Chinese FM condemns US, stresses political consensus with South Korea

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the US’ Indo-Pacific strategy as evidence of a “Cold War mentality,” and called for China and South Korea to stick to their political consensus as President Moon Jae-in prepares for the G-7 summit, where Washington is expected to encourage its allies to take a tougher stance toward Beijing.  Wang’s remarks came during a phone conversation with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Wednesday evening, according to

June 10, 2021

Moon’s Europe trip has packed agenda

After his first overseas trip to the US in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic last month, President Moon Jae-in is now heading to Europe with a packed agenda. The president is scheduled to depart for the UK on Friday to attend the G-7 summit in Cornwall on June 11-13 and then travel on to Austria and Spain to make state visits until next week. Despite the packed schedule, the size of the delegation has been reduced compared to previous years but this time first lady Kim Jung-sook is accompa

June 10, 2021

Chile and Korea in the integration of clean and reliable energy

Chile recently hosted, between May 31 and June 6, two major summits related to clean energy and innovation: Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM 12) and Mission Innovation Ministerial (MI-6). In doing so, it became the first country in South America to host and lead both meetings, which brought together the 23 major economies of the world, including South Korea, to discuss the acceleration of the global energy transformation. With high-level guests, such as the US Special Presidential Climate Envoy J

June 10, 2021

US, S. Korea reaffirm efforts to bolster supply chain cooperation: Vice FM

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States will work together to expand cooperation in strengthening their supply chains for critical products, such as semiconductors, First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun said Wednesday. Choi said he and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman also agreed on the need to engage with North Korea to advance the goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, as the two sides discussed follow-up measures to the outcome of last month's summit between Presi

June 10, 2021

US seeks to make progress with N. Korea through diplomacy: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States seeks to engage with North Korea diplomatically to make progress toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. Ned Price also said the newly appointed special US representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, will continue to work toward that end. "So the policy that we have spoken to calls for what we have deemed a calibrated, practical approach, that explores diplomacy, that is predicated on diplomacy with th

June 10, 2021

FM Chung voices hope for 'stable' Sino-US ties in phone talks with Chinese counterpart

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed hope Wednesday that relations bewteen the United States and China will develop in a "stable" manner during phone talks with his Chinese counterpart, stressing the importance of cooperation in tackling global challenges. The phone talks between Chung and Wang Yi came as President Moon Jae-in prepares to attend the upcoming Group of Seven (G7) summit in Britain, where US President Joe Biden is expected to rally major democracies against an asser

June 10, 2021

Three leaders, three calculations

Speculation is growing about a possible trilateral meeting between South Korea, the US and Japan at the upcoming G-7 summit in the UK later this week. On Monday, Washington said it is open to the possibility even though nothing has been confirmed yet. “We don’t currently have a trilateral scheduled between the US, Japan, and South Korea, but I will tell you there’s a possibility for virtually anything in these small spaces where you have just -- you know, in this case, 10 or

June 9, 2021

Int'l maritime defense expo kicks off in S. Korea

A large-scale maritime defense exhibition kicked off in South Korea on Wednesday, featuring advanced defense systems from major global firms, the Navy said. The biennial International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2021 is scheduled to run through Saturday in the southern city of Busan. The Navy organized the event along with the Busan city government and the Korea International Trade Association. This year's event brought together around 110 major maritime defense companies from

June 9, 2021

S. Korea open to anything but three-way summit with US, Japan not planned: diplomat

South Korea is open to a three-way dialogue with the United States and Japan, but no official meeting has been scheduled for their leaders taking part in the Group of Seven (G7) summit this week, a senior South Korean diplomat said Tuesday. South Korea's vice foreign minister, Choi Jong-kun, also said his country will actively seek dialogue opportunities with the leaders of the United States and Japan at the upcoming G7 summit in Britain. "We are open, and plan to actively push for a Sout

June 9, 2021

[Newsmaker] US lowers travel advisory for S. Korea to lowest Level 1

The United States on Tuesday lowered its travel advisory for South Korea to the lowest level, which advises people visiting the Asian country to exercise normal precaution. The State Department said the latest update reflected a low level of COVID-19 infections in South Korea. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 1 Travel Health Notice for South Korea due to COVID-19, indicating a low level of COVID-19 in the country," it said. The US had maintain

June 9, 2021

Slovenia to open embassy in Seoul

Slovenia is set to establish an embassy in Seoul this year, and Tuesday its visiting top diplomat asked for South Korea’s cooperation ahead of its opening. 　 Slovenian Foreign Minister Anze Logar, at the start of bilateral talks with Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, stressed that one of the reasons he visited was to prepare to open the embassy. 　 “In order to organize everything that is corresponding to the opening of this embassy, I look forward to your help in that sense,

June 8, 2021

US will work for family reunion of Korean Americans with DPRK relatives: Blinken

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged Monday to work with both South Korea and North Korea to help realize long-awaited reunions of Korean Americans with their loved ones in the North, calling it a "heart wrenching" issue. The top US diplomat also said he is "deeply sensitive" to the issue. "This is just heart wrenching, knowing that people have been not only separated but don't even know the fate of their loved ones," Blinken said in a

June 8, 2021

No plans for Biden meeting with S. Korea, Japan but anything possible: Sullivan

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden currently does not have a trilateral summit planned with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, but such a meeting could be possible as he will join a small group of global leaders in Britain, Biden's top security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Monday. The remarks came as Biden is set to head for Britain on Wednesday for the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Cornwall. South Korea is not a G7 member but is invited to this year's meeting as a guest, along with Aus

June 8, 2021

Vice FM Choi to visit US this week for talks with counterpart Sherman

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun will visit Washington later this week for talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues between the two countries, the foreign ministry said Monday. Choi and Sherman are set to meet on Wednesday (US time) for their first in-person talks since the latter assumed office in April. The two sides plan to discuss follow-up measures to last month's summit between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Joe Biden, w

June 7, 2021

FM meets US senators, discusses alliance issues

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Friday met with three visiting US senators and discussed bilateral and alliance issues, the foreign ministry said. During the meeting at Chung's official residence, the senators -- Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Dan Sullivan (R-AL) -- said that last month's summit between President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden demonstrated the alliance and global cooperation partnership between the two countries, according to the ministry. They als

June 4, 2021

Indian Chamber of Commerce, Korea Nonferrous Metal Association to explore new markets

The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the Korea Nonferrous Metal Association on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding to support its member companies on exploring new business opportunities. The signing ceremony was attended by some 60 industry people, including Park Jin-kyu, vice minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Sachin Satpute, head of the chamber, and Lee Je-joong, chairman of the association. “The Make in India Initiative is a great opportunity f

June 4, 2021

Biden says US will share vaccines with vulnerable countries, including to S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- The United States plans to deliver COVID-19 vaccines to countries in need, including South Korea, President Joe Biden said Thursday. The United States earlier pledged to provide up to 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, including 20 million doses that have already been approved for use in the United States. The other 60 million doses are from AstraZeneca, yet to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. "As the United States continues our efforts to get every el

June 4, 2021

British PM expects S. Korea to play a role in G7 summit next week: Cheong Wa Dae

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Thursday welcomed South Korea's commitment to playing a role in an upcoming summit of global leaders on COVID-19, climate change and other pending issues, Cheong Wa Dae said.    He delivered the message to President Moon Jae-in during their half-hour phone conversation, according to Moon's spokesperson Park Kyung-mee.    Johnson is scheduled to host the Group of Seven summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, on June 11-13. Taking part will be

June 3, 2021

Chungcheong cities team up in bid to host 2027 Summer World University Games

Local governments in the Chungcheong provinces are banding together in hopes of hosting an international sporting event and to promote Korea’s soft power, the North Chungcheong Province governor said Thursday. The local governments of Sejong, Daejeon, South Chungcheong and North Chungcheong Province have teamed up for a joint bid to host the 34th Summer World University Games in 2027. More than 15,000 university students from 174 countries participate in the event. Organized by the Int

June 3, 2021

French technologies can solve nuclear waste problem, says French Ambassador

S. Korea and France have opportunities for cooperation on nuclear power, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort said during an online press conference on Wednesday. 　 At the event, Lefort highlighted France’s strategies to address eco-friendly use of nuclear energy and said that it was a suitable time to discuss related issues in light of nuclear energy and climate change challenges the world faces. Referring to a recent report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Cent

June 3, 2021