Foreign ministry calls on Chinese envoy to be 'cautious' after remarks on presidential front-runner

South Korea's foreign ministry made an implicit call Saturday for Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming to be "cautious" after his comments on a presidential front-runner raised questions over whether they could amount to political interference. In a contribution to the local daily Joong-Ang Ilbo on Friday, Xing rebutted remarks by Yoon Seok-youl, a conservative presidential hopeful, from a recent interview about missile defense as "hardly understandable." Yoon had

July 17, 2021

S. Korea to offer face masks, COVID-19 test kits to citizens in Myanmar amid virus spike

South Korea plans to offer face masks and COVID-19 diagnostic kits to its citizens in Myanmar next week, the foreign ministry said Friday, amid a spike in new virus cases in the Southeast Asian country. The move followed reports that three South Korean citizens in Myanmar died recently after having tested positive for COVID-19. The country reportedly posted 7,083 new virus cases with 145 additional deaths Wednesday. "In consideration of the serious COVID-19 situation in Myanmar, the forei

July 16, 2021

Senior US envoy Sherman to visit Korea next week

  US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit South Korea and Japan next week for talks on global and regional security issues, such as North Korea, the State Department said Thursday.  On the first leg of her weeklong trip to Asia, Sherman will stop in Japan, where she is to hold a trilateral session with her Japanese and South Korean counterparts Wednesday.  Sherman, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun

July 16, 2021

US Deputy Secretary Sherman to visit S. Korea next week

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman will visit South Korea next week for talks on various issues that will include climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department said Thursday. Sherman will first head to Japan, where she will be joined by her Japanese and South Korean counterparts for three-way talks, according to the department. In Tokyo, "Deputy Secretary Sherman, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo, and ROK First Vice Foreign Minister Ch

July 16, 2021

US Strategic Commander reaffirms extended deterrence for S. Korea: defense ministry

The US Strategic Command is fully mission capable of providing extended deterrence to South Korea using its full range of capabilities, its commander Adm. Charles Richard was quoted as saying Wednesday. Richard made the remark when he paid a courtesy call on Defense Minister Suh Wook and discussed the regional security situation and their combined deterrence, the defense ministry said. During the meeting, Suh stressed the importance of close coordination between the two countries to deter nucl

July 14, 2021

Sculptor couple slam Japan for trying to distort history of war crimes

A South Korean artist couple, who has built about 100 "comfort women" statues worldwide in memory of Korean victims of Japanese military wartime sexual slavery, condemned Tokyo on Wednesday for attempting to reverse history through the distortion of memory. Sculptors Kim Eun-sung and Kim Seo-kyung said Japan has not repented for its war crimes and may be dreaming of another war considering its persistent efforts to obstruct the installation and exhibition of their statues. In a writt

July 14, 2021

US hopes for peaceful resolution of 'Dokdo' row between S. Korea, Japan

WASHINGTON -- The US State Department expressed hope Tuesday for a peaceful resolution of a row between South Korea and Japan over Tokyo's claims to the South's easternmost islets of Dokdo in the East Sea. "The United States does not take a position regarding the sovereignty of the Liancourt Rocks," the State Department official said, referring to Dokdo islets, called Takeshima in Japan. "The question of the sovereignty of these islands is for the ROK and Japan to resolve peacefu

July 14, 2021

Trump says he will 'blow up' Korea-US alliance if reelected: book

Former US President Donald Trump had indicated to his close aides that he would "blow up" the US-South Korea alliance in his second term as president, excerpts from an upcoming book showed Tuesday. The book, "I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump's Catastrophic Final Year," alleges that Trump also wanted to withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). "In fact, Trump had privately indicated that he would seek to withdraw from NATO and to

July 14, 2021

Vaccination for US Forces Korea remains voluntary: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- Getting COVID-19 vaccine still remains voluntary for US forces, including those stationed in South Korea, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday, despite an ongoing surge in infection cases in South Korea. John Kirby also said there currently are no plans to require mandatory vaccination for any US troops. The spokesman said there was "no change to our policy on voluntary vaccinations" when asked if the Defense Department may enforce mandatory vaccination in light of a recen

July 14, 2021

No S. Korean casualties reported in South Africa riots: official

No South Korean casualties have been reported so far in riots that erupted in South Africa, the foreign ministry said Tuesday, following reports of damage to an LG Electronics Inc. factory. At least 10 people have been killed and around 500 arrested since recent protests triggered by the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma turned into violent rioting as mobs and others began to ransack shops and buildings. An LG TV factory located in Durban has been destroyed after multiple looting and

July 13, 2021

[Diplomatic Circuit] A Philosophy that Empowers from Within

Thailand is a dedicated advocate for global sustainable development. The kingdom has been promoting its homegrown Sufficiency Economy Philosophy as an alternative approach to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. First introduced by King Bhumibol Adulyadej after the Asian financial crisis in 1997, the SEP has become Thailand’s development concept that is universally applicable. The philosophy is a culmination of the king’s reflections from decades of ex

July 13, 2021

S. Korea expresses strong protest over Japan's renewed Dokdo claims in defense white paper

South Korea expressed strong protest Tuesday over Japan's renewed claims to the East Sea islets of Dokdo in an annual defense policy paper, calling for Tokyo to immediately retract its "futile" claims. The ministries of foreign affairs and national defense called in Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of mission at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, and Col. Takashi Matshmoto, a defense attache, respectively, to lodge a protest. "Our government strongly protests Japan's futile territorial c

July 13, 2021

[Diplomatic Circuit] Yun Sang-koo receives Order of the British Empire

     Yun Sang-koo, director of the Rotary Foundation and eldest son of fourth Korean President Yun Po-sun, received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, conferred by Queen Elizabeth II, at a ceremony held at the British ambassador’s residence in Seoul on Thursday. “Yun Sang-koo brought great creativity into commemorating his father’s association with Edinburgh University, providing the funds and ideas for a series of symposiums which have brought tog

July 13, 2021

[Diplomatic Circuit] Indonesian batik enters Korea’s online market

　Indonesian batik fabric will now be available online in the Korean market after Wastra Cantik Indonesia (Batik Chic) signed an agreement with online retailer Idus. According to Indonesia’s top envoy to Korea Umar Hadi, the introduction of the country’s traditional dyed fabric to the Korean market will lead to wealth creation not only for the two parties, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises dealing in batik. Hadi said the landmark agreement between a Korean e-commerce

July 13, 2021

9th Korea Challenge Festival celebrates people who overcame adversity

The Korea Challenge Festival commemorated Challenge Day, which falls on July 8, by honoring those who overcame adversity in various fields at the World Taekwondo Headquarters on Thursday. The festival was organized by the nonprofit Challenge Korea Association Headquarter and supported by The Korea Herald, Korean Senior Citizens Association, World Taekwondo Headquarters, Miracle City World Group, Arirang TV and World Korea New Deal Public Group. The festival was held under the theme of &ldq

July 13, 2021

[Diplomatic Circuit] I was a child of war and a product of multilateralism, former UN chief says

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon officially launched his new book titled “Resolved: Uniting Nations in a Divided World” in Seoul on Thursday. “Without the United nations troops, humanitarian agencies and advisers, Korea would not be where she is today, such experiences grounded in me importance of peace, opportunity, security, stability, and collective responsibility, beliefs that shaped my life and my tenure as (UN) secretary-general,” Ban said at the book launc

July 12, 2021

Japan's attitude important over whether Moon will visit Japan: Cheong Wa Dae

    President Moon Jae-in will take Japan's attitude into account when deciding whether to visit Tokyo for the opening ceremony of the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and bilateral summit talks, according to his office Monday.    "Our government intends to have South Korea-Japan summit talks," a Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters, requesting anonymity. "But it maintains the position that there should be an accomplishment if talks are held."    The

July 12, 2021

UNESCO ‘strongly regrets’ Japan not fulfilling pledges on forced labor issue

A UNESCO committee on Monday expressed strong regrets over Japan not fulfilling its pledge to honor victims of wartime forced labor at an information center on its industrial revolution site registered on the World Heritage List.  Japan opened the Industrial Heritage Information Center last year, introducing 23 modern Japanese Meiji-era sites added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, including the notorious Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, where many Koreans were forced int

July 12, 2021

UNESCO committee to urge Japan to carry out recommendations on wartime forced labor

A UNESCO committee will adopt a decision next week calling for Japan to live up to its promise to honor forced labor victims at an information center on industrial revolution sites registered on the World Heritage list, an official said Monday. The World Heritage Committee (WHC) is expected to adopt the decision between July 21-23 during the 44th annual session slated to run virtually through the end of this month, a foreign ministry official said. In the decision, the WHC plans to express &qu

July 12, 2021

South Korean missionary couple abducted in Haiti freed

A South Korean missionary couple kidnapped by an unidentified group in Haiti were released over the weekend, the Foreign Ministry said Monday. 　 The two Korean nationals were freed at around noon on Saturday, local time, after being held captive for 17 days. They left the country on Sunday and are to return home via a third country. The couple remain in good health, the ministry said. 　 The two were abducted by a gang on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on June 24 while m

July 12, 2021