US, S. Korea aligned on N. Korea, but may differ on sequence of steps: NSA Sullivan

The United States and South Korea are aligned on the need to engage with North Korea diplomatically, but may differ when it comes to when and what steps should be taken to bring the recalcitrant North back to the dialogue table, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Tuesday. His remarks come amid a South Korean push for a declaration of the end of the Korean War that it insists can be a catalyst to restart dialogue with North Korea. "We may have somewhat different perspectives o

Oct. 27, 2021

‘Comfort woman’ calls on Seoul to bring case to UN body

A 93-year-old former “comfort woman” pleaded with the South Korean government on Tuesday to take the issue of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery to the UN Committee Against Torture.  Speaking at a virtual press conference, Lee Yong-soo urged President Moon Jae-in to refer the case to the UN body, which monitors adherence to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment -- which both South Korea and Japan have ratified. 

Oct. 26, 2021

S. Korea, US to establish senior-level dialogue channel for semiconductor cooperation

South Korea and the United States have decided to set up a new director-level dialogue channel for regular discussions on semiconductor issues, Seoul's industry ministry said Tuesday. The agreement was reached during a video conference on Monday between Choi Woo-Seok, director general for materials and components industries at Seoul's industry ministry and Monica Gorman, US deputy assistant commerce secretary for manufacturing, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "Giv

Oct. 26, 2021

FM Chung set to visit Russia for talks on regional security, bilateral ties

South Korea's top diplomat will visit Russia this week to discuss recent developments related to regional security and bilateral ties, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong plans to embark on a three-day trip to Moscow later in the day to meet with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov and commemorate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties, the ministry said. They will hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss a wide range of topics, includi

Oct. 26, 2021

US enhances restrictions on unvaccinated visitors

WASHINGTON -- The United States is strengthening restrictions for all inbound travelers, including US citizens who are not vaccinated against COVID-19, the White House said Monday. Starting from Nov. 8, all non-US citizens and non-immigrant visitors from outside of the country will be required to provide a proof of vaccination before heading for the US, according a proclamation signed by President Joe Biden. Those fully vaccinated, regardless of their citizenship, will continue to be required

Oct. 26, 2021

China can and should help denuclearize N. Korea: Pentagon spokesman

WASHINGTON -- China should help denuclearize North Korea if it wishes to see stability on the Korean Peninsula, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. John Kirby also insisted that Beijing has a great amount of influence over Pyongyang that he said can be used to help the North make the right decision. "What I can tell you is that we know China has influence in Pyongyang and that influence could be important to helping us all achieve the denuclearization of the peninsula," the Department

Oct. 26, 2021

Moon, Biden expected to meet on sidelines of G20 summit or UN

President Joe Biden are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Italy or the UN climate summit in Britain, a senior presidential official said Monday.   Moon and Biden are scheduled to participate in the G20 summit next week, as well as the COP26 climate talks on Nov. 1 and 2, when world leaders will assess achievements since the Paris agreement to limit global warming.   Asked whether Moon and Biden could meet on the margins of the global s

Oct. 25, 2021

S. Korea to give 1.1 million doses of AZ vaccines to Iran

South Korea is providing COVID-19 vaccines to Iran, as the country looks to use them as diplomatic leverage with formidable progress in the nationwide vaccination scheme. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said Monday that Korea will deliver 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca this month. The vaccines will arrive in Iran on Wednesday as a means to celebrate the 60-year relationship between Korea and Iran. The government said

Oct. 25, 2021

S. Korea to raise need for int'l discussions on Japan's Fukushima plan in IMO meeting

South Korea will once again call for international discussions on Japan's plan to discharge radioactive water from its crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean at this week's international maritime gathering, the oceans ministry said Monday. During the London Convention and Protocol meeting set to begin on the day, the ministry will raise the need to discuss Japan's planned disposal within the Protocol framework, and urge Japan to disclose related information in a full and transpar

Oct. 25, 2021

US, South Korea discuss ways to resume talks

The US will explore possibilities surrounding declaring a formal end to the Korean War with South Korea, with regards to resuming talks on North Korea’s denuclearization, the US nuclear envoy for North Korea said Sunday during talks with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul.　 The 1950-53 conflict concluded with an armistice, not a peace treaty. The Moon Jae-in administration backs signing the declaration to lay the groundwork for denuclearization and a treaty to come, while neither Washi

Oct. 24, 2021

Ex-USFK chief stresses solidarity in S. Korea-U.S. alliance amid lingering NK threats

Former US Forces Korea (USFK) chief Curtis Scaparrotti has stressed the importance of solidarity between the militaries of South Korea and the United States in the face of continued North Korean threats, an organization dedicated to promoting the alliance said Saturday. Scaparrotti, who led the USFK from 2013-2016, delivered a lecture on the long-standing alliance Friday, according to the Korea Chapter of the Korea Defense Veterans Association, as tensions resurfaced following the North&rsquo

Oct. 23, 2021

PM meets Turkish FM, vows to bolster bilateral ties

  Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum on Friday met Turkey's top diplomat and vowed to bolster ties between the two countries, his office said. Kim welcomed Turkey's foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, in Seoul and discussed ways to beef up their cooperation. In their meeting, Kim asked for Istanbul's support on South Korean firms so that they can expand their economic ties. They also touched on issues to increase personnel and cultural exchanges between the two nations. Cavusoglu responded th

Oct. 22, 2021

Moon to meet with Pope Francis on European tour

President Moon Jae-in will embark on a nine-day trip to Europe next week that will include a Vatican meeting with Pope Francis, Cheong Wa Dae announced Friday. The president will hold a bilateral meeting with the pope in Vatican City on Oct. 29 before heading to Rome to attend the G-20 summit on Oct. 30-31. For Moon, the nation’s second Catholic president, it will be his second visit to the Vatican. North Korean issues, including a possible papal visit to Pyongyang, are expected to top

Oct. 22, 2021

US spy plane dispatched to Korea following S. Korea's rocket launch: tracker

A US spy aircraft flew over the Korean Peninsula on Friday, an aviation tracker showed, in what appears to be a sortie to monitor North Korea's military activities following South Korea's launch of a space rocket. The United States Air Force's RC-135W Rivet Joint was spotted flying between the west and east coasts of the peninsula, according to Flightradar24, a real-time flight tracker. The plane flew into South Korean airspace from abroad, an official at the US Forces Korea (USFK) said withou

Oct. 22, 2021

Humanitarian aid will not weaken US sanctions but win hearts of people: US officials

Allowing humanitarian assistance to a country under US sanctions does not weaken the sanctions against the regime but rather serves American interests in the long-term, US officials said Thursday. Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of treasury, also said providing humanitarian assistance to the people would better serve American interests and policy goals. "We ultimately want to and need to and will ensure that our sanction regimes have an economic impact on their targets. But as (former) Se

Oct. 22, 2021

Foreign minister to visit Russia next week for talks on peninsula issues

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong will visit Russia next week for discussions on bilateral ties and issues surrounding the Korean peninsula, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Chung will arrive in Russia on Tuesday for a three-day trip and will hold talks with his counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Wednesday. The two will meet for the first time since the Russian foreign minister visited Seoul in March this year. The talks are expected to touch on recent developments on the peninsula as Seoul st

Oct. 21, 2021

S. Korea, Paraguay vow to boost trade cooperation

  South Korean and Paraguayan trade ministers agreed Thursday to make joint efforts to boost cooperation in trade and industry fields in the post-pandemic era, officials said. During the meeting held in Seoul, Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Paraguayan counterpart, Luis Alberto Castiglioni Soria, discussed ways to promote bilateral investment and exchanges in a wide range of sectors, such as vaccine and climate change, according to the officials of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and En

Oct. 21, 2021

S. Korea, Kazakhstan vow active push for economic cooperation projects

South Korean Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook met with Kazakhstani Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar on Thursday and discussed ways to push forward various joint economic projects, Moon's office said. The meeting came two months after the two nations signed a set of memorandums of understanding in various industry fields, such as automobiles, natural resources and healthcare, during Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to  South Korea. During the talks, Moon "expressed

Oct. 21, 2021

US remains consistently open to dialogue with N. Korea: Psaki

The United States remains open to dialogue with North Korea, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday. Her remarks come after North Korea announced a successful test launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) that some believe may be a "game changer." "(It has) consistently been our view. So we've stated our openness to having those discussions with North Korea for months now," Psaki said in a press briefing onboard the Air Force One en route to Pen

Oct. 21, 2021

US alliances with S. Korea, others key to countering China, N. Korea: ambassador nominees

The United States' alliances with South Korea and others are key to dealing with many challenges facing the US, including Chinese aggression and North Korean threats, nominees for US ambassadors to Japan and China said Wednesday. Richard Nicholas Burns, nominee for US ambassador to China, said US alliances provided a "comparative advantage" over China. "The comparative advantage that we have versus China is that we have treaty allies. We have partners who deeply believe in us an

Oct. 21, 2021