Russian fishing boat catches fire off Ulsan, 4 missing

ULSAN -- A Russian fishing boat carrying 25 people caught fire off the southeastern coastal city of Ulsan early Friday, leaving four of them missing, Coast Guard officials said. The 769-ton vessel was carrying 100 tons of seafood in waters off Ulsan, about 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, toward Russia when the fire broke out at 12:43 a.m., the officials said. All crew members were Russian. After receiving a distress call, the Coast Guard sent rescue ships to the scene, but four crew members w

April 21, 2023

US takes defense commitment to S. Korea very seriously: Kirby

WASHINGTON -- The United States takes its defense commitment to South Korea "very, very seriously," a White House official said Thursday, following Russia's threat to arm North Korea if South Korea sends lethal assistance to Ukraine. John Kirby, National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, said the US is grateful for the support South Korea has already provided to Ukraine. "I would just remind that we have a treaty alliance with South Korea. We take that com

April 21, 2023

South Korea, China exchange harsh words over Yoon's remarks on Taiwan

The foreign ministry strongly denounced China for committing a "serious diplomatic discourtesy" Thursday after a Chinese official branded President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent comments on Taiwan as a verbal meddling by others. The ministry issued the statement after the Chinese foreign ministry's spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said earlier in the day Beijing would not allow others to meddle by word, in reference to Yoon's media interview the previous day in which that he expresse

April 20, 2023

Yoon, Biden to discuss extended deterrence, economic security at summit

President Yoon Suk Yeol will make a five-day state visit to the United States from April 24 at the invitation of US President Joe Biden. During the visit, the two leaders are expected to strengthen their joint defense posture, discuss details of extended deterrence and further enhance economic and security cooperation. President Yoon's trip marks the first visit of a Korean president to the United States in 12 years, following the visit of former President Lee Myung-bak in 2011. The Whi

April 20, 2023

British ambassador talks about life in NK

The British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks shared his life in North Korea, where he previously served as a foreign ambassador from 2018 to 2021, at a forum in Seoul on Wednesday. At the Korea Safety Leaders Forum, Crooks showcased photographs of architecture, modern taxis and traditional North Korean liquors that he took in 2019. He witnessed a huge gap between Pyongyang and the countryside in terms of people’s lifestyles, standards of living and infrastructure. "Bullock carts are v

April 19, 2023

[Alliance in Action] NK could test nuke in response to Yoon’s US visit: Cha

Victor Cha, a former senior adviser on North Korea for the George W. Bush administration, said North Korea could conduct a nuclear test ahead of President Yoon Suk Yeol's US visit next week to renew the allies' commitment to regional security. "When there is no diplomacy between the US and DPRK and we have military exercises (against the regime), North Korea does a lot of activities and a lot of negative activities," Cha, senior vice president and Korea chair at the Center

April 19, 2023

S. Korea to beef up inspection into seafood imports amid Fukushima concerns

South Korea will conduct a special inspection into the marking of country of origin for imported seafood products on concerns over Japan's planned release of contaminated water from its crippled nuclear power plant, the oceans ministry said Wednesday. The two-month intensive inspection in cooperation with the Coast Guard will begin next month to check if importers, distributors and retailers properly mark the origin of major seafood items coming from overseas, such as scallops, sea bream and sea

April 19, 2023

Yoon says S. Korea could provide non-humanitarian aid to Ukraine

President Yoon Suk Yeol has said South Korea could provide aid beyond humanitarian or financial support if Ukraine comes under large-scale attack against civilians, according to an interview published Wednesday. Yoon made the remark in the interview with Reuters ahead of an upcoming state visit to the United States, signaling a shift in Seoul's policy of not providing lethal weapons to Ukraine in its war with Russia. "If there is a situation the international community cannot condone, such

April 19, 2023

US deterring conflict in Indo-Pacific amid N. Korean missile provocations: US commanders

WASHINGTON-- The United States is successfully and continuously preventing conflict with no imminent signs of war in the Indo-Pacific but North Korea's continued missile provocations, along with other threats, pose serious challenges to peace and stability in the region, the chief of US Indo-Pacific Command said Tuesday. Adm. John Aquilino also stressed the importance of strengthening US alliances to deter any future aggression from North Korea and China in a House armed services committee

April 19, 2023

S. Korea mulling evacuation of its citizens from conflict-ridden Sudan

South Korea said Tuesday it may evacuate its citizens from the conflict-ridden Sudan, as it seeks to stay on top of the ongoing hostilities in the African nation. An official with the foreign ministry told reporters the government has been keeping close tabs on the development in Sudan through news reports, and real-time information exchange with the United States and other allies. "We see this as a grave situation, as there have been attacks on foreign missions," the official said, on

April 18, 2023

Yoon says S. Korea-US alliance can recover from conflict of interest, trouble

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday the South Korea-US alliance is strong enough to bounce back from any conflict of interest or trouble, according to his spokesperson. Yoon made the remark during a Cabinet meeting held days before he travels to Washington for a state visit and a summit with US President Joe Biden on April 26. "The president said the South Korea-US alliance is not a relationship that meets and parts according to one's interests, but an alliance rooted in the universal

April 18, 2023

Germany looks back on 140-year ties with Korea

Revisiting the trade, friendship and shipping treaty signed between the then German Empire and Joseon Kingdom on Nov. 26, 1883, German Ambassador to Korea Michael Reiffenstuel said Germany and Korea have developed a close partnership and trustful friendship in the 140 years since. The two countries established consular relations in 1954 and upgraded to full diplomatic relations in 1957. "A unique bond between German and Korean societies is the shared experience of being a divided nation,&qu

April 18, 2023

Experts call for supply chain boost, digital trade between ASEAN, Korea

Trade ties between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc and South Korea have been rapidly developing in recent years, but they need to advance to the next step, particularly in the area of supply chain, digital trade and climate change, according to experts at a roundtable held last week in Seoul. The roundtable hosted by the ASEAN-Korea Center and the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy suggested future directions to benefit businesspeople and stakeholders with the ASEAN

April 18, 2023

Polish-Korean economic partnership gaining momentum: envoy

The economic partnership between Poland and Korea is gaining momentum, said Polish Ambassador to Korea Piotr Ostaszewski at the Global Business Forum hosted by The Korea Herald on April 5. "Poland shares many similarities with Korea in their histories, and both countries realize how to cooperate so as never to have a repetition in history," he said. Ostaszewski highlighted recent partnerships in infrastructure, nuclear energy and defense projects. He emphasized the strategic partnershi

April 18, 2023

French Navy frigate Prairial in Korea

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna reiterates French government priorities and solidarity with Korea during a reception aboard Prairial, the French Navy's Floreal-class frigate docked in Incheon on Saturday. The Floreal-class frigate is the French Navy's light surveillance warship, designed after the end of the Cold War in 1989.

April 18, 2023

In letter to N. Korea's Kim, China's Xi voices willingness for strong bilateral ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, expressing his willingness to strengthen strategic communication with North Korea, Pyongyang's state media reported Tuesday. Xi expressed his "heartfelt" thanks to the North's leader in a reply sent on April 12 to Kim's earlier message congratulating Xi's election as the Chinese president for a third term, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Xi said China and the North have m

April 18, 2023

Rwanda Embassy in Seoul honors victims of 1994 genocide

The Rwandan Embassy in Seoul marked the 29th anniversary of a genocide that killed more than one million people, mostly Tutsi and moderate Hutu, among others. Tutsi and Hutus are ethnic groups from the African Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes region encompasses Burundi, Rwanda, northeastern Congo, Uganda, and northwestern Kenya and Tanzania. On April 7, the embassy gathered more than 200 people at the War Memorial of Korea to participate in Kwibuka29. "Kwibuka" means to remember in

April 17, 2023

Second deputy national security advisor attends NATO cyber summit

Lim Jong-deuk, the second deputy director of the National Security Office, is set to attend the NATO Cyber Champions Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania from Monday, according to the presidential office. The meeting's purpose is to prepare for the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit, which Lithuania will host in July, with a focus on expanding and strengthening global cooperation to combat advanced cybersecurity threats. In addition to NATO members, key partners from the Asia-Paci

April 17, 2023

Indian envoy calls for S. Korea collaboration on startup ecosystem

Indian Ambassador to South Korea Amit Kumar said Wednesday that collaboration with Korea on India's digital transformation would create synergy, highlighting his country's emergence as the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. India has gone through a vast digital transformation in banking, health, finance and governance, along with the rise of startups in the country. India has more than 100 unicorns valued at $332 billion, and is ranked third globally in the number of unicorn

April 16, 2023

Gyeonggi governor attracts W4t worth investment during his latest trip to US

The governor of South Korea's most populous province has attracted a combined 4 trillion won ($3.06 billion) in investment from four companies during his first trip to the United States, the provincial government said Sunday. Kim Dong-yeon, governor of Gyeonggi Province, held an investment attraction event in New York on Thursday, in which ESR-Kendall Square, the South Korean unit of Asia-Pacific real estate manager ESR Group, promised to invest 3 trillion won to help build a mega-size logi

April 16, 2023