President Yoon belts out 'American Pie' at state dinner

In the state dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden and the first lady Jill Biden on Wednesday evening, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol did not just sit back and enjoy the performance offered by Broadway stars. Yoon took the spotlight to sing "American Pie" -- one of his favorite songs -- in front of some 200 government officials, business leaders and sports, arts and entertainment stars who were invited to the White House. Three Broadway performers -- Norm Lewis of "Phantom

April 27, 2023

Yoon, Biden reaffirm ironclad alliance, warn NK attack is unacceptable

  WASHINGTON -- Presidents Yoon Suk Yeol and Joe Biden warned Kim Jong-un that a nuclear attack by North Korea against the US and South Korea will be responded to with a nuclear counterattack and that will result in the end of the reclusive regime. “A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies or partisans -- partners -- is unacceptable and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action," said Biden at a press conference held afte

April 27, 2023

Yoon, Biden did not discuss military aid to Ukraine: official

WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden did not discuss the issue of military aid to Ukraine during their summit Wednesday, a presidential official said. South Korea has maintained a policy of providing only non-lethal aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia, but speculation was widespread ahead of the summit that Biden could ask Yoon to step up assistance, especially in the form of weapons support. "The Ukraine issue was mentioned very briefly," a s

April 27, 2023

S. Korea, Serbia reach tentative deal on bilateral investment treaty

South Korea and Serbia have reached a tentative deal to sign a bilateral investment treaty aimed at promoting mutual investments between the two countries, according to Seoul's foreign ministry Thursday. The treaty is expected to provide a legal framework for the protection of South Korean investments in Serbia from non-commercial risks, and promote mutual investments and strengthen economic cooperation, the ministry said. The agreement, reached on Wednesday in the Serbian capital of Belgra

April 27, 2023

Full text of Washington Declaration

President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America and President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) met on this 26th day of April, 2023, to mark the 7oth anniversary of the US-ROK Alliance. The Alliance between our two nations has been forged in shared sacrifice, fortified by enduring security cooperation, and nourished by close kinship that has enabled both countries to leverage their diplomatic resources to peaceably achieve crucial, strategic outcomes. What began as a secur

April 27, 2023

Yoon says S. Korea-US alliance can help overcome global challenges

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said the South Korea-US alliance could play a key role in overcoming threats to world peace and prosperity as he held a summit with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday. The two leaders sat down for talks in the Oval Office after Biden welcomed Yoon to the White House in an official arrival ceremony. "The South Korea-US alliance, which is a value alliance, can play a key role in overcoming crises that threaten world peace an

April 27, 2023

Yoon visits White House, US nuclear sub heading to S. Korea

WASHINGTON (AFP) – South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived at the White House in Washington for a state visit Wednesday, at which Yoon and his US counterpart Joe Biden will announce a beefed-up US nuclear shield for Washington's vital ally in the face of an aggressive North Korea. A military honor guard and hundreds of guests massed outside the White House where Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, arrived for a day of pomp and ceremony -- and far-reaching geostrategic discussions. S

April 27, 2023

Korea, US tout stronger extended deterrence with Washington Declaration

WASHINGTON -- Leaders of South Korea and the United States adopted a declaration to strengthen extended deterrence against provocations from North Korea at their summit on Wednesday, in an agreement that formalized consultations with Seoul on the decision making process. Under the Washington Declaration, South Korea and the US will launch a nuclear consultation group as a new mechanism to focus on nuclear and strategic planning issues. It would facilitate "systematic operations" of inf

April 26, 2023

[Alliance in Action] Clearer US nuclear support crucial: Feulner

The US should remind South Korea and its people of unwavering bipartisan support for using nuclear weapons to defend the Asian ally from North Korea’s nuclear threats, a job Washington could do better from now on to reassure Seoul while warning Pyongyang, according to Edwin Feulner, founder of the Washington-based Heritage Foundation. The remarks by the former president of the conservative think tank came as President Yoon Suk Yeol and his US counterpart are expected to roll out a joint de

April 26, 2023

Korea, US affirm stronger space alliance

South Korea and the United States have elevated space cooperation, seeking a stronger space alliance as the two countries agreed to join hands for space exploration and space science. “I hope that growing bilateral collaboration in space will also enable the two allies to play a leading role in ensuring that the benefits of space exploration are shared by all people around the world and take the helm in establishing fair and rational principles for the use of outer space,” said Presi

April 26, 2023

Yoon voices hope for 'space alliance' between S. Korea, US

WASHINGTON-- President Yoon Suk Yeol voiced hope Tuesday for deeper cooperation between South Korea and the United States on space, saying he envisions a "space alliance" that carries out joint research and development programs. Yoon made the remark during a visit to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, just outside Washington, where he was joined by US Vice President Kamala Harris. "From now on, space cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the United States

April 26, 2023

Six US firms unveil $1.9b investment to Korea

WASHINGTON -- President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is on a state visit to the United States, attended a ceremony Wednesday morning where six US high-tech companies announced a total of $1.9 billion in invesments, according to the presidential office. The six companies are Air Products, Plug Power, On Semiconductor, Greene Tweed, PureCycle Technologies and EMP Belstar, related to high-tech industries such as clean hydrogen, semiconductors and carbon neutrality. They will build production facilities in

April 26, 2023

Korean evacuees recall chaos, fear on their way out of Sudan

Chaos and fear gripped South Korean evacuees on their return home, a journey which was not easy. Kim Hyun-wook, a 32-year-old international aid worker, was in the middle of the crossfire for the past 10 days until the South Korean government reached out to him as part of a rescue operation that ended Tuesday. At first, Kim thought he could stay safe inside his home in Sudan, although he heard the news about the conflict. That hope soon faded with the exchange of gunfire right in front of his hou

April 25, 2023

S. Korea-Japan thaw changes China, NK mentality: ex-envoy

Closer ties between South Korea and Japan prompted by the recent deal to end a historical feud over Tokyo’s colonial rights abuses will change the way China deals with Seoul-Tokyo efforts to curb North Korea’s growing nuclear ambitions, a former Japanese ambassador to the US said Tuesday. Referring to the Seoul-Tokyo summit in mid-March, where the two leaders vowed to move past the dispute to fight off North Korea, Ichiro Fujisaki, the Japanese envoy who served as ambassador between

April 25, 2023

S. Korean evacuees return from Sudan

A group of 28 South Korean nationals returned home from strife-torn Sudan on Tuesday afternoon, as part of a five-day evacuation operation that involved cooperation with the US, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The group aboard a KC-330 multirole tanker aircraft arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 3:57 p.m. South Korea was the first country in Asia to have completed the rescue mission, according to a high-ranking official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on c

April 25, 2023

[Contribution] From Tesla to Rimac -- a highway to EV mobility

Following its energy transition strategy, the European Union has announced that the production of petrol cars within the EU market will be halted after 2035, as confirmed by the European Parliament last week. Overall adherence to this goal among EU member states has thus far been encouraging. In 2021, 19 percent of all newly registered passenger vehicles in the EU were electric, with more than 1.2 million EV cars sold. In some countries, such as Norway, 75 percent of all newly registered cars we

April 25, 2023

Ukraine hopes for S. Korean arms in fight against Russia

Ukraine is hoping for South Korea's defense support in its fight against Russia, said the Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul on Monday. The comments came after President Yoon Suk Yeol said that South Korea could provide aid beyond humanitarian or financial support if Ukraine comes under large-scale attacks against civilians in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday. Korea can support Ukraine by providing state-of-the-art Korean-made defense equipment, said the embassy. "The continuation of tim

April 25, 2023

S. Korea sends delegation to Sweden, Norway for talks on economy, biz ties

South Korea sent an economic delegation, including officials from Samsung Electronics Co. and other major firms, to Sweden and Norway this week to explore ways to boost cooperation on supply chains and future industries with the respective nations, the Industry Ministry said Tuesday. The delegation, led by senior ministry official Moon Dong-min, visited Sweden on Monday and held talks with ranking officials there on how to expand ties on bio, batteries, future vehicles, renewable energy and digi

April 25, 2023

Yoon arrives in Washington on state visit

WASHINGTON -- President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Washington on Monday for a six-day state visit expected to strengthen the allies' response to North Korea's nuclear threat and other challenges in a symbolic year marking the 70th anniversary of the alliance. Under the theme "alliance in action, toward the future," the visit comes at a time of growing concern over North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile capabilities and questions about the credibility of Washington'

April 25, 2023

S. Korea evacuates nationals from strife-torn Sudan

South Korea evacuated its nationals from strife-torn Sudan and transported them to Saudi Arabia before heading home, the presidential office in Seoul said Monday evening. The group of 26 Koreans on board a KC-330 multi-role tanker aircraft is set to arrive at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, on Tuesday afternoon, said Lim Jong-deuk, the second deputy director of the National Security Office. Two South Korean nationals will stay in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah because they did n

April 24, 2023