S. Korea, China hold first diplomatic-defense talks

Senior diplomats and defense officials of South Korea and China on Monday exchanged views on recent developments in North Korea after the stunning execution of leader Kim Jong-un's uncle, in their first high-level security talks, a Seoul diplomat said. The so-called "two-plus-two" talks in Beijing had been planned for months, but the North's internal situation following the Dec. 12 execution of Kim's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, topped the agenda, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity

Dec. 23, 2013

Korea to send more arms to its peacekeeping troops in S. Sudan

South Korea is moving to beef up its peacekeeping forces in South Sudan amid growing threats of a civil war in the African country. The Defense Ministry said Monday it would send cargo planes carrying firearms, ammunition, food and other supplies as early as Wednesday to its contingency in Bor, some 170 kilometers north of the capital Juba. Seoul has also requested Japanese Self Defense Forces in South Sudan to provide 10,000 rifleshots, officials said. South Korea’s Hanbit unit, consisting of 2

Dec. 23, 2013

China names new ambassador to Seoul

China’s Foreign Ministry has tapped Qiu Guohong, director general for external security affairs, as its next ambassador to South Korea, officials here said. Qiu, a Japan expert, is expected to succeed Zhang Xinsen in February. The incumbent has served in Seoul since March 2010 and held a farewell ceremony Thursday.Since entering the foreign affairs service in 1981, Qiu worked in Tokyo and Osaka for about 15 years and was deputy director general for Asian affairs from 2006-08. After a stint as Ch

Dec. 19, 2013

UNESCAP cuts growth outlook for Asia-Pacific to 5.6 percent

The U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific pared its growth expectations next year for the Asia-Pacific region to 5.6 percent on Thursday on the back of persistent slow recovery, policy uncertainty and protectionism in emerging markets. In a year-end update to its yearly economic and social survey, UNESCAP forecast a moderate rebound in the regional economy next year compared with an expected 5.2 percent expansion in 2013. But the revised outlook reflects a 0.4 percentage p

Dec. 19, 2013

Parliamentary committee adopts resolution against Japan's 'collective self-defense'

A South Korean parliamentary committee adopted a resolution on Friday against Japan's push for "collective self-defense," expressing concern over Tokyo's efforts to expand the role of its military beyond its borders.The resolution, adopted by the National Assembly's special committee against the distortion of Northeast Asian history, urges Japan to stop its pursuit of the right to use force against any military attack on its allies.Japan's move has won support from its ally, the United States, b

Dec. 13, 2013

S. Korea readjusts its overseas aid target

South Korea has practically lowered its goal of future overseas development aid due to budget constraints, the foreign ministry said Friday. The government has vowed to increase its official development assistance (ODA) level to 0.25 percent of the country's gross national income (GNI) by 2015 as part of efforts to give back after receiving help from the international community to rebuild its economy following the 1950-53 Korean War. Under the plan set up in 2010, the government has annually inc

Dec. 13, 2013

Korea slams Japan’s Dokdo video

South Korea on Thursday condemned Japan for releasing a video in 10 languages challenging its sovereignty over Dokdo, and demanded that Tokyo remove it.“We gravely protest and demand that Japan remove the videos immediately,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho Tai-young told reporters. “Such provocative behavior casts doubt over Japan’s sincerity regarding the improvement of bilateral ties.” The film, posted Wednesday by the Japanese foreign ministry on its own website and on YouTube, insists the is

Dec. 12, 2013

Korea vows support to rebuild Syria

South Korea on Thursday expressed its willingness to render financial and other support for Syria to rebuild its economy devastated by a civil war that has raged for more than two and a half years.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se was responding to a call for international help by the leader of the Syrian opposition forces during an international meeting in Seoul.The Seoul meeting, the third of its kind called by the Working Group on Economic Recovery and Development for Syria, brought

Dec. 12, 2013

Seoul, Washington resume talks on defense cost-sharing

South Korea and the United States on Wednesday resumed negotiations on the sharing of the cost for stationing American troops here, with both sides seen as nearing an agreement on the prickly issue.The talks to renew the Special Measure Agreement, which kicked off a day earlier, are expected to last more than two days as the allies are committed to renew the pact on splitting the burden of financing United States Forces Korea, government sources said.Time is ticking for the two allies to come up

Dec. 11, 2013

S. Korea, U.S. to hold high-level talks on N. Korea, alliance issues

South Korea is preparing to hold high-level talks with the United States this month on major issues of mutual concern, including North Korea and tensions among regional powers, a diplomatic source said Sunday. Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kyou-hyun plans to visit Washington in mid-December for the strategic dialogue with Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, said the source.It would be their first one-on-one meeting since Kim's visit here in June.To be mainly discussed are ways to restart the si

Dec. 9, 2013