[Hwang’s China and the World] Mapping out Korea’s diplomacy through Canada

Just as how Korea is referred to as the East’s Land of the Morning Calm, Canada is the West’s. Despite its vast territory, Canada has often flown under the radar on the global stage because of its small population and proximity to the world’s largest economy, the US. From Korea’s standpoint, news from the four major powers -- the US, China, Japan, and Russia -- have mostly dominated the headlines here. What we do hear occasionally about Canada, such as the young prime m

May 5, 2022

US dispatches Second Gentleman-led delegation for Yoon’s inauguration

US second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, the spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris, will lead the delegation for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol, the White House announced on Wednesday. The Biden administration will dispatch the eight-member US delegation, which includes US Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and Christopher Del Corso who serves as the charge d‘affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul. Two US congressmen from the Democratic party will attend the e

May 5, 2022

US condemns N. Korea's missile launch, urges Pyongyang to engage in dialogue

WASHINGTON -- The United States condemns North Korea's latest missile launch, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue to peacefully denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Ned Price made the remarks after North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on Wednesday (Seoul time). "This launch is a clear violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions," the spokesperson said in a daily press briefing. "It demonstrat

May 5, 2022

US may discuss deployment of additional THAAD system to S. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States may discuss deploying additional missile defense units to South Korea if requested by Seoul's incoming administration, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The remarks come after North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Wednesday (Seoul time), marking its 14th known show of force this year. "Every country has the inherent right to self-defense," Ned Price said when asked if the US might consider deploying additional THAAD units to South Kor

May 5, 2022

Threat from N. Korea continues to grow with each test: Pentagon spokesman

WASHINGTON -- The threat posed by North Korea continues to increase with each missile test North Korea stages, a Pentagon spokesperson said Wednesday, urging the recalcitrant country to halt its provocations and engage in dialogue. John Kirby reiterated it would be foolish not to think the North's missile capabilities are increasing. "We would agree that the threat from North Korea continues to increase because they continue to test, because they continue to learn, because they continue to

May 5, 2022

S. Korea mulling expanding support to Ukraine: trade chief

South Korea is considering boosting assistance to Ukraine, Seoul's top trade official said Wednesday, as Western countries provided weapons and other support to help Ukraine defend against the Russian invasion. South Korea has provided $40 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, 65 non-lethal military items and various support for Ukraine refugees. "We are considering continuing to expand assistance to Ukraine," Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said during a virtual meeting with tra

May 4, 2022

US to boost defense posture, prepositioned stocks in Indo-Pacific: Austin

The United States plans to boost its deterrence against China and North Korea, partly by increasing its "prepositioned stocks" of military supplies in the Indo-Pacific, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Monday. The US defense chief also said the defense department plans to spend some $6 billion in fiscal year 2023 to boost its deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific. "So this budget invests some six billion dollars in the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, and in keeping with o

May 4, 2022

S.Korean, Chinese nuclear envoys commit to ‘close strategic communication’ on N.Korea

The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China on Tuesday discussed ways to cooperate in managing the situation on the Korean Peninsula and committed to continue “close strategic communication” to resolve North Korean issues. Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, held his first face-to-face talks with his Chinese counterpart, Liu Xiaoming, in the morning at the Foreign Ministry building in Seoul. Liu, special representative of the

May 3, 2022

Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, China hold talks on N. Korea

The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China met in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss security situations on the Korean Peninsula amid concerns about North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats. Liu Xiaoming, Beijing's special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, was on his first visit to Seoul since assuming the post in April 2021 at a time of heightened tensions over Pyongyang's recent spate of missile launches and reported signs of preparations for another nuclear test. In his fir

May 3, 2022

US-S. Korea alliance an incredibly important relationship: Psaki

WASHINGTON -- The US-South Korea alliance is an incredibly important relationship that is vital to many issues in the region and around the world, a White House spokesperson said Monday of reasons for President Joe Biden's planned trip to Seoul. Jen Psaki also noted North Korea will be a "prominent part" of the agenda for Biden's upcoming trip that will also take him to Japan. "I would note that we have an incredibly important, vital relationship with South Korea. We work on a ran

May 3, 2022

US continuing increased surveillance of N. Korea: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- The United States is continuing to closely monitor North Korea for signs of additional provocations while sharing such intelligence with South Korea, a US Department of Defense spokesperson said Monday. John Kirby said the US is also always looking for ways to get better information about the reclusive country. US Indo-Pacific Command was ordered to intensify its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) collection activities in waters near the Korean Peninsula in early M

May 3, 2022

[Newsmaker] Evacuations under way in Mariupol; Pelosi visits Ukraine

ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine -- A long-awaited evacuation of civilians from a besieged steel plant in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was under way Sunday, as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi revealed that she visited Ukraine's president to show unflinching American support for the country's defense against Russia's invasion. Video posted online by Ukrainian forces showed elderly women and mothers with small children bundled in winter clothing being helped as they climbed a steep pile of debris from the sp

May 2, 2022

S. Korea, Norway begin defense industry cooperation talks in Seoul

South Korea and Norway kicked off annual three-day talks on defense industry cooperation in Seoul on Monday, the state arms procurement agency here said, as Seoul seeks to support local companies' efforts to tap into the European country's market. The two sides began the ninth session of their joint committee on arms industry cooperation, with their agenda including South Korea's bid to export K-2 tanks to Norway, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). Kim Saeng, chi

May 2, 2022

S. Korean embassy officials return to Kyiv: ministry

South Korea's top envoy to Ukraine and some other embassy staff have returned to Kyiv to restart operations there, according to Seoul's foreign ministry. South Korean embassy officials had evacuated from the capital and worked at a temporary office in the Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi since March following Russia's invasion of the country. Amb. Kim Hyung-tae and some embassy staff have returned to Kyiv in preparation for work there starting Monday (Ukraine time), the ministry said, adding it is c

May 2, 2022

Top Chinese nuclear envoy arrives for talks in Seoul

China's top nuclear envoy on Sunday arrived in Seoul for talks with his South Korean counterpart, amid lingering tensions caused by North Korean missile launches and hardening rhetoric. Liu Xiaoming, special representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, told reporters that he will meet officials of the incumbent and incoming Korean governments to discuss "political solutions" for Korean peninsula issues. Touching on pending issues related to North Korea, the envoy said that said tha

May 1, 2022

World Forestry Congress kicks off its 5-day run in Seoul

The World Forestry Congress, the world‘s largest gathering of foresters, kicked off its five-day run in Seoul on Monday. The 15th edition of the WFC will be running from Monday through Friday at Coex in Gangnam. The WFC is the most influential global forestry gathering, held every six years under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It’s the first time the WFC has been held in South Korea, and it is also the first time in 44 years that the

May 1, 2022

S.Korea should stand firm on security issues against China: FM nominee

Foreign Minister nominee Park Jin has said South Korea should not discuss issues of undermining national security and sovereignty with China, expressing opposition to the Moon Jae-in government’s China policy including its commitment to the “Three Noes.” Park clarified the dissimilarities between the incoming Yoon Suk-yeol government’s approach to China and its predecessor in a written statement presented to South Korea’s National Assembly on Saturday. The nomin

May 1, 2022

FM nominee reaffirms push for hotline among two Koreas, US for dialogue anytime

South Korea's incoming administration will strive to establish a system for the two Koreas and the United States to have dialogue anytime through a liaison office at the truce village of Panmunjom or Washington, D.C., the nominee to become Seoul's top diplomat said Saturday. In a written report to lawmakers ahead of his confirmation hearing, Park Jin pointed out that the three nations are "core parties concerned" with Korean Peninsula security issues. Setting up such a liaison offi

April 30, 2022

South Korea to reopen embassy in Kyiv

South Korea will reopen its embassy in Kyiv shortly amid stabilizing situations in the Ukrainian capital, the foreign ministry said Friday. South Korean embassy officials were evacuated from Kyiv in mid-February and operated temporary offices in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Chernivtsi, and Romania. The Lviv mission was closed on March 18. The ministry said embassy officials will return to Kyiv for smoother cooperation with the Ukrainian government and the protection of South Korean nationa

April 29, 2022

FM nominee vows to push for Chinese leader's visit to S. Korea

Foreign Minister nominee Park Jin affirmed his commitment Friday to revitalizing high-level "strategic communication" with China, including through reciprocal visits by South Korean and Chinese leaders. Park made the remarks in his written answers to lawmakers' questions ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for Monday, as the incoming administration of President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol faces a series of foreign policy challenges, including an intensifying Sino-US rivalry. "I

April 29, 2022