Korea-US summit to mark new diplomatic milestone for Biden: US official

The upcoming summit between President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, will mark another diplomatic milestone for the US president, a senior US official said Tuesday, highlighting the emphasis the Biden administration places on US alliances. "We have a few upcoming milestones that are worth noting. We have the visit, next bilateral in-person visit with the Republic of Korea," the US administration official said in a telephonic press conference, requesting anony

April 28, 2021

US-S. Korea alliance must begin with respect, understanding: Moon's aide

A new South Korea-US alliance must begin with increased understanding and mutual respect, a close ally of South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday, insisting the United States must understand why Seoul has no choice but to be patient and seek to peacefully denuclearize North Korea. "One of the key things the 'returned America' should be different in is that an alliance must begin faithfully from values that both sides must respect as allies," Yang Jung-chul said in a paper post

April 28, 2021

Govt. holds preparatory meeting for P4G summit

The government held a meeting Tuesday to discuss preparations for an international summit on climate change and sustainable development, which South Korea will host late next month. Officials from the foreign, environment, finance and trade ministries and other agencies attended the sixth preparatory session for the Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals summit to be held virtually from May 30-31, the foreign ministry said. In the meeting, Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong underscored

April 27, 2021

‘Japan’s NRA should share information transparently, promptly’ on wastewater release

Japan announced on April 13 that it will release the contaminated water that has been stored at the Fukushima nuclear power station site into the ocean. Soon after the announcement, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, the nuclear regulatory agency of Korea, expressed strong concern together with other ministries, including the Office for Government Policy Coordination, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, and

April 27, 2021

Seoul protests Japan’s renewed Dokdo claims

The Foreign Ministry called in a Japanese diplomat Tuesday to protest Tokyo’s renewed territorial claims over South Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo in its annual foreign policy paper. The 2021 diplomatic blue book, an analysis of last year’s international affairs and record of Japan’s diplomatic activities, was the first issued under Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, who took office in September. The ministry expressed regret to Hirohisa Soma, deputy chief of

April 27, 2021

Trilateral cooperation with China, Japan at crossroads of 'leap or stagnation': vice FM

Trilateral cooperation among South Korea, China and Japan is at a "crossroads between a leap or stagnation," Second Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-moon said Tuesday, hoping that the neighboring countries will work together to move their relationships forward. Choi made the remark during an event to mark the founding of the Seoul-based Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat set up by the three countries to facilitate cooperation in a region long plagued by tensions over history and other

April 27, 2021

FM offers condolences over Indonesia's submarine sinking

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong offered condolences to the families of the crew members killed in last week's deadly sinking of an Indonesian submarine off the island of Bali, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The Indonesian submarine KRI Nanggala 402 with 53 people on aboard went missing last week while conducting a training exercise.Its military on Sunday declared all 53 crew members dead after it found its wreckage broken into three pieces at the bottom of the sea. "Foreign Minister

April 27, 2021

US to provide up to 10m AstraZeneca vaccine doses to other countries in coming weeks: White House

WASHINGTON --  The United States is expected to provide up to 10 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to other countries in the coming weeks if and when the US Food Drug Administration (FDA) confirms its safety, the White House said Monday. Spokesperson Jen Psaki made the remark as South Korea and other countries have been calling for US help in addressing vaccine shortages. South Korean officials said they were trying to reach a "vaccine swap" deal with the US. "

April 27, 2021

US support for India strictly humanitarian: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States' support for India to deal with its latest spike in the COVID-19 outbreak is strictly based on humanitarian and health considerations, a State Department spokesman said Monday, dismissing views that the US may be choosing to help India over others for political reasons. Ned Price also argued the US support for India largely aims to contain the virus from further affecting the United States and other countries. "It certainly goes without saying that India is

April 27, 2021

Belgian ambassador says wife will soon turn up for police probe over assault incident

Belgian Ambassador to Seoul Peter Lescouhier on Monday notified government officials here that his wife will soon turn up to face a police investigation over an assault incident. Police have been looking into allegations that Lescouhier's wife slapped an apparel store employee in the face and another employee in the back of her head early this month. The employees had asked the wife if she paid for the clothes she was wearing at the time because the shop was selling the same apparel. The ambas

April 26, 2021

S. Korea welcomes ASEAN leaders' call for end to Myanmar violence

South Korea on Monday welcomed the joint statement by Southeast Asian leaders that called for an end to violence in Myanmar and pursuit of a peaceful solution. Nine of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued the statement under the name of its secretary general after a summit in Indonesia, demanding its member Myanmar immediately end civilian killings that began after its military seized power in a coup in early February. The statement came as Myanmar's military leader Seni

April 26, 2021

S. Korea to partially lift ban on UK flights from May

South Korea will lift a ban on direct flights from Britain on a limited basis from next month for the convenience of Korean residents living in the European nation, the transport ministry said Monday. South Korea has banned passenger flights arriving from Britain since Dec. 23 to block a more transmissible virus variant that was first identified there. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it will allow one direct flight a week by South Korea's two full-service carriers from

April 26, 2021

Pope expresses willingness to visit N. Korea

VATICAN -- Pope Francis has expressed his willingness again to visit North Korea as he sympathized with the Korean people long separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, a senior South Korean bishop said Monday. The pope made the remarks during a meeting in the Vatican with Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Daejeon diocese, saying the Korean people have been suffering the pain of living separated for 70 years, the bishop told Yonhap News Agency. The pope said he will visit North Korea if relevant

April 26, 2021

[Weekender] Seoul faces tough road ahead to stop Fukushima wastewater release

Since the Japanese government announced plans to dispose of radioactive wastewater from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant by releasing it into the sea, Seoul is scrambling to stop it from happening. At the very least, it wants Tokyo to provide transparent information to the international community. South Korea, Japan’s closest neighbor, views the discharge of more than 1 million tons of contaminated water as a threat to its people and the surrounding marine environment. Even though

April 24, 2021

S. Korea, Mexico share concerns about Japan's Fukushima decision

South Korea and Mexico shared concerns about Japan's planned release of contaminated water from its wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant during a vice ministerial meeting, the foreign ministry here said Saturday. South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun, who is now on a nine-day trip to Latin America, met with Carmen Moreno Toscano, Mexico's undersecretary of Foreign Relations, in Mexico on Friday (local time) to discuss the Fukushima and other issues, the ministry said. At the talk

April 24, 2021

Foreign ministry denies reports linking vaccine cooperation with US to Quad participation

The foreign ministry on Friday denied media reports speculating that South Korea was not included on the US list of potential foreign vaccine support because it has taken a negative stance about joining the US-led Quad forum. Major local dailies carried such reports, quoting the remarks by US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday (local time) that the US is willing to help other countries with vaccine supplies but it is more focused right now on first containing the disease dome

April 23, 2021

S. Korea, Central American countries express 'deep concerns' over ocean discharge of harmful materials

South Korea and eight Central American countries have adopted a joint statement expressing "deep concerns" over a massive discharge of contaminated materials into the ocean, calling for a collective response for marine safety, the foreign ministry said Friday. The statement was adopted at the vice-ministerial consultative dialogue between South Korea and the members of the Central American Integration System, or SICA in Spanish, that was held in Costa Rica on Thursday (local time).

April 23, 2021

US Senate passes 'Hate Crimes Act' in overwhelming vote

WASHINGTON -- The US Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at curbing a recent increase in hate crimes targeting Asian-American communities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate voted 94-1 to pass the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, which, if enacted, would allow expedited federal government investigation on COVID-19 related hate crimes that are increasingly targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Vice President Kamala Harris has partly attributed the recent increase in ant

April 23, 2021

US welcomes S. Korea's new climate commitment as important action

WASHINGTON -- A US State Department spokesman on Thursday welcomed South Korea's new climate change commitment as one of important actions taken by countries at the ongoing climate summit that will help meet global goals. Ned Price made the remark after South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in the virtual summit that his country will officially stop financing overseas coal power projects. "We saw a variety of other announcements today about the increasing scope and pace of actions

April 23, 2021

Biden remarks pour cold water on Seoul’s ‘vaccine swap’ idea

South Korea’s hopes of procuring COVID-19 vaccines through a swap arrangement with the US are facing a roadblock, as Washington ruled out sending vaccines overseas until it secures adequate supplies at home.  US President Joe Biden made the remarks Wednesday, days after Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong revealed at a parliamentary session that Seoul was seriously discussing a “vaccine swap” arrangement with Washington as Korea scrambled to address its vaccine shorta

April 22, 2021