Food aid to Pyongyang unlikely to fuel Seoul’s nuclear diplomacy

The South Korean government is ramping up efforts to send food aid to North Korea in an attempt to thaw relations and revive stalled denuclearization negotiations between the US and the North, but it remains unclear how Pyongyang will respond. The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, the Unification Ministry and Foreign Ministry are moving swiftly to clear obstacles in providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea, after a call between President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump on Tues

May 9, 2019

US nuclear envoy to visit Seoul for talks about NK projectiles, food aid

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday for talks expected to focus on Pyongyang's recent firing of short-range projectiles and possible food aid to the impoverished communist nation.During a four-day visit, Biegun will meet with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs at the foreign ministry, and attend a session of the joint "working group" established to coordinate po

May 8, 2019

S. Korea's amb. to Malaysia faces possible punishment for power abuse against staff

South Korea's ambassador to Malaysia, Toh Kyung-hwan, could face disciplinary action for alleged abuse of power against his staff, a foreign ministry official said Tuesday.The foreign ministry conducted an internal audit of the Malaysia embassy in January and found Amb. Toh had engaged in inappropriate behavior, including verbal harassment, toward his staff, according to the official. Amb. Toh Kyung-hwan (Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Malaysia)Toh has been referred to the disciplinary comm

May 7, 2019

New envoy vows to work closely with Russia to rope in N. Korea

South Korea’s Ambassador to Russia Lee Suk-bae has pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation with Moscow, a country that he believes will contribute to building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. “This is a very important moment for strategic communication between South Korea and Russia for denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establishment of a peace regime,” Lee, who was appointed as a new ambassador to Russia on May 3, told reporters on Tuesday. South Korea’s Ambassador to Russia L

May 7, 2019

Speaker Moon meets with top Chinese party official over N. Korea

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang has met with a senior Chinese party official to discuss ways to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula, his office said Tuesday.Moon held talks with Yang Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Beijing on Monday.Leading a parliamentary delegation, Moon embarked on a three-day trip Monday amid a stalemate in nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea. (Yonhap)In a closed-door meeting, the tw

May 7, 2019

S. Korean premier vows efforts for Colombian veterans during Korean War

South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has vowed continued efforts to honor the sacrifices by Colombian soldiers who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War, including finding the remains of some 60 that have yet to return to their homeland. Lee made the remarks at a luncheon with 40 war veterans and their surviving families in the Colombian capital Sunday, his office said. He is on a five-day visit to South America till Thursday.  (Yonhap)"On our land rests the remains of over 60 war veterans that ha

May 6, 2019

Parliamentary leader to visit China this week

South Korea's parliamentary speaker will visit China this week for talks with Chinese political leaders to seek bilateral cooperation in building peace on the Korean Peninsula, the parliament said Sunday.The visit comes amid a deadlock in nuclear talks between the United States and North Korea.Moon Hee-sang will leave for China for a three-day trip on Monday, together with lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party and the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party, according to the National Assembly. 

May 6, 2019

Moon gives credentials to new ambassadors to China, Japan, other nations

President Moon Jae-in on Friday granted credentials to two dozen newly appointed ambassadors, including those to China, Japan and Russia.Conversing with them during the Cheong Wa Dae ceremony, Moon expressed his condolences to foreign ministry officials and the bereaved family members of Ambassador to Finland Moon Duk-ho, according to his spokesperson, Ko Min-jung. President Moon Jae-in (center) walks toward a meeting room at Cheong Wa Dae together with newly appointed South Korean ambassadors t

May 3, 2019

Seoul Foreign Minister says North should change stance in talks with US

North Korea should approach denuclearization talks with the US with a “wider scope,” Seoul’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday.“The US is taking a comprehensive approach (to the talks) and looking for comprehensive dialogue,” Kang said at a meeting with the local media. Kang was responding to a question on which side – the North or the US – should alter its position to enable denuclearization talks to make progress.  Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha speaks during

May 2, 2019

Bolton likely to visit Seoul this month: Japanese media

US National Security Adviser John Bolton is likely to visit South Korea later this month for talks with Seoul officials over North Korea's nuclear program, Japanese media reported Thursday.Citing diplomatic sources, the Kyodo News agency said that Seoul and Washington are "in the final stages of arranging his visit to Seoul around May 28 to meet Chung Eui-yong," referring to the director of the National Security Office at South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. (AP-Yonhap)His possible v

May 2, 2019

PM calls for S. Korean firms' participation in Kuwait infrastructure projects

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has called on Kuwait to allow more South Korean companies to participate in infrastructure projects in the Middle Eastern country during talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart.Lee embarked on trips to Kuwait, Colombia and Ecuador on Tuesday as part of the government's efforts to expand diplomacy with the Middle East and Central and South America. (Yonhap)Lee met with Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the prime minister of Kuwait, on Wednesday in Kuwait City to discuss wa

May 2, 2019

Prime minister to leave for 11-day trip to Kuwait, Colombia, Ecuador

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will embark on an 11-day trip to Kuwait, Colombia and Ecuador on Tuesday in an effort to discuss ways to expand cooperation with the three nations, his office said.Lee will visit Kuwait from Tuesday to Friday and Colombia from Saturday to Monday. His final leg of the trip is Ecuador, where he will stay from Monday to May 8. (Yonhap)The trip is part of the government's efforts to expand diplomacy with the Middle East, and Central and South America.In Kuwait, Lee will me

April 30, 2019

Chile backs S. Korea’s Pacific Alliance membership bid

South Korean President Moon Jae-in formalized Seoul’s bid to become an associate member of the Pacific Alliance during talks here with his Chilean counterpart, Sebastian Pinera, Monday.The visiting president agreed to “actively cooperate” with South Korea on the issue, as his country is slated to serve as the rotating chair of the Latin American trade bloc -- which also includes three other full-time members: Colombia, Mexico and Peru -- starting in the latter half of this year, according to Che

April 29, 2019

WTO adopts appellate body's ruling in favor of South Korea

The World Trade Organization Friday finalized the recent ruling in favor of South Korea's import restrictions on Japanese seafood passed in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.The WTO's Dispute Settlement Body adopted the report by the appellate body, saying that Seoul's import ban does not violate the WTO's sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, according to a press release by the South Korean government.Upon the DSB adoption, the appellate body's ruling, which overturned the 2018 ve

April 27, 2019

Preparation underway in Vladivostok for Putin-Kim summit

Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok, with Pyongyang’s confirmation of the state visit Tuesday. North Korea’s state-run airline landed at an airport in Vladivostok on Tuesday morning, hours after the Korean Central News Agency confirmed that Kim “will soon pay a visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation.” In thi

April 23, 2019

S. Korean president heads home after 3-nation trip to Central Asia

South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed home Tuesday, wrapping up a state visit to Kazakhstan that also concluded his three-nation tour in Central Asia.Moon's departure came one day after he and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev agreed to boost their countries' bilateral ties and economic cooperation in their first summit held here. (Yonhap)To this end, the countries have signed a new agreement calling for a "fresh wind," or cooperation, in various areas, including ICT, transportation and

April 23, 2019

Moon’s trip to Central Asia may lead to $28b worth of cooperation projects

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s ongoing trip to Central Asia will lead to enhanced cooperation between his country and Central Asian countries, including new joint projects that could be worth more than US$28 billion in total, the presidential office said Monday.　The assessment came one day before Moon returns home, wrapping up his three-nation tour. 　The South Korean president arrived here Sunday on a three-day visit, following his trips to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.(Yonhap)　“Turkmenista

April 22, 2019

South Korea's unification minister meets Russian ambassador ahead of Kim-Putin summit

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Monday met with Russia‘s Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik and discussed North Korea and other issues ahead of a widely expected summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.　It was part of a series of meetings Minister Kim has been having with foreign diplomats since taking office earlier this month. Last week, he met with ambassadors of the United States, China and Japan.(Yonhap)　“South Korea and Russia have long

April 22, 2019

Leaders of S. Korea, Kazakhstan agree to boost ties with ‘fresh’ cooperation

　South Korea and Kazakhstan will work to boost their economic ties by developing new areas of cooperation that also help them jointly prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the countries’ leaders said in a meeting here Monday.　In their first-ever summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said their countries’ bilateral relationship has steadily expanded since they established diplomatic ties in 1992.(Yonhap)　“Also, they noted that trade between

April 22, 2019

Ball is in Kim Jong-un’s court to resume nuclear talks with Washington: US envoy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should decide whether he will seize the opportunity to advance nuclear negotiations with Washington. US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Monday while emphasizing the US’ commitment to “final, fully verified denuclearization.”Harris said US President Donald Trump took the right course of action by opting for no agreement during his summit with Kim in February as the negotiation was a choice between “no deal” or a “very bad deal,” in a press briefing sess

April 22, 2019