Berlin district office withholds order to remove sex slave statue

BERLIN -- A Berlin district office has withheld its order to remove a statue symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery following protests from activists and citizens. The Mitte district office said in a statement Tuesday that the order to remove "The Statue of Peace" by Wednesday was no longer applicable due to an injunction filed by local civic group Korea Verband, which brands itself as a platform for all who are interested in Korea. "We will take time to thoroughl

Oct. 14, 2020

Hundreds stage rally to protect 'peace statue' in Berlin

BERLIN -- Hundreds of people staged a rally in Berlin on Tuesday to protest a district office's order to remove a statue in the German capital symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery. Some 300 activists and citizens gathered near the statue, formally called "The Statue of Peace," in Berlin's Mitte district and marched to the Mitte district office, demanding the German city authorities revoke the removal decision. Korea Verband, a Berlin-based civic group with South Ko

Oct. 13, 2020

Lawmakers deliver letter to protest Berlin's 'peace statue' removal order

Over 100 South Korean lawmakers have signed a joint letter protesting the city of Berlin's order to remove a statue symbolizing victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery from the streets of the German capital, according to political parties Tuesday. The letter, signed by 113 members of the ruling Democratic Party (DP), the minor progressive Justice Party, Basic Income Party, Transition Korea party and independent legislators, was delivered to the German embassy in South Korea on Tuesday. Korea

Oct. 13, 2020

Uncertainty clouds trilateral Asian summit on Seoul-Tokyo feud

The trilateral summit planned later this year for South Korea, Japan and China is no longer a sure thing, as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has reportedly notified Seoul he will not attend unless “proper measures” are taken to settle a feud between Seoul and Tokyo over wartime forced labor. 　 Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it would continue to work toward the trilateral summit within this year and was consulting with the other two countries. The ministry d

Oct. 13, 2020

Koreans protest Berlin district's order to remove 'statue of peace'

A legal battle to protect a statue erected in the German capital commemorating the victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery began on Monday as Koreans based in Germany sought to invalidate a Berlin district office’s order to remove the statue. Korea Verband, a Germany-based civic organization with Korean ties, were set to file for an injunction in protest against the central Mitte district’s order to remove the statue, which was installed late last month with the city author

Oct. 12, 2020

Vice FM holds talks with top Indian envoy

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun met with India's top envoy to Seoul on Monday for talks on strengthening bilateral relations amid the coronavirus pandemic, the foreign ministry said. In the talks with Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation, especially in the defense industry and people-to-people exchanges. They also shared the need to continue close communication via virtual meetings between the two governments and

Oct. 12, 2020

Govt. calls for fair probe into death of S. Korean businessman in Iraq

South Korea has called on Iraqi authorities to carry out a fair investigation into the death of a South Korean businessman involved in a large port construction project in the Middle Eastern country, the foreign ministry said Monday. The senior director at Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. was found dead Friday in the company compound located in the southern province of Basra, and Iraqi police initially concluded that he committed suicide. But Iraq's interior ministry formed a commi

Oct. 12, 2020

Biden's election to mean stronger alliance with S. Korea: experts

WASHINGTON -- The election of US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden would mean a stronger alliance with South Korea and other allies, but tensions with North Korea could escalate because Pyongyang could try to test his administration, experts said Saturday. "I think if Biden is elected, most American allies, including South Korea, will breathe a sigh of relief. He is likely to work much harder to strengthen our alliances," said Gregg Brazinsky, professor of history and inter

Oct. 11, 2020

US 'disappointed' to see N. Korea prioritize weapons: US official

WASHINGTON -- The United States government finds it "disappointing" that North Korea continues to prioritize its weapons development, a senior US official said Saturday, calling on the communist state to return to denuclearization negotiations. The official, while speaking on condition of anonymity, said the US remains committed to the countries' denuclearization agreement signed by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in their first bilateral summit held in

Oct. 11, 2020

S. Korea voices criticism over Japan's call for removal of comfort woman statue in Berlin

South Korea voiced criticism Thursday over Japan's call for the removal of a statue erected in Germany of a girl symbolizing Korean victims of wartime sexual slavery, calling it an act that goes against the spirit of its own apology. Last week, Tokyo expressed regret over the recent installation of the statue on a public site near the Japanese Embassy in Berlin. The statue was erected by Korea Verband, a Berlin-based civic group with South Korean ties. The issue drew attention as Japanese

Oct. 8, 2020

Moon calls for US support in ending Korean War

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday again called for the formal declaration of the end of the Korean War, urging the US to support the move. In a prerecorded speech to the Annual Gala Dinner of the Korea Society – a New York-based nonprofit organization that promotes Korea-US ties – Moon said that declaring the end of the war will be the first step in establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. “The end-of-war declaration will indeed pave the way for peace on the Ko

Oct. 8, 2020

S. Korea’s Yoo advances to final round in WTO leadership race

South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee has advanced to the final round of two candidates in the race to become the next director general of the World Trade Organization. 　 Yoo and Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala were shortlisted as finalists in the second round of voting held from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4, the WTO and Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday. 　 The two women will now go head-to-head in the third and final round of consultations, scheduled to run from later this month unt

Oct. 8, 2020

Red Cross to produce mini documentary on Korean War

South Korea's Red Cross said Thursday that it will produce a mini documentary film featuring its humanitarian activities during the 1950-53 Korean War as part of efforts to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict. The documentary will be aired in December in four installments through Yonhap News TV, an all-news channel associated with Yonhap News Agency, with each installment running for about four minutes, according to the Red Cross. The film will be focused mostly on

Oct. 8, 2020

Seoul rallies support for trade minister’s bid for WTO leadership

South Korean trade chief Yoo Myung-hee’s run for the World Trade Organization director general post will face its next decision Tuesday in Switzerland, with the second round of the selection process coming to a close. The second round will see two candidates selected for the final round, the timeline for which has not yet been decided. As the race heads to a close, Yoo appeared to be in with a good chance, with the European Union choosing to back Yoo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria&ls

Oct. 7, 2020

S. Korea denies report on Seoul's efforts to arrange US visit by NK leader's sister

The foreign ministry on Wednesday dismissed as "untrue" a Japanese news report that South Korea sought to arrange a visit to the United States by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister before the US presidential election in November. Citing sources from South Korea, the US and Japan, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported that Seoul had planned to arrange high-level talks between Kim Yo-jong and senior Washington officials before the Nov. 3 vote. Seoul had initially hoped for anot

Oct. 7, 2020

US missed 'golden opportunity' by walking out of Hanoi summit with N. Korea: Hecker

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump missed a "golden" chance to end North Korea's nuclear program by walking out of his Hanoi summit with Kim Jong-un empty-handed when the North Korean leader had, in effect, offered to give up a key nuclear facility, a US nuclear scientist claimed. Siegfried Hecker noted the North Korean leader had offered to shut down his country's "Nuclear Weapons Institute" prior to his second summit with Trump in Hanoi in February 2019, which he said

Oct. 7, 2020

Ministry reaffirms its push for end-of-war declaration despite killing of fisheries official

South Korea remains committed to its push for the declaration of a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War and cross-border cooperation with North Korea despite last month's killing of a South Korean fisheries official, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. In a policy report for the parliamentary audit, the ministry stressed its steadfast focus on resuming dialogue with the North and laying the groundwork for lasting peace on the peninsula, while noting it had "sternly" dealt with the Se

Oct. 7, 2020

Japan to allow entry of S. Korean businesspeople from Thursday

South Korea and Japan have agreed to exempt South Korean business travelers from a two-week quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.  Taking effect Thursday, the eased entry barriers arrive about seven months after Tokyo slapped strict travel restrictions on Seoul, practically banning entry to people traveling from South Korea, in early March amid the coronavirus outbreak. The restrictions dealt a further blow to bilateral ties that were already fra

Oct. 6, 2020

Foreign Ministry targeted by nearly 3,400 hacking attempts this year

Nearly 3,400 hacking attempts were made targeting the Foreign Ministry and its affiliate organs to steal confidential diplomatic information this year, government data showed Tuesday.  According to data submitted by the ministry to Rep. Lee Tae-kyu of the minor opposition People’s Party for a parliamentary audit, 3,399 hacking attempts against the ministry and its overseas missions had been detected as of Aug. 31.  The largest portion of the IP addresses used for the attacks c

Oct. 6, 2020

Japan agrees to allow fast-track entry of businesspeople from S. Korea

Japan has agreed to allow businesspeople from South Korea to enter the country without a 14-day coronavirus quarantine starting later this week, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The special entry procedure, set to take effect Oct. 8, comes about seven months after Tokyo slapped entry restrictions on Seoul in early March to stem the spread of the COVID-19, further straining the bilateral relations already frayed over wartime history and trade. Fresh talks began in late July between the two

Oct. 6, 2020