UN chief's office rejects Japan's claim about his support for 2015 'comfort women' deal

NEW YORK -- The office of UN Secretary-General Antonia Guterres on Sunday rejected Japan's claim that he expressed support for a 2015 deal reached between Seoul and Tokyo over the issue of Japan's wartime sexual slavery.According to press reports, Japan's Foreign Ministry made the claim that Guterres backed the deal, which is deeply unpopular in South Korea, when he met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Italy on Saturday on the sidelines of a summit of the Group of Seven industrialized

May 29, 2017

Senior officials of Korea, UN to meet to discuss cooperation

Senior officials of South Korea and the United Nations will meet in Seoul this week to discuss a wide range of cooperative issues including the growing North Korea nuclear threat, the ministry said Sunday. (Yonhap)The meeting will be held on Monday between Lee Jang-keun, who is in charge of the ministry's international organizations bureau, and Miroslav Jenca of the UN Department of Political Affairs, according to the ministry. This marks their first policy dialogue in which both are expected to

May 28, 2017

UN chief expresses support for sex slavery deal: reports

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gueterres has expressed his support for a deal between South Korea and Japan over wartime sex slaves, Japanese news media said Sunday, despite controversy surrounding the agreement that has worsened bilateral ties. In his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the G-7 summit Saturday, Guterres said he “supports and welcomes” the 2015 deal designed to resolve dispute over sex slavery, the Kyodo News Agency reported, citing the Japanese Foreign

May 28, 2017

Former Ambassador to US Hyun passes away

South Korea's former Ambassador to the US Hyun Hong-choo, noted for his active role in expanding Seoul's diplomatic frontiers in the 1980s-1990s, passed away Saturday. He was 76.The cause of his death is not immediately known. A memorial altar for him is set up at Asan Medical Center in Seoul.Hyun, who served as Seoul's top envoy to the US from 1991-1993, has transcended the fields of politics, diplomacy, academia, government administration and the prosecution with his expertise, experience and

May 27, 2017

Ecuador president invites Moon to visit his country: special envoy

Ecuador President Lenin Moreno has invited President Moon Jae-in to visit his country as he called for an increase in bilateral economic cooperation, Moon's special envoy to Ecuador said Friday.Rep. Park Young-sun of the ruling Democratic Party met with Moreno earlier as a presidential envoy and posted the result of the meeting in her Facebook feed. (Yonhap)"(I) conveyed Moon's handwritten letter to President Moreno in a meeting held after his first (public) event following the inauguration," Pa

May 26, 2017

FM nominee’s silver hair draws fans

While many are keen to find out how President Moon Jae-in’s new “diplomatic approach” to North Korea will take shape, his foreign minister nominee is drawing attention for her hair color. Kang Kyung-wha, a 62-year-old career diplomat set to become the first female foreign minister, arrived Thursday at Incheon Airport with her silver hair perfectly in shape. She was returning here from New York, where she served as a special policy adviser to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. For

May 25, 2017

Uzbekistan asked Seoul to arrest alleged terrorists

It was belatedly disclosed that the Uzbek government requested the South Korean government to arrest about 10 Uzbeks suspected of being members of a terrorist group who had entered the country. According to the National Police Agency on Thursday, the central Asian nation sent the Justice Ministry an official document asking for their arrest and repatriation around October last year.  (Yonhap)The South Korean police immediately kicked off a probe, but found no circumstantial evidence that they ha

May 25, 2017

FM nominee calls for humanitarian aid to North Korea despite tension

Foreign Minister nominee Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday called for humanitarian assistance to North Korea irrespective of the political situation, while stressing the need for stronger sanctions in the event of additional provocations. The former UN diplomat also said she is keen to meet with the victims of the Japanese military’s sexual enslavement during World War II, which has beleaguered relations between the two countries. 　“In fact, I reached out to one of them when I was here on vacation last

May 25, 2017

Incheon, Mongolia to enhance ties for joint climate response

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on Wednesday and discussed joint climate change responses as well as ways to enhance ties between the two nations, the mayor’s office said Thursday. “As desertification in Mongolia and China is deepening due to global warming, the world should join hands to tackle the phenomenon and yellow sand that stems from it,” the South Korean mayor said during the meeting, which was held at the Mongolian presidential residence I

May 25, 2017

Korea, Denmark in talks over repatriation of Choi's daughter

South Korea's Justice Ministry said Thursday it has officially received notification from Denmark that the daughter of former President Park Geun-hye's friend dropped the appeal against her extradition order. On Wednesday, Danish prosecutors confirmed that Chung Yoo-ra will be extradited to South Korea as she dropped her appeal to the High Court of Western Denmark regarding a lower court's decision to send her back to Seoul.  In this file photo taken on Jan. 12, 2017, activists perform in front

May 25, 2017

Senior diplomat to visit US to prepare Moon-Trump summit

A South Korean senior diplomat will depart to the United States on Thursday to prepare a summit between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump set for next month, the foreign ministry said.During his three-day trip, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam is expected to discuss the timing, agenda and protocol details for the first talks between the two leaders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam (Yonhap)Moon and Trump are expected to focus on North Korea's nucle

May 25, 2017

FM nominee says 'more powerful' sanctions needed against NK provocations

INCHEON -- President Moon Jae-in's nominee for the country's top diplomat said Thursday that humanitarian aid to the North should be provided regardless of political considerations.Kang Kyung-wha, recently tapped to lead the foreign ministry, still emphasized that it is necessary to seek "more powerful" sanctions against North Korea in case the regime carries out additional provocations."It is a universal value to provide humanitarian aid to where human beings are suffering. It is also the princ

May 25, 2017

President says special envoys help fill diplomatic hiatus

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday that his special envoys to the US, Japan and China help make up for what he called a monthslong diplomatic hiatus, also noting the country's diplomatic efforts have got back on the right track.The president was apparently referring to a policy vacuum created by the March 10 ouster of his conservative predecessor Park Geun-hye."Our diplomacy has been in a state of vacuum due to the prolonged political impasse, but it appears (the envoys) have comp

May 24, 2017

Moon seeks trilateral cooperation with Russia to change N. Korea: envoy

MOSCOW -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special envoy has told the Russian Far East development minister and parliament leaders that South Korea intends to increase economic cooperation with Russia as a means to dissuade North Korea from its nuclear weapons development and military provocations.After meetings with the Minister for Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka and parliamentary leaders on Tuesday, Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party said the Russian sid

May 24, 2017

Korea to address flight course, safety distance in aviation talks with Japan

South Korea and Japan will hold their annual aviation talks this week, with Seoul asking for adjustments in flight course and safety distance between planes, the transportation ministry said Tuesday.The talks will be held on South Korea's southern island of Jeju from Wednesday to Friday, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It will be the 12th round of the talks that began in 2005. (Yonhap)South Korea is asking Japan to adjust flight routes to shorten the flying dista

May 23, 2017

‘Kashmir, the root of conflict in South Asia’

By Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Zahid Nasrullah KhanOn 6 June 1998, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1172 and expressed deep concern over the risk of a nuclear arms race in South Asia. Determined to prevent such a scenario from happening, it urged India and Pakistan to resume all of their bilateral dialogues covering outstanding issues and encouraged them to find mutually acceptable solutions that “address the root causes of those tensions, including Kashmir.” Nineteen yea

May 22, 2017

‘One Belt, One Road could unlock regional prosperity’

With China embarking on a gargantuan enterprise of infrastructure and international development through the “Belt and Road” initiative, Beijing, Pyongyang and Seoul could join hands to tap its immense economic potential and promote regional trust-building and integration, according to a North Korea expert.Professor Fang Haofan, dean of the school of political science and public administration at Yanbian University, stressed that the more Seoul harped on its unification rhetoric, the further it w

May 22, 2017

‘Iran nuke deal offers road map on N. Korea’

With North Korea upgrading its nuclear and missile capabilities, the world should seek an interim agreement that would freeze the regime’s programs with a long-term aim of denuclearization, according to a renowned security expert. Robert S. Litwak, vice president for programs at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said full denuclearization of Pyongyang is not feasible in the near future, and the alternative would be an “imperfect” deal based on a “transactional,

May 22, 2017

Moon's top security advisor points to need for dialogue with N. Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's top security advisor on Monday voiced a need to resume talks with North Korea, though he said the dialogue must not get in the way of ongoing international sanctions against the communist state."We will have to try and gradually resume dialogue, starting with working-level talks," Chung Eui-yong, the head of the National Security Office, told reporters.(Yonhap)"I believe we must review the possibility as I believe we could resume exchanges in various areas, s

May 22, 2017

Moon's special envoy departs for Russia

President Moon Jae-in's special envoy departed to Russia on Monday where he will seek to forge closer cooperation over North Korea and bilateral economic issues."I will do my efforts to deliver President Moon's visions for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issues and economic cooperation issues and to make a meaningful agreement," Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party told reporters before his flight. President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy to Russia, Rep. Song Young-gil (cen

May 22, 2017