N. Korea may give up nukes, but will test US commitment to diplomacy: US experts

North Korea may still be willing to give up its nuclear weapons for the right price, but will likely wait to see how serious and committed the new US administration is to diplomacy, US experts said Tuesday. "I do believe North Korea is committed to complete, verifiable denuclearization, assuming they get the security assurances they want and certainly they need because they're concerned about regime change, and they realize nuclear weapons, indeed, are a deterrent," Joseph DeTrani sai

May 5, 2021

S. Korea, US, Japan to hold FM talks at G-7 meeting in London

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold trilateral talks on the margins of a Group of Seven (G-7) gathering in London later this week, a source said Tuesday, as Washington eyes a thaw in strained ties between its Asian allies. The meeting between Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, and his US and Japanese counterparts, Antony Blinken and Toshimitsu Motegi, respectively, is set to take place Wednesday, as they gathered in the British capital for the session of G-7 fo

May 4, 2021

Biden raises ceiling for refugees to US amid COVID-19 pandemic, Myanmar unrest

US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order to sharply increase the number of refugees to be admitted into the United States this year, citing "grave humanitarian concerns." The executive order raises to 62,500 from 15,000 the number of refugees to be allowed into the US in fiscal year 2021. The fiscal year ends Sept. 30. "Given the ongoing unforeseen emergency refugee situation, I now determine, consistent with my Administration's prior consultation with the Cong

May 4, 2021

New N. Korea policy does not affect US defense posture in S. Korea: Pentagon

The new US policy toward North Korea does not affect the United States' alliance with South Korea or its defense commitment on the Korean Peninsula, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. John Kirby made the remark when asked if the outcome of the recently concluded North Korea policy review may affect the US defense posture on the Korean Peninsula. "We also have concomitant alliance requirements on the peninsula with our South Korean allies to continue to make sure we are, as the saying goes,

May 4, 2021

Blinken promotes joint efforts to denuclearize N. Korea at G-7 meeting

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for coordinated efforts to denuclearize North Korea on Monday while the top diplomats from the Group of 7 (G7) countries were later scheduled to discuss the North Korea issue. In his bilateral meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, the top US diplomat highlighted the importance of regional cooperation in dealing with the North. "Secretary Blinken and Minister Chung stressed their commitment to work together to protect and adv

May 4, 2021

Blinken urges N. Korea to engage, saying US seeks practical progress

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged North Korea on Monday to return to the negotiating table, saying his country seeks to make practical progress toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. The call comes after North Korea threatened the US will face "worse and worse crisis." "I hope that North Korea will take the opportunity to engage diplomatically and to see if there are ways to move forward toward the objective of complete denuclearization o

May 4, 2021

Chung, Blinken agree on close cooperation for peninsula

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, agreed Monday to continue close cooperation for complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, the foreign ministry said. The agreement came as they met bilaterally on the margins of a gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers in London, after the Joe Biden administration completed its review of policy toward Pyongyang. "Secretary Blinken shared the results of the US' review of policy on

May 3, 2021

Will FM Chung meet with Japan’s Motegi at G-7 in London?

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong is in London to attend the Group of Seven meeting, and all eyes are on Chung to see whether he finally gets to hold talks with his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, and set the stage for a thaw in bilateral ties. 　 Chung flew to London on Sunday to attend the gathering of G-7 foreign and development ministers, which will last through Wednesday. During his stay, Chung is scheduled to hold a series of bilateral talks on the margins, with meetin

May 3, 2021

Top diplomats of S. Korea, US to hold bilateral talks at G7 session in London

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States are set to hold bilateral talks on the margins of a Group of Seven (G7) meeting in London on Monday, officials said, with their agenda likely to include a coordinated strategy on North Korea. Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, are scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. (London time) while they are in the British capital to attend the gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers, which will last through Wed

May 3, 2021

Moon offers condolences to Israel over deadly stampede

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday sent a letter of condolence to Israeli President Reuven Rivlin over last week's stampede tragedy at a religious festival that killed 45 people, his office said. "President Moon expressed words of prayer for the victims and condolences for the bereaved families, and hoped for an early recovery of the injured and a prompt management of the aftermath of the accident," Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Park Kyung-mee said in a statement. The deadly incident occ

May 2, 2021

FM Chung departs for London to attend G7 meeting

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong left for Britain on Sunday to attend a Group of Seven (G7) meeting for discussions on access to COVID-19 vaccines, climate change and other global issues. The first in-person gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers in over two years is slated to take place in London from Monday to Wednesday. Though not party to it, South Korea, Australia, India, South Africa and Brunei, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have been invited as guests

May 2, 2021

S. Korea mulls raising travel alert for India amid virus surges

South Korea could raise the travel alert for India amid a massive spike in COVID-19 cases in the country, the foreign ministry said Friday. The ministry is considering raising the alert by one notch to "red," recommending South Koreans leave India unless there are essential reasons, officials said. "We are closely watching the situation in India and reviewing measures and what we can do," an official said when asked about the possibility of raising the travel advisory. T

April 30, 2021

FM Chung to hold talks with US, British, Indian and EU counterparts at G7 gathering

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong will hold bilateral talks with his US, British, Indian and European Union counterparts on the margins of a Group of Seven (G7) session in London next week, his ministry said Friday. The first in-person gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers in over two years is set to take place from Monday to Wednesday. South Korea, Australia, India, South Africa and Brunei, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have been invited as guests to the me

April 30, 2021

Foreign ministry considering raising travel alert for India amid virus surges

The foreign ministry said Friday it is considering raising the travel alert for India amid a massive spike in COVID-19 cases in the country. The ministry is considering raising the alert by one notch to "red," recommending South Koreans leave India unless there are essential reasons, officials said. "We are closely watching the situation in India and reviewing measures and what we can do," an official said when asked about the possibility of raising the travel advisory. Th

April 30, 2021

Moon to hold first summit with Biden on May 21: Cheong Wa Dae

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in and US President Joe Biden will hold their first summit talks in Washington on May 21, the allies announced Friday. Moon is scheduled to visit the US capital for the one-on-one summit to be held at the White House at Biden's invitation, according to Chung Man-ho, senior Cheong Wa Dae secretary for public communication. He said the leaders' decision to hold an in-person summit despite the "difficult" situations attributable to the

April 30, 2021

S. Korea calls for speedy shipment of Pfizer vaccine from EU

South Korea's trade ministry said Thursday it has requested the European Union to continue to lend a hand for the stable shipment of COVID-19 vaccines made in the region without delay, as Seoul moves to speed up its inoculation program. Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee made the request to Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis of the European Commission, along with Belgium Foreign Minister Sophie Wilmes, during her two-day trip to Brussels from Wednesday to Thursday, according to the Ministry

April 29, 2021

FM Chung to attend G7 ministerial talks in London next week

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong will attend an in-person Group of Seven (G7) ministerial meeting in Britain next week to discuss access to COVID-19 vaccines, climate change and other global issues, a ministry official said Thursday. The first face-to-face gathering of G7 foreign and development ministers in over two years is set to take place in London from Monday to Wednesday. Though not party to the group, South Korea, Australia, India, South Africa and Brunei, the chair of the Association of

April 29, 2021

Biden pledges to work with allies to address NK threats through

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will work with allies to address threats from North Korea and Iran through "diplomacy" and "stern deterrence." Biden made the remark during his first address to a joint session of Congress, calling the nuclear programs of Pyongyang and Tehran "a serious threat to America's security and world security." "We are going to be working closely with our allies to address the threats posed by both of these countr

April 29, 2021

USTR says type of settlement between LG, SK is what US needs

The US Trade Representative (USTR) on Wednesday welcomed the recent settlement of a dispute between two South Korean electric vehicle battery makers as the type of trade policy the United States needs to create jobs and support innovation. Katherine Tai also said the settlement enhances US confidence in the two South Korean companies as suppliers. "The settlement is the type of trade policy I believe we need: it supports a larger strategy for creating jobs and investing in innovation and

April 29, 2021

US may consider waiving patents for COVID-19 vaccines: White House

The United States may consider waiving the intellectual property (IP) rights of its COVID-19 vaccines to help expedite global production, the White House said Tuesday, amid a global shortage of what many countries consider to be safer and more effective vaccines produced here in the US. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki, however, said no decision has been made. "We have to evaluate whether it's more effective to manufacture here and provide, supply to the world, or the IP waiver is an opt

April 28, 2021