S. Korea to provide $1 m to UN fund for people near shrinking Aral Sea

South Korea pledged Thursday to provide $1 million to a UN development fund to help communities near the Aral Sea suffering from decadeslong water depletion, the foreign ministry said. Chung Kee-yong, director general for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, signed an agreement to provide the funds during a virtual meeting with Jennifer Topping, executive coordinator of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, the ministry said. Of the pledge

Dec. 17, 2020

Australia names first female ambassador to Seoul

Australia has tapped Catherine Raper, a senior career diplomat, as its new and the first female ambassador to South Korea, its embassy here said Thursday. Raper, who most recently served as head of Australia's COVID-19 coordination unit, will be replacing the outgoing envoy, James Choi, who began his term here in 2016. She is expected to formally take office in Seoul in mid-January Raper has also worked in Taipei, Washington and the Australian Permanent Mission to the World Trade Organization

Dec. 17, 2020

S. Korea extends advisory against overseas travel amid pandemic

The foreign ministry on Thursday extended the special advisory recommending against traveling overseas for another month amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic. The advisory calls for South Koreans not to go abroad unless the trip is essential and for those staying outside of the country to take extra precaution. The measure will be effective until Jan. 16 and can be extended again. The extension came as foreign countries maintain their entry restrictions and the majority of international f

Dec. 17, 2020

Moon-Biden summit is critical to alliance, says Seoul’s envoy to US

A summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President-elect Joe Biden is critical to bolster the alliance and achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea’s ambassador to the US said Tuesday (US time).   　 “The most important task facing us is to hold a US-South Korea summit at an early date after the new US administration takes office to further strengthen the alliance and achieve progress on the Korean peace process,” Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuck said

Dec. 16, 2020

S. Korea-led UN group discusses pandemic responses with disease monitoring board

A South Korean-led group of UN member countries held a videoconference with an international disease monitoring board to discuss policy directions for effective coronavirus responses, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The UN Group of Friends of Solidarity for Global Health Security was launched in May under Seoul's initiative with a view to bring up a UN-level response to the coronavirus pandemic and other global health problems. It has 44 countries and the European Union as members. The vi

Dec. 16, 2020

Moon-Biden summit key to establishing peace on Korean Peninsula: Amb. Lee

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday stressed the importance of dialogue between the countries' leaders in strengthening their alliance. Amb. Lee Soo-hyuck also said a summit between President Moon Jae-in and incoming US President Joe Biden will help enhance the countries' joint efforts to establish permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. "The most important task facing us is to hold a South Korea-US summit at an early date after the new US administratio

Dec. 16, 2020

Trump to veto US defense bill partly for limiting troop withdrawal: NcEnany

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump plans to veto the US National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) partly for limiting troop withdrawal from countries including South Korea, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday. The remarks came days after the US Congress passed the defense bill that seeks to provide $740 billion in defense spending in the fiscal year 2021. Trump earlier said the defense bill will be one of the first he will veto, claiming it will only benefit China. &quo

Dec. 16, 2020

Two S. Koreans move out of Ethiopia's conflict region, source says

Two South Koreans have escaped from Ethiopia's conflict-hit region unharmed and moved to a "safe" location in the capital city of Addis Ababa, an informed source said Tuesday. The two unidentified Koreans had been out of contact since tensions heightened recently in the northern region of Tigray in the African country, where an armed conflict is ongoing between its federal government and military forces led by a dissident political party. They arrived in Addis Ababa on Monday and pla

Dec. 15, 2020

US Amb. Harris says, 'There's nothing more Korean than kimchi'

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris learned how to make kimchi from a renowned chef Tuesday, calling the fermented cabbage dish "uniquely Korean, world-renowned food." The kimchi-making event at the Habib House, the ambassador's official residence in Seoul, came amid Chinese media's claim that Beijing led the development of a global standard for the staple Korean dish. "There're some pretenders out there, but I think there's nothing more Korean than kimchi," Harris sa

Dec. 15, 2020

US optimistic about cooperation with S. Korea in Indo-Pacific: Knapper

WASHINGTON -- The United States strongly believes its cooperation with South Korea in the Indo-Pacific region will continue to advance regardless of who is in power in either country, a senior US diplomat said Thursday. Marc Knapper, deputy assistant secretary of state for Korea and Japan, also argued the South Korea-US relationship is no longer a bilateral alliance but a global alliance that helps promote their shared values in the region. "My government is incredibly optimistic about th

Dec. 11, 2020

S. Korea set to send special envoy to Russia: Cheong Wa Dae

South Korea will dispatch a special envoy to Russia next week to commemorate the 30th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and explore ways for the development of their relations, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday. Woo Yoon-keun, a former three-term ruling Democratic Party lawmaker, is scheduled to visit Russia on Sunday for a week in his capacity as President Moon Jae-in's special envoy. Woo, who served as ambassador to Russia from 2017-2019, is scheduled to meet with senior officials of Rus

Dec. 11, 2020

S. Korea 'very encouraged' by signs from Biden administration: Kang

WASHINGTON -- South Korea is "very encouraged" by signs coming from the incoming US administration regarding the South Korea-US alliance and cooperation, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday. Kang also said working with the incumbent US administration of President Donald Trump has been great but challenging. "We are very encouraged by the signs coming from the new incoming administration, although we are not able to coordinate or collaborate because this is

Dec. 11, 2020

US Amb. Harris calls S. Korea 'original home' of kimchi

US Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris on Thursday described South Korea as the "original home" of kimchi, amid a controversy over Chinese media's claim that Beijing led the development of a global standard for the staple Korean dish. Harris made the remarks in a tweet, unveiling his plan to learn how to make the fermented cabbage dish, which has long been one of the most popular Korean traditional side dishes. "So great to be here in the original home of #Kimchi -- South Korea!&q

Dec. 10, 2020

Biegun urges N. Korea to return to nuclear talks

US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, Washington’s point man on North Korea, on Thursday urged Pyongyang to return to denuclearization talks, stressing that diplomacy is the “only” and “best” way. Biegun, who is in Seoul this week to meet with officials here, delivered a lecture at a local think tank reflecting on his more than two-year stint of spearheading the talks to denuclearize Pyongyang, while admitting to disappointment in a lack of progress, despit

Dec. 10, 2020

US defense chief nominee vows to work with allies

WASHINGTON -- Lloyd Austin, US President-elect Joe Biden's pick for defense secretary, pledged Wednesday to work with and help protect US allies. "I understand the important role in the Department of Defense and the role that it plays in maintaining stability and deterring aggression and defending and supporting critical alliances around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific, and Europe and around the world," the retired US Army general said at a press conference in Wilmington, Del

Dec. 10, 2020

Japan likely to name top Israel envoy as amb. to S. Korea: sources

Japan is likely to name its ambassador to Israel, Koichi Aiboshi, as the top envoy to South Korea, replacing Koji Tomita, who is expected to take over as new ambassador to the United States, diplomatic sources and reports said Wednesday. Aiboshi, 61, served in posts at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul in 1999, 2000 and 2006 and headed the consular affairs bureau at Tokyo's foreign ministry before he became the ambassador to Israel in July 2018, according to reports. The replacement, if confirmed,

Dec. 9, 2020

Head of US think tank CSIS awarded S. Korea's highest diplomatic medal

WASHINGTON -- John Hamre, president and CEO of a Washington-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), was on Tuesday awarded South Korea's highest medal of diplomatic service merit. Hamre was conferred the Kwanghwa Medal by South Korean Ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck in a ceremony held in Washington, according to the Korean Embassy. "Amb. Lee said the government's decision to give the Kwanghwa Medal to Hamre was based on the recognition of

Dec. 9, 2020

Ministry toughens guidelines to stamp out sexual misconduct at overseas missions

The foreign ministry said Tuesday it will impose tougher guidelines starting next year to stamp out sexual misconduct at its overseas diplomatic missions following an array of such incidents and criticism for mishandling them. The ministry came under fire in recent months for failing to properly handle successive reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault cases from overseas missions, including an incident involving a senior diplomat once stationed in New Zealand. A local employee at the

Dec. 8, 2020

UNESCO board unanimously adopts decision against racial discrimination

The executive board of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has unanimously adopted a document that a South Korea-led multilateral group submitted in hopes of ending racial discrimination, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. During a virtual executive board session on Monday, the Group of Friends for Solidarity and Inclusion with Global Citizenship Education submitted the document amid growing concerns that the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened racial hatred and discrim

Dec. 8, 2020