Seoul believes US won't unilaterally act against North without 'cooperation' with ally

South Korea's defense ministry said Tuesday the Donald Trump administration won't take any substantive military action against North Korea without "close cooperation" with Seoul.It cited the spirit of the bilateral alliance that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War."(Such a military operation, if any,) will be conducted under the robust South Korea-US combined defense posture based on their close cooperation," the ministry's spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said at a press briefing.South Korean Defense

April 11, 2017

N. Korea, Syria vow close ties amid US missile attack

North Korea and Syria have reaffirmed efforts to step up relations in their recent exchanges of congratulatory messages on key anniversaries as the recent US strike at a Syrian air base alarmed the countries.North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent two congratulatory messages to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the occasions of the 105th birthday of national founder Kim Il-sung and the 5th anniversary of the current leader's elec

April 11, 2017

Hwang urges 'calm, consistency' amid concerns over NK provocations

South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday urged "calm and consistency" amid growing concerns that North Korea could stage provocations in time for its key political events this month.During a Cabinet meeting, Hwang also stressed the need to strengthen the country's vigilance posture against the North "based on the South Korea-US security alliance."Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (3rd from R) speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the central governm

April 11, 2017

S. Korea, US, Japan arrange meeting to discuss NK issue

South Korea, the United States and Japan are arranging a meeting to coordinate their joint response toward North Korea's nuclear and missile threats amid growing concerns that Pyongyang might carry out a major provocation, a foreign ministry official here said Tuesday.A Japanese media report said earlier that top nuclear envoys of the three countries are planning to hold a trilateral meeting in Tokyo later this month, citing multiple government officials.  Kim Hong-kyun (L), South Korea's chief

April 11, 2017

Chun Doo-hwan said a few nukes enough to induce NK to talks: diplomatic dossier

In the mid-1980s, then South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan said that owning only a few nuclear weapons could be enough to induce North Korea to talks aimed at easing growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, declassified diplomatic documents showed Tuesday.Chun made the remarks in his meeting with Edward Rowny who came to Seoul on Oct. 15, 1986, as a USenvoy. Rowny made a visit to brief the Seoul government on Washington's arms reduction negotiations with Moscow, according to the documents.Form

April 11, 2017

US congressman calls for shooting down NK ICBM

WASHINGTON -- The United States should be prepared to shoot down a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile in the event the communist regime test-fires one as threatened, a US congressman said Monday.Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) made the remark in an interview with CNN as tensions on the Korean Peninsula are running high with the US sending an aircraft carrier strike group to the waters off the divided peninsula to guard against North Korean provocations."That battle carrier group has been in t

April 11, 2017

US senator calls for post-Kim Jong-un plan

WASHINGTON -- The United States should work with South Korea, Japan and China to come up with a plan for what would happen in North Korea after the fall of Korean leader Kim Jong-un, a US senator said Monday."There is a question of who would follow him (Kim Jong-un), and in the conversations I've had with experts on North Korea I don't think anybody has that answer," Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."(Yonha

April 11, 2017

Korea, China warn of strong response to N. Korea nuke, ICBM tests

South Korea and China agreed on Monday to take strong new measures in line with UN resolutions if North Korea conducts new nuclear and missile tests, a Seoul official said.The warning came after chief negotiators on the North's nuclear program from the two countries met in Seoul amid growing concerns that the North may carry out its sixth nuclear test and launch an intercontinental ballistic missile this month.(Yonhap)"Both the South Korean and Chinese sides shared the urgency and gravity of the

April 10, 2017

French School of Seoul refashioned

Building on years of collaboration between French and Korean institutions and companies, the French School of Seoul in Seorae Village will be revamped and enlarged through renovation that kicked off Friday.The school, which includes a kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school, provides education in the French language. It was originally located in Hannam-dong, Seoul, and moved to the current location in 1985. The construction is expected to be completed by September 2018.“The additional c

April 10, 2017

Austria rings sounds of music, innovation, dynamism

Despite being far away from each other, Austrians and Koreans are kindred spirits sharing unusual passions for the arts, culture and nature, says Ambassador Elisabeth Bertagnoli. Although typically identified as Europe’s crown jewel of art, music and sightseeing, Austria is as much about cutting-edge technology and innovation as Amadeus Mozart or Gustav Klimt, the country’s top envoy to Korea wants people to know. Marking the 125th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations this year, the Ger

April 10, 2017

Japan envoy meets vice foreign minister amid girl statue controversy

Japan's top envoy here met with a senior foreign ministry official on Monday apparently to demand that Seoul fully implement a 2015 deal aimed at resolving a rift over Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, the foreign ministry said.Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine had a closed-door meeting, according to the ministry.Nagamine returned to Seoul from Japan on Tuesday following an almost three-month absence.Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine (Yo

April 10, 2017

Unification minister negative about pre-emptive US strike on NK

South Korea's unification minister on Monday expressed a negative view about the United States' possible pre-emptive strike against North Korea, citing its influence on South Koreans' safety and security.Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo made the remarks amid reports that the US is reviewing "a full range of options" to the nuclear and missile threats North Korea poses to Washington and its allies.The minister said that the government cannot help taking into account repercussions of Washington'

April 10, 2017

China's nuke envoy embarks on S. Korea trip to discuss N. Korea issue

China's top nuclear envoy arrived in Seoul on Monday to discuss the growing threats from North Korea's missile and nuclear capabilities. Wu Dawei landed at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, for a four- or five-day trip. Upon arrival, he didn't respond to reporters asking for comments, only saying, "Thank you." China’s top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei arrives at Incheon International Airport on Monday for a five-day visit to discuss North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs. (Yonhap)He is

April 10, 2017

S. Korea plays down possibility of pre-emptive US attack on N. Korea

South Korea played down the possibility of a pre-emptive US attack on North Korea on Monday, saying it wants to settle North Korea's nuclear issue peacefully, and the US supports that position."There's no need to be worried much," Lee Duck-hang, spokesman at the Ministry of Unification, said on the prospect of any pre-emptive US attack on Pyongyang during a press briefing.  Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Duck-hang (Yonhap)"The US has said it supports South Korea's policy on North Korea, and

April 10, 2017

Korea hails results of Trump-Xi talks

South Korea on Friday lauded the summit agreement between the US and Chinese leaders to work closely together to convince North Korea to curb its nuclear program."We assess that they were relatively successful talks that laid the groundwork for cooperation between the two leaders and the development of the US-China relationship," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, referring to the talks between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson Cho June-hyuck (Yonhap)In t

April 9, 2017

China's nuke envoy to visit Korea to discuss cooperation, meet presidential hopefuls

China's top nuclear envoy will visit South Korea this week to discuss North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and also meet with presidential candidates to get a glimpse into the policy direction going forward, diplomatic sources said Sunday. Wu Dawei will come to Seoul on Monday for a five-day stay during which he plans to meet his South Korean counterpart Kim Hong-kyun and discuss their cooperation against the North's repeated provocations including a possible nuclear test, according to the

April 9, 2017

Trump stresses alliance with Seoul, NK nukes during summit with Xi: Hwang's office

US President Donald Trump stressed the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance and held in-depth talks over North Korea's nuclear problems during his summit with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the office of South Korea's acting leader said Saturday.Trump made the remarks during his 20-minute phone conversation with Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn which started at around 7:20 a.m. after his first summit with Xi.(Yonhap)"(Trump told Hwang) that there were in-depth discussion

April 8, 2017

Trump kicks off crucial first meetings with China's Xi

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) – US President Donald Trump greeted Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, kicking off a series of crucial first meetings where he plans to focus on reducing the trade deficit with the world's No. 2 economy and getting Beijing to exercise genuine pressure on North Korea.Trump and the first lady Melania Trump welcomed Xi and Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan as they arrived at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in a black limousine around 5:10 p.m. A military guard lined the

April 7, 2017

Pence to visit Seoul from April 16-18

US Vice President Mike Pence plans to visit South Korea later this month as part of his Asia tour, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday, as the two countries are seeking to step up cooperation amid North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats. Pence will arrive on April 16 for a three-day stay, during which he will meet with acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and other key Seoul officials. His detailed schedule is still in the making, ministry officials said. US Vice President Mike Pence spe

April 7, 2017