Military aircraft evacuating S. Koreans in Lebanon returns home

A South Korean military aircraft evacuating Korean nationals and their families from Lebanon returned home Saturday, as Israel intensifies ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the South Korean government said Saturday. A total of 96 South Korean nationals and one foreign family member who had been residing in Lebanon arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 12:50 p.m. local time aboard a South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus transp

Oct. 5, 2024

FM Cho holds 1st phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Friday held his first phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya, and discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the 25-minute conversation, Cho congratulated Iwaya on his inauguration and proposed the two sides closely communicate to expand cooperation between South Korea and Japan, the ministry said. Describing the Seoul-Tokyo ties as "very important" re

Oct. 4, 2024

S. Korea, US clinch 2026-30 defense cost-sharing deal in pre-election push

Seoul and Washington have finalized a new defense cost-sharing agreement for 2026 to 2030. The deal comes just one month ahead of the US presidential election, in which former President Donald Trump -- who previously demanded a significant increase in South Korea's defense contributions -- is running as the Republican candidate. Over five months of intensive negotiations, the allies engaged in eight rounds of talks, culminating in a final agreement for the 12th Special Measures Agreement during

Oct. 4, 2024

Samsung, Hyundai chiefs to accompany Yoon on Singapore trip

A group of business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, will accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his visit to Singapore next week, industry sources said Thursday. Yoon is set to embark on a three-nation trip on Sunday to visit the Philippines, Singapore and Laos to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and hold bilateral talks, according to his office. In Singapore, Lee is expected to attend a

Oct. 3, 2024

Yoon, Ishiba discuss cooperation on N. Korea in 1st phone talks

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation on countering threats posed by North Korea, Yoon's office said. During the call, Yoon and Ishiba agreed to work on enhancing both bilateral cooperation and trilateral collaboration involving the United States to address North Korean issues. "The leaders agreed on the need for South Korea, Japan and the United States to make

Oct. 2, 2024

S. Korea to send military aircraft to evacuate nationals from Middle East

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. "The president emphasized that protecting South Korean nationals in Israel and the Middle East is of utmost importance and instructed that all necessary measures be taken," his office said in a statement issued fo

Oct. 2, 2024

[Hello India] India’s Sarang Festival kicks off featuring classical Hindu dance

The 10th edition of India’s Sarang Festival in Korea, an annual cultural exchange event hosted by the Indian Embassy in Korea, kicked off Tuesday, featuring an hour long dance performances. The festival's title, "sarang," means "love" in Korean and "diversity" in Hindi, reflecting cultural significance for both nations. This year's Sarang Festival began with a Kuchipudi performance by renowned artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan, with the group set to per

Oct. 2, 2024

S. Korea to attend NATO defense ministers' meeting for 1st time

BRUSSELS (Yonhap) -- South Korea and three other Indo-Pacific partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will attend the upcoming defense ministerial meeting for the first time later this month, NATO's chief said Tuesday. New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the defense ministers of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as IP4, were invited to the meeting scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in Brussels. "I look forward to welcoming them and forging a sh

Oct. 1, 2024

Uttar Pradesh hosts trade show to boost $1tr economy goal

NOIDA, India -- Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, showcased production capabilities and diversity at the second edition of the five-day UP International Trade Show held from September 25 to 29. The show, inaugurated by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, attracted over 2,500 exhibitors and foreign buyers from more than 60 countries, showcasing traditional handicrafts, technology, organic agricultural items, AI solutions, robotics, and foo

Oct. 1, 2024

Seoul mulls evacuation plan for S. Koreans in Lebanon as Mideast crisis deepens

The government discussed plans Monday for a potential emergency evacuation of South Korean nationals in Lebanon as the escalating conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is raising fears of a full-scale war in the region. The meeting, led by the Foreign Ministry, was the latest to be held to review contingency plans for South Korean citizens in Lebanon and nearby regions, following a serious of strikes by Israel on Lebanon that have killed dozens of people, including He

Sept. 30, 2024

[ASEAN Plus Korea] Thai envoy expects progress on immigration issues by year-end

The drop in Thai tourists to Korea as a result of tight screening and the large population of Thais working in Korea illegally should be addressed simultaneously, according to Tanee Sangrat, who began his mission as Thai ambassador to South Korea in April. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Sangrat said that for Korea to see a rebound in tourism from Thailand, some efforts were needed on his country’s part to reduce the number of Thais overstaying their visas. “We are doing our

Sept. 30, 2024

At UN, South Korea ramps up bid to win over N. Korea's old friends

South Korea ramped up its diplomatic efforts to gain greater influence over North Korea’s traditional allies and old friends -- China, Cuba, and Iran -- with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spearheading a series of high-level talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Central to the efforts was Cho's third face-to-face meeting of the year with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday, a meeting South Korea's Foreign Ministry described as part of &

Sept. 30, 2024

Korea, China, Japan vow to address yellow dust and climate change

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island – South Korea, China and Japan adopted a joint communique on Sunday promising to collaborate on addressing the environmental challenges of yellow dust and climate change. The declaration came at the end of the annual meeting of environment ministers from the three countries held at International Convention Center on Jeju Island. Specifically, the three countries said they will enhance "3+X cooperation" to mitigate yellow dust levels, particularly through par

Sept. 29, 2024

Seoul, Beijing pledge stronger ties at Chinese 75th anniversary event

South Korea and China reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and communication, highlighting the significance of their partnership during a reception on Thursday celebrating the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1. The Chinese Embassy hosted the event at The Shilla Seoul on Thursday, with the attendance of over 800 guests, including South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, current and former lawmakers

Sept. 29, 2024

S. Korea, China FMs signal Yoon-Xi summit during APEC in November

The top diplomats of South Korea and China agreed to continue high-level meetings between the two countries on the margins of multilateral gatherings, the foreign ministry said Sunday, signaling a summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, reached the agreement as they met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss bilateral ties and security on the Korean Peninsula, according

Sept. 29, 2024

FM champions multilateralism, stresses S. Korea's vision as 'global pivotal state'

South Korea's foreign minister has made a strong case for multilateralism to address global challenges through international cooperation, stressing that it has undergirded his country's democratic and economic rise. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the remarks at the UN General Assembly on Friday (New York time) as skepticism has deepened over the role of a deeply divided United Nations and other multilateral mechanisms in the midst of conflicts and humanitarian crises, including Russ

Sept. 28, 2024

Trade ministers of S. Korea, China hold talks in Beijing

Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo met his Chinese counterpart and agreed to begin talks on services and investment under a bilateral trade deal this year, officials said Friday. The meeting between Cheong and Wang Shouwen, China's international trade representative, was held in Beijing earlier in the day, Seoul's trade ministry said. Seoul and Beijing implemented their bilateral FTA in December 2015 and held their first follow-up meeting in 2018 to broaden cooperation in the investment an

Sept. 27, 2024

Ex-Trump official calls for S. Korea to raise defense spending to 3 or 3.5% of GDP

A former US national security advisor stressed the need Thursday for South Korea to increase its defense spending to 3 percent or 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), as Seoul and Washington are in negotiations over a defense cost-sharing deal. Robert O'Brien, who served as national security advisor for former President Donald Trump from 2019-2021, made the remarks, as South Korea and the United States are holding their eighth round of negotiations in Seoul this week to determin

Sept. 27, 2024

Seoul, Tokyo reboot joint maritime resource talks after 40-year freeze

South Korea and Japan are poised to hold talks on the joint development of untapped natural resources, including petroleum and underground minerals, beneath the continental shelf in the East China Sea for the first time since 1985, breaking nearly 40 years of stalled negotiations. The South Korea-Japan Joint Commission, a platform for consultations on the implementation of their bilateral joint development agreement, is set to hold its sixth meeting Friday in Tokyo, the South Korean Foreign Mini

Sept. 26, 2024

[Contribution] Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence

This year Turkmenistan celebrates the 33rd anniversary of its Independence and marks the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea. Thirty-three years ago, the Constitutional Act on the independence and state structure of Turkmenistan was adopted, according to which Turkmenistan was proclaimed as an independent democratic state. From the date of its independence, under the wise leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Turkmenistan has confiden

Sept. 26, 2024