Anti-junta coalition says ready for dialogue with conditions

The National Unity Government fighting Myanmar’s military junta is ready for dialogue to rebuild the country torn by monthslong clashes between protesters and troops, if the junta stops killing people and returns power to people, the unity government’s minister of international cooperation said Friday. Dr. Sasa, a doctor-turned-politician who goes by the single name and was working with elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi before the military detained her and seized power on Feb. 1, rule

May 17, 2021

Seoul, Tokyo likely to form consultative body on Fukushima wastewater release

South Korea and Japan are likely to form a joint consultative body to discuss Tokyo’s controversial plan to dispose of radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant by releasing it into the sea, media reports said Sunday. 　 The Asahi Shimbun, citing diplomatic sources, reported that Seoul is said to have sounded out Tokyo on the possibility of establishing a consultative group between the two countries. The Japanese government is reviewing the proposal and leaning toward acc

May 16, 2021

S. Korea considering ways to hold consultations with Japan on Fukushima water

South Korea is considering ways to hold bilateral consultations with Japan on Tokyo's planned release of radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, the foreign ministry said Friday. A local news outlet reported earlier that the two countries agreed to form a consultative group to exchange information and views on risks, verification and legal issues and other details related to the Fukushima water release. South Korea has expressed concerns about potential health risks

May 14, 2021

Blinken says US, Australia share commitment to UNSC resolutions on N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed his country's commitment to UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea on Thursday, amid US outreach for engagement with the reclusive North. The top US diplomat said he and his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne, discussed a range of challenges, including North Korea, in their bilateral meeting in Washington. "The (Australian) foreign minister and I touched on a number of key challenges that we face together," he sa

May 14, 2021

S. Korea expresses concerns over Israel-Palestine conflict

The South Korean government on Thursday expressed concerns over escalating violence and civilian deaths amid military conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. "We express grave concern over massive civilian casualties, including children, caused by indiscriminate rocket attacks in the Gaza Strip and counterattacks against them," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "We call on the both sides to refrain from raising tensions and stop using armed forces, as violence can

May 13, 2021

S. Korea, US hold talks on ASEAN cooperation

South Korea and the United States held talks Thursday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation with Southeast Asian countries based on Seoul's New Southern Policy and Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy, the foreign ministry said. During the video talks, the two sides discussed how they can work with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for substantive cooperation in seven areas, including health, infrastructure, smart city, green growth and digital innovation, the minis

May 13, 2021

Moon’s reconciliatory message delivered to Suga

South Korean spy chief Park Jie-won relayed a reconciliatory message from President Moon Jae-in to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, diplomatic sources said Thursday. Park, the head of the National Intelligence Service, paid a courtesy call to Suga on Wednesday during a visit to Tokyo for a trilateral meeting with his US and Japanese counterparts. The message is believed to have conveyed Moon’s wishes to normalize the tense relations between the two countries, but no details wer

May 13, 2021

Swedish firms join forces to aid Korea’s green growth

Thirteen Swedish companies based in South Korea pledged to support Seoul’s initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, at a ceremony at the Swedish Embassy in Seoul on Thursday. “Our own Swedish experience shows that green growth and innovation is a winning strategy, both the climate and for our wallets. It has simply become common sense to future-proof industries across the world and first movers are amply rewarded,” said Jakob Hallgren, Swedish ambassador to Korea. The

May 13, 2021

Global Together donates face masks and COVID-19 test kits to the Embassy of Afghanistan in Korea

Global Together donated 3,000 face masks and 10,000 COVID-19 diagnostic kits to Afghanistan last month as a means to extend help to developing countries and express support for global health. The non-governmental organization announced Thursday it donated the face masks and diagnostic kits to the Afghanistan Embassy in South Korea on April 20 in a ceremony attended by four Korea International School students and Ambassador of Afghanistan to South Korea Abdul Hakim Atarud. The COVID-19 diagnost

May 13, 2021

S. Korea to join US, Japan for Red Flag Alaska air drills

South Korea is expected to take part in an annual US-led multinational air force exercise for the first time in three years next month, with Japan also set to participate, officials said Thursday. The Red Flag-Alaska 21-2 exercise is scheduled to take place in Alaska from June 10-25 involving around 1,500 service members and 100 aircraft, according to the US Seventh Air Force. In addition to the US troops, the South Korean Air Force and the Japanese self-defense air force are scheduled to part

May 13, 2021

Seoul's intelligence chief meets Japanese PM, asks for efforts to improve relations

South Korea's intelligence chief has met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and called for efforts to improve relations between the two countries strained over a string of historical issues, a diplomatic source said Thursday. Park Jie-won, the head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), paid a courtesy call on Suga on Wednesday as he was visiting Tokyo to attend a trilateral meeting with his Japanese and US counterparts. At the meeting, Park said that relations between the Asian neig

May 13, 2021

US alliance with S. Korea key deterrent to N. Korean threats: defense official

WASHINGTON -- A strong alliance between South Korea and the United States is key to deterring threats posed by China and North Korea, a US defense official said Wednesday. Leonor Tomero, deputy assistant secretary of defense for nuclear and missile defense policy, said North Korea continues to advance its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities that are designed to strike the US mainland. "North Korea continues its unlawful production of nuclear weapons and ball

May 13, 2021

US will address N. Korean human rights and nuclear issues at same time: official

WASHINGTON -- The United States will continue to tackle the North Korean nuclear issue while at the same time pressing for improved human rights conditions, including freedom of religion, in the reclusive state, a senior US official said Wednesday. Daniel Nadel, a senior official from the US Department of State office of international religious freedom, also argued that a push for improved human rights conditions in the North would ensure "better outcomes" by addressing fundamental pr

May 13, 2021

Blinken offers outcome of N. Korea policy review to Russian counterpart: State

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday explained the outcome of the recently concluded North Korea policy review to his Russian counterpart, the State Department said, amid a continued silence from North Korea to a US offer to do the same for the country. "The secretary provided the minister an overview of US policy toward the DPRK, and the two committed to continued discussion on issues of mutual concern," the department said of a call between Blinken and Rus

May 13, 2021

Vaccine cooperation among key agenda items for Moon-Biden summit: official

Cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines will be a key agenda item during the upcoming summit between the leaders of South Korea and the United States, a senior Seoul official said Wednesday. "One of the main agenda items is vaccine partnership between the two countries," Lee Ho-seung, President Moon Jae-in 's chief of staff for policy, said during a radio interview. Moon and US President Joe Biden are scheduled to hold an in-person summit at the White House on May 21, focused on North Kor

May 12, 2021

S. Korea, Israel ink FTA; cars, auto parts among major beneficiaries

South Korea and Israel on Wednesday signed a free trade agreement (FTA) centered on broadening economic ties, a move that could help Asia's No. 4 economy speed up exports of cars and auto parts. Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee officially signed the pact with her Israeli counterpart Amir Peretz during a ceremony in Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The two sides struck the deal in 2019, three years after they launched negotiations. "The FTA with Israel will not

May 12, 2021

US spy chief visits Seoul ahead of Moon-Biden summit next week

US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines arrived in Seoul on Wednesday, ahead of next week’s summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden. According to diplomatic sources, the US spy chief is expected to tour the Demilitarized Zone, including the border village of Panmunjom, on Thursday. Discussions are also reportedly underway for her to meet with Moon and his national security adviser, Suh Hoon. Seoul’s presidential office declined to co

May 12, 2021

Ex-PM asks US for 10 million COVID-19 vaccines

Hwang Kyo-ahn, a former prime minister who once served as acting president, said Wednesday that he had requested 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for South Korea from the US during his meeting with Kurt Campbell, Biden’s point man for the Indo-Pacific region. 　 During his trip to Washington, which began last week, Hwang met key officials in the Biden administration and executives of global pharmaceutical companies to seek vaccine cooperation in response to a looming vaccine shortage.

May 12, 2021

Spy chiefs of S. Korea, Japan meet to discuss N. Korea, bilateral issues: reports

The intelligence chiefs of South Korea and Japan held a meeting in Tokyo and exchanged views on North Korea and other bilateral issues, Japanese media reports showed Wednesday. Park Jie-won, head of South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), met with Hiroaki Takizawa, Japan's cabinet intelligence director, on Tuesday, according to JNN and Kyodo News. Park is in Tokyo for trilateral talks with Takizawa and US Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. Park and Takizawa reportedly e

May 12, 2021

US understands S. Korea's difficulty with vaccine shortage: Hwang

White House policy coordinator for Indo-Pacific Kurt Campbell has said the United States understands the problem South Korea faces due to its vaccine shortage and is doing its utmost for its Asian ally, a former South Korean prime minister said Tuesday. Hwang Kyo-ahn said Campbell has also agreed during a meeting with him in Washington to personally report to the White House his request for 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. US President Joe Biden has said his country will become an "

May 12, 2021