Preliminary 'Chip 4’ meeting expected next week as China monitors

With the first meeting of the US-led “Chip 4” semiconductor alliance expected to take place before the end of this month, China appears to be closely monitoring its proceedings. The preliminary meeting involving the US, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan is reportedly expected to take place early next week. In response, the Chinese ambassador to Korea met with a Korean lawmaker on Tuesday to reiterate Beijing’s opposition. At the first Chip 4 meeting, working-level officials of the

Sept. 22, 2022

Yoon asks Biden to resolve S. Korea's concerns over Inflation Reduction Act

NEW YORK -- President Yoon Suk-yeol asked US President Joe Biden to resolve South Korea's concerns over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Biden responded he was well aware of the concerns, Yoon's office said Wednesday. Biden also said the two sides should continue serious discussions about the matter, the office said in a press release summarizing the presidents' three encounters over the last four days. "President Yoon explained our businesses' concerns about the

Sept. 22, 2022

Yoon, German chancellor agree to work to deepen bilateral ties

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a summit in New York on Wednesday and agreed to work to deepen their countries' bilateral relationship at every level, the presidential office said. The two held their first summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and assessed how the countries have developed their friendly and cooperative relations across diverse sectors as key partners sharing universal values such as freedom, human rights a

Sept. 22, 2022

Biden names N. Korea as one of 'disturbing' reasons to strengthen nonproliferation regime

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden on Wednesday named North Korea as one of a few major reasons why the United Nations and its members must work to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The US leader also said the US is prepared to pursue "critical arms controls measures" no matter what is happening in the world. "A nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. The five permanent members of the (UN) Security Council just reaffirmed that commitment in January,&qu

Sept. 22, 2022

US to review 'all possible ways' to address Korea's concerns on IRA hurting EV makers

Washington said it is reviewing "all possible measures" to address Seoul's concerns regarding the US' Inflation Reduction Act hurting Korean electric vehicle makers, and reaffirmed that it will maintain an open channel for communication, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. On Tuesday (US time), South Korean Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon met with Jose Fernandez, the under secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the US State Department to disc

Sept. 21, 2022

Arab cultural festival showcases Qatar World Cup Pavilion

Arab cultures are being showcased ahead of the upcoming Qatar World Cup through Sept. 16 -24 in the lobby of Coex in southern Seoul. The pavilion is part of an exhibition held ahead of the World Cup which kicks off on Nov. 20 in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, and offers visitors a chance to experience Arab culture through activities like trying on Arab costumes, tasting Arabic desserts, getting Arabic pattern tattoos, and taking photos in a majlis, or sitting room in Arabic. Co-hosted by the

Sept. 21, 2022

[Hwang's China and the World] Seeking new Korea-China relations: Evaluating politics and diplomacy

Now is the time for Korea and China to look back on the past, face the present and talk about the future. Over the past 30 years, Korea-China relations have developed explosively. The establishment of Korea-China diplomatic relations was an important turning point in advancing the new era of prosperity in Northeast Asia. And now both Korea and China have grown into the core countries in the international community. China has grown into a major powerhouse in the international community, and Korea

Sept. 21, 2022

[Contribution] Emergence of new donors offers fresh opportunities to address global challenges

The emergence of middle-income developing countries willing to share their knowledge, expertise and resources through their own assistance programs offers new opportunities for partnerships and points to the changing dynamics in development cooperation. Over the past decades, South-South cooperation has gained increased importance in accelerating sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region and has evolved as a key modality for countries to address transboundary issues such as the COVID-1

Sept. 21, 2022

Yoon asks UN chief for stern response to N.Korea provocations

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday and called for a stern international response if North Korea conducts an additional nuclear test, an official said. The two met on the margins of the UN General Assembly and talked for 25 minutes about North Korea, cooperation between South Korea and the UN, and issues raised during Yoon's address to the assembly earlier in the day, according to Kim Eun-hye, senior presidential secretary fo

Sept. 21, 2022

S. Korea seeks 'political' solution to US inflation law: industry minister

WASHINGTON, Sept. 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea hopes to find a political solution to the new US law on inflation that excludes South Korean-made electric vehicles (EVs) from US tax benefits, South Korean Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang said Tuesday. Lee made the remarks shortly after arriving in Washington for a meeting with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. "The essence of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is that it is a law legislated by Congress, (which means) discussions between a

Sept. 21, 2022

US made dialogue offer to N. Korea in July, no response yet: envoy

The United States made yet another dialogue offer to North Korea this summer through a communication channel in New York, but the North has not responded, Washington's top nuclear envoy said Tuesday. US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim said that the overture was made through the so-called New York channel, involving the North's diplomatic mission at the UN, in July, as he highlighted the Joe Biden administration's continued commitment to reengage with Pyongyang. "I believe ou

Sept. 20, 2022

Foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan vow 'sincere efforts' to resolve historic disputes

Foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan agreed to work together to resolve historic disputes in a bilateral meeting in New York, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Monday. In their meeting held for some 50 minutes, the two ministers agreed to continue to strengthen bilateral, and also trilateral cooperation wit

Sept. 20, 2022

[Newsmaker] Can Britain's King Charles fill his treasured mother's shoes?

LONDON -- Teenager Olivia Burch waited for hours in a queue with other mourners to pay a final tribute to Queen Elizabeth as her body lay in state. But despite that devotion, she thought Britain should no longer have a monarchy. "I think it's gone. It's too traditional and old--fashioned, and I don't think we can spend so much money on a family with no more right to be here than anyone else," said the 19--year--old Londoner, one of hundreds of thousands who waited in line to file past

Sept. 20, 2022

Yoon focuses on freedom at UN

President Yoon Suk-yeol, who arrived in New York on Monday afternoon there, was to deliver his first address at the 77th United Nations General Assembly under the theme of “freedom and solidarity,” hold bilateral talks with the US and Japan separately on the sidelines and carry out multiple economic-related schedules in New York. Yoon's speech was set for the first session of the first day, as he was scheduled to stand on the stage on Tuesday afternoon -- between 1:30 a.m. a

Sept. 20, 2022

[Contribution] Expanding horizons for global development partnership

Last December, Kazakhstan celebrated the 30th anniversary of its independence. A country with modest beginnings, Kazakhstan made a significant transition from being a recipient of Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the first country in Central Asia to adopt the national law on ODA in 2014. Given Kazakhstan’s geographic location, its national capacity, as well as the challenges of global development, Kazakhstan has prioritized development assistance to the countries of its immediate

Sept. 20, 2022

[From the Scene]Partnership with Korea in e-governance, digital ecosystem vital to Kazakhstan: minister

By SanjayKumar Korea Herald correspondent NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan -- A partnership with South Korea in e-governance and the digital ecosystem is vital to Kazakhstan, the country's Minister of Digital Development Bagdat Musin said Thursday. “I visited South Korea in 2006 and I saw first e-services there and I realized the need to bring such a system to Kazakhstan,” Musin told foreign journalists at the Digital Government Office in Nur-sultan, Kazakhstan. “Now, we are collaboratin

Sept. 20, 2022

Industry chief to visit US for talks on EV tax credit, chips bills

South Korean Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang departed for Washington on Tuesday for talks with US officials on ways to minimize impacts on South Korea by new US bills on tax incentives for electric vehicles and investment in semiconductors, his office said. The Inflation Reduction Act, signed by US President Joe Biden in August, gives up to $7,500 in tax credits to buyers of EVs assembled only in North America, sparking concerns that South Korean carmakers will lose ground in the US market, as

Sept. 20, 2022

Yoon arrives in New York for UN General Assembly

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in New York on Monday to attend the UN General Assembly and hold a series of summits on the sidelines, including a highly anticipated meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The New York visit, the second stop on Yoon's three-nation swing, follows his attendance at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral in London and comes ahead of a summit with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa. Yoon will stay in the city for four d

Sept. 20, 2022

After China's top legislator's Seoul visit, THAAD remains source of conflict with Beijing

China’s top legislator made an unprecedented visit to Seoul last week, where they confirmed their differences on South Korea’s deployment of the US-made missile defense system that Beijing opposes. Li Zhanshu, Beijing’s third-highest-ranking official and chief of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, made an unprecedented two-day trip to Seoul from Thursday, as South Korea has embarked on work to normalize operations of the Terminal High Altitude Area

Sept. 19, 2022

[Newsmaker] Bidens among thousands paying respects to Queen Elizabeth II

  LONDON -- US President Joe Biden paid his respects at Queen Elizabeth II's coffin on Sunday as thousands of police, hundreds of British troops and an army of officials made final preparations for the queen's state funeral _ a spectacular display of national mourning that will also be the biggest gathering of world leaders for years. People across Britain paused for a minute of silence at 8 p.m. in memory of the only monarch most have ever known. At Westminster Hall, where the queen is lyi

Sept. 19, 2022