N. Korea will be at 'front and center' of Biden's trip to S. Korea, Japan: Psaki

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden looks forward to having discussions on North Korea with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts when he travels to the region later this month, a White House spokesperson said Monday. Jen Psaki also said the North Korean issue will be at the "front and center" of his discussions. "I would note that when the President goes to South Korea, (and) Japan, North Korea, especially given the recent tests, will be front and center in the agenda and d

May 10, 2022

US calls for emergency meeting of UNSC to discuss N. Korean missile launch: report

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Monday called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) this week to discuss North Korea's latest missile provocation, a news report said. The US requested the emergency meeting be held on Wednesday, the AFP reported, quoting unidentified diplomats. The move comes after North Korea fired an apparent submarine-launched ballistic missile on Saturday (Seoul time) in its 15th missile launch of the year. Ned Price, spokesperson for the US state depa

May 10, 2022

Biden's trip to S. Korea, Japan to highlight US focus on Indo-Pacific: Campbell

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden's upcoming trip to Seoul and Tokyo seeks to send a clear message that the US continues to remain committed to addressing various challenges in the region, a White House official said Monday. Kurt Campbell, Indo-Pacific policy coordinator at the National Security Council, added the US also recognizes that larger and most pressing challenges for the country and the rest of the world lie in the Indo-Pacific region. "The overriding message that we are seekin

May 10, 2022

Will Korea, Japan be able to reset fraught ties?

A Japanese foreign minister arrived in South Korea for the first time in four years on Monday ahead of the presidential inauguration ceremony for Yoon Suk-yeol, raising hopes for possible improvements in relations with the incoming conservative administration. According to Yoon’s office, Japan’s Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is traveling to Seoul for two days from Monday, and will attend the inauguration ceremony on behalf of the Japanese government on Tuesday. On Monday, Ha

May 9, 2022

African activist Cecile Ndjebet wins 2022 Global Forest Championship Award

Cecile Ndjebet, an international women’s rights advocate from Cameroon, has won the 2022 Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award, the Korea Forest Service said Sunday. The award ceremony was held on Thursday, as part of the 15th World Forestry Congress in Seoul. This year’s award was given to Ndjebet in recognition of her decadeslong efforts in promoting women’s participation in forest preservation, as well as their rights to land and forests, said Maria Helena Semedo, the Foo

May 8, 2022

Chinese President’s right-hand man to attend Yoon’s inauguration

China’s Vice President Wang Qishan, who is widely known as Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s right-hand man, will attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, Yoon’s inaugural committee said on Friday. Wang is the highest-level Chinese government official dispatched for a South Korean presidential inauguration, given that the country previously sent vice premier-level officials as special envoys. Then-Vice Premier Liu Yandong of the State Council and then-St

May 6, 2022

Biden will reaffirm ‘ironclad’ defense commitment to S.Korea, Japan against N.Korea on Asia trip

US President Joe Biden will reaffirm the US’ “ironclad” commitment to defend South Korea and Japan against North Korea’s “destabilizing actions” during his first trip to Asia, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at a televised briefing on Thursday. President Biden is set to visit South Korea and Japan from May 20 to 24. He is scheduled for a summit with South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on May 21 in Seoul, before heading to Tokyo for a meetin

May 6, 2022

Biden will reaffirm US commitment to defense of S. Korea, Japan through Asia tour: Psaki

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden will reaffirm US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan when he visits Seoul and Tokyo later this month, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday. The spokesperson said Biden will also reaffirm his commitment to providing "extended deterrence" to the US allies. "While he's there in South Korea and Japan, the president will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts -- newly elected president of the Republic of Korea an

May 6, 2022

US Senate unanimously approves Goldberg as new ambassador to S. Korea

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- The US Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to approve the nomination of Philip Goldberg, a career diplomat, as new US ambassador to South Korea. The confirmation came as Seoul and Washington seek to reinforce their alliance for stronger deterrence against North Korea's evolving military threats -- an issue likely to figure prominently in the upcoming summit between President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol and President Joe Biden slated for May 21. Goldberg, who had served as ambassad

May 6, 2022

Secretary Austin reaffirms US extended deterrence to S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday reaffirmed the US' commitment to help defend South Korea, using the "full range of US military capabilities" including extended deterrence. Austin made the remarks in a phone conversation with South Korea's Defense Minister Suh Wook, according to defense department spokesperson John Kirby. "Secretary Austin reaffirmed the ironclad US commitment to (the) defense of the ROK, leveraging the full range of US military capabili

May 6, 2022

US working with allies to pass new UNSC resolution on N. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working closely with its allies and partners to have the UN Security Council (UNSC) send a strong signal to North Korea over its recent missile provocations with a new UNSC resolution, a state department spokesperson said Thursday. Ned Price also highlighted the importance of holding North Korea accountable for its missile launches, which the US has repeatedly condemned as serious violations of UNSC resolutions. "This is something that we are discussing wi

May 6, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] Mapping out Korea’s diplomacy through Canada

Just as how Korea is referred to as the East’s Land of the Morning Calm, Canada is the West’s. Despite its vast territory, Canada has often flown under the radar on the global stage because of its small population and proximity to the world’s largest economy, the US. From Korea’s standpoint, news from the four major powers -- the US, China, Japan, and Russia -- have mostly dominated the headlines here. What we do hear occasionally about Canada, such as the young prime m

May 5, 2022

US dispatches Second Gentleman-led delegation for Yoon’s inauguration

US second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris, will lead the delegation for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, the White House announced on Wednesday. The Biden administration will dispatch the eight-member US delegation, which includes US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Christopher Del Corso who serves as the charge d‘affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul. Two US congressmen from the Democratic party will attend the e

May 5, 2022

US condemns N. Korea's missile launch, urges Pyongyang to engage in dialogue

WASHINGTON -- The United States condemns North Korea's latest missile launch, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue to peacefully denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Ned Price made the remarks after North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Wednesday (Seoul time). "This launch is a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," the spokesperson said in a daily press briefing. "It demonstrat

May 5, 2022

US may discuss deployment of additional THAAD system to S. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States may discuss deploying additional missile defense units to South Korea if requested by Seoul's incoming administration, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The remarks come after North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday (Seoul time), marking its 14th known show of force this year. "Every country has the inherent right to self-defense," Ned Price said when asked if the US might consider deploying additional THAAD units to South Kor

May 5, 2022

Threat from N. Korea continues to grow with each test: Pentagon spokesman

WASHINGTON -- The threat posed by North Korea continues to increase with each missile test North Korea stages, a Pentagon spokesperson said Wednesday, urging the recalcitrant country to halt its provocations and engage in dialogue. John Kirby reiterated it would be foolish not to think the North's missile capabilities are increasing. "We would agree that the threat from North Korea continues to increase because they continue to test, because they continue to learn, because they continue to

May 5, 2022

S. Korea mulling expanding support to Ukraine: trade chief

South Korea is considering boosting assistance to Ukraine, Seoul's top trade official said Wednesday, as Western countries provided weapons and other support to help Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion. South Korea has provided $40 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, 65 non-lethal military items and various support for Ukraine refugees. "We are considering continuing to expand assistance to Ukraine," Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said during a virtual meeting with tra

May 4, 2022

US to boost defense posture, prepositioned stocks in Indo-Pacific: Austin

The United States plans to boost its deterrence against China and North Korea, partly by increasing its "prepositioned stocks" of military supplies in the Indo-Pacific, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Monday. The US defense chief also said the defense department plans to spend some $6 billion in fiscal year 2023 to boost its deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific. "So this budget invests some six billion dollars in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, and in keeping with o

May 4, 2022

S.Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys commit to ‘close strategic communication’ on N.Korea

The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China on Tuesday discussed ways to cooperate in managing the situation on the Korean Peninsula and committed to continue “close strategic communication” to resolve North Korean issues. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, held his first face-to-face talks with his Chinese counterpart, Liu Xiaoming, in the morning at the Foreign Ministry building in Seoul. Liu, special representative of the

May 3, 2022

Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, China hold talks on N. Korea

The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China met in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss security situations on the Korean Peninsula amid concerns about North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats. Liu Xiaoming, Beijing's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, was on his first visit to Seoul since assuming the post in April 2021 at a time of heightened tensions over Pyongyang's recent spate of missile launches and reported signs of preparations for another nuclear test. In his fir

May 3, 2022