Speaker Moon proposes new idea for resolving Japan's wartime forced labor issue

South Korea's parliamentary speaker on Tuesday proposed to Japan that companies and ordinary people of the two nations voluntarily create a fund to resolve a dispute over Tokyo's wartime forced labor.National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang made the proposal at a special lecture in Japan as he is visiting Tokyo as part of parliamentary diplomacy to mend frayed ties between Seoul and Tokyo, highlighted by a trade spat and the history issue.His idea came as Japan has rejected Seoul's so-called one-

Nov. 5, 2019

Top US official for Asia arrives in Seoul, expected to discuss GSOMIA

David Stilwell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, arrived in Seoul late Tuesday for talks with Korean officials on their bilateral alliance and ongoing regional affairs. He is on a tour of Asia.Stilwell is expected to hold a series of meetings with government officials here and to pay a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, according to Foreign Ministry officials. One of the top issues the two allies are expected to discuss is the ongoing row be

Nov. 5, 2019

Moon assesses his latest meeting with Abe was 'meaningful'

President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday he has had a "meaningful" meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that could herald the start of dialogue for mending soured ties between Seoul and Tokyo.Moon held an 11-minute conversation with Abe on Monday ahead of an ASEAN Plus Three summit in Bangkok, the first one-on-one talks in more than a year amid frayed ties."I've held a meaningful meeting with Abe that could be a start point for dialogue," Moon said on his social media, w

Nov. 5, 2019

US underscores commitment to Indo-Pacific region after RCEP deal

WASHINGTON -- The United States Monday underscored its commitment to free trade with the Indo-Pacific region after a bloc of nations led by China struck a major trade deal without US participation.The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the world's largest free trade agreement, was announced earlier Monday by the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and its dialogue partners -- South Korea, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.The China-led RCEP is seen as

Nov. 5, 2019

Moon, Abe agree to seek resolution to trade issues

President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed Monday to resolve a trade fight and other issues between the two sides through dialogue, Cheong Wa Dae said, as the leaders had their first official one-on-one “conversation” in more than a year.They sat down together for 11 minutes right before the ASEAN Plus Three summit at the IMPACT Forum in Bangkok.They agreed that Seoul-Tokyo relations are of importance and reaffirmed the principle of resolving pending bilatera

Nov. 4, 2019

Moon requests ASEAN's support for Korea peace process in Bangkok summit

South Korean President Moon Jae-in formally asked the ASEAN member states Monday to continue support for the slow-moving Korea peace process, saying North Korea and the United States are bracing for the most critical point in their related negotiations.He was speaking at the end of the 22nd ASEAN Plus Three summit in Bangkok, joined by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.Just ahead of the session, Moon talked separately with Abe for 11 minutes in a "very friend

Nov. 4, 2019

Moon in Bangkok for ASEAN-hosted summits

BANGKOK -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in flew into Thailand on Sunday for back-to-back annual regional summits driven by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as he is preparing to greet the leaders of the ASEAN member states in Busan late this month.Soon after arrival, he attended a "gala dinner" hosted by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Moon is scheduled to join the ASEAN Plus Three summit and the East Asian Summit session in Bangkok, both slated for Monday.The even

Nov. 3, 2019

South Korea asks for US action on its ongoing row with Japan

South Korea has asked the United States to intervene to resolve the ongoing row with Japan.Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-gu and David Stilwell, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, discussed ongoing issues affecting the South Korea-US alliance and the trilateral relationship with Japan, both ministries said Saturday.In the talks held on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Thailand, the two senior officials pledged to maintain close coordination to ensu

Nov. 3, 2019

Moon heads to Bangkok for ASEAN-hosted forums

South Korean President Moon Jae-in left for Thailand on Sunday to join a series of annual forums involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.In particular, he plans to use his three-day trip to Bangkok as a chance to drum up support for the South Korea-ASEAN special summit to be held in Busan late this month.The president will begin his official activity there by attending a "gala dinner" hosted by Thailand, this year's rotating ASEAN chair.In the gathering, Moon will request

Nov. 3, 2019

Xi voices willingness to maintain 'close communication' with N.Korean leader

Chinese President Xi Jinping has voiced his readiness to maintain "close communication" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and promote the two nations' ties in a message, the North's state media said Saturday.In his reply to a congratulatory message sent by Kim over the 70th founding anniversary of China, Xi "firmly" supported Kim's pursuit of a new strategic line of developing the economy and improving people's livelihoods, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.&q

Nov. 2, 2019

S. Korea, China hold talks on climate change

Government officials of South Korea and China held talks in China this week to discuss joint efforts for cooperation in tackling climate change, the foreign ministry said Friday.Yoo Yeon-chul, ambassador for climate change at the foreign ministry met with Li Gao, director-general for climate change at China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment in the port city of Haikou in the southern island province of Hainan from Wednesday to Thursday, the ministry said in a release.Officials from the enviro

Nov. 1, 2019

Moon’s diplomacy plans derailed by APEC summit cancellation

President Moon Jae-in’s diplomacy plans appear to have been foiled by Chile’s decision to cancel the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit which was scheduled to be held in Santiago on Nov. 16-17. On Wednesday, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera announced the cancellation of the APEC meeting, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which were to be held in November and December, respectively. Announcing the decision, Pinera cited unrest caused by nation

Oct. 31, 2019

US did not demand coverage of cost of deploying strategic assets: Foreign Ministry

The US did not ask South Korea to bear the cost of deploying strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula and nearby regions in the ongoing defense cost sharing negotiations, Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.  “The US did not request sharing of the cost of strategic assets’ deployment in the two SMA negotiations,” a Foreign Ministry official was quoted as saying by a local news agency. Seoul and Washington are currently engaged in Special Measures Agree

Oct. 30, 2019

Trump claimed S. Korea was 'major abuser,' had to pay $60b to US: memoir

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump called South Korea a "major abuser" and claimed the US ally should pay $60 billion a year for the stationing of American troops in the country, according to a memoir published Tuesday.Guy Snodgrass, former chief speechwriter and communications director to former US Defense Secretary James Mattis, made the revelation in his new book, "Holding the Line: Inside Trump's Pentagon with Secretary Mattis," as he recounted a meeting between Trum

Oct. 30, 2019

New S. Korean ambassador to UN vows to focus on Korea peace process

NEW YORK -- South Korea's new ambassador to the United Nations vowed Tuesday to focus his efforts on establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula through the global body.Amb. Cho Hyun held a meeting with reporters at the South Korean mission to the UN, saying the multinational organization can play an important role in realizing President Moon Jae-in's vision for a Korean Peninsula peace process. "My priority is what role I will play at the UN to put in place the Korean Peninsula peace proces

Oct. 30, 2019

Japan, South Korea to study fund to ease wartime forced labour issue: Kyodo

TOKYO (Reuters) -- The South Korean and Japanese governments are studying plans for a joint economic programme involving companies from both countries that aims to ease strains over the issue of forced Korean labour in World War Two, Kyodo news reported on Monday.However, the Japanese government will not provide any money to the programme, in line with its position that claims overforced labour were settled in a 1965 treaty, Kyodo said, citing unnamed sources. Japanese foreign ministry spok

Oct. 29, 2019

S. Korea's parliament ratifies free trade deal with Britain

South Korea's National Assembly on Monday ratified the free trade agreement between Seoul and London in a move to brace for Britain's exit from the European Union.The agreement will go into effect automatically in case of a no-deal Brexit, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.If Britain and the European Union reach an agreement on a Brexit deal, the FTA will be implemented after the transition period. The trade deal centers on maintaining benefits enjoyed by the two countries

Oct. 28, 2019

New S. Korean ambassador to US vows to beef up alliance

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's new ambassador to the United States, Lee Soo-hyuck, on Friday vowed to beef up the alliance between Seoul and Washington, saying their relationship must be future-oriented to achieve denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. "The South Korea-United States alliance is the basic axis of our foreign relations," Lee said in his inauguration ceremony at the South Korean Embassy in Washington D.C. "The alliance should satisfy today's mutual

Oct. 26, 2019

S. Korea could hold talks with Japan next month on trade row

South Korea and Japan could sit down for a second round of talks next month in a move to work out their differences over Tokyo's export restrictions, a top official has said.Sung Yun-mo, minister of trade, industry and energy, made the comments in a recent brief comment to Yonhap News Agency on Thursday. Sung did not provide a specific time frame. The talks are part of a dispute settlement process under rules of the World Trade Organization.Earlier this month, the two neighbors failed to reach a

Oct. 26, 2019

New top S. Korean envoy to US takes office

South Korea's new ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck arrived in Washington on Thursday, his office said, as the allies face a series of difficult issues, including North Korea and defense cost-sharing.His inauguration ceremony will be held at the South Korean Embassy in Washington on Friday, and Lee is soon expected to present his credentials to US President Donald Trump, according to the embassy.He was named the top envoy to the US by President Moon Jae-in in August and was formally

Oct. 25, 2019