S. Korea protests Japan’s Dokdo claim

South Korea on Tuesday condemned Japan’s repeated claim to the Dokdo islets in a foreign policy document presented to its cabinet, rekindling territorial and historical tensions between the two countries.　The Japanese government described the islets as “indigenous Japanese territory” in this year’s foreign policy document, known as the Diplomatic Bluebook, reported to its cabinet earlier in the day. 　Seoul’s Foreign Ministry urged Tokyo to immediately retract its claim over the ownership of Dokd

May 15, 2018

South Korea, Singapore pledge joint efforts for successful US-NK summit

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Singapore vowed Monday to work together to support the upcoming summit between the United States and North Korea in the Southeast Asian country, Seoul's ministry said. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Yonhap)South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan held phone talks ahead of the June 12 summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.The ministers shared the view that the

May 14, 2018

[Newsmaker] 'North Korea's CVID impossible' says former NK diplomat

A complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of North Korea is impossible, unless the regime collapses or changes, a former senior North Korean diplomat said Monday. Given the North’s political system that idolizes its leader, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will never give up the country’s nuclear arsenal, and the only option for the rest of the world is to accept North Korea disguising itself as nuclear-free nation, said Thae Yong-ho, North Korea’s former deputy ambassador to the U

May 14, 2018

Did US promise ‘economic rewards’ to NK?

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s mention of “prosperity” for North Korea if it ends its nuclear weapons programs may hint at economic rewards for the cash-strapped regime.  　Pompeo said Friday that his talks with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang had been “warm,” “constructive” and “good,” and he made clear that if North Korea dismantles its nuclear weapons in a permanent and verifiable way, the US would be willing to help boost the North’s economy.　“If North Korea takes bold action to quickly denucle

May 13, 2018

Foreign minister Kang to meet Pompeo in Washington

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is set to hold talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday in Washington, D.C., ahead of the historic summit between North Korea and the US, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, left, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (AP)During the meeting, the countries’ top diplomats will exchange views on the outcome of the April 27 inter-Korean summit, ways to enhance policy coordination on achieving den

May 10, 2018

[Newsmaker] Behind Kim Jong-un’s trip to China: NK seeks to involve China in peace push

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s visit to China for the second time in less than two months signals Pyongyang’s desire for Beijing’s involvement in the denuclearization process ahead of his summit with US President Donald Trump, experts say. 　The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed Tuesday that Kim met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday and Tuesday in the northeastern Chinese city of Dailan, where he reiterated his commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. 　The summit might

May 9, 2018

N. Korea's Kim, China's Xi hold 2nd summit in northern China

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their second summit in about 40 days in northeast China, the two nations' state media reported Tuesday, ahead of an anticipated summit between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump. In a dispatch from the Chinese city of Dalian, China's Xinhua news agency reported that Kim and Xi held talks on Monday and Tuesday. The second summit between Kim and Xi appears to highlight efforts by the allies to restore ties that have been chille

May 8, 2018

Another Chinese city reopens group tours to South Korea: sources

A major Chinese city on Saturday lifted its suspension of package tour programs to South Korea, which was imposed amid a diplomatic feud between the two countries, sources said.   The Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism held a regional meeting in the southwestern city of Chongqing earlier in the day and approved the move, according to the sources here.   Last week, Wuhan, the sprawling capital of the Hubei province, became the first Chinese city to reopen tour package programs to South Korea

May 7, 2018

Moon, Trump to discuss NK at May 22 summit

President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump will hold a summit meeting in Washington D.C. on May 22.According to Cheong Wa Dae and White House the two leaders will discuss issues surrounding North Korea including Trump’s planned meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. "President Trum and President Moon will continue their close coordination on developments regarding the Korean Peninsula following the April 27 inter-Korean summit," the White House said in a statement."The two leader

May 5, 2018

Bolton slams report on U.S. troop reduction as 'utter nonsense'

US President Donald Trump has not asked the Pentagon to consider reducing troops stationed in South Korea, his top national security aide said Friday, dismissing a news report on the alleged order.US National Security Adviser John Bolton slammed as "utter nonsense" the New York Times report that came just weeks ahead of a high-stakes meeting between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. John Bolton (Yonhap)"The New York Times story is utter nonsense," he said in a statement released by his

May 4, 2018

Seoul dismisses possible reduction of US troops in S. Korea

South Korea’s presidential office on Friday rejected reports that the US may scale down its military presence in South Korea, amid controversy over a possible withdrawal of US troops. 　The New York Times reported Thursday that US President Donald Trump told the Pentagon to “prepare options for drawing down American troops in South Korea” just weeks before his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. US Armed Forces Korea (Yonhap)According to Cheong Wa Dae, however, Seoul’s National Security

May 4, 2018

Complex calculations over signing peace treaty

The presidential office on Wednesday signaled its intention to declare an end to the Korean War with North Korea and the US, and involve China when signing a peace treaty, making clearer its roadmap to building a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. “Realistically, we have a North Korean nuclear issue and it is difficult to replace an armistice with a peace treaty right away, so there could be a declaration of end to the Korean War as a middle step,” an official from the presidential office tol

May 2, 2018

S. Korea, Turkey agree to enhance ties, boost cooperation

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey agreed on Wednesday to enhance their countries' cooperation in trade, education, technology and various other sectors, including the defense industry."At the summit, the two leaders noted the strategic partnership between the two brother nations, which is historically and culturally special, will further strengthen and develop into a future-oriented relationship on the occasion of President Erdogan's visit to South K

May 2, 2018

Korea, Turkey discuss ways to step up economic cooperation

Business leaders and government officials from South Korea and Turkey gathered in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation in various fields, including infrastructure development and innovative technologies, the event's organizer said.A 150-member Turkish delegation visited South Korea to attend a business forum hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industries to explore new trade and business opportunities.South Korea and Turkey implemented a free trade agreement

May 2, 2018

Moon continues diplomatic push ahead of US-NK meeting

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is set to engage in a flurry of diplomacy this month as he tries to maintain the momentum of the inter-Korean summit until the US-North Korea talks which are expected to take place in May. Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)The first order of business is the trilateral talks among South Korea, China and Japan, scheduled to be held in Tokyo on May 9, where Moon will brief Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the outcome of the inter-Korean summi

May 1, 2018

Korea, Philippines vow close military ties

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the Philippines agreed Monday to move forward security and defense industry cooperation between the two countries, according to Seoul's Ministry of National Defense.Filipino Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana came to Korea to attend the steel cutting ceremony for two frigates the Southeast Asian country has ordered.Defense Minister Song Young-moo briefed him on the outcome of the inter-Korean summit talks last week. South Korean Defense Minister Song Youn

April 30, 2018

Expectations grow for North Korea-US summit

After South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un confirmed their commitment to the “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the ball is now in the court of US President Donald Trump, who is planning to meet Kim in the coming weeks.  　In what is seen as another bold step by the North Korean leader, Kim pledged to shut down the North’s nuclear site in Punggye-ri in May and “transparently” demonstrate the process to the international community during the summ

April 29, 2018

Foreign ministry names Samsung executive as new ambassador to Vietnam

South Korea appointed a Samsung Electronics executive as its new ambassador to Vietnam on Sunday as part of a reshuffle of 19 ambassadors and four consul generals.Kim Do-hyun, an executive of Samsung Electronics and former diplomat, was named to Seoul's chief envoy to Vietnam.Paik Ji-ah, president of the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, was appointed to head the country's Permanent Mission to the UN Secretariat and International Organizations in Geneva. It is the first time fo

April 29, 2018

S. Korea summons Chinese diplomats over violation of air defense zone

Seoul called in China's ambassador on Saturday after a Chinese military plane violated South Korea's air defense identification zone, officials said.South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Yoon Soon-gu summoned Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong and called for Beijing to come up with measures to prevent such a violation from happening again, ministry officials said.Separately, the Defense Ministry said it called in Du Nongyi, military attache of the Chinese embassy in Seoul, and lodged a stern protest

April 28, 2018

Trump says he has a responsibility to end Korean conflict

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Donald Trump claimed credit Friday for a historic inter-Korean summit, but now faces a burden in helping turn the Korean leaders‘ bold but vague vision for peace into reality after more than six decades of hostility.　 　Trump must contend with two nagging suspicions: first about his own suitability to conduct that kind of war-and-peace negotiation and succeed where his predecessors have failed; secondly, whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un really is willing to giv

April 28, 2018