S. Korea denounces Japan for Dokdo claim in textbooks

South Korea strongly condemned Japan on Tuesday for approving new elementary school textbooks with intensified claim to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo.In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged Japan to retract the measure, emphasizing that the islets in the East Sea belong to South Korea. (Yonhap)"The government strongly condemns the Japanese government's authorization of the elementary school textbooks, including its unjustifiable claim to Dokdo, which is clearly our indi

March 26, 2019

Gov't holds interagency meeting on Brexit

South Korea on Friday held an interagency government meeting on Britain's planned exit from the European Union (EU) after leaders of the regional bloc agreed to extend the deadline for withdrawal.Officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, finance and trade, as well as the Korea Customs Service, attended the meeting to discuss how to minimize any negative ramifications that could arise should Britain leave the EU. British Prime Minister Theresa May holds a press conference on March 22 at t

March 22, 2019

Cheong Wa Dae holds special NSC meeting over inter-Korean dialogue

South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae held an emergency meeting of its National Security Council on Friday, hours after North Korea pulled out its officials from a joint liaison office with South Korea in its border town of Kaesong.The NSC meeting, held at Cheong Wa Dae, was chaired by Chung Eui-yong, the top security adviser to President Moon Jae-in, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Chung Eui-yong (Yonhap)"The standing members of the NSC discussed the North's withdrawal from the joint liai

March 22, 2019

'Made by war criminals': plan for Japanese labels in S. Korea

South Korea's foreign minister has intervened over a provincial proposal to apply stickers to some Japanese-made items in schools as "made by a Japanese firm responsible for war crimes".South Korea and Japan are both democracies and US allies faced with an increasingly assertive China and the long-running threat of nuclear-armed North Korea.But their own ties have remained icy for years due to bitter disputes over history and territory stemming from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean pe

March 22, 2019

S. Korea's top nuclear envoy meets EU foreign affairs chief over N. Korea

South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator has met the European Union's foreign affairs chief to discuss ways to achieve North Korea's denuclearization, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, met Federica Mogherini, EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, at the EU headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday."The two sides shared the need for the international community to keep the momentum for dia

March 21, 2019

S. Korea to offer $500,000 in humanitarian aid to three African nations

South Korea said Thursday it will provide Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi with a total of $500,000 worth of humanitarian assistance after they suffered huge damage from a cyclone.The southern African countries were recently hit hard by Cyclone Idai, which has killed hundreds of people and left many others missing or displaced. (AFP-Yonhap)"The government plans to offer $300,000 to Mozambique as well as $100,000 each to Zimbabwe and Malawi in consideration of the scale of the damage and the inter

March 21, 2019

Sanctions relief possible after 'irreversible' point of N.K. denuclearization: Seoul official

A South Korean diplomat said Wednesday that the lifting of sanctions against North Korea can come after the communist regime passes an "irreversible point of denuclearization." (Yonhap)Rhee Dong-yeol, the director general of the foreign ministry's Korean Peninsula regime bureau, also said that Seoul is considering proposing high-level inter-Korean talks as part of efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and the North."If the denuclearization process passed an irreversible point,

March 20, 2019

S. Korea, US relieve sanctions for video reunion of separated Korean families

South Korea and the United States held a working group session Thursday to discuss about ways to resume denuclearization negotiations with North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. The two allies held a working group meeting in Washington, DC, the first after the summit between the US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Hanoi faltered without an agreement last month. According to the Foreign Ministry, the two sides discussed on pending issues regarding North Korea,

March 15, 2019

Leaders of S. Korea, Cambodia vow efforts to improve economic ties

The leaders of South Korea and Cambodia agreed Friday to expand the countries' economic cooperation while also vowing joint efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.In their summit talks, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also agreed to efforts to further improve South Korea's relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations."President Moon expressed his determination to further develop the close cooperative relations bet

March 15, 2019

S. Korean president set to meet Cambodian leaders

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was set to hold a summit with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Friday, following a meeting with King Norodom Sihamoni.The summit was widely expected to focus on ways to improve South Korea-Cambodia relations as Moon's visit marks the first of its kind by a South Korean leader in 10 years.Moon arrived here Thursday on a three-day state visit.(Yonhap)His trip was originally set to begin Friday in a welcome ceremony to be hosted by the Cambodian monarch, but he

March 15, 2019

S. Korean president vows increased cooperation with Cambodia

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday vowed efforts to further improve his country's relationship with Cambodia and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries, insisting that increased cooperation will also lead to more opportunities for South Korean businesses and people."When the cooperation and exchange between the two countries are strengthened, the door to more opportunities will open to our companies and residents here," the president said in a meeting with some

March 14, 2019

S. Korea, Japan still differ over wartime forced labor reparations

South Korea and Japan had another round of working-level consultations Thursday only to confirm their contradicting views on the issue of compensation for Tokyo's wartime wrongdoing.It heralds a drawn-out diplomatic stand-off between the neighbors amid Japan's talk of possible economic retaliation for punitive measures against its companies in connection with the two nations' shared history.Last year, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered some Japanese firms to compensate Korean victims of forced

March 14, 2019

S. Korea's Moon wraps up Brunei visit, heads to Malaysia

South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed for Malaysia on Tuesday, wrapping up his three-day state visit to Brunei, where he and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah discussed ways to boost their countries' cooperation and exchange.Moon is currently on a three-nation tour that will also take him to Cambodia. Both Malaysia and Cambodia, along with Brunei, are members of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (Yohnap)The South Korean president's tour is partly aimed at enhancing his country's bi

March 12, 2019

Leaders of S. Korea, Brunei agree to expand economic cooperation

The leaders of South Korea and Brunei agreed Monday to expand the countries' energy industry cooperation and expand the partnership to new technology sectors. In a bilateral summit held in the Bruneian capital, President Moon Jae-in and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah noted the countries have steadily developed their friendly relations in the infrastructure and energy sectors over the past 35 years since they established diplomatic ties, Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release.

March 11, 2019

Moon kicks off tour of 3 Southeast Asian nations

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday departed for a tour of three Southeast Asian nations, continuing his push for the New Southern Policy. Ahead of departure, Moon emphasized the importance ties with Southeast Asian nations hold for Korea, and the potential the region holds. President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook wave before departing for a trip of three Southeast Asian nations on Sunday. Yonhap“On the occasion of this trip (I) will make the distance between Korea and the ASEAN even clos

March 10, 2019

S. Korea, US seal defense cost deal, saying it's 'foundation' of alliance

South Korea and the United States signed a formal agreement Friday, which calls for an 8.2 percent hike in Seoul's share of the cost of stationing American troops here.The two sides agreed that the signing of the Special Measures Agreement, a fruit of tough negotiations, reflects their robust alliance. (Yonhap)"This now becomes the foundation of -- one of the foundations of -- the alliance, and something that the alliance will build upon to become stronger and greater," Kang told Washington's to

March 8, 2019

Korean forced labor victims seek court seizure of Mitsubishi assets

Four Korean victims of wartime forced labor are seeking seizure of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.'s local assets as the company refuses to comply with the Supreme Court ruling that ordered the firm to compensate them. The plaintiffs, including 88-year-old Yang Geum-deuk, on Thursday filed the request with the Seoul Central District Court to seize several Mitsubishi trademarks and patents, according to a civic group that represents the victims. If approved by the court, the Japanese company wil

March 7, 2019

Moon orders special probe into alleged employment fraud in Indonesia

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday made a special order to launch investigations into the alleged flight of a South Korean company from Indonesia that reportedly did not pay its workers, his office Cheong Wa Dae said."In relation to the case involving a delay in the payment of wages, President Moon Jae-in instructed law enforcement to actively cooperate with the investigation by the Indonesian authorities under the extradition treaty," Cheong Wa Dae vice spokeswoman Ko Min-jung told a press brief

March 7, 2019

First lady highlights value of Korea-ASEAN relations

South Korea’s first lady Kim Jung-sook on Wednesday stressed the importance of the country’s relations with Brunei, Cambodia and Malaysia, at a meeting with students from the countries studying here. Cheong Wa Dae had invited 10 students each from Brunei and Malaysia and nine students from Cambodia to the presidential office.  First Lady Kim Jung-sook poses with students from Brunei, Cambodia and Malaysia at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. YonhapThe event was held ahead of President Moon Jae-in’s of

March 7, 2019

KOICA to build education center in Indonesian university

South Korea's overseas aid agency said Tuesday it has agreed with the University of Indonesia to work together to establish a multimedia education center at the school, as well as develop curriculum and train lecturers. The Korea International Cooperation Agency said it is part of its efforts to expand its development assistance program in the Southeast Asian country. It's also an element of KOICA's global outreach efforts under the slogan of three Ps -- peace, peace and prosperity.(Yonhap)"KOIC

March 5, 2019