Washington Declaration goes beyond 'nuclear-sharing': US official

The recent agreement reached by South Korea and the United States on enhancing US extended deterrence is a historic step that goes beyond "nuclear-sharing," a US administration official told Yonhap News Agency on Friday. The remark follows some ambiguity over whether the agreement, dubbed the Washington Declaration, is a nuclear-sharing agreement. "The declaration moves beyond what could be characterized as nuclear sharing ... to address the more fundamental goal of developing a j

May 6, 2023

S. Korean Embassy in China lodges complaint with newspapers over Yoon criticism

The South Korean Embassy in China said Friday it has lodged a complaint with Chinese state newspapers for their "unfounded" criticism of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his recent trip to the United States, taking particular umbrage at the use of inappropriate language in their op-ed pieces. The embassy said it sent letters to editors at Huanqiu Shibao, a newspaper under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party's flagship paper, the People's Daily, and at t

May 6, 2023

PM Han arrives in London for King Charles III's coronation

LONDON -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrived in London on Thursday to attend King Charles III's coronation as part of a weeklong trip to Europe that also includes stops in Sweden, Austria and Romania. Han is scheduled to attend the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday and meet with leaders from various countries to ask for their support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office said. Han is also scheduled to a

May 5, 2023

Yoon's visit opens new chapter for S. Korea-US alliance: Amb. Cho

WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent visit to the United States has opened a new chapter for the 70-year-old alliance, Seoul's top envoy to the US said Thursday. South Korea's ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong also insisted that the countries have upgraded their mutual defense treaty signed in 1953. "I think the state visit by President Yoon, I'd say, opened a new chapter for the 70-year-old alliance toward a greater and brighter future of the all

May 5, 2023

British embassy celebrates King Charles III's coronation in Seoul

The British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks hosted a reception to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Britain, as well as the coronation of Britain's King Charles III at the British Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. During the event, Crooks expressed gratitude to the visiting guests and highlighted the long-standing ties of the two nations, expressing optimism for a bright future of cooperation. Crooks was particularly grateful for

May 4, 2023

PM Han to depart for Britain for King Charles III's coronation on 4-nation European trip

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was set to depart for Britain on Thursday for King Charles III's coronation as part of a weeklong trip to Europe that also includes stops in Sweden, Austria and Romania. Han will first stop in London, where he will attend the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, and meet with leaders from various countries to ask for their support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office said Han w

May 4, 2023

US working with S. Korea, Japan to address N. Korea's human rights violations

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working closely with South Korea and Japan to address human rights violations committed by North Korea, including the abduction of foreign nationals, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The remarks came as Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was set to meet with a group of Japanese officials and representatives of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea. "The entirety of this department, including Deputy Secretary Sh

May 4, 2023

Germany raids Russian's superyacht in sanctions probe

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities raided a luxury yacht belonging to a wealthy Russian businessman as part of a probe into possible breaches of Western sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday. Specialists from the German navy and federal and state police took part in the search of the superyacht at an undisclosed shipyard in northern Germany, Frankfurt prosecutors said in a statement. The ship belongs to a 67-year-old Russian businessman, whose n

May 3, 2023

Yoon voices hope for deeper S. Korea-Japan friendship

President Yoon Suk Yeol voiced hope Wednesday for deeper friendship and cooperation between South Korea and Japan as he prepares to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida this weekend, his office said. Yoon conveyed the wish during a meeting with Takeo Akiba, secretary general of Japan's National Security Secretariat, at his office, days before Kishida arrives in Seoul for a summit with Yoon on Sunday. "The president stressed that South Korea and Japan, as partners pu

May 3, 2023

[From the Scene] Uzbeks pin hopes for 'New Uzbekistan' on constitutional referendum

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Nargiza Kamalova, 23, believes the constitutional referendum held Sunday will build a foundation for a "New Uzbekistan," a prosperous country with a stable economy and a better social safety net. "A referendum will help our country prosper," said Kamalova, who was on election duty on Sunday at polling station no. 747. "It will help Uzbekistan achieve a bright future." O'tkir, 42, said he was voting for the future of his child. "I am

May 3, 2023

S. Korea pushing to resume regular talks with Japan, China: official

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration is working to restart regular three-way talks involving Japan and China, preferably before the end of the year, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official in Seoul with direct knowledge of the matter on Wednesday. South Korea, this year’s host, is making preparations, the official said, adding however it is still too early to narrow down potential dates for the summit, which will bring together President Yoon and his Japanese and Chinese counterparts f

May 3, 2023

Seoul dismisses Tokyo's 'unfair' territorial claim over Dokdo after Japanese protest

South Korea's foreign ministry has dismissed a protest from Japan over a Seoul lawmaker's recent visit to the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, a ministry official said Wednesday. According to Kyodo News on Tuesday, the Japanese foreign ministry lodged the protest to Seoul over the visit by Rep. Jeon Yong-gi of the main opposition Democratic Party to Dokdo on the same day. A senior Seoul foreign ministry official said the government "dismissed the unfair claim from Japan

May 3, 2023

Yoon thinks his 'American Pie' rendition at White House state dinner was quite good

President Yoon Suk Yeol has revealed that he was taken aback when asked to sing "American Pie" at a state dinner at the White House last week but believes he delivered his rendition quite well. During his six-day state visit to the United States last week, Yoon attended the dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden, and close to the end of it, Biden asked Yoon to sing the song, one of Yoon's favorites, originally by Don McLean. "When President Biden asked me to come up to the stage,

May 3, 2023

Korea should not take 70-year US alliance for granted: Yoon

President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that South Korea should be grateful to the United States for the fact that Washington has been an important ally assisting Seoul's development from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War, as he was speaking of his diplomatic achievements during his state visit last week. "The 70-year history of the South Korea-US alliance is not a given result, of course,” said Yoon, who presided over the first Cabinet meeting after his state visit to the US

May 2, 2023

Yoon to reshuffle posts amid Russia tensions: report

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will be the next South Korean ambassador to Russia, a report said Tuesday, in the latest push by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to quickly put an end to the vacancy of a top Seoul envoy in Moscow. Lee will succeed Chang Ho-jin, who is currently serving as the first vice foreign minister, according to the local daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Chang, the former Korean ambassador to Russia, was moved to his current post late last month amid an abrupt reshuf

May 2, 2023

A week after summit with Biden, Yoon to meet Kishida in Seoul

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is coming to Seoul on Sunday for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, shortly after Seoul and Washington reaffirmed their "ironclad" alliance to deter North Korean threats during Yoon’s state visit to the US last week. Confirming Kishida's visit, the South Korean presidential office said Tuesday that his two-day official visit will resume "shuttle diplomacy" between the two countries which had been suspended for

May 2, 2023

S. Korean PM to attend King Charles III's coronation

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to represent South Korea at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III on Saturday as part of his weeklong trip to Europe, the prime minister's office said Tuesday. Han was invited to the coronation ceremony of Charles, which will take place at Westminster Abbey in London. At the age of 73, Charles will officially succeed his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September. Han will depart Seoul on Thursday to embark on an 8-day trip to Europe,

May 2, 2023

US remains fully committed to diplomacy with N. Korea: State Dept.

WASHINGTON -- The United States steadfastly remains committed to engaging in dialogue with North Korea, a state department spokesperson said Monday, after Pyongyang denounced the agreement reached by the leaders of South Korea and the US on strengthening US extended deterrence commitment to South Korea. The North has argued the Washington Declaration issued last week by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and US President Joe Biden reflected the US' "heinous hostile policy" towar

May 2, 2023

Yoon to meet Japan PM again amid thaw: sources

President Yoon Suk Yeol will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida again during Kishida’s two-day trip to Seoul starting Sunday, diplomatic sources familiar with the matter said Monday. Japanese media outlets last week reported on a potential visit. What the two leaders will discuss at the summit, following their meeting in Tokyo in March, and whether they will add anything to a new nuclear accord reached between South Korea and the US last week remain uncertain, according to tho

May 1, 2023

S. Korean foreign minister to visit Malaysia for talks on bilateral ties

South Korea's top diplomat will visit Malaysia this week to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties between the countries celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Look East Policy, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday. Foreign Minister Park Jin plans to leave for Malaysia later in the day for a two-day trip to meet his Malaysian counterpart, Zambry bin Abd Kadir, and discuss ways to boost cooperation in various areas including supply chain, defense and infrastructure. During his trip,

May 1, 2023