S. Korean president vows joint efforts with France to build peace

PARIS -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday vowed increased cooperation with France to address major global issues, such as climate change, while also stressing the need for joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea and establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula."Day after tomorrow, I will hold a summit meeting with President Emmanuel Macron. (We) will hold in-depth discussions on key issues facing the international community, such as climate change, environment, terrorism and h

Oct. 14, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Barriers to international adoption should be eliminated’

When thousands of children were orphaned by the Korean War in the early 1950s, Susan Soonkeum Cox was among the eight people who were placed for adoption outside South Korea, pioneering intercountry adoptions. Adopted in 1956 at the age of 4, by a couple from Oregon, Cox, the vice president of policy and external affairs at Holt International Children’s Services, said that her goal is not adoption in itself, but giving children a chance to have a family instead of ending up in orphanages. “I did

Oct. 11, 2018

Minister: S. Korea to keep mediating between N. Korea, US

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Wednesday that South Korea will continue aggressive efforts to help facilitate denuclearization talks between North Korea and the United States.Speaking to lawmakers, the top diplomat stressed Seoul's commitment to partner closely with Washington throughout the process."On the basis of close cooperation with the US, (we) will play a bridging role actively for the creation of common ground between North Korea and the US," she said during an annual parliamentar

Oct. 10, 2018

President Moon receives six new ambassadors to Seoul

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday welcomed six new foreign ambassadors to his country, including Andrey Kulik of Russia.Moon received the credentials of the six new foreign ambassadors in six separate ceremonies held at his office Cheong Wa Dae. Sripriya Ranganathan, Indian ambassador to South Korea, shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)The new ambassadors included Bakyt Dyussenbayev of Kazakhstan, Sripriya Ranganathan of In

Oct. 8, 2018

Japanese-American takes helm of Korea desk at US State Department

WASHINGTON -- A seasoned Japanese-American diplomat has taken the helm of the Korea desk at the US State Department amid efforts to boost cooperation on trade and the North Korean nuclear issue.Joy Yamamoto recently took office as director of the Korea desk after serving as minister-counselor for economic affairs at the US Embassy in Seoul.She succeeds Mark Lambert, who was moved to a new role handling North Korea issues at the deputy assistant secretary level. (Yonhap)A former newspaper journal

Oct. 5, 2018

Half punishment cases involve sexual misconduct at Foreign Ministry

Six of 12 cases in which civil servants at the Foreign Ministry received disciplinary action last year involved sexual misconduct, according to a report revealed by a lawmaker on Thursday.  (Yonhap)Last year, the number of formal disciplinary actions taken against civil servants stood at 12, and half of them were due to sex-related misconduct such as sexual harassment and sexual violence, according to Foreign Ministry data disclosed at the request of Rep. Lee Seok-hyun of the ruling Democratic P

Oct. 4, 2018

S. Korea’s top diplomat calls for ‘flexibility’ in denuclearization talks

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday called for “flexibility” and a “different approach” in efforts to draw up a road map for the denuclearization process as North Korea and the US continue negotiations to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. Her call for flexibility in the negotiation process comes as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to visit Pyongyang on Sunday and meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to push forward the US-North Korea denuclearization talk

Oct. 4, 2018

Pompeo to travel to North Korea

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to North Korea on Sunday to push forward denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as the countries seek to narrow their differences on efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. 　After a one-day visit to Pyongyang, Pompeo will travel to Seoul on Sunday and stay through Monday, meeting with President Moon Jae-in and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. He will then fly to Japan and China to meet his counterparts there, acc

Oct. 3, 2018

Korea to offer additional aid for quake-hit Indonesia

South Korea will hold a government-civilian meeting on Tuesday to discuss details of how to help Indonesia, which was recently hit by an earthquake and tsunami, an official here said.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier announced plans to provide Indonesia with $1 million in emergency cash aid, as the local island of Sulawesi was devastated by a 7.5-magnitude quake and ensuing tsunami last week. A motorbike passes the wreckage of a car following earthquakes and a tsunami in Palu, Central Sula

Oct. 2, 2018

Seoul's former foreign minister urges US to invite NK economic mission

BERLIN -- The United States needs to take measures to build political trust with North Korea in return for the North's actions related to its denuclearization bid, a former South Korean foreign minister has said.Yoon Young-kwan, who served as foreign minister from 2003-2004, proposed that the US government invite an economic mission from North Korea and that the two countries establish liaison offices in each other's capitals.Yoon floated the proposal in a keynote speech to a peace forum organiz

Oct. 2, 2018

S. Korea refutes Trump’s call to pay for joint military drills

The US needs to better understand that joint military exercises between South Korea and the US are for mutual interests, a South Korean official said Monday, refuting US President Donald Trump’s calls on Seoul to pay for the military drills.　“It is true that the joint military exercises are helpful for (South Korea’s) security, but the joint military exercises are not benefitting South Korea unilaterally and they are rather mutually beneficial for both countries,” the official from the Foreign M

Oct. 1, 2018

Kang calls for efforts to build future-oriented relations with Japan

South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called Monday for joint efforts with Japan to build a future-oriented relationship based on the "humble" recognition of the neighbors' shared history.Kang made the call during a seminar marking the 20th anniversary of the landmark declaration in 1998 by then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then-Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi on building a new partnership beyond the countries' historical enmity."Facing history with a humble attitude and

Oct. 1, 2018

S. Korea to provide $1m in aid to quake-stricken Indonesia

South Korea will provide $1 million in humanitarian assistance to Indonesia where a massive earthquake and tsunami have killed hundreds of people, the foreign ministry said Sunday.The assistance may be used to help meet the immediate needs of people affected by the disasters and support recovery works, the ministry said.  (AFP-Yonhap)Seoul is also considering the dispatch of South Korean relief workers to Indonesia, it said. "In consideration of the possibility that the scale of the damage could

Sept. 30, 2018

Moon sends letter of condolence to quake-stricken Indonesia

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday sent a letter of condolence to Indonesia where a massive earthquake and tsunami killed more than 800 people. "I cannot suppress my sadness upon the news that the strong quake and tsunami in the Sulawesi region caused massive damage of human life and property," Moon said in the letter sent to Indonesian President Joko Widodo."On behalf of the South Korean government and people, I hope those who passed away in the disasters rest in peace and express my sincere condo

Sept. 30, 2018

North Korea reiterates ‘corresponding measures’ at UN

North Korea has reiterated its demand for “corresponding measures” from the US before it takes further steps to dismantle its nuclear weapons, highlighting a continued divide over efforts to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said at the 73th United Nations General Assembly that continued sanctions were deepening its mistrust in the US and there was “no way” it would give up its nuclear weapons unilaterally under such circumstances. “Witho

Sept. 30, 2018

FM Kang vows continued enforcement of sanctions on NK

WASHINGTON -- South Korea remains committed to enforcing sanctions on North Korea to pressure the regime to give up its nuclear weapons program, Seoul's top diplomat said Thursday.Speaking to the United Nations Security Council in New York, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Seoul will also continue to improve relations with Pyongyang to ease tensions on the peninsula."We are committed to continuing to work with the international community to ensure that the council's sanctions ar

Sept. 28, 2018

Moon hints at disbanding Japanese-funded group for ‘comfort women’

Moon Jae-in directly addressed the issue of Japan’s wartime use of “comfort women” at the United Nations General Assembly, as he hinted at the possibility of disbanding a Japanese-funded foundation created to help South Korean victims of Japanese military sex slavery during World War II.　South Korea has a “direct experience of suffering from the Japanese military’s mobilization of comfort women,” Moon said during his speech at the UN General Assembly, using a euphemism for the victims forced to

Sept. 27, 2018

Kang holds bilateral talks with Chinese, Japanese counterparts over peninsula peace

South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has held bilateral talks with her Chinese and Japanese counterparts over Seoul's drive for inter-Korean rapprochement and peace, her office said Thursday.Kang held the separate meetings with Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers, Wang Yi and Taro Kono, respectively, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (local time).The talks followed the inter-Korean summit earlier this month where Pyongyang agreed to take additional

Sept. 27, 2018

Korean president discusses peace, joint Olympics with IOC chief

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in discussed a joint Korean bid for the 2032 Summer Games with the world's top Olympic official Wednesday, emphasizing the need for an early dialogue on the issue.Moon met with Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, prior to his keynote speech at the UN General Assembly.Their meeting came a week after Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to pursue a joint bid for the 203

Sept. 27, 2018

Prime Minister Lee pays tribute to late Vietnamese president

HANOI -- South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon paid tribute to late Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang in Hanoi on Wednesday. Vietnam began a two-day national mourning that day for Quang, who died of illness Friday at age 61. "We Koreans will remember the deceased's extraordinary interest and friendship with Korea and will uphold his will with continuous efforts to advance the friendly relationship between the two countries," Lee said at the state funeral.   (Yonhap)Lee held a meeting earlier

Sept. 26, 2018