N. Korean missile launches destabilize region: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- North Korean missile launches continue to destabilize the region, a Pentagon spokesperson reiterated Thursday, soon after Pyongyang resumed its ballistic missile testing. North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea on Thursday in its latest military provocation that came after an eight-day hiatus. "It continues to be destabilizing that they launch these ballistic missiles and if they continue to do that, it just further destabilizes the region," de

Nov. 18, 2022

South Korea, Netherlands agree to expand chip cooperation

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte agreed on Thursday to upgrade the bilateral relationship between the two nations to a strategic partnership and expand cooperation in advanced technologies, including chips, nuclear power plants and renewable energy. This is the second summit between the two leaders since they met on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Spain in June. They discussed diverse ways to cooperate in the chip sector. During the talks held in the afternoon, t

Nov. 17, 2022

North Korea stole $620m of crypto in March to fund missiles: NK special envoy

North Korea stole $620 million in cryptocurrency from hacking a game company in March, which was likely used to fund the launching of dozens of ballistic missiles it fired in the first half of this year, Seoul’s special envoy for North Korea said Thursday. Speaking at a symposium on North Korea’s cyber threats jointly held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US State Department for the first time, Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs

Nov. 17, 2022

Yoon to meet with Saudi crown prince

President Yoon Suk-yeol will meet with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Seoul on Thursday, his office said. The two are scheduled to hold talks followed by lunch. Discussions are expected to focus on ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries, with South Korean businesses eager to win construction projects in Neom, a Saudi smart city project overseen by the crown prince. Yoon will also hold a summit with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte later in the day.

Nov. 17, 2022

China has vested interest in stopping N. Korean nuclear test: state dept.

WASHINGTON -- China has an obligation as well as an interest in preventing a potential nuclear test by North Korea, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, amid speculation that Pyongyang may conduct a nuclear test at any time. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesman for the department, also reiterated that the US remains willing to engage in direct conversation with North Korea. The remarks come after US President Joe Biden held his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese President Xi

Nov. 17, 2022

Korea, Japan agree to cooperate on forced labor issues

President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed on "positive and active cooperation" on the issue of forced labor, a key issue in improving bilateral relations, at the Korea-Japan summit, South Korea's presidential office said Wednesday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior presidential official who attended the Korea-Japan summit, told reporters that Yoon and Kishida affirmed that discussions on the resolution of the forced labor issue were unde

Nov. 16, 2022

Yoon-Xi summit reveals gap in approach to North Korea

The first Seoul-Beijing summit in three years laid bare the differences in the two sides' approach to North Korea, experts say. President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a 25-minute talk in Indonesia during the G20 Summit on Tuesday. It has been three years since the last Korea-China summit was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, during the former Moon Jae-in government. The presidential office thought the possibility of the bilateral talks was low even un

Nov. 16, 2022

South Korea, US vow to strengthen cooperation to counter NK threats in cyberspace

South Korea and the United States vowed to strengthen cooperation to counter North Korean threats in cyberspace Wednesday, after news that the reclusive state reaped billions of dollars in cryptocurrency scams to fund its nuclear program. The two countries held a second working group meeting on North Korean cyber threats in Seoul, the Foreign Ministry said. Some 60 government officials and experts attended the meeting, with Director General for North Korean Nuclear Affairs Lee Tae-woo of Foreign

Nov. 16, 2022

S. Korea, France hold foreign ministerial talks in Bali on economic security

South Korea and France have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation on economic security during foreign ministerial talks held on the sidelines of an annual Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. In the Bali meeting the previous day, Foreign Minister Park Jin and his French counterpart, Catherine Colonna, exchanged views on Seoul-Paris relations and major regional security issues, including Korean Peninsula affairs. They agreed to bolster partnerships o

Nov. 16, 2022

Yoon returns home from Southeast Asia trip

President Yoon Suk-yeol returned to Seoul on Wednesday following a tour of Cambodia and Indonesia that included his attendance at regional gatherings and his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In Phnom Penh, Yoon unveiled South Korea's new Indo-Pacific strategy focused on creating a free, peaceful and prosperous region, before attending summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and multiple bilateral summits, including one with US President Joe Biden and one

Nov. 16, 2022

Bulgarian Embassy holds ‘Hidden Letters’ exhibition on Cyrillic, Korean alphabets

The Bulgarian Embassy and Korea Foundation showcased an exhibition on Bulgarian and Korean alphabets at the Korea Foundation gallery in Seoul on Thursday. The embassy presented the "Hidden Letters" exhibition, centered on the Cyrillic alphabet and Hangeul through a vernissage for diplomats, international organizations, local and central authorities, businesspeople and media personalities. Delivering welcome remarks at the exhibition, Bulgarian Ambassador Petko Draganov highlighted the

Nov. 15, 2022

Biden-Xi summit shows desire for improved ties despite tension

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first in-person bilateral summit on Monday, where they each showed a desire to improve US-China ties that have hit rock bottom in recent years. While they continue to stand at odds on key issues, including Taiwan, experts assess that Monday's summit will positively improve bilateral ties and reduce tensions. On the eve of the Group 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Biden and Xi met for about three hours, according to officials.

Nov. 15, 2022

Yoon, Xi share views for peace on Korean peninsula

President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed caution against protectionism and vowed Korea's support for the G-20's cooperation in the food and energy sectors as well as contributions to international solidarity in the health sector, at the G-20 Summit on Tuesday. On the sidelines of the summit, Yoon had a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the evening to discuss China's role in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue at a time when its seventh nuclear test could take pla

Nov. 15, 2022

Yoon, China's Xi to hold first summit in Bali

BALI -- President Yoon Suk-yeol will hold his first summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali on Tuesday, his office said. The summit is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. No other details were provided. The two leaders will be meeting on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit. (Yonhap)

Nov. 15, 2022

Biden says US will have to take 'defensive' steps if N. Korea conducts nuclear test

WASHINGTON -- The United States will have to take certain actions that will be "more defensive" should North Korea conduct a nuclear test, President Joe Biden said Monday. The US leader said he has also called on Chinese President Xi Jinping to try and prevent North Korea from taking further escalatory steps, noting the US' defensive actions, if taken, will be "up in the face of China." "I made it clear to President Xi Jinping that I thought they had an obligation t

Nov. 15, 2022

South Korea aligns Indo-Pacific strategy with US, Japan: experts

South Korea’s first diplomatic strategy for the Indo-Pacific region appears to show the intention to align with the United States in the US-China rivalry, experts based in Seoul said Monday. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on Friday unveiled the country's first Indo-Pacific strategy for freedom, peace and prosperity for the region, at the biannual Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Cambodia. There, Yoon highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and stability i

Nov. 14, 2022

Yoon arrives in Indonesia for G-20 summit

BALI -- President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in Bali, Indonesia, late on Sunday for a three-day visit that will include his attendance at a Group of 20 (G-20) summit and various business events. In Bali, Yoon will continue his two-nation tour that took him first to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for summits involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and separate summits with the leaders of the United States, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand and the Philippines. On Monday, Yoon will take part in a South Ko

Nov. 14, 2022

Korea, US, Japan leaders agree to strengthen cooperation against NK threats

The leaders of South Korea, the US and Japan met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia on Sunday afternoon, expressing concerns about North Korea’s continued provocations and agreeing to strengthen the trilateral cooperation against the threats. They released a joint statement promising to strengthen deterrence against the North and share real-time information on its missiles among the three countries. "North Korea is making more hostile and offensive provocations based on

Nov. 13, 2022

Yoon puts focus on economic, security ties at ASEAN summit

During his trip to the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, President Yoon Suk-yeol presented the nation’s new regional strategies to strengthen economic and security ties with the nations and met with US, Japanese and Chinese leaders on the sidelines to stress solidarity in countering North Korean threats. President Yoon landed in Cambodia on Friday and attended the Korea-ASEAN summit the same day. At the meeting he unveiled the nation’s In

Nov. 13, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol leaves for six-day trip for ASEAN, G-20 summits

President Yoon Suk-yeol left Friday for Cambodia, the first of the two destinations where the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the G-20 summits will be held. Upon his arrival in Phnom Penh, Yoon will attend the South Korea-ASEAN summit. On Saturday, Yoon is scheduled to join a ASEAN Plus Three summit, where leaders from South Korea, Japan, China as well as ten other nations will join. During the summit, President Yoon, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese Premier Li Keqi

Nov. 11, 2022