Yoon thinks his 'American Pie' rendition at White House state dinner was quite good

President Yoon Suk Yeol has revealed that he was taken aback when asked to sing "American Pie" at a state dinner at the White House last week but believes he delivered his rendition quite well. During his six-day state visit to the United States last week, Yoon attended the dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden, and close to the end of it, Biden asked Yoon to sing the song, one of Yoon's favorites, originally by Don McLean. "When President Biden asked me to come up to the stage,

May 3, 2023

Korea should not take 70-year US alliance for granted: Yoon

President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that South Korea should be grateful to the United States for the fact that Washington has been an important ally assisting Seoul's development from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War, as he was speaking of his diplomatic achievements during his state visit last week. "The 70-year history of the South Korea-US alliance is not a given result, of course,” said Yoon, who presided over the first Cabinet meeting after his state visit to the US

May 2, 2023

Yoon to reshuffle posts amid Russia tensions: report

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will be the next South Korean ambassador to Russia, a report said Tuesday, in the latest push by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to quickly put an end to the vacancy of a top Seoul envoy in Moscow. Lee will succeed Chang Ho-jin, who is currently serving as the first vice foreign minister, according to the local daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Chang, the former Korean ambassador to Russia, was moved to his current post late last month amid an abrupt reshuf

May 2, 2023

A week after summit with Biden, Yoon to meet Kishida in Seoul

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is coming to Seoul on Sunday for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, shortly after Seoul and Washington reaffirmed their "ironclad" alliance to deter North Korean threats during Yoon’s state visit to the US last week. Confirming Kishida's visit, the South Korean presidential office said Tuesday that his two-day official visit will resume "shuttle diplomacy" between the two countries which had been suspended for

May 2, 2023

S. Korean PM to attend King Charles III's coronation

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to represent South Korea at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III on Saturday as part of his weeklong trip to Europe, the prime minister's office said Tuesday. Han was invited to the coronation ceremony of Charles, which will take place at Westminster Abbey in London. At the age of 73, Charles will officially succeed his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September. Han will depart Seoul on Thursday to embark on an 8-day trip to Europe,

May 2, 2023

US remains fully committed to diplomacy with N. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States steadfastly remains committed to engaging in dialogue with North Korea, a state department spokesperson said Monday, after Pyongyang denounced the agreement reached by the leaders of South Korea and the US on strengthening US extended deterrence commitment to South Korea. The North has argued the Washington Declaration issued last week by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden reflected the US' "heinous hostile policy" towar

May 2, 2023

Yoon to meet Japan PM again amid thaw: sources

President Yoon Suk Yeol will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida again during Kishida’s two-day trip to Seoul starting Sunday, diplomatic sources familiar with the matter said Monday. Japanese media outlets last week reported on a potential visit. What the two leaders will discuss at the summit, following their meeting in Tokyo in March, and whether they will add anything to a new nuclear accord reached between South Korea and the US last week remain uncertain, according to tho

May 1, 2023

S. Korean foreign minister to visit Malaysia for talks on bilateral ties

South Korea's top diplomat will visit Malaysia this week to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties between the countries celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Look East Policy, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday. Foreign Minister Park Jin plans to leave for Malaysia later in the day for a two-day trip to meet his Malaysian counterpart, Zambry bin Abd Kadir, and discuss ways to boost cooperation in various areas including supply chain, defense and infrastructure. During his trip,

May 1, 2023

Yoon expresses thanks to Bidens for their 'truly warmest welcome'

President Yoon Suk Yeol has thanked US President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden for their "truly warmest welcome" during his state visit to Washington last week, lauding relations between the two countries as "a blood alliance." "Don't know how to thank @POTUS and @FLOTUS enough for their truly warmest welcome," Yoon tweeted Sunday, referring to the Bidens, adding that South Korea and the United States "are a blood alliance forged by the sacrifice of

May 1, 2023

Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, US discuss NK threat in Seoul

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States have met in Seoul to discuss ways to cooperate on countering North Korea's evolving nuclear and military threats, the foreign ministry said Sunday. US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim held a meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Gunn, on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Asan Plenum 2023 conference, a security forum hosted by a local think tank. "The two sides shared their assessments of the current secur

April 30, 2023

Biden says US-Korea alliance born out of shared beliefs

US President Joe Biden tweeted that the alliance between the United States and South Korea is based on shared beliefs on "democracy, liberty, security, and above all -- freedom," as President Yoon Suk Yeol headed home after a state visit to the US "The United States and Republic of Korea alliance wasn't born out of shared borders, but shared beliefs: Democracy, liberty, security, and above all -- freedom," Biden wrote on Twitter, referring to South Korea's official name. Bide

April 30, 2023

Talks underway for Yoon-Kishida summit in Seoul in May

Seoul and Tokyo are in talks to arrange Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to South Korea in the first half of May for summit talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol. Japanese media reported Saturday that the two countries are seeking to arrange Kishida's visit to Seoul and a summit with Yoon on May 7 and 8. South Korea's presidential office said Friday that no decision has been made yet on the reported plans of a summit between Yoon and Kishida in Seoul next month. "

April 29, 2023

Yoon says Washington Declaration is 'upgraded' version of Mutual Defense Treaty

BOSTON -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday that South Korea's new nuclear deterrence agreement with the United States should be understood as an "upgraded" version of the allies' 1953 Mutual Defense Treaty. Yoon made the remark during a discussion held at Harvard Kennedy School, referring to the Washington Declaration he adopted with US President Joe Biden at their summit in Washington on Wednesday. Under the deal, the allies agreed to share information on nuclear and stra

April 29, 2023

S. Korea issues travel ban for conflict-stricken Sudan

South Korea on Friday banned its citizens from traveling to Sudan due to concerns over the escalating military conflict in the country. The foreign ministry issued a Level 4 travel alert, the highest in the four-tier system, effective midnight, under which South Koreans who violate the travel ban without prior approval can face criminal punishment. "We decided there is a need to prohibit travel or stay in Sudan, considering the persisting political and security instability in Sudan, as casu

April 28, 2023

Japan begins process to put S. Korea back on export 'white list'

Japan began domestic procedures Friday to return South Korea to its "white list" of trusted trading partners, in a move to improve bilateral economic relationship, Seoul's industry ministry said, Japan began canvassing public opinion on redesignating South Korea as a "Group A," or white list nation, that would give Seoul preferential export treatment, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said, citing a statement issued by the Japanese trade ministry. Tokyo downgrad

April 28, 2023

[From the Scene] Uzbekistan unveils policy vision for foreign investors

By Sanjay Kumar Korea Herald correspondent TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev shared visions, policies, and reforms supportive of foreign investors at the Tashkent International Investment Forum on Thursday. Started last year under the agenda of enhancing Central Asia’s role in the international investment market, the forum facilitated a solid package of firm contracts and investment agreements worth $7.8 billion. Participating parties reached agreements and implemen

April 28, 2023

Washington Declaration will help deter N. Korean threat but not a 'nuclear sharing' agreement: US official

WASHINGTON -- The agreement reached by the leaders of South Korea and the United States on strengthening US extended deterrence is not an agreement designed to enable sharing of nuclear weapons between the allies, a senior US official said Thursday. The official noted the agreement, dubbed the Washington Declaration, is designed to address North Korea's evolving threats and nuclear rhetoric, but is not "nuclear sharing." "So let me just be very direct. I don't think th

April 28, 2023

Yoon visits Pentagon to reaffirm US' ‘ironclad’ defense commitment

  WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III held a meeting at the Pentagon on Thursday to underscore their robust alliance and the unwavering commitment of the United States in supporting South Korea's defense against North Korea's provocative actions. On his final day in Washington D.C., President Yoon visited the Pentagon before heading to Boston. He is set to deliver a speech at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government on

April 28, 2023

Yoon says S. Korea will play role as 'compass for freedom' with US

WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed Thursday to work together with the United States to promote freedom around the world, saying the country will play a role as a "compass for freedom." Yoon made the pledge during an address to a joint meeting of the US Congress, as he recalled the birth of the bilateral alliance 70 years ago at the end of the Korean War and looked forward to a new chapter of closer cooperation. "Our alliance was forged 70 years ago to defen

April 28, 2023

Yoon strongly condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine

WASHINGTON -- President Yoon Suk Yeol strongly condemned Russia’s attack against Ukraine and denounced North Korea’s persistent human rights violations and provocations during his address to a joint meeting of the US Congress in Washington. In a 45-minute address punctuated by frequent standing ovations -- the first to the US congress by a Korean president in 10 years -- Yoon called for solidarity among democratic nations. He received 56 ovations and 23 standing ovations from the l

April 28, 2023