US ready to resume nuke talks with N. Korea: top official

The United States is ready to resume denuclearization talks with North Korea, but will maintain sanctions on the regime for now, a top US official said Tuesday.US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell made the remarks in a prepared statement for the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia ahead of his scheduled testimony Wednesday. "We remain committed to the goals President Trump and Chairman Kim set in their summit in Singapore in June 2018 and

Sept. 18, 2019

S. Korea, Japan explore possibility of talks between their top diplomats: sources

South Korea and Japan are exploring the possibility of their top diplomats holding talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next week, though nothing has been decided yet, multiple sources here said Tuesday.Should they meet, it will mark the first face-to-face talks between Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her new Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi since Tokyo's top diplomat was appointed in last week's Cabinet reshuffle. Their talks would come amid high tensions caus

Sept. 17, 2019

Seoul calls for action on Fukushima at IAEA

South Korea raised concerns at the general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on Monday about Japan’s plans to dispose of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear plant.Seoul’s First Vice Minister of Science and ICT Mun Mi-ock brought attention to Tokyo’s handling of radioactive water during her keynote speech at the IAEA’s 63rd General Conference.“Issues concerning the disposal of Fukushima contaminated water still remain unanswered

Sept. 17, 2019

S. Korea urges IAEA to play role in Japan's Fukushima water discharge plan

The International Atomic Energy Agency has to play an active role in the possible move by Japan to discharge contaminated water from its disabled Fukushima power plant into the Pacific Ocean, a senior South Korean government official has said.Delivering a keynote speech at the General Conference of the international organization In Vienna on Monday, South Korean first vice science minister Mun Mi-ock stressed that Japan has not answered questions about its water discharge plan amid fear and anxi

Sept. 17, 2019

Pompeo urges 'constructive dialogue' between S. Korea, Japan

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday emphasized the need for "constructive dialogue" between South Korea and Japan, two US allies that have been locked in a bitter dispute over trade and history.Pompeo discussed the matter in a phone call with new Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi as he congratulated his counterpart on the new position and reaffirmed the strength of the bilateral alliance, according to the State Department."Secretary Pompeo emphasized the need for

Sept. 17, 2019

S. Korea names former vice FM as new ambassador to UN

South Korea on Monday named former Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun as its new ambassador to the United Nations, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Cho, who served as first vice foreign minister from September 2018 to May this year, will replace Amb. Cho Tae-yul. Entering foreign service in 1979, Cho Hyun worked in various key diplomatic posts, including in India and Austria. In 2006, he served as South Korea's deputy permanent representative to the UN.The Seoul government also designated Chang Won-sam

Sept. 16, 2019

S. Korea voices concern over attack on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities

South Korea on Monday expressed concern over last week's attacks on key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, saying it would undermine regional stability and energy security around the world.The drone attacks on two plants at the center of the Middle Eastern country's oil industry took place on Saturday. The Iran-linked Houthi rebel group in Yemen has claimed responsibility for the attacks."The attacks this time posed a serious threat to key international energy infrastructure, and we express co

Sept. 16, 2019

Foreign ministry to focus on early resumption of US-NK nuclear talks

The foreign ministry said Monday that it will focus its diplomacy on facilitating an early resumption of working-level nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea and substantive progress in them.In a report to the National Assembly, the ministry also said that it would maintain close coordination with Washington through bilateral consultations, including at the UN General Assembly in New York."(The ministry) will concentrate its diplomatic capacity on ensuring that the working-

Sept. 16, 2019

White House advisor notes Trump's resolve for peninsula denuke

A senior White House advisor has noted US President Donald Trump's commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, while highlighting the benefit of having a "businessman" as the American leader.In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, Kellyanne Conway also said that Trump is willing to engage with world leaders and employ diplomacy differently than other politicians who she said are "worried about the next election."Her remarks came amid criticism over Trump's openness to

Sept. 16, 2019

S. Korea's top nuclear envoy visits Beijing for talks on NK

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy has held talks with a senior Chinese diplomat over North Korea and peninsula issues ahead of an expected resumption of nuclear dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, met Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui in Beijing on Thursday and discussed the overall situation on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said in a release.  The

Sept. 13, 2019

Japan remains mum on S. Korea's request for talks on fisheries pact

Japan has spurned South Korea's request to hold talks to work out differences for the renewal of their fisheries agreement, a South Korean official said Friday.   South Korea sent a letter to Japan in May calling for working-level talks. Last month, Japan replied to South Korea, though it did not mention the proposed talks, according to Park Sung-jun, a director handling the issue at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.   The two neighbors last held face-to-face talks in Jun

Sept. 13, 2019

S. Korea's chief nuclear envoy to visit Beijing

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy was set to visit Beijing on Thursday to meet with a senior Chinese official expected to be his counterpart ahead of an expected resumption of nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea.Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, plans to hold talks later Thursday with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and discuss the situation on the Korean Peninsula.Luo, who was elevated to his post handling A

Sept. 12, 2019

Trump says Bolton 'set us back' in NK nuke talks

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that former National Security Adviser John Bolton "set us back" in denuclearization negotiations with North Korea by demanding the regime follow the "Libya model" and hand over all of its nuclear weapons.   Bolton quit the administration on Tuesday following disagreements with Trump on policies including how to denuclearize North Korea.The hawkish adviser had once advocated for the "Libya model" that calls for

Sept. 12, 2019

Senior diplomat to Cambodia relieved from position for sexual misconduct allegations

A South Korean diplomat stationed in Cambodia has been relieved from the post following allegations of sexual harassment against a female embassy employee, an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday,The diplomat, whose name and position have been withheld, was ordered to return to Korea and is currently undergoing an internal investigation by the ministry regarding the allegations. On Tuesday, several local news outlets quoting the ministry official reported that, according

Sept. 11, 2019

Seoul files complaint with WTO over Tokyo's export curbs

South Korea filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization on Wednesday over Japan's export curbs, upping the stakes in the unprecedented trade row between the two Asian neighbors.The move came more than two months after Tokyo started restrictions of exporting three key industrial materials to Seoul, which are essential for the production of chips and displays, potentially dealing a harsh blow to Seoul's backbone technology industry."South Korea decided to file a complaint with the WTO

Sept. 11, 2019

Top diplomats of South Korea, Kazakhstan to hold talks in Seoul next week

The top diplomats of South Korea and Kazakhstan will hold talks in Seoul next week to discuss joint efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Kazakh counterpart, Beibut Atamkulov, will meet on Monday to explore ways to enhance cooperation in a "forward-looking" manner, Kim In-chul, the ministry's spokesman, told a regular press briefing.The two countries have been seeking to strengthen their friendly ties as

Sept. 10, 2019

S. Korea, Philippines to hold 4th round of FTA talks this week

South Korea's trade ministry said Monday it plans to hold a fourth round of free-trade negotiations with the Philippines this week with the goal of striking the deal in November.During the four-day talks in Cebu, the Philippines, that ends Friday, the two will center on making concessions in details of the pact, along with seeking ways to expand bilateral economic and technology ties, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Seoul and Manila launched their free trade negotiations

Sept. 9, 2019

High-ranking S. Korean envoys visited U.S. over GSOMIA issue: sources

Two high-ranking South Korean envoys recently visited the United States to explain Seoul's decision to terminate a military information-sharing pact with Japan, sources here said Sunday.Kim Tae-jin, head of the North American Affairs bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited Washington D.C. on Thursday with Kim Jung-han, who is in charge of Asian and Pacific affairs at Seoul's foreign ministry, according to sources. It is believed to be the first US visit by high-ranking South Korean of

Sept. 8, 2019

Local governments of S. Korea, Russia vow to boost cooperation

Local governments of South Korea and Russia's Far East agreed Friday to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas at an annual forum in Vladivostok, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Representatives from six South Korean and 11 Russian local governments participated in the Korea-Russia Local Cooperation Forum, which was established last year following an agreement between President Moon Jae-in and Russian President Vladimir Putin.In the second annual meeting, they adopted the "Vladivostok De

Sept. 6, 2019

S. Korea considering naming non-diplomat official to lead defense cost negotiations with US: sources

The government is considering naming a non-diplomat official, such as a financial technocrat, to head negotiations with the US on sharing the cost for the upkeep of American troops, sources said Friday.That would mark a departure from the tradition that officials from either the foreign or defense ministries have led the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) aimed at determining how much South Korea should shoulder the cost of US troop presence in the country.The two sides expected to launch the nego

Sept. 6, 2019