S. Korea to host online seminar for South American nations on virus responses

South Korea will host an online seminar for several South American countries early next week to share its experience and know-how in tackling the coronavirus, Seoul's foreign ministry said Sunday. The video presentation is the second of its kind to take place following a similar one held earlier this month. The last session was attended by health officials and medical experts from 13 countries including the United States, Mexico and Italy. Next week's video seminar, slated for Tuesday, is exp

April 19, 2020

Trump says he recently received 'nice note' from NK leader

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump said Saturday he recently received a "nice note" from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and insisted their relationship remains good. The two countries have failed to make progress in denuclearization negotiations since a February 2019 summit between Trump and Kim ended without a deal. But the leaders have maintained their personal correspondence, with Trump sending a letter to Kim last month to offer US assistance with the coronavirus pandemic.

April 19, 2020

FMs of 12 countries vow joint virus response for global economy, health

The top diplomats of 12 countries, including South Korea, France, Italy and Brazil, have held a video conference and called for a coordinated anti-virus response to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on the global economy and multilateral systems, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha joined her counterparts from 11 countries, which also included Canada, Germany, Indonesia, Morocco, Peru, Singapore, Turkey and Britain, on Friday as "the Ministe

April 18, 2020

FM holds phone talks with Ecuadorian counterpart on anti-virus efforts

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke by phone with her Ecuadorian counterpart Friday to discuss ways to cooperate to overcome the coronavirus pandemic, her office said. During the talks with Ecuador's Foreign Minister Jose Valencia, Kang explained that South Korea's virus situation has improved, with fewer daily confirmed infection cases, thanks to the aggressive social distancing practices under way, but also stressed that it is too early to relax any measures. In response, Valencia said

April 17, 2020

S. Korea to hold briefing session for exporters on humanitarian trade with Iran

South Korea was set to hold a briefing session Friday for local firms about resuming exports to Iran, a foreign ministry official said, after receiving US approval for humanitarian trade with the Middle East country. The briefing, to be co-hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), comes after Seoul obtained a US special license designed to authorize aid-related transactions with Tehran through Iran's central bank. Sales of

April 17, 2020

Female FMs of 9 countries hold videoconference on gender equality in pandemic response

The female foreign ministers of nine countries, including South Korea, Spain and Australia, have held a videoconference to discuss gender equality and women's roles in fighting the new coronavirus, the foreign ministry said Friday. Thursday's conversation came amid concerns that women could face tougher economic and social challenges from various repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic due to their family responsibilities and other issues. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her counterparts f

April 17, 2020

Top diplomats of S. Korea, New Zealand hold phone talks over COVID-19 response

The top diplomats of South Korea and New Zealand held phone talks Thursday about cooperation in flattening the curve of new coronavirus infections, the foreign ministry said. The conversation between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her New Zealand counterpart, Winston Peters, came as the COVID-19 pandemic has led many countries to step up diplomacy to stem its spread and evacuate their citizens abroad amid lockdowns and border closures. During the talks arranged at the request of New Zeal

April 16, 2020

[Newsmaker] Amb. Harris says S. Korea's record-high voter turnout shows 'dedication to democratic ideals'

US Ambassador Harry Harris said Thursday that South Korea's record-high voter turnout in this week's parliamentary elections demonstrates its "dedication to democratic ideals" despite the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. "Record high voter turnout yesterday is a testament to South Korea's dedication to democratic ideals even in the face of the #COVID19 crisis. Congratulations on the general elections #ROK!," he tweeted. In Wednesday's quadrennial elections, the ruling Democra

April 16, 2020

S. Korea, China, Japan, ASEAN seek joint fund for medical supplies in summit deal

The leaders of South Korea, China, Japan and ASEAN member states have agreed to push for a joint fund for medical supplies against pandemics like COVID-19, according to their joint statement released Wednesday. The statement was adopted to summarize the results of a Special ASEAN Plus Three summit that the 13 countries held via videoconferencing the previous day to discuss joint efforts to tackle the novel coronavirus. The participating leaders were South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Japanes

April 15, 2020

ASEAN, East Asia vow strengthened cooperation in COVID-19 pandemic

The leaders of the Associatation of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three on Tuesday held a teleconference Tuesday to seek ways to cooperate against the COVID-19 pandemic, and adopted a joint declaration. 　 In the ASEAN Plus Three summit, President Moon Jae-in called for strengthened cooperation, saying the current situation requires “extraordinary cooperation.” “This is a crisis that cannot be overcome by the efforts of individual countries,” Moon said, going on to cite

April 14, 2020

8 S. Koreans to head home on Japan-arranged flights from virus-hit India, Sudan

A total of eight South Korean nationals will head home this week from coronavirus-hit India and Sudan aboard flights that Japan arranged to evacuate its own citizens, a foreign ministry official said Tuesday. The evacuation underscored continued cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo in protecting their overseas citizens and tackling the COVID-19 pandemic despite their prolonged row over trade and wartime history. On Tuesday, two Koreans will take a flight that the Japanese government arranged t

April 14, 2020

‘Sewol trauma behind Seoul’s quick response to virus crisis’

South Korea’s quick and preemptive response to the coronavirus outbreak stems from the painful experience of the Sewol ferry disaster in 2014, said Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in an interview with foreign media.   “We acted quickly and preemptively and that is not just our philosophy but is a reflection of our recent experience,” Kang said during an interview with French news channel France 24 on Monday. “You may know that in 2014, we had a terrible ferry boat a

April 14, 2020

[Newsmaker] US grateful to S. Korea for supplying virus test kits: official

The United States is grateful to South Korea for supplying COVID-19 testing kits, a senior US government official said Monday ahead of the planned arrival of a shipment of Korean-made kits. Two South Korean companies were set to load their test kits on a US cargo flight Tuesday (Seoul time) after getting interim approval from the US Food and Drug Administration. "We are grateful to our Republic of Korea partners for assisting the United States in procuring COVID-19 tests, and for its sup

April 14, 2020

US health secretary seeks coronavirus advice from S. Korea

US Health Secretary Alex M. Azar reached out to his South Korean counterpart, Park Neung-hoo, on Monday to learn from Seoul's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, the health ministry here said. It said Park and Azar discussed testing procedures and managing of people who have come in contact with patients, as well as recent cases in South Korea where people have retested positive for COVID-19. The number of new cases has stayed below 50 for the past five days in South Korea, while the virus

April 14, 2020

S. Korean man in Spain dies of COVID-19 in first fatality overseas

An elderly South Korean citizen in Spain died of the new coronavirus last week in the first known fatality involving an overseas national, the foreign ministry said Monday. The man in his late 80s died at a hospital on Friday (Spain time) after having tested positive on April 3. Other details about his death were unknown. As of Monday, the foreign ministry has learned of 59 coronavirus cases involving South Koreans overases. Of them, 18 have fully recovered, while the rest are receiving treat

April 13, 2020

All US arrivals to get tested within 3 days of self-isolation

All arrivals from the United States are to be tested for the new coronavirus within three days of self-isolation, starting Monday, health authorities said. The strengthened measure against COVID-19 began midnight, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). It comes as confirmed cases from the US have been increasing steadily despite a gradual decline in domestic cases. KCDC data showed that 228, or 49.7 percent, out of a total of 459 imported cases came from th

April 13, 2020

Moon to join ASEAN+3 virtual summit on coronavirus this week

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will stress the importance of regional cooperation against the new coronavirus when he attends a video summit this week with leaders of China, Japan and ASEAN member states on the new coronavirus, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday. The special session is slated to open at 4 p.m. Tuesday. In the upcoming ASEAN Plus Three (APT) video summit, participants plan to have "discussions on ways to coordinate in response to COVID-19 and minimize negative social and econo

April 12, 2020

US arrivals to get tested within 3 days of self-isolation: authorities

All arrivals from the United States will get tested for the new coronavirus within three days of self-isolation starting this week, health authorities said Sunday. According to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), confirmed cases coming in from the US have been increasing steadily, which calls for the strengthened quarantine step against COVID-19 beginning Monday. The KCDC data showed that 343, or 37.6 percent, out of a total of 912 imported cases came from the US But

April 12, 2020

S. Korean at embassy in Brussels tests positive for coronavirus

A South Korean employee at the country's embassy to Belgium and the European Union, in Brussels, tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the diplomatic mission said Friday. It is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 of a South Korean at the country's embassies and consulates. The employee appears to have contracted the virus after close contact with his housemate, who works at a nursing hospital as a nurse, and has tested positive, the embassy said in a release. "The worker has been

April 10, 2020

Ukraine requests S. Korean virus test kits, medical equipment in phone summit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy asked South Korean President Moon Jae-in Friday for test kits and other medical equipment needed to tackle the spread of the novel coronavirus, Cheong Wa Dae said. During the 25-minute telephone conversation, which was made at Zelenskiy's request, the Ukrainian leader said the COVID-19 situation in South Korea appears to stabilizing, which is not the case in his country. Noting that the next one or two weeks will be critical, Zelenskiy expressed hope to

April 10, 2020