Seoul, Washington to cooperate on overseas nuclear plant projects

South Korea and the United States announced said Friday they will broaden cooperation in the nuclear energy sector to penetrate deeper into overseas markets. "We commit to develop cooperation in overseas nuclear markets, including joint participation in nuclear power plant projects, while ensuring the highest standards of international nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation are maintained," the two countries said in a joint statement. The statement came in line with the summit

May 22, 2021

Full text of joint statement of S. Korean, US presidents

The following is the full text of a joint statement by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden released by the White House at the end of their bilateral summit in Washington on Friday. US-ROK Leaders' Joint Statement Over seventy years ago, the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea was forged on the battlefield, as we stood shoulder-to-shoulder in war. Bonded in common sacrifice, our partnership has helped to keep the peace in the decades since, al

May 22, 2021

Moon, Biden share commitment to vaccine partnership, NK dialogue

President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden agreed at their summit Friday to pursue a global COVID-19 vaccine partnership while reaffirming their commitment to dialogue with a recalcitrant North Korea. The leaders held their first in-person meeting in Washington four months after Biden took office as the pandemic rages on and Pyongyang shows no interest in resuming talks with either Seoul or Washington. Speaking in a joint press conference at the White House following their talks, Biden p

May 22, 2021

Moon-Biden summit agreement broadens alliance amid Sino-US rivalry

This week's summit agreement between South Korea and the United States on COVID-19 vaccines, tech supply chains, climate change and other non-security issues underscored a broadening of their alliance amid heightened Sino-US rivalry, analysts said Saturday. During their first in-person summit in Washington on Friday, Presidents Moon Jae-in and Joe Biden agreed on broad-based cooperation, as the US seeks to rally its democratic allies to confront shared challenges such as an assertive China and

May 22, 2021

S. Korea's health minister to meet with US health secretary

South Korea's health minister said Friday that he will hold talks with his US counterpart this week to discuss ways to cooperate on COVID-19 vaccines. Kwon Deok-cheol said his meeting with US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra in Washington on Friday will be a good opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the two countries on health issues. Kwon made the comments to reporters ahead of his departure to Washington earlier in the day. The meeting comes on the sidelines of S

May 21, 2021

Expert says it's time S. Korea makes strategic choice between US, China

South Korea should make a strategic decision in the face of intensifying rivalry between the United States and China, an American expert said Friday, warning that Seoul has been increasingly isolated from the region's multilateral diplomacy due to its "ambivalent" stance. Victor Cha, Korea chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, made the point in a presentation for a seminar on the South Korea-US alliance, saying that such isolation will ultimately leave South Kor

May 21, 2021

Biden signs Asian hate crimes act

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law an anti-Asian hate crimes act, enabling expedited federal government investigation into hate crimes targeting Asian and Pacific Islander communities. The signing of the law came one day after the House of Representatives voted 364-62 to pass the bill. The Senate had voted 94-1 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act on April 22. "For centuries, Asian Americans, native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, diverse and vibrant communitie

May 21, 2021

US welcomes chance to discuss vaccine cooperation with S. Korea: White House

WASHINGTON -- The United States welcomes the opportunity to discuss ways to help South Korea's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and how they can work together to help the rest of the world, a White House spokesperson said Thursday. Jen Psaki made the remarks one day before President Joe Biden was set to hold a bilateral summit with his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in. "We certainly expect that the leaders will discuss ways the United States can support South Korea in its fight ag

May 21, 2021

Korean captain and four others of fishing boat kidnapped near Ghana: report

WASHINGTON -- A Korean captain and four crew members of a fishing boat have been kidnapped in waters off Ghana, in west Africa, a report said Thursday. The five crew members of the Atlantic Princess, a tuna boat, were kidnapped on Thursday (local time), according to the report from Dryad Global, a maritime security and intelligence provider. "The vessel is understood to have been approached by one speedboat with 8 pirates onboard," it said, adding the incident reportedly took place 6

May 21, 2021

US lawmaker proposes bill calling for declaration to end Korean War

WASHINGTON -- A US lawmaker proposed a bill on Thursday that calls for US efforts to declare a formal end to the Korean War and exchange liaison offices with North Korea. The bill, proposed by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA), also seeks to require the State Department to consider lifting its travel ban on North Korea for Korean Americans with separated families in the North. "The United States should pursue a sustained and credible diplomatic process to achieve an end to the Korean War, and ever

May 21, 2021

Moon meets Pelosi, discusses alliance, N. Korea, vaccines

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to a stronger alliance with Washington during a meeting with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional leaders Thursday. In the session held on Capitol Hill, he described the bilateral alliance as "the world's most exemplary" one, according to Chung Man-ho, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication. "I promise that we will continue to go together in the same direction

May 21, 2021

Moon visits US military cemetery in show of commitment to stronger alliance

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, kicking off his official schedule in the United States. Moon laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the cemetery in northern Virginia, just south of the US capital. The monument is dedicated to fallen American service members whose remains have not been identified, including many killed in the 1950-53 Korean War. The president paid his respects to all soldiers who dedicated the

May 21, 2021

New US policy on NK designed to be 'flexible' to enable 'best chance of diplomatic success': official

The new North Korea policy of the Joe Biden administration is designed to be flexible to enable the "best chance of diplomatic success" by learning from past unsuccessful efforts, a senior US administration official said Thursday. "We are not going to lay out exactly our diplomatic strategy here and now, I would simply say that we've tried to design it to be flexible," the official told reporters while speaking on condition of anonymity. "We understand where previous e

May 20, 2021

Moon to meet US political leaders ahead of summit with Biden

WASHINGTON/SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit Capitol Hill for a meeting with Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives, and other leaders of the chamber, Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday. He is expected to request congressional support for the Korea peace process and Seoul’s bid to emerge as a global vaccine production hub. Moon will hold a summit with Biden at the White House on Friday afternoon. It will mark their first face-to-face meeting. The two plan to

May 20, 2021

S. Korea reiterates concerns over Israeli-Palestinian conflict, backs mediation efforts

South Korea reiterated concerns Thursday over the worsening humanitarian crisis from the fighting between Israel and the Hamas militant group, backing international efforts to broker a ceasefire. Since May 10, Israel and Hamas militants have launched deadly rocket attacks against each other. The United States, the United Nations and others have beefed up mediation efforts to stop the conflict from escalating into a full-blown war. "Our government again expresses deep concerns over the rap

May 20, 2021

S. Korea to hold climate change sessions in run-up to P4G summit

South Korea will hold a series of climate change forums next week in the run-up to a global summit on climate change and sustainable development set for late this month, its preparatory committee said Thursday. A total of 10 sessions will take place during the "Green Future Week" from Monday to Saturday to enhance the international community's awareness and resolve to fight climate change ahead of the virtual Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals (P4G) summit slated for May

May 20, 2021

Biden to award Medal of Honor to US Korean War veteran: White House

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden will award the highest military medal to a Korean War veteran this week in a ceremony that will also be attended by his visiting South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, the White House said Wednesday. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., will award the Medal of Honor to Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr., United States Army, Retired, for conspicuous gallantry during the Korean War. President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea will join this ceremony," it said

May 20, 2021

US goal remains complete denuclearization of Korean Peninsula: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States' goal is to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, a State Department spokesperson said Wednesday, ahead of an upcoming summit this week between the leaders of South Korea and the United States. The summit between President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, is expected to partly focus on ways to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table. "When it comes to DPRK. I can't underscore enough that our goal remains clear -- that

May 20, 2021

[#WeFACE] Climate goals deepen but challenges linger

Fighting climate change is now a top domestic and international priority for many countries, as world leaders solidify their carbon-cutting commitments for a greener future. But experts say the goal may be harder to realize than thought. The climate summit in late April, joined by dozens of world leaders and hosted by US President Joe Biden seeking to restore American leadership on climate policy, marked a renewed global push to tackle the crisis after years of lukewarm response to the challeng

May 19, 2021

US will build on Singapore agreement with N. Korea: Campbell

WASHINGTON -- The US administration of President Joe Biden will build on a 2018 summit agreement with North Korea, White House Asia czar Kurt Campbell said Tuesday, extending overtures to Pyongyang after completing a monthslong policy review on the North. "Our policy review took a careful look at everything that has been tried before. Our efforts will build on Singapore and other agreements made by previous administrations," Campbell, White House policy coordinator for the Indo-Pacifi

May 19, 2021