S. Korea joins Ukraine donor coordination plaform

South Korea has joined the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine as a member country on Wednesday along with the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden to contribute to the post-war reconstruction of the country at war with Russia, the presidential office said on Thursday. The new membership was confirmed during the meeting of the MDCP's steering committee held virtually Wednesday. Denmark, Spain, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland also joined the platform as observers. Before th

Feb. 15, 2024

All eyes on N. Korea's reaction over S. Korea's establishment of diplomatic ties with Cuba

North Korea has given no reaction yet to South Korea's establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba, but the surprise announcement is a blow to Pyongyang that has long boasted brotherly ties with the Caribbean nation. South Korea forged diplomatic ties with Cuba on Wednesday, making Cuba the 193rd country that South Korea has built diplomatic relations with. That came 65 years after Cuba cut off bilateral exchanges with Seoul following Fidel Castro's seizing of power in a 1959 revol

Feb. 15, 2024

NSC 'fundamentally engaged' in S. Korea-US nuclear deterrence body: Sullivan

The US National Security Council remains "fundamentally engaged" in a key South Korea-US nuclear deterrence dialogue platform, its top security official said Wednesday, as the two countries' defense authorities are now tasked with leading the body. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made the remarks after senior defense officials from Seoul and Washington signed a framework document Monday to task Seoul's defense ministry and the Pentagon to lead the Nuclear Consultative

Feb. 15, 2024

Yoon delays trips to Germany, Denmark

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has postponed his scheduled overseas trip to Germany and Denmark, according to Yoon's office on Wednesday. The presidential office had initially prepared for a week-long trip to the two European countries beginning on Sunday. Detailed schedules were being coordinated with each country. However, after careful consideration, the presidential office has reportedly decided to postpone the trip. Yoon's office, however, did not provide further details or

Feb. 14, 2024

S. Korea open to Japan joining nuclear consultative group: ex-security advisor

South Korea is "open-minded" about expanding the existing bilateral nuclear consultative group with the United States to a trilateral framework including Japan, a former South Korean national security advisor said Monday. Kim Sung-han, President Yoon Suk Yeol's former top national security advisor from 2022 to 2023, acknowledged that during his tenure, he had the opportunity to discuss the idea of the expansion of the framework with his Japanese counterpart. The Nuclear Consultati

Feb. 13, 2024

German, Israeli embassies in Seoul commemorate Holocaust victims

Germany and Israel remembered Holocaust victims in a solemn commemorative event hosted by the two embassies in Seoul on Jan. 29. The gathering, held annually on Jan. 27, marks the International Day of Commemoration, observing the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp on that day in 1945. Designated by the United Nations General Assembly, this day serves as a reminder of the Shoah and imparts crucial lessons from the Holocaust. The term "Shoah," from Hebrew, means &quo

Feb. 10, 2024

Embassy urges support for Indonesians' voting in S. Korea

The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul urged support for Indonesians in Korea casting their votes in the Southeast Asian country's general election in an annual media briefing to present its agenda for the year on Wednesday. The Indonesian Embassy’s Charge d'Affaires Zelda Wulan Kartika reviewed milestones of 2023 that marked 50 years of diplomatic ties, high-level exchanges, and economic and cultural forums and events co-hosted with many Indonesian and Korean organizations. She introdu

Feb. 9, 2024

S. Korea to provide $500,000 in humanitarian aid to Chile over massive wildfires

South Korea will provide $500,000 worth of humanitarian assistance to Chile to help people struggling with devastating wildfires, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. More than 120 people have been killed and hundreds of others remained missing as the wildfires have razed thousands of homes in Chile's Valparaiso region since earlier this month, according to foreign media reports. The South Korean government voiced hope that the aid would help with the South American nation's re

Feb. 8, 2024

S. Korea voices regret over Russian envoy's remarks blaming allies for possible NK nuclear test

South Korea expressed strong regret Thursday over the remarks by Russia's top envoy to North Korea that the likelihood of another nuclear test by Pyongyang will depend on how far Seoul and Washington will go in taking their deterrence measures against the North. Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with the TASS news agency the previous day that North Korea may decide to conduct its seventh nuclear test if Washington continues to take "provocative

Feb. 8, 2024

S. Korea's nuclear envoy discusses NK threats with Swedish counterpart

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy vowed unwavering efforts to stop North Korea's missile provocations and make it return to dialogue during his talks with his Swedish counterpart Wednesday, the foreign ministry said. Kim Gunn, special representative for the Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, made the point in the meeting with Peter Semneby, who was visiting South Korea this week, the ministry said in a release. Kim reaffirmed South Korea's commitment to creating conditio

Feb. 7, 2024

China invites S. Korean top diplomat, calls for ‘positive, objective’ policy

South Korea's newly appointed Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul received an invitation to visit China from his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during their first phone call Tuesday, according to Seoul. Beijing concurrently revealed that Wang expressed expectations for South Korea to adopt a "positive, objective and friendly policy" toward China. Cho and Wang engaged in a 50-minute phone conversation, discussing matters of mutual interest, including high-level exchanges, supply chain coop

Feb. 7, 2024

Pentagon stresses 'unprecedented' level of security cooperation among S. Korea, US, Japan amid NK threats

A Pentagon spokesperson on Tuesday cast the current level of trilateral security cooperation between South Korea, the United States and Japan as "unprecedented," as concerns have arisen over North Korea's continued missile launches and tough rhetoric. The spokesperson made the remarks after Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported recently that the three countries shared radar information for the first time when the North fired a ballistic missile on Jan. 14, and that despite three-w

Feb. 7, 2024

FM Cho discusses visit to Beijing in 1st phone talks with Chinese counterpart

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke by phone with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Tuesday to discuss North Korea and other pending bilateral issues, his office said, the first such talks between the top diplomats since Cho's inauguration. Wang Yi also extended an invitation for Cho to visit Beijing, saying he hopes to cooperate closely with each other in the future to further advance their bilateral ties, the ministry said in a press release. Cho thanked Wang for the invitation and ag

Feb. 7, 2024

German Embassy, Herald co-host mini-concert for cultural exchange

The German Embassy in Seoul and The Korea Herald co-hosted a cultural event featuring members of the Berlin Philharmonic and Korean musicians Thursday, fostering cultural exchange and strengthening diplomatic ties through music. Delivering remarks at the event, German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt highlighted the significance of music as a bridge connecting the hearts of Korea and Germany. "Music is one of the many links between our two countries and certainly one of the most joyful,&rd

Feb. 6, 2024

[Op-ed] Holding firm in support of Ukraine

This month we mark a grim anniversary; two years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This period has seen Russia breach international law, commit war crimes and engage in unlawful military cooperation with the DPRK. The Ambassadors of the European Union reiterate their condemnation of these actions, and their appreciation for the solid support of the Republic of Korea for Ukraine. We are confident that the ROK’s support will remain firm, including in full implementation of sanction

Feb. 6, 2024

National security adviser met with Russian deputy FM during Seoul visit: sources

National Security Adviser Chang Ho-jin met with Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko when he visited Seoul last week, sources said Tuesday, amid heightened tensions between Seoul and Moscow over North Korea. The meeting took place on Saturday, the sources said, as tensions have flared anew since Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova denounced President Yoon Suk Yeol's remarks on North Korea as "blatantly biased" on Thursday. In response, Seoul's forei

Feb. 6, 2024

S. Korea summons Russian ambassador over commentary on Yoon's remark

South Korea's foreign ministry on Saturday summoned the top Russian envoy to Seoul to protest a recent statement by a Russian foreign ministry official on President Yoon Suk Yeol's view of the North Korean regime. On Wednesday, Yoon described North Korea as the only country in the world to legalize the preemptive use of nuclear weapons as tensions escalated over a series of weapons tests by the North since the start of the year. Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova cr

Feb. 3, 2024

US begins retaliatory strikes at Iran-backed militia targets in Iraq, Syria

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Friday mounted strikes at targets used by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria, President Joe Biden said, delivering on his vow to retaliate for last weekend's drone strike that killed three American soldiers in Jordan. In a statement, Biden said that under his direction, U.S. military forces began the strikes at the facilities that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces. "Our response began t

Feb. 3, 2024

US admiral says 'symbiotic' NK-Russia cooperation runs counter to global peace principles

The nominee for US Indo-Pacific Command chief expressed deep concerns Thursday over the burgeoning military partnership between North Korea and Russia, portraying it as a "symbiotic" one that goes against the principles of global peace. During a confirmation hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Adm. Samuel Paparo, currently US Pacific Fleet commander, also noted that Russia might have given "potentially high-end" technology to the North in return for the North'

Feb. 2, 2024

Japan removes monument for Korean forced labor victims despite criticism

A Japanese local government has taken down a memorial stone for Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor at a public park earlier this week despite opposition from activist groups. Authorities from Gunma Prefecture began pulling down the stone on Monday and finalized the removal on Wednesday, Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported the next day. Aerial photographs taken by the news outlet showed the remains of what appeared to the base of the memorial stone smashed into pieces

Feb. 1, 2024