[Newsmaker] US successfully destroys ICBM with sea-launched interceptor in test: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- The United States has successfully intercepted and destroyed a mock intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its latest test of a sea-based missile defense system, the Defense Department said Tuesday. The field test involved a threat-representative ICBM, launched from a US missile test site in the Marshall Islands early Tuesday morning (Washington time). A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA missile launched from a US destroyer out in the sea intercepted and destroyed the tar

Nov. 18, 2020

Moon congratulates 4 Korean-Americans on recent House election victories

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday congratulated four Korean-Americans on their recent election to the US House of Representatives. "Delighted and thrilled! Together with the Korean people, I extend my congratulations to newly elected Congresswomen Young Kim, Michelle Park Steel, and Marilyn Strickland, and Congressman Andy Kim who won a second term," Moon tweeted. "They have friendly Korean names – Young-oak, Eunjoo, and Sun-ja," Moon said, adding "Today, your f

Nov. 17, 2020

Moon to stress cooperation at APEC, G-20 summits

President Moon Jae-in will participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits on Saturday and Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday. Both multilateral summits will be held via video link. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit will take place Saturday, when the members will discuss issues concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and adopt a 20-year vision for the group. “At the summit, President Moon will share Korea’s experience in containing COVID-19, and

Nov. 17, 2020

[Newsmaker] IHO to identify seas with numerical codes amid East Sea naming dispute

The International Hydrographic Organization has reached a consensus to adopt a new way of identifying seas by number, rather than by name, a move that could put an end to the long-standing dispute between Seoul and Tokyo over what the body of water between two countries should be called, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. 　 During a virtual General Assembly of the international organization on maritime data on Monday, the 65 member states agreed to revise the existing standard for a world map

Nov. 17, 2020

S. Korea calls for information sharing on essential traveler policies in APEC ministers' meeting

South Korea has called for countries to actively share information about policies on allowing the entry of essential travelers from overseas as part of efforts to facilitate trade and investment amid the pandemic, officials said Tuesday. Seoul made the proposal during a ministerial meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) held virtually on Monday (Seoul time) and attended by senior government officials of 21 member countries, the foreign ministry said. The meeting came ahead o

Nov. 17, 2020

No. of S. Korean students in US shrinks amid COVID-19 pandemic

WASHINGTON -- The number of South Korean students in the United States dropped from a year earlier this year, a US report showed Monday, amid the coronavirus pandemic that has led to a plunge in number of travelers between the two countries. However, the number of US students in South Korea has jumped sharply over the same period, according to the report from the US State Department. In the 2019-2020 school year, the number of South Korean students enrolled in US schools came to 40,809, down 4

Nov. 17, 2020

S. Korean candidate hints at continuing bid for WTO top job

South Korea's Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee on Tuesday hinted that she may not shelve her bid to become the next director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yoo has failed to drum up landslide support from the WTO's member countries to head the global trade body, with her Nigerian rival, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, standing ahead in a two-way race. Asked by a radio host about the possibility of her resignation as a candidate, Yoo did not give a direct answer. Instead, Yoo told a KBS ra

Nov. 17, 2020

S. Korea extends advisory against overseas travel amid continued spread of pandemic

The foreign ministry said Tuesday it extended the special advisory recommending against traveling overseas, as the coronavirus pandemic is continuing. The advisory, now effective until Dec. 17, also calls for South Koreans to cancel their trips and for those staying outside of the country to take extra precautions. The measure was first imposed in March. The ministry said the extension was made as a substantial number of countries maintain their entry restrictions and flight suspensions amid

Nov. 17, 2020

Biden hints at pushing for regional FTA to bring order, counter China

WASHINGTON -- US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday underlined the need for his country to push for a multilateral free trade agreement (FTA), partly to keep China and others from having their way when it comes to global trade. His remarks came as South Korea and 14 other countries in the Asia-Pacific signed a new FTA, known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), that, if enacted, would become the world's single-largest free trade pact. The deal was signed by Australia, Ch

Nov. 17, 2020

Former presidential security adviser named chief of state-run think tank

Kim Ki-jung, a former senior aide to President Moon Jae-in for national security affairs, has been tapped as the new head of a think tank operating under the state spy agency, officials said Monday. The Institute for National Security Strategy (INSS), affiliated with the National Intelligence Service, held a board meeting on the day and picked Kim as its head, according to INSS officials. He plans to assume the post later this week, they added. In 2017, Kim was appointed as the deputy direct

Nov. 16, 2020

Seoul, Tokyo agree on compensating forced labor victims: report

Seoul and Tokyo have agreed in principle to compensate victims of forced labor, a local news network reported Monday. Citing an unnamed high-level official within the ruling bloc, Yonhap News Television reported that President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga agreed that the victims should be compensated. “The two leaders have agreed on compensating the forced labor victims. The plan is for Cheong Wa Dae and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with their Japan

Nov. 16, 2020

Chinese FM Wang Yi may visit South Korea this month: report

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi may visit South Korea later this month for talks on bilateral cooperation and to discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Seoul, according to media reports Monday. 　 Citing diplomatic sources, the report said Seoul and Beijing officials have been in talks to arrange Wang’s visit to happen within this month, around his reported trip to Japan. 　 South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, however, declined to confirm the report, adding the t

Nov. 16, 2020

Foreign ministry denies reports it being 'bypassed' in Japan diplomacy

The foreign ministry dismissed as "groundless" a media report Monday that it has been "bypassed" in the country's recent diplomatic efforts to improve ties with Japan strained over wartime history and trade. The local newspaper report came after National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Park Jie-won met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo last week, raising speculation that the spy chief had started to undertake a key role to restore relations between the

Nov. 16, 2020

S. Korea signs world’s largest free trading deal

South Korea on Sunday signed a mega free trade pact that would create the world’s largest open trading bloc of 15 economies, including China and Japan. President Moon Jae-in formally inked the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement at a virtual summit with the leaders of 14 partner countries, including 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae said. “We note that the RCEP Agreement is an unprecedented mega re

Nov. 15, 2020

Ruling party lawmakers head to US for discussions on NK, alliance following Biden's election

Three ruling party lawmakers, including the chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, left for Washington on Sunday for meetings with US congressional leaders and experts in the wake of Joe Biden's election as US president. The three members of the Democratic Party's task force on Korean Peninsula issues -- Reps. Song Young-gil, Kim Han-jung and Yun Kun-young -- plan to meet with Brad Sherman (D-CA), a member of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia, and Rep. Thomas Suoz

Nov. 15, 2020

US House to vote on resolution calling for strengthening alliance with S. Korea

NEW YORK -- The US House of Representatives plans to vote this week on a resolution calling for further strengthening the alliance with South Korea, congressional sources said Saturday, as the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden prepares to take over. The resolution, which was first introduced by Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) in January and passed unanimously through the House Foreign Affairs Committee in March, has been introduced to a House session set for Wednesday morning, the

Nov. 15, 2020

Moon joins ASEAN summit with Japanese, Chinese leaders, urges closer ties for post-coronavirus economy

South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a virtual summit with the leaders of Japan and China as well as 10 Southeast Asian countries Saturday and stressed the need for closer partnerships for health care and economic growth. "As the COVID-19 situation is being prolonged, there's an increasing number of problems that we have to resolve together," Moon said, delivering his opening remarks at the annual ASEAN Plus Three Summit. ASEAN stands of the Association of South East Asian Nati

Nov. 14, 2020

S. Korean lawmakers meet Suga in effort to mend diplomatic ties

A group of South Korean lawmakers met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday amid growing expectations for improvement in ties between the two nations frayed over historical and trade issues. Seven members of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union, who arrived in Tokyo for a three-day visit on Thursday, paid a courtesy call on the new Japanese leader. It marked the first time for Suga to meet South Korean lawmakers since he took office as prime minister in September. South Korea an

Nov. 13, 2020

S. Korea, Greece hold defense talks, vow to strengthen cooperation

The vice defense ministers of South Korea and Greece held a meeting Friday and agreed to enhance bilateral defense cooperation, Seoul's defense ministry said. Greece's vice defense chief, Alkiviadis Stefanis, is in South Korea at the invitation of Seoul's Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs (MPVA) to mark the 70th anniversary of the 1950-53 Korean War. During the talks held in Seoul, Vice Defense Minister Park Jae-min and Stefanis "vowed to make efforts to beef up defense cooperatio

Nov. 13, 2020

Korea, Mekong nations upgrade relations, adopt joint statement

South Korea and countries along the Mekong River on Friday upgraded relations to that of strategic partners, and adopted a joint statement outlining ways to further increase cooperation at the second Korea-Mekong Summit held via video link. Friday’s summit among the leaders of Korea and Mekong River nations – Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – was the second to be held since Moon proposed the summit in 2018. At Friday’s summit, Moon stressed the need for

Nov. 13, 2020