Ministry lodges protest over Iranian envoy's reported mention of possible end of Seoul-Tehran ties

The foreign ministry has called in Iran's top envoy in South Korea to lodge a protest over his reported remarks hinting at the possibility that Tehran could sever ties with Seoul should it send troops to the tense Strait of Hormuz, an official said Saturday.On Friday, the ministry brought in Iranian Ambassador to South Korea Saeed Badamchi Shabestari and checked if he made the remarks as reported in the local daily Joong-Ang Ilbo on the day, according to the official.The ambassador reportedly to

Jan. 11, 2020

US Senate unanimously adopts resolution on importance of alliance with S. Korea

The United States Senate unanimously adopted a resolution this week recognizing the importance of the US alliance with South Korea, Congress' website showed Friday.The resolution, introduced in April by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, passed the Senate by unanimous consent on Wednesday.It notes that the two countries "enjoy a comprehensive alliance partnership, founded in shared strategic interests and cemented by a commitment to democratic values." It also praises the contributions o

Jan. 11, 2020

S. Korea asks China for info on virus suspected of causing pneumonia-like illness

South Korea's public safety and health agency on Friday asked China to provide information on the new type of coronavirus that is suspected of having caused pneumonia-like illness in recent weeks.The request comes two days after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the country's first suspected case of the illness that has caused alarm in China for weeks.A 36 year-old Chinese woman, who visited the city of Wuhan in China's Hubei Province last month, reportedly showed sym

Jan. 10, 2020

Moon’s security adviser meets Trump, US and Japanese counterparts

Chung Eui-yong, chief of the Cheong Wa Dae National Security Office, met with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday amid tensions over North Korea and Iran.　Trump briefly met with Chung and his Japanese counterpart, Shigeru Kitamura, and noted that the two countries are among the strongest US allies in the Indo-Pacific, according to a White House readout sent late Wednesday.Chung had visite the US to meet with his Japanese and US counterparts.   Upon his return

Jan. 10, 2020

Foreign minister vows to put citizens, national interest first

South Korea’s top diplomat vowed to put citizens and the national interest first in dealing with a range of security issues, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “Since the beginning of the year, it has been a whirlwind. Due to the tension in the Middle East, I think it will be a busy year ahead,” Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters Thursday at a New Year’s press event in Seoul. “The Foreign Ministry has been proactive in response to th

Jan. 10, 2020

FM says US, Korea could differ on troop dispatch to Strait of Hormuz

South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday that Seoul has so far made no decision on the US request to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz, adding that its stance might differ from Washington’s. “I think the US position and ours may not necessarily be the same, when it comes to our analysis of the situation and considering our bilateral relationships with the countries in the Middle East,” Kang told a plenary session of the National Assembly’s

Jan. 9, 2020

Top diplomats of S. Korea, US to hold talks in San Francisco next week

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States will hold talks in San Francisco next week to discuss peace efforts with North Korea, tensions in the Middle East and the bilateral alliance, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her US counterpart Mike Pompeo were set to meet Tuesday, the ministry said, as Seoul and Washington face a set of tricky issues, including tense defense cost-sharing negotiations. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi is a

Jan. 9, 2020

US cites progress in defense cost-sharing talks with S. Korea

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States have made progress in their negotiations on sharing the costs for the stationing of American troops on the peninsula, a senior US official said Wednesday, with the two sides expected to resume talks as early as next week.Washington initially demanded a fivefold increase in Seoul's annual contribution to the upkeep of the 28,500 troops to nearly $5 billion. After strong resistance from Seoul, the allies have reportedly reached a compromise of sorts

Jan. 9, 2020

FM, envoys discuss measures to ensure safety of S.Koreans in Middle East

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha instructed the ministry and ambassadors to Middle Eastern countries Wednesday to take active measures to ensure the safety of South Koreans in the region amid sharply rising tensions in the wake of Iran's missile attacks on American forces in Iraq.Fear of a full-blown war is rising in the region as Iran fired over a dozen ballistic missiles against at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US-led coalition personnel early Wednesday in retaliation for last week's U

Jan. 8, 2020

Seoul to work with Tokyo to resolve forced labor issue

Seoul’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday that it is willing to work with Japan to find a solution to the issue of compensation for victims of wartime forced labor, after Korean and Japanese lawyers proposed establishing a consultative body to support victims. 　“The government is open to discussing various reasonable solutions on the issue of forced labor, while respecting the decision of the judiciary, and considering the rights of victims and the bilateral relationship bet

Jan. 8, 2020

S. Korea closely watching Middle East developments after Iran’s rocket attack

South Korea has been closely watching developments in the Middle East after Iran launched strikes on US troops in Iraq, while preparing for measures to ensure the safety of its troops and citizens in the region, officials said Wednesday.Early Wednesday, Iran fired missiles targeting two Iraqi bases that house US troops in retaliation for the US airstrike last week that killed a top Iranian general.“We have been exchanging related information with the US defense department,” a Ministr

Jan. 8, 2020

US ambassador hopes Seoul sends troops to Strait of Hormuz

US ambassador to South Korea said Tuesday that he hopes Seoul sends forces to the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have escalated since the US killing of a top Iranian commander last week.“I would hope that Korea will send forces out there,” Amb. Harry Harris said in an interview with broadcaster KBS, adding that South Korea gets so much of its energy from the Middle East.More than 70 percent of South Korea’s crude oil imports are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.Qassem Sol

Jan. 8, 2020

S. Korea co-chairs NATO-run fund for Afghanistan security forces

South Korea has become a co-chair of the board of a NATO-run international fund to help bolster Afghan security forces, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.South Korea started its one-year term on Monday on the board of the Afghan National Army Trust Fund, according to the ministry. The board monitors and reviews the fund's cost effectiveness, financial integrity and accountability. A co-chair convenes an annual plenary session of the board in the second quarter, together with the se

Jan. 7, 2020

Moon's top security adviser to visit US, hold 3-way talks with Japan

WASHINGTON -- President Moon Jae-in's top security adviser plans to visit Washington this week for three-way consultations with Japan following renewed threats from North Korea, diplomatic sources said Monday.Chung Eui-yong, director of Cheong Wa Dae's national security office, is scheduled to arrived in the US capital Tuesday and meet the following day with his American and Japanese counterparts -- Robert O'Brien and Shigeru Kitamura, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity

Jan. 7, 2020

S. Korean ambassador asks Trump to continue to show leadership on NK nuclear issue

WASHINGTON -- South Korean Ambassador to the United States Lee Soo-hyuck asked US President Donald Trump on Monday to continue to show leadership on the North Korean nuclear issue and Trump said in response that he would do so, his embassy said.Lee made the request during a White House ceremony to present his credentials to Trump, the embassy said in a press release. Lee was among six new ambassadors to present credentials, including those from East Timor, Thailand and Austria. "Ambassador

Jan. 7, 2020

What Iran crisis could mean for N. Korea

Amid escalated tensions between the US and Iran, experts are mixed on how the situation in the Middle East will impact Washington’s military standoff with Pyongyang.  　North Korea’s state-run Korea Central News Agency on Monday ran its first report on the recent US killing of Qassem Soleimani, Iran’s top military general, four days after the incident. 　It said Soleimani was killed in a US missile attack in an airfield in Baghdad and quoted a phone conversation between Chin

Jan. 6, 2020

S. Korea vows 'swift responses' to Middle East contingencies: defense ministry

South Korea vowed Monday to work closely with the international community to swiftly respond to any contingencies related to the safety of its people in the Middle East amid simmering tensions between the United States and Iran.  Fears have grown over imminent military conflicts between the US and Iran after top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike last week. Iran has warned of severe revenge for the attack, and even pledged to abandon the 2015 nu

Jan. 6, 2020

Seoul officials on alert over heightened risk of US-Iran conflict

Seoul officials said Sunday they were cautiously watching escalating tensions between the US and Iran and staying vigilant about the possible repercussions here. 　　The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a task force to evaluate the current situation in the Middle East and to discuss measures to protect Koreans living in the area, the officials said. 　On Friday, the US confirmed that President Donald Trump had ordered the airstrike that killed Qassem Soleimani -- the head of Iran’s el

Jan. 5, 2020

S. Korea, US agree on strengthening strategic cooperation: deputy FM

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States agree on the need to strengthen strategic cooperation as they jointly deal with issues on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, a Seoul official said Friday.Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gunn was in Washington to meet with his counterpart, US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell, after the former took office last month. He told reporters following the meeting that the two sides held in-depth discussions on

Jan. 4, 2020

FM Kang voices hopes for 'big' step in 2020 toward 'genuine' peace on peninsula

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday expressed hopes for a "big" step in the new year toward establishing "genuine" peace on the Korean Peninsula, despite growing skepticism over the stalemated nuclear talks with North Korea.Kang made the remarks during her ministry's kick-off meeting for 2020, pointing to the continued momentum for dialogue with Pyongyang as a result of "perseverance" despite diplomatic challenges from home and abroad."This year's task

Jan. 2, 2020