No immediate Moon-Kishida summit in sight

A potential South Korea-Japan summit may face further delays despite Monday’s election of Japan’s new Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, amid protracted rows over wartime history and trade. President Moon Jae-in held no summit with Kishida’s predecessor, Yoshihide Suga, during his one-year tenure. The two governments had sought to arrange a meeting between Moon and Suga on the occasions of multilateral events, including the G-7 summit in June and the Tokyo Olympics in July, but re

Oct. 5, 2021

Germany, Korea need to set right regulations, incentives to leverage investment into clean energy: German envoy

The governments of Germany and Korea can set the right regulatory conditions and incentives to leverage the maximum amount of private investment into clean energy, German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel said at a Thursday webinar titled “KR-DE Road to 2050: Financing Clean Energy Transition.”  The event was co-hosted by the Embassy of Germany in Korea, Solutions for Our Climate, Climate Transparency and Rep. Lee So-young of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea. Accor

Oct. 5, 2021

Russian Embassy gears up for Russian Seasons 2021 in Korea

The Russian Embassy in South Korea held an opening ceremony for the Russian Seasons at Seoul Arts Center on Saturday. Russian seasons is a project run by Russia’s Ministry of Culture aimed at introducing Russian culture worldwide and presenting the “Firebird” to the hosting country. The Firebird is the symbol of the Russian Seasons inspired by the mythical creature from Russian folk tales. The project in Korea started with a performance by the Soloists of Moscow, a chamber en

Oct. 5, 2021

Assembly speaker to visit Italy for G-20, climate summits

National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug is embarking on trips to Italy and Egypt to attend summits and discuss bilateral relations. The Assembly speaker will depart on Tuesday for Italy to participate in the seventh G-20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit slated from Thursday to Friday in Rome, according to Park’s office. Under the motto of “Parliaments for the People, the Planet and Prosperity,” the G-20 parliamentary leaders will discuss their joint responses to some

Oct. 5, 2021

US urges full implementation of UNSC sanctions on N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- A spokesman for the US State Department on Monday stressed the need to fully implement UN Security Council sanctions on N. Korea while also urging the North to comply with UN resolutions that prohibit the North from testing or developing weapons of mass destruction. Ned Price made the remark after North Korea criticized the UN Security Council (UNSC) for convening an emergency meeting last week to discuss its recent missile launches. "We remain concerned by the DPRK's repeat

Oct. 5, 2021

Blinken underscores importance of cooperation between NATO, S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday highlighted the importance of cooperation between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and key US allies such as South Korea in dealing with regional and global issues. The call for unity among US allies comes amid growing competition between the US and China. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the centrality of the Transatlantic bond and Alliance un

Oct. 5, 2021

[Contribution] UNICEF and Korea: Together driving change for children

It has been 30 years since the Republic of Korea joined the United Nations on 17 September 1991, and over the past three decades the country has emerged as a central partner in international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance. The country’s relationship with the United Nations Children’s Fund goes back to the founding of the Republic of Korea in 1948. For more than four decades, UNICEF had a country office presence, providing humanitarian and development support to

Sept. 30, 2021

Top nuclear envoys of S. Korea, US to hold talks on NK dialogue

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States were set to meet in Jakarta on Thursday to discuss joint efforts to resume dialogue with North Korea, after its leader Kim Jong-un voiced a willingness to restore inter-Korean communication lines following tensions over recent missile tests. The talks between Seoul's chief nuclear envoy, Noh Kyu-duk, and his US counterpart, Sung Kim, come as Seoul and Washington are strategizing on humanitarian aid, confidence-building measures and ot

Sept. 30, 2021

US denies hostile intent, reiterates willingness to talk

WASHINGTON -- The United States has no hostile policy and is ready to meet with North Korea without preconditions, a State Department spokesman said Wednesday, after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the US offer to engage with the North is a disguise for its hostility. "The United States harbors no hostile intent toward the DPRK. Our policy calls for a calibrated, practical approach that is open to and will explore diplomacy with the DPRK to make tangible progress that increases the s

Sept. 30, 2021

S. Korea to cooperate with new Japanese Cabinet under Kishida for 'future-oriented' ties

South Korea will continue to cooperate with the new Japanese government under the leadership of Fumio Kishida, the foreign ministry said Wednesday, following his win in the party election set to make him the next prime minister. "The government intends to continue to cooperate with the newly launched Japanese Cabinet to develop the bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan in a future-oriented manner," the ministry said. Kishida won the leadership election of the ruling Li

Sept. 29, 2021

Kishida to be Japan's next PM

  Former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida won the ruling Liberal Democratic Party leadership election on Wednesday, making him all but certain to become Japan’s new prime minister.  The 64-year-old replaces outgoing party leader Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who decided early this month to step down after a year in office amid plummeting approval ratings over his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Kishida is effectively assured to be named the prime minister at an extraor

Sept. 29, 2021

US wants to meet with N. Korea to discuss their concerns, intentions: US official

The United States wants to meet with North Korea to discuss any concerns they have, a senior US diplomat said Tuesday. Kin Moy, principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, made the remark amid a North Korean boycott of dialogue, citing what it claims to be US hostility toward the North. "We have reached out directly to Pyongyang to initiate dialogue and stand ready to meet without preconditions," Moy said in a virtual seminar jointly hosted by the

Sept. 29, 2021

S. Korea, China discuss measures to stamp out illegal fishing

South Korea and China discussed joint efforts to stamp out illegal fishing by Chinese boats in the South's waters in their regular fisheries meeting on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said. At the meeting, Seoul called on Beijing to draw up "effective measures" to stem the illegal fishing, as it is a matter that "directly concerns the livelihoods of South Korean fishermen," the ministry said. The South proposed China step up its patrol of fishing boats at major ports, block t

Sept. 28, 2021

US condemns N. Korea's missile launch, urges N. Korea to engage in dialogue

WASHINGTON -- The United States has condemned North Korea's missile launch as a threat to its neighbors and the international community, a State Department spokesperson said, urging Pyongyang to engage in dialogue. "The United States condemns the DPRK's missile launch. This launch is in violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions and poses a threat to the DPRK's neighbors and the international community," the spokesperson said in a statement Monday (local time), just hours a

Sept. 28, 2021

US prepared to meet N. Korea without any conditions: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States is prepared to meet with North Korea without any pre-conditions, a State Department spokesperson said Monday. The US official made the remark when asked if the US will be willing to consider easing sanctions on the impoverished North. "We are prepared to meet with the DPRK without preconditions, and of course, we certainly hope that the DPRK will respond positively to our outreach," said Jalina Porter, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Depart

Sept. 28, 2021

Vice FM Choi stresses 'survivor-oriented' approach to sexual violence in conflict

Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon has stressed the importance of a "survivor-oriented" approach to addressing sexual violence in conflict, reiterating South Korea's steadfast commitment to tackling the issue, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. Choi made the remarks during Monday's virtual event, titled "Reparations for Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Status and Prospects," on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The Global Survivors Fund, esta

Sept. 28, 2021

S. Korea chairs IAEA board for the first time

South Korea has been named the next head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, marking the first time a Korean representative is to hold the post since the UN nuclear watchdog was established in 1957, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.  Shin Chae-hyun, the South Korean ambassador to Austria and permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, was elected as the chairman of the board during a meeting held in Vienna on Monday. His one-year term start

Sept. 27, 2021

Quad leaders urge N. Korea to engage in dialogue, refrain from provocations

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- The leaders of the United States, Australia, Japan and India on Friday called on North Korea to engage in dialogue and abide by UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit its ballistic missile tests. The call came at the end of the first in-person summit of the four countries, which form the so-called Quad, in Washington. "We reaffirm our commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, and

Sept. 25, 2021

Seoul, Tokyo ministers meet, but remain apart over wartime history

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan met for talks on Thursday and restated differences on wartime history that have been at the center of a bilateral feud, but agreed to resolve the issue and improve their soured ties.  South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Their meeting came as the neighbors are mired in a protracted row over problems stemming from

Sept. 24, 2021

S. Korea, Saudi Arabia agree to boost policy cooperation in key industrial initiatives

The top diplomats of South Korea and Saudi Arabia have agreed to boost cooperation to create synergy between the countries' key industrial policy initiatives aimed at securing future growth drivers. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, shared the understanding during bilateral talks held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Thursday (local time). They, in particular, agreed to work on ways that would link Korea's Green Ne

Sept. 24, 2021