[Herald Interview] 'UN peacekeeping forces need better gender equity'

United Nations peacekeeping force officers who visited Seoul earlier this month emphasized the need to enhance gender inclusivity within peacekeeping forces and to recruit more talented women into the military. Colonel B. Maureen Wellwood, the first woman in the Canadian Infantry to attain the rank of colonel, said women’s strength plays a key role in situations where peacekeepers should build trust with suffering residents, referring to her missions in several countries including Afghanis

Sept. 27, 2023

Uzbekistan, Korea boost customs cooperation

Uzbekistan and Korea agreed to boost customs cooperation in Tashkent on Friday. Uzbekistan’s customs committee chairman Akmalkhuja Mavlonov and chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo signed a protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs. According to Uzbekistan's customs committee, the two sides agreed to solidify technical cooperation to crack down on trade crimes, develop customs administration capabilities, and oper

Sept. 26, 2023

Yoon plans state visits to UK, Netherlands later this year

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on state visits to the United Kingdom in November and the Netherlands in December, according to the presidential office on Tuesday. Yoon's office said the visit to the UK, made at the invitation of King Charles III, is significant as it is the first state visit since King Charles III's coronation earlier this year, and marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The visit to the Netherlands, made at the

Sept. 26, 2023

Blinken says N. Korea-Russia military cooperation threatens global peace

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday military cooperation between North Korea and Russia undermines global peace, highlighting America's "ironclad" security commitment to South Korea. Blinken made the remarks amid concerns that a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month might have led to an arms deal that observers fear could help strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities and support Moscow'

Sept. 26, 2023

[Photo News] Cultural diplomacy

The Greek Embassy and Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) co-hosted a forum acknowledging the growth of social media communication as part of an initiative to strengthen cultural diplomacy at the Greek ambassador’s residence in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, CICI members, the media and members of the Greek community in Korea. (CICI)

Sept. 25, 2023

Trilateral talks open on Korea-Japan-China meeting

Two-day working- and senior-level talks among South Korea, Japan and China kicked off on Monday, as the three nations prepare to resume their meeting this year, after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chung Byung-won, South Korea’s deputy foreign minister, is set to meet with Takehiro Funakoshi and Nong Rong, his Japanese and Chinese counterparts, respectively, on Tuesday, following separate working-level meetings between Seoul and Tokyo, as well as Seoul and Beijing on Mond

Sept. 25, 2023

Over half of Koreans want continuous strengthening of alliance with US: poll

More than half of South Koreans are of the opinion that the nation's alliance with the United States should continue to be strengthened, a poll showed Monday. In the poll of 1,238 people aged 18 and older conducted by Gallup Korea from Sept. 4-8, 91.6 percent said the bilateral alliance is important and the majority, 53.7 percent, responded that it should be continuously strengthened. Another 24.9 percent said the alliance should be continuously maintained, whereas only 18.1 percent said it

Sept. 25, 2023

Russian top diplomat to visit NK, accuses US of fueling tensions on Korean Peninsula

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced plans for an October visit to Pyongyang following the North Korea-Russia summit earlier this month, intensifying speculation about increased military cooperation between the two nations. "In accordance with the decision of (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, we will arrange my talks in Pyongyang, which may indeed take place next month," Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS during a

Sept. 24, 2023

Xi says he will consider S. Korea visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday he will consider visiting South Korea for a potential summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol, at a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is visiting the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the opening of the Asian Games. A senior official in Seoul with direct knowledge of the Saturday meeting said Xi brought up the issue of a leader-level visit. “It was the Chinese leader who floated it first, which means he knows well it’s his turn to

Sept. 23, 2023

PM arrives in China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the sporting event, his office said. During his two-day visit, Han is set to attend a luncheon hosted by Xi for the leaders of countries competing in the Asian Games and hold talks with Xi ahead of the opening ceremony later in the day. The meeting between Han and Xi will take place at 4:30 p.m., his of

Sept. 23, 2023

PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo departed for the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the sporting event, his office said. During his two-day visit, Han is expected to attend a luncheon hosted by Xi for the leaders of countries competing in the Asian Games and hold talks with Xi ahead of the opening ceremony later in the day. The exact time, venue and agenda for their meeting are being

Sept. 23, 2023

US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

The US Department of Commerce on Friday announced the final rule to restrict semiconductor subsidy recipients from expanding their manufacturing capacity in China, following Seoul's brisk diplomacy to minimize its potential impact on South Korean businesses. The national security "guardrails" of the CHIPS and Science Act prohibit the material expansion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity for advanced facilities in "foreign countries of concern" for 10 years from the

Sept. 23, 2023

Allies vow stern measures against Russia-N. Korea arms deal

The top diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to take stern measures against a potential arms deal between Russia and North Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry said Saturday. According to the ministry, Seoul's Foreign Minister Park Jin met with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, and Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, in New York on Friday to discuss Russia-North Korea arms dealings. Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a summit with Russ

Sept. 23, 2023

Biden rebukes Russia for turning to N. Korea, Iran for more arms

US President Joe Biden slammed Russia on Thursday for seeking more weapons from Iran and North Korea for use in its war in Ukraine, reiterating such an arms transfer would flout UN Security Council resolutions. Biden made the remarks during a White House summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which he announced a $325 million military assistance package, including artillery, ammunition, and air defense capabilities. "Russia alone stands in the way of peace. He could end

Sept. 22, 2023

US watching closely for possible N. Korea-Russia arms trade: senior US official

The United States is closely monitoring possible arms trade between North Korea and Russia, a senior US official said Thursday, after last week's summit between their leaders raised concerns about military cooperation. During a meeting with a group of reporters in Brussels, the official also said South Korea has expressed its willingness to actively support North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries that assist Ukraine in its war against Russia. "Obviously Russia is looking fo

Sept. 21, 2023

Russian Embassy voices 'deep regret' over Yoon's warning on growing Pyongyang-Moscow ties

The Russian Embassy in Seoul on Thursday expressed "deep regret" over President Yoon Suk Yeol's speech condemning military cooperation between Pyongyang and Moscow at the United Nations and accused him of joining Washington's "propaganda campaign." During his keynote address to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday (U.S. time), Yoon warned that any arms deal between the two countries would be considered a "direct provocation" against South Korea, relaying

Sept. 21, 2023

S. Korea slaps sanction on NK defense minister

The South Korean government on Thursday handed out the world's first unilateral sanction on North Korea's defense minister, who had accompanied North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on his recent trip to Russia. The financial sanctions also targeted other individuals and entities allegedly involved in illicit arms and financial transactions with third party countries, most notably Russia. The announcement of sanctions appears to be a tit-for-tat response to indications of illicit military tr

Sept. 21, 2023

Russia-NK military ties could lead to sanctions, Seoul says

South Korea will consider imposing unilateral sanctions as a viable course of action should concrete evidence of illicit military cooperation between North Korea and Russia be confirmed, Seoul's vice foreign minister said Thursday. Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin emphasized that Russia's potential transfer of technologies to enhance North Korea's weapons of mass destruction would constitute a "serious violation of UN Security Council resolutions" if confirmed. "T

Sept. 21, 2023

Yoon condemns NK-Russia military cooperation as 'direct provocation' to Seoul

President Yoon Suk Yeol criticized a recent talk between leaders of Russia and North Korea that a potential arms trade between them would be a "direct provocation" not only to Ukraine but also to South Korea, stressing that Seoul won't just sit and watch. "If the DPRK acquires the information and technology necessary to enhance its (weapons of mass destruction) capabilities in exchange for supporting Russia with conventional weapons, such a deal between Russia and the DPRK wi

Sept. 21, 2023

Yoon meets world leaders in New York for 3rd day to promote Expo bid

President Yoon Suk Yeol held a series of summits with world leaders in New York on Wednesday as part of his ongoing efforts to secure support for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in Busan. Yoon, on the third day of his trip to attend the UN General Assembly, is using the annual gathering to meet with dozens of leaders on the sidelines in a last-minute push to bolster the country's campaign for the Expo bid. Yoon engaged in a series of discussions with leaders from Europe,

Sept. 21, 2023