[Weekender] Seoul faces tough road ahead to stop Fukushima wastewater release

Since the Japanese government announced plans to dispose of radioactive wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant by releasing it into the sea, Seoul is scrambling to stop it from happening. At the very least, it wants Tokyo to provide transparent information to the international community. South Korea, Japan’s closest neighbor, views the discharge of more than 1 million tons of contaminated water as a threat to its people and the surrounding marine environment. Even though

April 24, 2021

S. Korea, Mexico share concerns about Japan's Fukushima decision

South Korea and Mexico shared concerns about Japan's planned release of contaminated water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant during a vice ministerial meeting, the foreign ministry here said Saturday. South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun, who is now on a nine-day trip to Latin America, met with Carmen Moreno Toscano, Mexico's undersecretary of Foreign Relations, in Mexico on Friday (local time) to discuss the Fukushima and other issues, the ministry said. At the talk

April 24, 2021

Foreign ministry denies reports linking vaccine cooperation with US to Quad participation

The foreign ministry on Friday denied media reports speculating that South Korea was not included on the US list of potential foreign vaccine support because it has taken a negative stance about joining the US-led Quad forum. Major local dailies carried such reports, quoting the remarks by US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday (local time) that the US is willing to help other countries with vaccine supplies but it is more focused right now on first containing the disease dome

April 23, 2021

S. Korea, Central American countries express 'deep concerns' over ocean discharge of harmful materials

South Korea and eight Central American countries have adopted a joint statement expressing "deep concerns" over a massive discharge of contaminated materials into the ocean, calling for a collective response for marine safety, the foreign ministry said Friday. The statement was adopted at the vice-ministerial consultative dialogue between South Korea and the members of the Central American Integration System, or SICA in Spanish, that was held in Costa Rica on Thursday (local time).

April 23, 2021

US Senate passes 'Hate Crimes Act' in overwhelming vote

WASHINGTON -- The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at curbing a recent increase in hate crimes targeting Asian-American communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate voted 94-1 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which, if enacted, would allow expedited federal government investigation on COVID-19 related hate crimes that are increasingly targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Vice President Kamala Harris has partly attributed the recent increase in ant

April 23, 2021

US welcomes S. Korea's new climate commitment as important action

WASHINGTON -- A US State Department spokesman on Thursday welcomed South Korea's new climate change commitment as one of important actions taken by countries at the ongoing climate summit that will help meet global goals. Ned Price made the remark after South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the virtual summit that his country will officially stop financing overseas coal power projects. "We saw a variety of other announcements today about the increasing scope and pace of actions

April 23, 2021

Biden remarks pour cold water on Seoul’s ‘vaccine swap’ idea

South Korea’s hopes of procuring COVID-19 vaccines through a swap arrangement with the US are facing a roadblock, as Washington ruled out sending vaccines overseas until it secures adequate supplies at home.  US President Joe Biden made the remarks Wednesday, days after Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong revealed at a parliamentary session that Seoul was seriously discussing a “vaccine swap” arrangement with Washington as Korea scrambled to address its vaccine shorta

April 22, 2021

[Newsmaker] Belgian ambassador apologizes for wife’s assault

The Belgian ambassador to South Korea apologized on Thursday for his wife’s assault of a clothing store staffer in Seoul, which was captured on security camera and spread on social media earlier this week. The footage shows Xiang Xueqiu, wife of Ambassador Peter Lescouhier, slapping a storekeeper who tried to stop her from approaching a colleague behind the store counter. The colleague suspected that Xiang, 63, was trying to leave the shop wearing a piece of clothing she didn’t pay

April 22, 2021

S. Korean nuclear envoy holds phone talks with senior US diplomat

South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator Noh Kyu-duk spoke by phone with acting US Assistant Secretary of State Sung Kim on Thursday and discussed Washington's policy review on North Korea. "The two sides noted that South Korea and the United States have closely been working together and coordinating on the course of the ongoing US policy review on North Korea, which is at its final stage," the ministry said in a release. Noh and Kim also agreed to continue consultations at every level

April 22, 2021

US focused on vaccinating Americans, but may help others later: Price

The United States is currently focused on vaccinating its own people for the COVID-19 pandemic but may be able to help other countries in the future, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday. Ned Price made the remark after South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said his country was in "earnest discussion" with the United States to borrow COVID-19 vaccines in what he called a "vaccine swap" arrangement. The department spokesman said he will not get into the details

April 22, 2021

S. Korea voices deep disappointment over Suga's offering to Yasukuni war shrine

South Korea voiced "deep disappointment and regrets" on Wednesday over Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's ritual offering to a war shrine seen as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. Suga sent a "masasaki" tree to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on the occasion of an annual spring festival. Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe paid his respects in person. "The government expresses deep disappointment and regrets that the Japanese government and its parliam

April 21, 2021

S. Korea reelected to WFP's executive board for 2022-24

South Korea has been reelected to the executive board of the World Food Programme (WFP) for the 2022-24 period, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. The decision was made at a UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) meeting on Tuesday. South Korea has been on the 36-member governing body of the WEF since 2019. The executive board is in charge of instructing the UN food assistance body with policy directions and the supervision of its overall activities. "The government will actively t

April 21, 2021

Court says Japan can't be forced to pay former sex slaves' legal fees

A local court has determined that Japan cannot be forced to pay the legal fees of former South Korean sex slaves in a recent landmark case due to a potential conflict with international law, judicial sources said Wednesday. The Seoul Central District Court made the determination on March 29, almost three months after it ordered the Japanese government to pay reparations of 100 million won ($89,600) each to 12 South Korean "comfort women" who were forced to provide sex for Japanese tro

April 21, 2021

FM Chung hopes US will help S. Korea with 'vaccine difficulties'

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong expressed hopes Wednesday that the United States will help South Korea address coronavirus vaccine shortages, just as Seoul helped the US last year by providing test kits and face masks when it was struggling with the pandemic. Chung made the comment in a forum with local journalists, a day after he revealed in a parliamentary session that Seoul is seriously discussing a "vaccine swap" arrangement with Washington. He did not elaborate on what that swap

April 21, 2021

'Comfort women' loses lawsuit against Tokyo over wartime sexual slavery

South Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery lost their second lawsuit against the Japanese government Wednesday, suffering a setback in their efforts to hold Tokyo accountable for war crimes. The Seoul Central District Court dismissed the case brought by 20 plaintiffs, including surviving victims forced to work in front-line brothels for Japanese soldiers during World War II, citing sovereign immunity, a legal doctrine that allows a state to be immune from a civil suit in foreign courts. &q

April 21, 2021

IAEA chief 'certainly' hopes S. Korea takes part in Fukushima water monitoring

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said he "certainly" hopes South Korean experts will participate in the UN nuclear watchdog's monitoring of Japan's ocean release of radioactive Fukushima water.  IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi made the remark during an interview with Yonhap News Agency via video link Tuesday, as Seoul is seeking to take part in the IAEA-led verification efforts amid growing health risk concerns over Tokyo's plans to discharg

April 21, 2021

US keeps travel advisory on S. Korea at Level 2

The United States on Tuesday maintained its travel advisory for South Korea unchanged at Level 2, despite new rules that it said will result in a travel ban for about 80 percent of all countries. "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for South Korea due to COVID-19, indicating a moderate level of COVID-19 in the country," the State Department said in its latest travel advisory. "This update will result in a significant in

April 21, 2021

Parliamentary leaders of S. Korea, Europe discuss cooperation in vaccine rollout

South Korea's parliamentary leader on Tuesday asked his European counterpart to work together for stable supply of coronavirus vaccines as they vowed to bolster ties between the two sides. National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug spoke with David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, via a video conference and asked for Europe's cooperation in the vaccine rollout. "The COVID-19 pandemic is something that cannot be solved without cooperation and solidarity," Park said. &quo

April 21, 2021

S. Korean Embassy in Indonesia shuts down temporarily over virus concerns

The South Korean Embassy in Indonesia has shut down temporarily after the ambassador tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Tuesday.  The embassy said it will halt operations through Thursday after reporting virus patients, including the South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Park Tae-sung.  Workers at the embassy, as well as those at the South Korean mission to ASEAN in Jakarta, are currently being tested for the novel coronavirus, officials said. According to World Health Orga

April 20, 2021

Vice FM Choi relays S. Korea's concerns over Fukushima water during visit to Colombia

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun has relayed South Korea's concerns over Japan's plan to release radioactive water into the sea during his visit to Colombia early this week, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.  He explained Seoul's position on Tokyo's planned discharge of the contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, when he met with his Colombian counterpart, Francisco Echeverri, the ministry said in a release.  Choi also mentioned t

April 20, 2021