S. Korea lowers travel alert level for some of Ethiopia

South Korea said Tuesday it has eased a travel alert for its nationals on some regions of Ethiopia on Tuesday, as the civil war in the African nation has subsided in recent weeks. The Level 3 alert, which was placed on all parts of Ethiopia, was lowered to the special advisory against overseas travels on the capital city of Addis Ababa and other provinces in the southwestern region, with the rest of the African nation still under Level 3, the second highest under the four-tier system, in accorda

March 15, 2022

Top security advisers of US, China meet over N. Korea, Russia

WASHINGTON -- US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met Monday with China's Yang Jiechi to discuss various current issues, including North Korea, a senior US official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the meeting was "intense" and seven-hours long. "Obviously, we have serious concerns about the recent escalatory actions that we have seen from the DPRK," the official said in a telephonic press briefing, referring to North Korea by its official

March 15, 2022

Nuclear envoys of S. Korea, US, Japan hold talks over N. Korean missile tests

WASHINGTON -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, Japan and the United States held trilateral talks Monday to discuss North Korea's recent missile launches that tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile system, the US Department of State said. US Special Representative for the DPRK Sung Kim talked on the phone with his South Korean counterpart, Noh Kyu-duk, and Japan's Takehiro Funakoshi, according to department spokesperson Ned Price. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of

March 15, 2022

S. Korea, US will continue to deepen relations with KORUS FTA, economic framework: trade minister

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States will continue to develop and expand their economic cooperation rooted in their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) enacted 10 years ago and the new US strategy for economic cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said Monday. He also insisted the Korea-US FTA (KORUS FTA) will help the countries "weather any storm." "It is a fact that KORUS FTA expanded the size of the trade pipe between our two count

March 15, 2022

USTR Tai to visit S. Korean-run factory to mark 10th anniversary of KORUS FTA

US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai and South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo will visit a factory run by a South Korean company in Michigan this week to mark the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Korea-US free trade agreement, her office said Sunday. "On Wednesday March 16, 2022, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai will travel to the Detroit area, Auburn, and Bay City, Michigan," the office of the USTR said in a press release. "Ambassador Tai, Congr

March 14, 2022

Russia strikes near Ukrainian capital; port city under siege

MARIUPOL, Ukraine (AP) -- Russian forces pounded the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on Saturday, shelling its downtown as residents hid in an iconic mosque and elsewhere to avoid the explosions. Fighting also raged in the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv, as Russia kept up its bombardment of other cities throughout the country. Mariupol has endured some of Ukraine's worst punishment since Russia invaded. Unceasing barrages have thwarted repeated attempts to bring food, water and medicine into the

March 13, 2022

[Newsmaker] Companies Leaving Russia Don’t Know If and When They’ll Return

(Bloomberg) -- When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, companies rushed behind the Iron Curtain to plant their flag in Russian soil. Icons of capitalism, from Apple Inc. to McDonald’s Corp. to Adidas AG, went on to build profitable businesses in the ensuing years as consumers clamored for a slice of Western lifestyle. In just a few short days, those longstanding ties have unraveled. After Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, a mass corporate exodus set in, starting wi

March 13, 2022

Trade chief, lawmakers to visit US this week for 10th anniv. of KORUS FTA

South Korea's trade minister and some lawmakers will visit the United States this week to mark the 10th anniversary of the implementation of the two nations' free trade agreement, the trade ministry said Sunday. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and a parliamentary delegation led by Rep. Lee Hack-young, chief of the parliamentary committee on trade and industry, will visit the US between Monday and Friday, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. They plan to attend an event to celebrat

March 13, 2022

NK reports on Yoon’s election win

North Korean state media on Friday reported on conservative candidate Yoon Suk-yeol’s win as South Korea’s new president, marking the regime’s first coverage of the election result.  In a brief report, the North’s Korean Central News Agency said, “Yoon Suk-yeol, a candidate of the conservative opposition ‘People Power Party,’ won by a narrow margin in the 20th ‘presidential election’ held in South Korea on March 9.” The Rodong Sin

March 11, 2022

Yoon hopes to strengthen ties with US, expand cooperation

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday vowed to strengthen ties with the United States during his term, highlighting the need to expand cooperation between the two countries based on their alliance. In a meeting with Christopher Del Corso, charge d’affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul, Yoon said South Korea and the US will have to adjust its relationship to reflect that the countries are “sworn by blood” to help each other. He emphasized that the US is South Korea&

March 11, 2022

Yoon tells Japan, China’s leaders to further develop relations

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol has told leaders of neighboring Japan and China to develop relations further. The leaders agreed to strengthen ties with South Korea. On Friday morning, Yoon met with the Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming in Seoul, saying he is confident that Korea-China relations will develop further. “China is Korea‘s largest trading partner, and we are China’s third-largest trading partner,” Yoon told Xing. “This year is the 30th ann

March 11, 2022

US opposes reducing sanctions as Pyongyang advances nuclear capabilities: Jung Pak

WASHINGTON -- The United States opposes reducing or lifting sanctions on North Korea while the reclusive state continues to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities, US deputy special envoy for North Korea Jung Pak said Thursday. Pak also said the US remains committed to dialogue with the North but that would not stop it from calling out Pyongyang's bad behavior. "I know that there's been some calls for reducing sanctions or lifting sanctions or putting a lot on the table to get the DPR

March 11, 2022

N. Korean missile tests pose serious threat to peace, security: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- North Korea's nuclear and missile programs pose a serious threat to the peace and security of the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, US state department spokesperson Ned Price said Thursday. The remarks came after a senior US administration official said the North's missile launches, staged Feb. 27 and March 5 (Seoul time), were aimed at testing a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system. "These are ballistic missile launches," Price said when asked if the recent

March 11, 2022

USFK commander says he looks forward to working with Yoon administration

WASHINGTON -- US Forces Korea (USFK) commander Gen. Paul LaCamera congratulated South Korean President-elect Yoon Seok-yul Thursday, saying he looks forward to working with the incoming administration to further strengthen the US-South Korea alliance. Yoon was elected president Wednesday (Seoul time). "It has been an honor to work with the Moon administration," said LaCamera, referring to South Korea's outgoing administration of Moon Jae-in. "Congratulations to President-elect Yoo

March 11, 2022

Yoon, Biden reaffirm alliance in phone call

South Korea’s President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol held a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden just hours after his win Thursday, during which they reaffirmed the US-South Korea alliance to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. 　 During the 20-minute phone conversation, Biden congratulated Yoon on winning the presidential election, and invited the president-elect to the White House, according to a statement from Yoon’s People Power Party. In return, Yoon sa

March 10, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] Today’s Ukraine, tomorrow’s Taiwan?

While Ukraine fell into dire straits due to Russia’s attack, on the other side of the world, the US and China are scrambling to make an elaborate effort in dealing with Taiwan. On March 1, the Joe Biden administration has sent US delegations including the retired Navy Adm. Michael Mullen and former Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy to Taiwan. On the following day, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also visited Taiwan. Given that a number of high-level US delegations are visit

March 10, 2022

Biden congratulates Yoon, reaffirms commitment to jointly address N. Korean threat

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden congratulated South Korea's President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol on Wednesday, the White House said. Biden and Yoon talked on the phone hours after the incoming South Korean leader was declared the winner in the South Korean presidential election. "President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) to congratulate him on his election," the White House said in a press release, referring to South Kore

March 10, 2022

US intensifies intelligence reconnaissance, missile defense around Korean Peninsula

WASHINGTON -- The United States has intensified its intelligence collection activities around the Korean Peninsula, while its missile defense forces in the region have also been ordered to increase alert amid an increase in North Korean missile activities, the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said Wednesday. The move follows nine rounds of North Korean missile tests, including seven in January that marked the largest number of missile tests conducted by North Korea in a single month. "Th

March 10, 2022

N. Korea poses serious regional threat, but US remains ready to deter aggression: USFK chief

WASHINGTON -- North Korea poses a serious threat to Northeast Asia but the combined forces of South Korea and the United States stand ready and capable to deter any aggression, the commander of US Forces Korea (USFK) said Wednesday. Gen. Paul LaCamera made the remarks in a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on national security challenges and US military activities in the Indo-Pacific region. "While the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to pose multiple t

March 10, 2022

South Korea’s new president faces myriad diplomatic challenges

South Korea went to the polls on Wednesday to elect its new president,  whose term will begin at the most challenging time for Korea in recent history.  On the domestic front, the new administration will need to wrestle with runaway housing prices, the coronavirus pandemic, gender and economic inequality among many other pressing issues. As pressing as these issues may be, the diplomatic situation facing the new president could have a long lasting impact on both South Korea and its

March 9, 2022