Top US diplomat for East Asia policy discusses denuclearization, trade with Seoul officials

The top US diplomat for East Asia policy and South Korean officials, including Seoul’s chief nuclear envoy, reaffirmed the allies’ commitment to the denuclearization of North Korea in meetings held in Seoul. The two sides also discussed a wide range of topics, including trade issues, during the US diplomat’s three-day trip. Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs of the US Department of State, reaffirmed the commitment on den

Aug. 28, 2022

S. Korea's foreign minister arrives in Mongolia on trip to deepen bilateral ties

ULAANBAATAR/SEOUL -- South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin arrived in Mongolia on Sunday for talks with his Mongolian counterpart on bilateral relations, and regional and global issues. His trip -- the first visit to Mongolia by a South Korean foreign minister on a bilateral basis since 2014 -- comes as the country has recently gained keen attention for its rich resources amid international efforts to secure global supply chains. Shortly after arriving in Ulaanbaatar, Park visited a commemorati

Aug. 28, 2022

Senior S. Korean, U.S. diplomats discuss N. Korea, reaffirm commitment to denuclearization

The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia policy met in Seoul with South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Saturday for discussions on a range of pending issues, including North Korea, the foreign ministry said. Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, held the talks with Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and reaffirmed their commitment toward the denuclearization of North Korea. Kritenbrink also reaffirmed Wa

Aug. 27, 2022

[Newsmaker] 'The cultural front': Ukraine theatre goes underground

Mykolaiv -- It's an opening night like no other at Mykolaiv's theatre, with the audience ushered down into an underground shelter this week for the first performance since war broke out. "We need this place to fight on the cultural front too," says artistic director Artiom Svytsoun. The tiny underground stage and the minimalist set provide "a form of 'art therapy'" for the people who have stayed in Mykolaiv and need something other than the grinding fear of war. Welcoming aud

Aug. 26, 2022

Yoon expected to meet Biden next month at UN General Assembly

President Yoon Suk-yeol is expected to meet with US President Joe Biden next month in New York on the occasion of 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The White House said on Thursday (local time) that Biden plans to visit New York for three days from Sept. 18 to attend the UN General Assembly. He is expected to attend the conference during Sept. 19-20 and meet with leaders of the major nations. As President Yoon is also expected to attend the UN General Assembly for the fir

Aug. 26, 2022

Senior US official on East Asia policy arrives in Seoul

A senior US State Department official in charge of East Asia policy arrived in South Korea Thursday for consultations on North Korea and pending alliance issues. The three-day visit to Seoul by Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary for East Asian and Pacific affairs, is the second and final leg of his six-day regional trip that also took him to Mongolia. On Friday, Kritenbrink plans to meet with Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yeo Seung-bae and pay a courtesy call on Foreign M

Aug. 25, 2022

Korea wins masssive nuclear power project in Egypt

South Korea’s state-run nuclear power company Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power won a project to build a nuclear power plant in Egypt, the presidential office confirmed on Thursday. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power signed a contract with Russian nuclear technology company Atomstroyexport, or ASE, over the field of nuclear power plant equipment and turbine construction of the El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant in Cairo on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. (local time). The El Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant is

Aug. 25, 2022

[Newsmaker] Biden forgives millions of student loans; critics fear inflation

WASHINGTON- President Joe Biden said on Wednesday the US government will forgive $10,000 in student loans for millions of debt-saddled former college students, keeping a pledge he made in the 2020 campaign for the WhiteHouse. The move could boost support for his fellow Democrats in the November congressional elections, but some economists said it may fuel inflation, and some Republicans in the US Congress questioned whether the president had the legal authority to cancel the debt. Debt forgivene

Aug. 25, 2022

US continues to coordinate efforts to denuclearize N. Korea with allies: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States remains committed to coordinating efforts with its allies to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the department, also reaffirmed US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan. "The United States remains focused on coordinating closely with our allies and partners to address the threats posed by the DPRK which includes advancing our shared objective of the co

Aug. 25, 2022

Seoul, Beijing celebrate 30th year of diplomatic ties

South Korea and China marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties on Wednesday, holding separate celebratory events in their respective capitals. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the two countries could not hold a joint celebration, but they ran the events simultaneously, with their respective foreign ministers taking part as principal guests in the events, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry. During the events, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpa

Aug. 24, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] 30 years of Korea-China diplomatic relations: More gains than losses

Wednesday marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China. Both Seoul and Beijing opened a new era by establishing a good, neighborly friendship based on the principle of reciprocal equality and peaceful coexistence and by signing a joint statement supporting “One China” and “Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula” in Beijing. The establishment of Korea-China diplomatic relations was meaningful in terms of history an

Aug. 24, 2022

South Korea, China at crossroads as they mark 30th year of relations

Since South Korea established diplomatic ties with China 30 years ago on Wednesday, Seoul-Beijing relations have developed rapidly, most notably in the area of trade. China has become vital to South Korea’s economy, being its largest trading partner. Last year trade volume surpassed $300 billion for the first time, up 47 times from the $6.4 billion recorded in August 1992. However, Korea now stands at a critical juncture to decide the fate of bilateral relations going forward amid int

Aug. 23, 2022

Xing Haiming says Korea-China relations are solvable

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said relations between South Korea and China are declining, but that they could be solved by developing a mature, independent and stable relationship while preserving the core interests of the two. “The current situation is complex and serious. Relations between China and South Korea have entered a new phase,” Xing said at a forum on Tuesday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Korea-China relations in Seoul. He admitted that the mu

Aug. 23, 2022

Seoul's 'audacious plan' entirely consistent with US approach toward N. Korea: State

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's offer to help North Korea in exchange for denuclearization is entirely consistent with the United States' own plan to rid the North of its nuclear ambition, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Ned Price also called on Pyongyang to respond positively to Seoul's outreach. "We have been clear about our support for the bold or the ambitious plan that the South Korean administration has put forward," the department press secretary said in

Aug. 23, 2022

Anti-China sentiment at its peak: survey

While South Korea and China celebrate 30 years of their diplomatic relationship this week, Koreans’ dislike for the neighboring country appears to be reaching its peak. According to a survey of South Koreans by Hankook Research on Monday, China was the second-least popular country among five countries -- the United States, Japan, North Korea and Russia. The survey asked 1,000 South Koreans aged over 18 from July 15 to 18 to rank their positive sentiment toward five major countries. Th

Aug. 22, 2022

Top S. Korean, Chinese diplomats to attend events marking 30th anniv. of bilateral ties

The top diplomats of South Korea and China plan to attend events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in their respective countries later this week, Seoul officials said Monday. Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are set to join the ceremonies in Seoul and Beijing, respectively, on Wednesday, the officials said, in an apparent show of their commitment to maintaining close relations between the two countries. During the ev

Aug. 22, 2022

S. Korean FM expresses concerns over EV tax incentives during call with US counterpart: source

Seoul's top diplomat conveyed to his Washington counterpart concerns over a new US law excluding electric vehicles built outside North America from tax breaks during their recent phone conversation, a diplomatic source said Sunday. Per the source, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin broached the topic in his call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last Friday. The $430 billion bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act, was signed into law by US President Joe Biden last Tuesday. It ca

Aug. 21, 2022

[Newsmaker] UN: US buying big Ukraine grain shipment for hungry regions

BULLA HAGAR, Kenya -- The United States is stepping up to buy about 150,000 metric tons of grain from Ukraine in the next few weeks for an upcoming shipment of food aid from ports no longer blockaded by war, the World Food Program chief has told The Associated Press. The final destinations for the grain are not confirmed and discussions continue, David Beasley said. But the planned shipment, one of several the UN agency that fights hunger is pursuing, is more than six times the amount of grain t

Aug. 21, 2022

Vice FM to visit UN headquarters for briefings on NK policy

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will visit the U.N. headquarters this week to offer briefings on the government's policy on North Korea, including President Yoon Suk-yeol's "audacious plan" calling for denuclearization in exchange for economic aid, the ministry said Sunday. Lee will visit New York from Sunday to Thursday for meetings with Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed; Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu;

Aug. 21, 2022

S. Korea seeks to maximize national interest at IPEF negotiations

South Korea plans to take part in US-led negotiations over the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in a way that maximizes national interests, the finance minister said Friday. Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said as a ministerial meeting of the IPEF, the new economic framework launched by US President Joe Biden in May, will be held from Sept. 8-9, its official negotiations will start in earnest. He said from the rule-setting stage, there is a need to reflect his country's stance and buil

Aug. 19, 2022