Turkish PM promises to support Korean companies as if they're domestic firms

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim promised Wednesday to provide South Korean companies operating in his country with as much support as possible, saying his government will try to treat them as if they were domestic firms.Yildirim made the remark during a joint news conference after talks with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, where the two sides agreed to bolster cooperation in various infrastructure and other economic projects in Turkey."The Turkish government intends to lay the in

Dec. 6, 2017

Korea regrets Japan not taking promised follow-up measures after UNESCO listing

South Korea expressed regret on Tuesday over Japan not taking proper measures to commemorate the victims of its colonial-era forced labor as part of its promised follow-up action after some of its modern industrial facilities were listed as UNESCO heritage."The government expresses regret over the implementation report that Japan recently submitted as part of its follow-up measures on the world heritage listing of its modern industrial facilities," the foreign ministry said in a commentary issue

Dec. 5, 2017

S. Korea agrees to deal for sustainable Arctic fishing

South Korea has agreed to strike a deal with other countries to refrain from fishing in the rapidly warming Arctic Ocean until they have a better understanding of the marine life in the area, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday.(Yonhap)Five countries with Arctic shorelines -- the US, Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway -- and five other parties -- South Korea, China, Japan, Ireland and the EU -- have reached a draft agreement to prevent unregulated fishing in the high seas portion of the central

Dec. 1, 2017

Korea's top diplomat planning to make 1st visit to Japan this month

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is planning to make her first visit to Japan as Seoul's top diplomat later this month to discuss cooperation on reining in North Korean military threats and ways to resolve the countries' historical feud, diplomatic sources said Friday.Kang and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono discussed her possible visit during a telephone conversation two days earlier over North Korea's long-range missile launch, and agreed to have their ministries arrange detailed schedules

Dec. 1, 2017

S. Korean, Japanese foreign ministers have phone talks to discuss N.K. missile

South Korea and Japan's foreign ministers had a telephone conversation Wednesday to discuss North Korea's launch of a new, longer-range ballistic missile early in the day and how to respond to the provocation, the South Korean foreign ministry said.In the 20-minute conversation that began at 4:40 p.m., South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha expressed "deep concern"over the North's resumption of provocations despite repeated warnings from the international community. South Korean Foreign Mi

Nov. 29, 2017

Moon to hold summit with Sri Lankan leader

President Moon Jae-in will hold his first summit meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka on Wednesday, continuing his plans for strengthening ties with South Asian countries. Sirisena, who began his three-day state visit on Tuesday, is the third foreign leader to come to Seoul on a state visit since Moon took office in May.  President Maithripala Sirisena of Sri Lanka (center) arrives in South Korea on Tuesday. YonhapSirisena will be welcomed in an official ceremony at Cheong Wa

Nov. 28, 2017

Korea, Russia discuss advancing bilateral cooperation

South Korea and Russia have discussed ways to advance bilateral cooperation on a range of issues including the economy and high-level personnel exchange, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Yoon Soon-gu and Russian Vice Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov met during the 17th round of bilateral policy consultative conferences on Monday. The two officials noted the "accelerating development" of the bilateral relationship. Trade between the two c

Nov. 28, 2017

S. Korea, Russia agree to explore ways to deal with illegal immigrants

South Korea and Russia agreed to consider various ways to deal with a growing number of Russians illegally staying here, the foreign ministry said Friday.In an annual consular meeting in Seoul, the two agreed to explore necessary joint efforts, including establishing a hot line aimed at enhancing cooperation in the crackdown on illegal immigrants and brokers. The two kicked off the visa waiver program in January 2014, under which travelers are allowed to stay up to 60 days without a visa. Since

Nov. 24, 2017

'Gap exists between Seoul, Beijing over THAAD'

 　Despite the much-publicized deal to patch up ties, there still seems to be a “gap in understanding” between South Korea and China over the issue of a US advanced missile defense system deployed here, a Seoul’s senior foreign ministry official said on Friday. 　The official, who was present at a Wednesday meeting between South Korea’s Foreign Ministry Kang Kyung-hwa and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, said Beijing officials seemed to feel that they “gave up too much” to settle the dispute over

Nov. 24, 2017

Moon, head of Japan coalition party vow to improve S. Korea-Japan

President Moon Jae-in and the leader of a partner party of Japan's ruling coalition vowed Thursday to improve South Korea-Japan relationship and expand personnel exchanges, the presidential office said.Moon asked Natsuo Yamaguchi, head of the New Komeito, a partner in the ruling coalition with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, "to make efforts to widen human exchanges through various opportunities including the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics (in South Korea)," during their meeting earlier in the day,

Nov. 23, 2017

Leaders of Korea, Uzbekistan agree to bolster ties

President Moon Jae-in and Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev agreed to further develop the two countries’ future-oriented, strategic partnership during their summit talks in Seoul on Thursday.As Korea and Uzbekistan celebrate their 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, President Moon and President Mirziyoyev noted that the two nations have historically maintained a friendly relationship. “Uzbekistan warmly embraced Korean migrants who were forced to move there from the Far East 8

Nov. 23, 2017

Korea agrees to provide $2.5b worth of support to Uzbekistan

South Korea agreed Thursday to provide financial support worth up to $2.5 billion to Uzbekistan, including $500 million in official Economic Development Cooperation Fund loans, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.The pledge came as part of the economic cooperation agreements signed shortly after a bilateral summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who is currently visiting Seoul.Under the agreement, South Korea will provide $500 mill

Nov. 23, 2017

Korea, China agree to push for Moon's state visit to Beijing in Dec.

South Korea and China have agreed to push for President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Beijing next month as the two nations seek to mend ties frayed by the deployment of an American missile defense system, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.The agreement came as South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday in Beijing to fine-tune a summit between their leaders in December."Both sides shared the view that President Moon's visit to Ch

Nov. 23, 2017

Top diplomats of S. Korea, China hold talks

 BEIJING (Yonhap) -- The top diplomats of South Korea and China held talks on Wednesday during which they sought to mend ties ahead of an upcoming summit between their leaders. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for the talks with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. On Tuesday, Kang said that she and Wang will focus on fine-tuning preparations for the visit by South Korean President Moon Jae-in to Beijing next month.  Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha meets he

Nov. 22, 2017

Uzbek leader begins 4-day state visit

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan arrived in Seoul on Wednesday on a four-day state visit.The Uzbek president is set to hold his first summit meeting with Korea’s President Moon Jae-in. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan.The visit, Mirziyoyev’s first to Korea, marks the latest step in Moon Jae-in administration’s efforts to expand Seoul’s diplomatic horizonsMoon will host a welcome event on Thursday, which will be followed by summit meetings between the two sides. As with US Pre

Nov. 22, 2017

Uzbek President Mirziyoyev to address National Assembly during state visit this week

Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will deliver an address at South Korea's National Assembly a day after his summit with President Moon Jae-in this week and will receive an honorary Seoul citizenship, a presidential official said Tuesday.Mirziyoyev is scheduled to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday for a four-day state visit, the second foreign head of state to make a state visit to South Korea since Moon took office in May. The first was US President Donald Trump, who started a two-day visit

Nov. 21, 2017

Chinese delegation visits South Korea to explain outcome of party congress

A Chinese delegation arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for a three-day visit to meet with officials, politicians and experts, and explain the outcome of its recent party congress. The delegation is led by He Yiting, executive vice president of the Communist Party's top education institute."We intend to promote understanding of the main spirit of the 19th party congress by meeting mostly with people from political parties, media, the economy and think tanks, and seek cooperation between the two c

Nov. 21, 2017

[PyeongChang 2018] Korean vice foreign minister holds bilateral meetings at ASEM

South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam held talks with chief diplomats from Slovakia, Finland, Sweden and Mongolia on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe Meeting ministerial forum in Myanmar, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.In separate meetings with the four officials in Naypyidaw on Monday, Lim agreed to closely cooperate on North Korea's military threat, the economy and other bilateral issues. "With the ministers, Vice Minister Lim shared our assessment of the security situation of the

Nov. 21, 2017

Foreign ministers of S. Korea, China to hold meeting this week

SEOUL/BEIJING -- South Korea's top diplomat will hold a meeting with her Chinese counterpart this week to make preparations for an upcoming summit between their countries' leaders and discuss other issues of mutual concern, her office said Monday.Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will leave for Beijing on Tuesday to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, according to the ministry. They will discuss preparations for the visit by South Korean President Moon Jae-in t

Nov. 20, 2017

China to send delegation to Korea to explain outcome of party congress

A Chinese delegation will visit South Korea next week to explain the outcome of its recent party congress, the Chinese Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday.The delegation led by He Yiting, executive vice president of the Communist Party's top education institute, will arrive in Seoul on Tuesday for a three-day stay, according to the embassy. He Yiting (Yonhap)The delegation's trip to Seoul is intended to share the outcome of the 19th party congress. Exactly who it will meet here has yet to be confirm

Nov. 15, 2017