S. Korea's parliament ratifies free trade deal with Britain

South Korea's National Assembly on Monday ratified the free trade agreement between Seoul and London in a move to brace for Britain's exit from the European Union.The agreement will go into effect automatically in case of a no-deal Brexit, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.If Britain and the European Union reach an agreement on a Brexit deal, the FTA will be implemented after the transition period. The trade deal centers on maintaining benefits enjoyed by the two countries

Oct. 28, 2019

New S. Korean ambassador to US vows to beef up alliance

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's new ambassador to the United States, Lee Soo-hyuck, on Friday vowed to beef up the alliance between Seoul and Washington, saying their relationship must be future-oriented to achieve denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. "The South Korea-United States alliance is the basic axis of our foreign relations," Lee said in his inauguration ceremony at the South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C. "The alliance should satisfy today's mutual

Oct. 26, 2019

S. Korea could hold talks with Japan next month on trade row

South Korea and Japan could sit down for a second round of talks next month in a move to work out their differences over Tokyo's export restrictions, a top official has said.Sung Yun-mo, minister of trade, industry and energy, made the comments in a recent brief comment to Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. Sung did not provide a specific time frame. The talks are part of a dispute settlement process under rules of the World Trade Organization.Earlier this month, the two neighbors failed to reach a

Oct. 26, 2019

New top S. Korean envoy to US takes office

South Korea's new ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck arrived in Washington on Thursday, his office said, as the allies face a series of difficult issues, including North Korea and defense cost-sharing.His inauguration ceremony will be held at the South Korean Embassy in Washington on Friday, and Lee is soon expected to present his credentials to US President Donald Trump, according to the embassy.He was named the top envoy to the US by President Moon Jae-in in August and was formally

Oct. 25, 2019

Lee, Abe agree on need to improve ties, but basic stance remains unchanged

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met in Tokyo on Thursday and agreed that the deterioration of bilateral relations cannot be allowed to continue.“I interpret (the situation) as being that the sporadic, undisclosed talks between the two sides are becoming official,” Lee was quoted as saying by a local news agency after the meeting. “I have hopes that (the talks) can speed up a little.” Earlier in the day, Cho Sei-young, the first vice

Oct. 24, 2019

Moon calls for stronger ties with Spain

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for stronger cooperation between Korea and Spain, saying that Korea hopes to emulate Spain as a bridge that connects the ocean to the continent. Speaking at the Korea-Spain business forum held in Seoul on the occasion of a state visit by Spain’s King Philip VI, Moon highlighted similarities between the two countries and the opportunity for cooperation.  “As Korea and Spain are the gate and hub where a continent and an ocean meet, there ar

Oct. 24, 2019

S. Korea, Japan agree to address soured bilateral ties

In their rare prime ministerial talks Thursday, South Korea and Japan agreed to commence diplomatic efforts in earnest for an early resolution to their frayed ties highlighted by a monthslong trade spat.Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon also handed over President Moon Jae-in's personal letter to Japan's leader, Shinzo Abe, in which he expressed hope to address pending issues with no further delay."The two prime ministers shared the view that South Korea and Japan, as important neighboring countrie

Oct. 24, 2019

S. Korea, ASEAN discuss cooperation in culture, tourism

South Korea and 10 Southeast Asian nations on Wednesday began a two-day meeting to promote exchanges in culture, arts and tourism. Culture ministers and senior officials from South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations attended the event in the southwestern city of Gwangju.It came one month before a leaders' summit to be held Nov.25-26 in the southeastern port city of Busan to mark the 30th anniversary of establishing a dialogue partnership between the two sides. "Through thi

Oct. 23, 2019

PM seeks to promote dialogue with Tokyo

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on Wednesday that he expects to promote dialogue with Tokyo through his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.Lee arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday for a three-day trip to attend the Japanese emperor’s enthronement ceremony and mend ties between Korea and Japan which have dipped to their lowest level in years over wartime history and trade restrictions. “The goal is to create an atmosphere to promote dialogue as much as possible. &helli

Oct. 23, 2019

PM’s Japan visit a chance to mend ties

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon kicked off a three-day visit to Japan in the hope that a meeting with his Japanese counterpart will pave the way for improvements in the two countries’ strained relations. Before heading to Tokyo, Lee said he hoped South Korea and Japan would foster harmonious and mature relations despite difficulties, speaking with Japanese Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine, who saw Lee off at Seoul Airport in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. “I don’t expect that this visit w

Oct. 22, 2019

S. Korean PM leaves for Japan to attend emperor's enthronement event, meet Abe

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon left for Japan on Tuesday to attend the Japanese emperor's enthronement ceremony amid frayed ties between South Korea and Japan over the issue of Tokyo's wartime forced labor.Lee embarked on a three-day trip to Tokyo, whose itinerary includes a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.In his official first schedule, Lee will attend Emperor Naruhito's enthronement event set for 1 p.m. at the palace. A banquet dinner is also scheduled for later in the

Oct. 22, 2019

Draft of letter for Japanese PM Abe sent to Cheong Wa Dae for review: foreign ministry

South Korea‘s foreign ministry said Monday it has sent a draft of a letter that will be sent to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the presidential office for review ahead of Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s planned visit to Tokyo this week.Lee will visit Japan from Tuesday to Thursday to attend the Japanese emperor‘s enthronement event amid frayed ties between South Korea and Japan over the issue of Tokyo’s wartime forced labor. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, who declin

Oct. 21, 2019

Lawmaker urges release of US files on Gwangju Uprising

Rep. Park Joo-sun of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday to intensify diplomatic efforts to push for the disclosure of US government documents related to the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju. During a parliamentary audit of the Foreign Ministry at the National Assembly, Park stressed the need for the systematic collection of records for a thorough investigation into remaining questions about the Gwangju Democratic Uprising. 

Oct. 21, 2019

S. Korea, Australia to strengthen currency ties: ministers

Finance ministers of South Korea and Australia discussed ways to strengthen the two countries' currency swap and other financial cooperation in Washington, the finance ministry said Saturday. Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki met with his Australian counterpart Josh Frydenberg to discuss cooperation in currency swap, hydrogen economy and external policies in Washington, D.C. on Friday (local time), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Hong is in the U.S. capital for the Group of 20 finan

Oct. 19, 2019

[ASEAN-Korea summit] Moon requests support for peace efforts, Busan summit with ASEAN

President Moon Jae-in asked foreign ambassadors here Friday to join a "historic" peace journey on the Korean Peninsula. He also requested their keen attention to South Korea's efforts to play a bigger role on the global stage, as he hosted more than 110 foreign ambassadors serving in South Korea and their spouses to a Cheong Wa Dae garden reception.It marked Moon's first formal invitation for all of the heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Seoul since his inauguration in May 2017.&q

Oct. 19, 2019

US likely to release report on cargo ship accident next year

The United States is likely to issue a final report next year on its joint probe with South Korea into the capsizing of a cargo ship off the US east coast, an official has said.The 71,000-ton, Marshall Islands-flagged Golden Ray carrying about 4,000 cars capsized in St. Simons Sound near the Port of Brunswick, Georgia, on Sept. 8. The Golden Ray was operated by Hyundai Glovis Co., a logistics unit of South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group. Last month, officials of South Korea and the Marshall Islands

Oct. 19, 2019

President Moon to send letter to Abe via PM

President Moon Jae-in is expected to send a letter to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe through Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon as part of efforts to improve bilateral relations that have plummeted over wartime history and trade restrictions.Lee will be making a three-day trip to Tokyo from Oct. 22 to attend Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony. He is likely to hold talks with Abe on Oct. 24, according to Japanese news reports citing government sources. The prime minister said in

Oct. 18, 2019

S. Korea elected to 5th term on UN Human Rights Council

South Korea was elected Thursday to a fifth term on the United Nations Human Rights Council.In a vote by the UN General Assembly in New York, South Korea was elected to serve a three-year term starting in 2020.From the Asia-Pacific group, Japan, Indonesia, and the Marshall Islands were also elected to the panel. "As a member of the Human Rights Council, we plan to take the initiative in international discussions on human rights and actively participate in international efforts to respond to

Oct. 18, 2019

US urges S. Korea to renew intel pact with Japan: Pentagon

The United States continues to call on South Korea to renew its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, a US defense official said Thursday.David Helvey, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, made the remark at a security forum as he reiterated Washington's concern with Seoul's decision to end the General Security of Military Information Agreement with Tokyo amid a bilateral dispute over wartime history and trade."We strongly believe in th

Oct. 18, 2019

Korea-US alliance is 'linchpin' for regional security: Harris

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris on Thursday hailed the alliance between the two countries as a linchpin for Northeast Asian security and called for its further development to tackle new challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.Harris made the remarks in his congratulatory speech during the ROK-US Partnership Dinner event in Seoul co-organized by the Korea-U.S. Alliance Foundation and the Korea Defense Veterans Association."A secure environment is essential to create condit

Oct. 17, 2019