US remains concerned about NK nuclear test, but also ready for contingency: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States continues to remain concerned that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test in the near future, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Ned Price, however, said the US also remains prepared for such a contingency. "So we remain concerned that the DPRK could seek a seventh nuclear test in the coming days," the department press secretary said when asked about US measures to deal with recent North Korean provocations. "It's a concern we have wa

June 7, 2022

US will not link COVID-19 assistance to denuclearization talks with N. Korea: Kritenbrink

WASHINGTON -- The United States does not and will not link its humanitarian assistance for North Korea to progress in denuclearization talks with the impoverished country, a senior US diplomat said Monday, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue and also accept US or international assistance for dealing with COVID-19. Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also reiterated that the US remains open to dialogue. "We are also gravely concerned by the

June 7, 2022

‘IPEF not about choosing between US, China’

The United States’ latest Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is not pushing participants to choose between the United States and China, former US Trade Representative negotiator Wendy Cutler said on Friday at a symposium in Seoul. Cutler, however, said that the countries should “reduce dependence on any one source or inputs for their supply chains” in case of economic coercion. Speaking at the Asan Symposium, co-hosted by Asan Institute for Policy Studies and the US Embassy in

June 6, 2022

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold vice ministerial meeting in Seoul next week

South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold a vice ministerial meeting in Seoul next week to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and other regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Wendy Sherman, deputy US state secretary, will make a three-day trip to South Korea beginning Monday, two weeks after US President Joe Biden's visit for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, according to the ministry. Sherman will meet her South Korean

June 3, 2022

Seoul provides $3 million to WFP's Ukraine relief project

South Korea's foreign ministry has provided $3 million to the World Food Programme's emergency relief project toward Ukraine, the United Nations food agency said Friday. The WFP said about $2 million will be allocated for food and cash assistance, and logistics support for the recent UN Flash appeal for Ukraine, and $1 million will be channeled to the WFP's aid to Ukrainian refugees in Moldova. "The support from the Korean Government and the people of Korea will enable us to reach the most

June 3, 2022

Kissinger says Korea, US should work together to solve multiple challenges

Henry Kissinger, a former US national security adviser, said South Korea and the US should work together to solve multiple challenges the world faces, in an international conference held in Seoul Friday. The Asan Institute for Policy Studies held the Asan Symposium “Celebrating Korea-US Relations: 140 Years and Beyond” to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the US. In the virtual congratulatory remarks, Kissinger said South Korea has built

June 3, 2022

US returns southwestern part of Yongsan Garrison to S. Korea

The United States Forces Korea on Friday returned the southwestern part of its Yongsan Garrison in the vicinity of the newly relocated presidential office to Seoul, paving the way for President Yoon Suk-yeol to transform the US military base into a large public park. The United States Force Korea reverted the 51,000 square meters of land that covers roads within the military base and areas nearby Gates 13 and 14 in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. A total of 634,000 square meters -- which accounts

June 3, 2022

S. Korea, US, Japan ready to handle contingencies as Pyongyang prepares 7th nuke test

South Korea, the United States and Japan are closely coordinating to prepare for all contingencies, as North Korea is seen to be preparing for a seventh nuclear test, a US special envoy for North Korea said Friday. In a trilateral meeting in Seoul, US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, Kim Gunn, and Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oce

June 3, 2022

Korea to expand role based on strong alliance with US: Yoon

President Yoon Suk-yeol said South Korea seeks to develop the relationship with the US into a comprehensive strategic alliance at the global level and to expand its role based on their strong alliance, in talks with US academic figures on Friday. His remarks reaffirm the agreement made in a summit with US President Joe Biden last month to upgrade the Korea-US alliance. At the meeting with former and current members of US academia groups in the presidential office, Yoon said, “We pl

June 3, 2022

Swearing-in ceremony for new US ambassador to S. Korea held

Philip Goldberg has been formally sworn in as US ambassador to South Korea, the US Embassy in Seoul said Friday, as he plans to arrive here "later this summer." "Ambassador Goldberg brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to strengthen our growing global partnership," the embassy tweeted with a photo of Goldberg taking an oath at the State Department in Washington D.C. The department said in a media note Wednesday (US time) that Goldberg will arrive in South Korea later t

June 3, 2022

S. Korea. US, Japan set for trilateral consultations on N. Korea

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are set to hold a meeting in Seoul on Friday to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula amid reports that North Korea has completed preparations for another nuclear test. Kim Gunn, Seoul's new special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will have bilateral and trilateral meetings with his US counterpart, Sung Kim, and Japan's Takehiro Funakoshi at the foreign ministry headquart

June 3, 2022

S. Korea, China hold high-level phone talks on N. Korea, bilateral ties

South Korea and China held high-level phone talks Thursday, during which the two sides discussed bilateral ties and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, the presidential office said. South Korea's National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han and Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat, exchanged opinions on the bilateral relations under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which took office last month. They positively reviewed the brisk consultations at the high-level and agreed to expand "

June 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Vaccination is key in COVID-19 recovery, but distribution too slow for developing countries’

Some countries’ economies are recovering back to pre-pandemic levels, but COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc on developing countries. As the rate of vaccination is the key indicator on a country’s socioeconomic recovery and future growth, global efforts are needed to support the developing countries to vaccinate their populations, Haoliang Xu, a director at the United Nations Development Program, said in an interview with The Korea Herald. “COVID-19 has had a profound impact

June 2, 2022

Special US envoy for N. Korea to visit Seoul this week

WASHINGTON -- Special US envoy for North Korea Sung Kim will visit South Korea this week for talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on ways to deal with Pyongyang's recent missile launches and also help the impoverished country deal with COVID-19, the state department said Wednesday. Kim will make a three-day visit to Seoul from Thursday for talks with South Korea's Kim Gunn and Takehiro Funakoshi of Japan, according to the department. "Together they will discuss a

June 2, 2022

Blinken highlights need to work with China on global issues including N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday urged China to work with the US and the rest of the international community insisting that China can play a major role when it comes to global issues such as climate change and North Korea. His remarks come less than a week after China and Russia blocked a US-proposed UN Security Council resolution seeking to impose fresh UN sanctions on North Korea for its recent missile provocations. "China has a tremendous ability to use its

June 2, 2022

Tokyo issues complaints over Seoul’s Dokdo marine survey amid efforts to thaw relations

Territorial dispute over the Dokdo islets has flared up once again, even as the governments of South Korea and Japan expressed their respective determination to reset their long-strained relationship. The South Korean government rejected a protest from Japan on Tuesday after the neighboring country lodged a complaint against Seoul for conducting a marine survey in waters off the Dokdo islets. “We cannot accept Japan’s claims on our legal activities which have been carried out in

May 31, 2022

Top envoys of South Korea, US, Japan to discuss measures to deter NK threats this week

South Korea, the United States and Japan are moving to bolster trilateral cooperation, planning for a series of top-level meetings to discuss measures to deter the increasing nuclear threats from North Korea. Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs will hold bilateral and trilateral meetings Friday with his American and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, according to Foreign Ministry here. This is the first face-to-f

May 30, 2022

China, Russia veto sanctions on North Korea; US-China rivalry growing into bloc competition

China and Russia vetoed a resolution to toughen sanctions against a rule-breaking North Korea at the United Nations Security Council vote on Thursday, teaming up to block the US-drafted resolution which all remaining Council members supported. Signs are becoming more clear that the US-China rivalry is growing into a team competition, and possible conflicts may be centered in the East Asia region with the US, backed by South Korea and Japan, and China with North Korea and Russia, according to

May 27, 2022

UN to vote on US proposal for tougher sanctions on North Korea

The United Nations Security Council is set to vote on a US-proposed resolution on Thursday in the US, aimed at imposing additional sanctions on North Korea in response to the regime’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile launch. According to diplomats cited by media reports in the United States, the US has scheduled the vote for the late afternoon. Washington holds the Security Council presidency for May. The vote comes after Pyongyang test-fired three missiles on Wednesday, one o

May 26, 2022

UN council to vote on N. Korea sanctions Thursday: report

NEW YORK/ WASHINGTON -- The United Nations Security Council plans to vote this week on a US-led push to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its recent ballistic missile launches, according to news reports Wednesday. A related session will be held in New York on Thursday, diplomats were quoted as saying amid a view that China and Russia -- the veto-wielding members of the council -- will likely vote against strengthening sanctions against Pyongyang. The US government has called on the

May 26, 2022