First Vice FM meets Russian counterpart in Moscow, discusses regional security

First Vice Foreign Minister Chang Ho-jin, a former ambassador to Russia, has met high-level officials in Moscow to bid his farewell and discuss bilateral ties, the foreign ministry here said Thursday. Chang, who served as ambassador until early April, is on a two-day trip to Moscow to bid a formal goodbye to Russian officials as he took over as vice minister while visiting Seoul for a conference of diplomatic mission chiefs following a sudden shake-up in the presidential office. On Wednesday, Ch

June 8, 2023

Seoul, Washington anticipated to hold first NCG meeting in summer

The first meeting of the Nuclear Consultative Group, aimed at enhancing Korea's influence in the US' strategy of extended deterrence, is expected to take place sometimes "in the summer," according to the presidential office on Wednesday, without providing an exact timeline. A high-ranking official from the presidential office told reporters that the two countries have reached an agreement to “launch the NCG within this year” and to pay intensive attention to &ld

June 7, 2023

Israeli foreign minister visits Korea for trade cooperation

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen visited Seoul to exchange views on furthering bilateral cooperations with his counterparts. It was the first time for the foreign minister to visit South Korea in 11 years, according to the Israeli Embassy in Korea on Wednesday. On the second day of the two-day visit, he met his South Korean counterpart Park Jin to discuss ways to expand cooperation in trade, science, technology, startups and culture, South Korean foreign ministry said. They also exchanged view

June 7, 2023

S. Korea eyes bigger initiative as it returns to UN Security Council

South Korea is stepping up efforts to lead global peace initiatives, emboldened by winning a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council at an election Tuesday, as it doubles down on fighting security challenges -- the biggest of which is North Korea. Beginning in January next year, Seoul will serve as one of the 10 nonpermanent members of the UN’s most powerful body, which also includes five permanent members with veto power: China, France, Russia, the UK and US. The annual elect

June 7, 2023

S. Korea seeks to win major energy, industry projects in Azerbaijan

South Korea asked for Azerbaijan's support Wednesday for its companies seeking to take part in major energy and other industry projects in the European nation, the industry ministry said. Deputy Trade Minister Jeong Dae-jin made the request during their joint economic commission meeting in Seoul on the day, as the two nations explored ways to enhance bilateral economic and industry cooperation, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. South Korean companies are pushing to pa

June 7, 2023

Netflix co-CEO to visit S. Korea this month: sources

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos plans to visit South Korea later this month to meet with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and other key officials, sources said Wednesday. Sarandos is expected to visit the country for two days from June 20, about two months after the US streaming service announced plans to invest $2.5 billion in South Korea following a meeting between the co-CEO and President Yoon Suk Yeol in Washington in April. The two are unlikely to meet again in Seoul due to scheduling issues. Sarand

June 7, 2023

S. Korea seeks to win UN Security Council seat

NEW YORK -- South Korean diplomats on Monday made their final pitch for Seoul's bid for a nonpermanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. South Korea, which last sat on the council in 2013-2014, aims to return to the council for 2024-2025, and the UN will vote on the bid on Tuesday. If elected, it will mark the third time for South Korea to serve as one of the 10 nonpermanent UNSC members. Previously, South Korea had served the seat during the 1996-1997 term. South Korea hopes to retur

June 6, 2023

Indian Embassy celebrates International Day of Yoga

The Indian Embassy in Seoul held an event Monday to promote the International Day of Yoga on June 21, highlighting the exercise's role in uniting the mind, body, thought and action. The International Day of Yoga was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014, following a proposal by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. "Yoga is a way to discover a sense of oneness with yourself, the world, and nature," Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar said at the event.

June 5, 2023

Assembly speaker expresses condolences over rail disaster in India

National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo expressed his condolences over a deadly train accident in India in a letter to the country's speaker of the lower house, his office said Sunday. "I hope that the Indian parliament, government and people come together to swiftly deal with the accident, and that the people who have suffered and all Indian people recover from the shock and resume their peaceful daily life as soon as possible," Kim said in the message to Om Birla, speaker of India

June 4, 2023

S. Korea eyes UN seat as NK rebukes UN body

South Korea is preparing to play a bigger role on the international stage as it aims to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council at an election Tuesday, an opportunity for Seoul to serve as a two-year term member on the UN’s most powerful body. Running unopposed, the South is expected to get approval from two-thirds of the General Assembly, ending the country’s 10-year hiatus from the 15-member body that includes five permanent members with veto power: the US, UK, France,

June 4, 2023

Yoon offers condolences to India train accident victims

President Yoon Suk Yeol has offered his condolences to the victims of the passenger train accident in eastern India, which has claimed the lives of over 280 people and left hundreds injured. On his official Twitter account on Saturday evening, President Yoon wrote, “Deeply grieved and saddened by the tragic train accident in Balasore, India. On behalf of South Korea, I would like to express heartfelt condolences to the victims and their families and wish for rapid recovery.” The Ko

June 4, 2023

S. Korea’s chief nuclear envoy calls for collective condemnation of NK satellite launch

SINGAPORE — South Korea's top nuclear envoy on Friday called for the international community to collectively condemn North Korea's recent abortive attempt to launch a spy satellite during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Kim Gunn, the Foreign Ministry's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, delivered a presentation during the special session titled “Nuclear Dimensions of Regional Security” at Asia's largest defense summ

June 2, 2023

Yoon names chief of overseas Korean agency

President Yoon Suk Yeol has named Lee Key-cheol, former Korean ambassador to the Netherlands, to head a new government body overseeing the interests of 7.5 million overseas Koreans launched Friday. Lee also previously served as consul general in Los Angeles and is currently secretary-general of UNICEF Korea. The new agency is intended to offer streamlined services from visas to taxes and pensions to overseas Koreans, which includes citizens living abroad as well as noncitizens with Korean famili

June 2, 2023

US deepening trilateral cooperation with S. Korea, Japan against N. Korean threats: Biden

The United States is strengthening its cooperation with South Korea and Japan to deter evolving threats posed by North Korea, President Joe Biden said Thursday. Biden's remark comes after North Korea launched what it claims to be its first military spy satellite in a botched attempt. "In the Indo-Pacific, we deepened our alliance and our trilateral cooperation with Japan and the Republic of Korea," Biden said while addressing the graduating class of the US Air Force Academy in Col

June 2, 2023

Forum highlights Denmark-Korea offshore wind, clean hydrogen cooperation

The Denmark-Korea Green Business Forum was held Thursday on the sidelines of the World Climate Industry Expo at Bexco in Busan, highlighting strong partnership between South Korea and Denmark in fields of wind energy and clean hydrogen. Attending the forum, the Danish Embassy ran a pavilion in collaboration with the Confederation of Danish Industry, the Danish Chamber of Commerce, and 10 other Danish companies. "This participation signifies the deepening ties and growing cooperation betwe

June 1, 2023

GGGI, Elders discuss path to net zero for Asia

Leaders and experts discussed a path to net zero for Asia at a forum co-hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute and the Elders on Monday. "Reaching net zero by 2050 could boost Asia’s gross domestic product by up to 6 percent, create 36 million new jobs by 2030, and improve Asia’s trade balance by hundreds of billions of dollars as a result of declining fossil fuels in the world," said former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who serves as president and chai

June 1, 2023

Tritium found beyond safe limits in treated Fukushima wastewater

A type of radioactive isotope in the over 1.3 million tons of wastewater being collected at the destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant and planned for discharge by as early as this summer has been found at levels beyond those earlier suggested to be safe by the Japanese government, a wastewater safety review report by the International Atomic Energy Agency showed Thursday. The finding has raised the need to ensure the treated wastewater is diluted before it is discharged, so that the wastewater

June 1, 2023

Details of comfort women talks to stay hidden

South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a complaint demanding the government disclose negotiations that led to a 2015 agreement between South Korea and Japan meant to settle the issue of Korean sex slaves, a contentious deal that fell short of putting on record whether Tokyo had directly forced the victims into sex slavery. The pact, signed in December 2015 when the Korean and Japanese foreign ministers released statements vowing never to revisit the issue without mentioning coer

June 1, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Ecosystem’ needed for S. Korea, Italy to bolster relations: Italy envoy

South Korea and Italy should come together for business as well as cultural ties as they prepare to mark 140 years of relations next year, Italian Ambassador to South Korea Federico Failla said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Wednesday. On the occasion of Republic Day, the annual national holiday that falls on June 2 to celebrate the 1946 transition from monarchy to democracy through a referendum, the envoy stressed bolstering relations in decades to come depends on establishing an &ldq

June 1, 2023

N. Korea must be held accountable despite failure to launch spy satellite: Kirby

WASHINGTON -- North Korea must be held accountable for its failed attempt to launch a military spy satellite, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council said Wednesday. John Kirby, NSC coordinator for strategic communications, added the launch posed a threat to peace in the entire region despite its failure. "The major concern is that with each and every one of these launches, whether it fails or succeeds, Kim Jong-un and his scientists and engineers, they learn and they improve an

June 1, 2023