US will react with 'robust response' to N. Korean nuclear test: Sullivan

WASHINGTON -- The United States is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korea conducting its seventh nuclear test, which if conducted, will prompt a robust response from the US, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Wednesday. He, however, said the US remains open to dialogue and will continue to do so. "We are also watching very closely the continuing possibility of a nuclear test, to which we would also have a robust response," Sullivan told reporters aboard Air Force O

June 9, 2022

Korean, Vietnamese leaders agree to upgrade bilateral relations

Korea and Vietnam will seek to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the two sides’ leaders agreed in a videoconference, Seoul officials said Wednesday. According to a press release from the presidential office, President Yoon Suk-yeol and Vietnam’s Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong held a video call in the morning to exchange views on ways to develop Korea-Vietnam relations, Korea-ASEAN cooperation and international issues. The two leaders ev

June 8, 2022

Seoul, Tokyo, Washington announce joint commitment to curb threats from Pyongyang

South Korea, Japan and the US will make joint efforts to advance trilateral cooperation for extended deterrence, and strongly condemn North Korea’s ballistic missiles, the three sides said in a joint statement Wednesday. The statement, released after a trilateral meeting among South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong, US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takeo Mori in Seoul, expressed joint commitment on a wide range of issues, including

June 8, 2022

[Herald Interview] Korea-US-Japan military operation necessary for NK issues: Edwin Feulner

Seoul should mend ties with Tokyo to resolve North Korean challenges and the first step is to have Korea-US-Japan military operations, the Heritage Foundation think tank founder Edwin Feulner says. North Korea fired eight short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday. It was Pyongyang’s 18th armed provocation this year and the most missiles fired in a day. The founder of the US conservative think tank believes strengthening ties among South Korea, the US and Japan is crucial to solving the u

June 8, 2022

Senior US official warns NK of ‘swift and forceful response’ to nuclear test

The United States and South Korea would take “swift and forceful responses” when North Korea carries out a nuclear test, including additional sanctions, a senior US official said Tuesday. US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman issued the warning after a meeting with South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong in Seoul. In addition to warning against the potential nuclear test, which would be North Korea’s seventh, the two officials strongly condemned Pyongyang&rsquo

June 7, 2022

[Photo News] UN-Habitat partners with Oceanix

UN-HABITAT PARTNERS WITH OCEANIX -- The UN-Habitat Korean National Committee signed a memorandum of understanding with Oceanix, a New York-based “blue tech” company, at its Yeouido office in Seoul on Tuesday. This agreement was designed to realize the world‘s first sustainable sea city pilot model, “Oceanix Busan,” unveiled at the UN headquarters in New York on April 26 as a successful business at the international level. From left are UN-Habitat Korean National Co

June 7, 2022

Korea, Ukraine discuss post-war reconstruction in closed-door meeting

Senior foreign affairs officials of South Korea and Ukraine met privately to discuss the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, officials said Tuesday. It is the first time that a high-level Ukrainian official made a public visit to Korea since the Russian invasion in February. Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon met with Ukraine’s Vice Foreign Minister Dmytro Senik on Tuesday and exchanged views on the recent situation in Ukraine, support for the country, economic cooperation between the tw

June 7, 2022

S. Korea, US hold high-level diplomatic talks on N. Korea, alliance

Senior government officials of South Korea and the United States had talks here Tuesday on North Korea and pending alliance issues, two weeks after their presidents agreed during a Seoul summit to upgrade Seoul-Washington ties to a "Global Comprehensive Strategic Alliance." The meeting between Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong and US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman came a couple of days after the North fired eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea. It m

June 7, 2022

US remains concerned about NK nuclear test, but also ready for contingency: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States continues to remain concerned that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test in the near future, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Ned Price, however, said the US also remains prepared for such a contingency. "So we remain concerned that the DPRK could seek a seventh nuclear test in the coming days," the department press secretary said when asked about US measures to deal with recent North Korean provocations. "It's a concern we have wa

June 7, 2022

US will not link COVID-19 assistance to denuclearization talks with N. Korea: Kritenbrink

WASHINGTON -- The United States does not and will not link its humanitarian assistance for North Korea to progress in denuclearization talks with the impoverished country, a senior US diplomat said Monday, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue and also accept US or international assistance for dealing with COVID-19. Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, also reiterated that the US remains open to dialogue. "We are also gravely concerned by the

June 7, 2022

‘IPEF not about choosing between US, China’

The United States’ latest Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is not pushing participants to choose between the United States and China, former US Trade Representative negotiator Wendy Cutler said on Friday at a symposium in Seoul. Cutler, however, said that the countries should “reduce dependence on any one source or inputs for their supply chains” in case of economic coercion. Speaking at the Asan Symposium, co-hosted by Asan Institute for Policy Studies and the US Embassy in

June 6, 2022

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold vice ministerial meeting in Seoul next week

South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold a vice ministerial meeting in Seoul next week to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, and other regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Wendy Sherman, deputy US state secretary, will make a three-day trip to South Korea beginning Monday, two weeks after US President Joe Biden's visit for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, according to the ministry. Sherman will meet her South Korean

June 3, 2022

Seoul provides $3 million to WFP's Ukraine relief project

South Korea's foreign ministry has provided $3 million to the World Food Programme's emergency relief project toward Ukraine, the United Nations food agency said Friday. The WFP said about $2 million will be allocated for food and cash assistance, and logistics support for the recent UN Flash appeal for Ukraine, and $1 million will be channeled to the WFP's aid to Ukrainian refugees in Moldova. "The support from the Korean Government and the people of Korea will enable us to reach the most

June 3, 2022

Kissinger says Korea, US should work together to solve multiple challenges

Henry Kissinger, a former US national security adviser, said South Korea and the US should work together to solve multiple challenges the world faces, in an international conference held in Seoul Friday. The Asan Institute for Policy Studies held the Asan Symposium “Celebrating Korea-US Relations: 140 Years and Beyond” to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the US. In the virtual congratulatory remarks, Kissinger said South Korea has built

June 3, 2022

US returns southwestern part of Yongsan Garrison to S. Korea

The United States Forces Korea on Friday returned the southwestern part of its Yongsan Garrison in the vicinity of the newly relocated presidential office to Seoul, paving the way for President Yoon Suk-yeol to transform the US military base into a large public park. The United States Force Korea reverted the 51,000 square meters of land that covers roads within the military base and areas nearby Gates 13 and 14 in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. A total of 634,000 square meters -- which accounts

June 3, 2022

S. Korea, US, Japan ready to handle contingencies as Pyongyang prepares 7th nuke test

South Korea, the United States and Japan are closely coordinating to prepare for all contingencies, as North Korea is seen to be preparing for a seventh nuclear test, a US special envoy for North Korea said Friday. In a trilateral meeting in Seoul, US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim, South Korea’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, Kim Gunn, and Takehiro Funakoshi, director general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s Asian and Oce

June 3, 2022

Korea to expand role based on strong alliance with US: Yoon

President Yoon Suk-yeol said South Korea seeks to develop the relationship with the US into a comprehensive strategic alliance at the global level and to expand its role based on their strong alliance, in talks with US academic figures on Friday. His remarks reaffirm the agreement made in a summit with US President Joe Biden last month to upgrade the Korea-US alliance. At the meeting with former and current members of US academia groups in the presidential office, Yoon said, “We pl

June 3, 2022

Swearing-in ceremony for new US ambassador to S. Korea held

Philip Goldberg has been formally sworn in as US ambassador to South Korea, the US Embassy in Seoul said Friday, as he plans to arrive here "later this summer." "Ambassador Goldberg brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to strengthen our growing global partnership," the embassy tweeted with a photo of Goldberg taking an oath at the State Department in Washington D.C. The department said in a media note Wednesday (US time) that Goldberg will arrive in South Korea later t

June 3, 2022

S. Korea. US, Japan set for trilateral consultations on N. Korea

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan are set to hold a meeting in Seoul on Friday to discuss the security situation on the Korean Peninsula amid reports that North Korea has completed preparations for another nuclear test. Kim Gunn, Seoul's new special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, will have bilateral and trilateral meetings with his US counterpart, Sung Kim, and Japan's Takehiro Funakoshi at the foreign ministry headquart

June 3, 2022

S. Korea, China hold high-level phone talks on N. Korea, bilateral ties

South Korea and China held high-level phone talks Thursday, during which the two sides discussed bilateral ties and the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, the presidential office said. South Korea's National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han and Yang Jiechi, China's top diplomat, exchanged opinions on the bilateral relations under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which took office last month. They positively reviewed the brisk consultations at the high-level and agreed to expand "

June 2, 2022