsung Electronics, the world’s largest me

May 23, 2021

[Newsmaker] Memorial service held for ex-President Roh Moo-hyun

South Korea held a ceremony Sunday to commemorate former President Roh Moo-hyun, marking the 12th year of his death. It took place at Bongha Village in Gimhae, Roh's hometown located 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, bringing together a number of key government and political figures. They included Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum; Song Young-gil, head of the ruling Democratic Party (DP); Kim Gi-hyeon, acting chief and floor leader of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP); and Lee Cheol-hee,

May 23, 2021

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon faces steep uphill battle against city’s ruling bloc

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon from the main opposition People Power Party faces a steep wall of resistance within the city’s political scene, dominated as it is by the ruling Democratic Party. This is likely to serve as a roadblock to his reelection next year. The council of district mayors announced Thursday that it was rejecting Oh’s proposal to jointly submit a tax break proposal to the central government. That proposal called for a discount on property taxes on real estate assets valu

May 22, 2021

S. Korea, US agree to end missile guidelines

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced a joint decision Friday with the United States to terminate guidelines that have long restricted Seoul's development of missiles. He was speaking right after the summit with President Joe Biden at the White House. "I am pleased to announce the termination of the missile guidelines," Moon told reporters, with Biden standing next to him. Moon described it as a "symbolic and substantive" measure demonstrating th

May 22, 2021

Biden says US will provide COVID-19 vaccines for all S. Korean troops

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- US President Joe Biden said Friday his country will provide full COVID-19 vaccinations for all 550,000 South Korean troops and enter a partnership with Seoul on global vaccine supply. Biden made the announcement at a joint press conference with President Moon Jae-in at the White House following their summit talks. "There are 550,000 Korean soldiers, sailors, airmen who work in close contact with the American forces in Korea," the US president said. "We'll pr

May 22, 2021

Moon, Biden agree on strong alliance in summit talks

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his American counterpart, Joe Biden, agreed Friday on the importance of a stronger alliance between the nations, in their first-ever summit at the White House. Moon said he and Biden has confirmed a "joint commitment" to the strengthening of the alliance and peace on the Korean Peninsula. He was speaking at the outset of an expanded summit session following one-one-one talks and a follow-up meeting joined by a few key aides.

May 22, 2021

Biden goes maskless in meeting with Moon

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- In a noticeable shift since his last meeting with a foreign leader, US President Joe Biden did not wear a mask during his first face-to-face with President Moon Jae-in in Washington on Friday. Moon is only the second foreign leader to visit Biden at the White House since the US president took office in January. The first leader was Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga last month. Whereas in meeting Suga on April 16, Biden wore a double mask as an extra precaution against

May 22, 2021

Moon meets Biden at medal-awarding ceremony for Korean War veteran

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a White House Medal of Honor ceremony Friday to honor a Korean War veteran. Moon was invited by President Joe Biden to the event held in advance of their first summit talks. Biden presented Ralph Puckett Jr., a 94-year-old retired Army colonel, with the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious military distinction, for his acts of "conspicuous gallantry" during the 1950-53 Korean War. Biden's decision to honor him in perso

May 22, 2021

Moon-Biden summit to cover topic of abolishing missile guideline: official

WASHINGTON/SEOUL  -- The upcoming summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his US counterpart Joe Biden in Washington is expected to cover the topic of abolishing the guideline on Seoul's missile use, officials said Thursday. A senior Cheong Wa Dae official accompanying Moon on his US trip told pool reporters that Seoul's diplomatic and security officials have had the "will and idea of resolving the issue of abolishing the missile guideline" before the end of the pre

May 21, 2021

[Newsmaker] Approval ratings for both ruling party, Moon rebound: poll

Both the ruling Democratic Party (DP) and President Moon Jae-in saw their approval ratings rebound this week, an opinion poll showed Friday. According to the poll by Gallup Korea, conducted from Tuesday-Thursday on 1,001 people age 18 or over, the approval rating for the DP stood at 32 percent, up 4 percentage points from a week earlier. The main opposition People Power Party, meanwhile, saw its approval rating edge down by 1 percentage point to 26 percent, while 30 percent of the total respon

May 21, 2021

Moon, Biden set for talks on vaccine, N. Korea, economic ties

WASHINGTON/SEOUL-- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will hold one-on-one talks with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday (local time), as the allies have a range of pending issues to coordinate, especially on North Korea, COVID-19 vaccines and global supply chain resilience. It will mark their first face-to-face summit, though they already had a phone conversation and a virtual meeting. The summit's outcome is expected to heavily affect the overall Seoul-Washington relationship

May 21, 2021

DP's real estate policy review runs into internal resistance

The ruling Democratic Party's (DP) push for the sweeping revision of its real estate policy has hit a snag due to strong opposition from its hard-line members who are against "cutting taxes for the rich." The party's new leadership led by Rep. Song Young-gil has set out this week to alter the policy widely blamed for its crushing defeat in the latest local elections seen as a key barometer of public sentiment ahead of the presidential election next year. DP's newly refurbished specia

May 20, 2021

Moon to visit US military cemetery in Virginia

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday in his first official activity of a five-day trip to the United States, according to Cheong Wa Dae. He arrived in Washington D.C. on Wednesday afternoon for summit talks with President Joe Biden on such issues as North Korea, COVID-19 vaccines and bilateral economic cooperation. Moon is scheduled to pay tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery, located on t

May 20, 2021

'USFK can support out-of-area contingencies'

US Forces Korea commander nominee Gen. Paul LaCamera said he will advocate for inclusion of the USFK in contingency plans in the Indo-Pacific region, if it is confirmed he will take up the post. “Given the global role of the US military and, increasingly, the international reach of the South Korean military, opportunities are emerging for (Korea-US) alliance cooperation beyond the Korean Peninsula,” LaCamera said in his answers to advanced policy questions ahead of his confirmation

May 19, 2021