Biden set to arrive in S. Korea for first summit with Yoon

US President Joe Biden is set to arrive in South Korea on Friday for his first summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol on a range of issues, including North Korea's nuclear program and supply chain risks. Biden's visit, his first since taking office, comes as both Seoul and Washington believe a North Korean nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test is imminent and could happen while he is in South Korea or Japan, the second leg of his tour. The visit also comes only 10 days after

May 20, 2022

US willing to take action-for-action toward denuclearization of Korean Peninsula: Sullivan

The United States is committed to engaging with North Korea in serious dialogue and is willing to take "action for action" with North Korea toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Thursday. It marks a rare occasion a ranking US official has confirmed US willingness to reciprocate North Korea's denuclearization measures. "(We) made no bones about the fact that since the very beginning of this administration, we

May 20, 2022

US ready to adjust short, longer-term military posture to handle N. Korean provocations

The White House said Wednesday that the US is ready to adjust its “short and longer-term military posture” regarding North Korea and handle “all contingencies,” including major weapons tests during the US president’s trip to South Korea and Japan. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan reaffirmed the US defense commitment to the regional key allies and warned that North Korea could conduct long-range missile and nuclear tests on the occasion of President Joe B

May 19, 2022

N. Korea yet to fully develop hypersonic missile, but its testing raises concerns: US official

WASHINGTON -- North Korea does not appear to have developed a hypersonic missile, but its tests to develop such a system warrant US concerns, the head of the US Missile Defense Agency said Wednesday. North Korea claims to have successfully test launched a new hypersonic missile on Jan. 5 and Jan. 11 (Seoul time). "They claim to have developed hypersonics," Vice Adm. John Hill said when asked if the North is developing hypersonic missiles in a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on S

May 19, 2022

N. Korean missile or nuclear test very possible during Biden's Asia trip: Sullivan

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is widely expected to stage a long-range or nuclear test before or even during President Joe Biden's trip to South Korea and Japan, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday. He said the US is fully prepared to make any necessary adjustments to US defense posture to ensure the security of the US and US allies. "With respect to the issue of North Korea, we have said from this podium, we said at the state department and we have indicated in quite clea

May 19, 2022

Korea-US military, economic alliance to extend to technology at summit

South Korea will expand its military and economic alliance with the US to include technology at the upcoming summit this weekend, seeking to join a US-led new coalition that will set new trade and supply chain rules, a senior security official said Wednesday. 　 US President Joe Biden will arrive in Korea on Friday afternoon and visit Samsung Electronics’ chip facilities in Pyeongtaek. The next day, he will hold a summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol and attend an official banquet along wi

May 18, 2022

South Korea to join US-led economic initiative: presidential office

South Korea will join the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, a US-led economic initiative, as a founding member, the presidential office said Wednesday. The decision appears likely to put further pressure on Seoul to choose a side in the US-China rivalry, with Beijing already expressing opposition to South Korea’s entry. President Yoon Suk-yeol will be participating in the launching ceremony of the initiative via video call, as the event is planned to take place in Tokyo on May 24, accord

May 18, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] China will not side with Moscow to engage new Cold War

At Bloomberg’s New Economy Forum in Beijing back in 2019, the former United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger mentioned that the US and China were still in the “foothills of the New Cold War,” which basically meant that we had not entered it yet. From my personal view, there must be a few objective criteria before determine that the New Cold War has begun: Will Biden’s 4 years also present Trump-ish foreign policies? Will China become more opaque and assertive?

May 18, 2022

US Forces Korea launches permanent Apache helicopter unit

The US Forces Korea (USFK) has held a ceremony launching a permanently stationed air cavalry squadron consisting of new Apache attack helicopters in a key US base south of Seoul, its officials said Wednesday. The 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade was activated in the event at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 70 kilometers south of Seoul, on Tuesday. It takes over from previous rotational aviation units. The new unit is known to have dozens of the latest AH-64E Version

May 18, 2022

IPEF will help enhance economic ties with Indo-Pacific countries: White House

WASHINGTON -- The US-proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) will help further enhance the country's economic relations with countries in the region, a White House spokesperson said Monday. Karine Jean-Pierre also said the new economic framework will promote investment in green economy, which she said in turn will help level the playing field for workers and businesses here at home and in the Indo-Pacific region. The remarks come as President Joe Biden is set to travel to the region

May 17, 2022

US warns against hiring N. Korean IT workers posing as non-North Korean

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is dispatching thousands of skilled IT workers overseas to seek employment while posing as US-based or non-North Korean nationals, the US Department of Treasury said Monday. The revenue raised from such illicit employment may be funneled into North Korea's weapons of mass destruction programs, the department said in the advisory jointly issued by the state department and FBI. They said the advisory was to warn of "attempts by Democratic People's Republic

May 17, 2022

Largest-ever World Forestry Congress calls for stronger cooperation

The 15th edition of the World Forestry Congress, the world’s largest gathering on forests, ended with delegates signing a joint declaration calling on enhanced cooperation across the world. The Korea Forest Service said the latest edition of the WFC, which was held at Coex in Seoul between May 3-6, both online and offline, invited a total of some 15,000 people from 164 different countries, becoming the largest in the history of the congress. Participants of the WFC this year adopted t

May 15, 2022

[Newsmaker] S. Korea co-sponsors UN Human Rights Council resolution on Ukraine

South Korea has co-sponsored a recently adopted UN Human Rights Council resolution on the deteriorating situation in Ukraine stemming from Russia's aggression, an official at Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. During a special session in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday (local time), the council adopted the resolution calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities against Ukraine and requesting a team of investigators look into alleged abuses in parts of the war-torn country. "Our gov

May 13, 2022

US, other UNSC members condemn N. Korean missile launch but Russia, China

WASHINGTON -- The UN Security Council (UNSC) convened an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss North Korea's recent missile provocations but failed to produce a tangible outcome due to opposition from China and Russia. The special session of the 15-member council came at the request of the US, which condemned North Korea's recent missile tests as "a blatant violation of multiple Security Council resolutions." "Let's be clear. The DPRK is not undertaking its activities defensively

May 12, 2022

US prepared for any kind of engagement with N. Korea: Campbell

WASHINGTON -- The United States stands prepared to engage in any kind of diplomacy or dialogue with North Korea, White House policy coordinator for Asia Kurt Campbell said Wednesday. He also said the new South Korean government of Yoon Suk-yeol is determined to work closely with the US. "I will also just note that we have a new partner, a new president in South Korea that is determined, working with the United States, to be very clearly engaged in deterring and sending a strong message of p

May 12, 2022

Only US intent is to completely denuclearize Korean Peninsula: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The sole US intent toward North Korea is to see its complete denuclearization, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, again dismissing Pyongyang's accusation of hostile US intent toward the impoverished country. Ned Price also reiterated that the US and its allies, including South Korea, only seek to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through peaceful dialogue. "We have made very clear that we are willing to engage in good faith diplomacy with the DPRK. We do so, of co

May 12, 2022

South Korea should seek for balance between US, China: experts

South Korea should sort out its priorities and pursue a strategic partnership with China on an equal standing while maintaining a strong alliance with the US, amid apparent efforts by Beijing and Washington to bolster ties with Seoul, experts said on Wednesday. To celebrate the inauguration of South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, China sent Vice President Wang Qishan, a close aide of its president, Xi Jinping, and the highest-level official to visit the country for such an event.

May 11, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] What China learned from the Russia-Ukraine War

Right before the Russia-Ukraine War broke out, Russian President Vladimir Putin hurried to attend the Beijing Winter Olympics. Putin’s visit was a show of his consideration to China, and many have analyzed that the Russia-Ukraine War would have broken out faster if it was not for the Winter Olympics. As shown, China was a critical factor to consider. All of international society, including the United States and Europe, looked to see whether China supported Russia -- both physically and e

May 11, 2022

Yoon begins term in time of changing world order, rising tension from Pyongyang

South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, begins his term with more difficult challenges on the diplomacy and security fronts amid the fast-changing world order and increasing North Korean threats. As a conservative, Yoon has presented a foreign policy that would reorient the country toward closer ties with the United States, and take a hard-line approach in dealing with North Korea and its missile provocations -- shifting the course from the one that his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-

May 10, 2022

Uzbekistan’s development strategy

In 2022, after a nationwide discussion, Uzbekistan adopted the Development Strategy for 2022-2026. To fully understand the essence of Development Strategy - Development Program, I consider it necessary to draw special attention to the following fundamental issues. Firstly, Uzbekistan’s presidential elections, held in 2021, created completely new conditions for domestic political development and the implementation of foreign policy tasks. The main result of the elections is high political

May 10, 2022