Ships suspected of transporting N. Korean coal to S. Korea owned by China

Two ships suspected of having carried North Korean coal to South Korean ports in October last year were found to be operated by Chinese companies, as South Korean authorities investigate the alleged shipment in violation of United Nations sanctions.According to safety inspection data published by the Port State Control Committee in the Asia-Pacific region, the Panama-registered Sky Angel, which shipped about 4,000 tons of North Korean coal to the port of Incheon on Oct. 2, was operated by Dalian

July 18, 2018

US-China friction will have limited impact on global trade regime: Chang Ha-joon

The broadening trade war between the United States and China may neither deal a fatal blow to the global trade regime nor save ailing industries in the US, well-known economist Chang Ha-joon predicted Tuesday."The trade war (between the US and China) is currently fueling various kinds of tension and fanning a bad mood, but it's not a very big problem in terms of quantity," Chang, currently a reader in the Political Economy of Development at the University of Cambridge, said in a press conference

July 17, 2018

Korea raps Japan over teacher's guide on Dokdo

SEOUL/TOKYO -- South Korea denounced Japan's revision Tuesday of education material to intensify its territorial claim over the Dokdo islets in the East Sea.Earlier in the day, the Japanese government announced an amendment to the teacher's guide for use at high schools in the direction of further clarifying its position that Dokdo belongs to Japan.Publishers of Japanese high school textbooks were required to describe Dokdo as the country's territory starting in 2022 under a set of binding guide

July 17, 2018

Pompeo, Kang to meet in New York on Friday to discuss N. Korea

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in New York on Friday to discuss the latest developments regarding North Korea, the State Department said.Pompeo's trip comes two weeks after he visited Pyongyang to follow up on a nuclear disarmament deal reached by US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their historic summit last month.Pompeo then traveled to Tokyo to share the results of his talks with the Nort

July 17, 2018

US, N. Korea hold working-level talks on return of war remains

The US and North Korea held working-level talks on Monday at the border village of Panmunjom to discuss details of the return of the remains of US soldiers killed during the Korean War, which experts say could help propel follow-up negotiations on North Korea’s denuclearization.The US and North Korea agreed to resume field operations to search for the war remains at a general-level meeting on Sunday, which US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said was “productive and cooperative and resulted in fir

July 16, 2018

UN panel allows S. Korea to provide fuel to N. Korea: report

A UN Security Council sanctions committee has reportedly allowed South Korea to temporarily supply fuel and vehicles to North Korea, an exception granted for the Koreas to restore their military communication lines.  (Yonhap)The sanctions committee on North Korea approved the South Korean government’s request for permission to export gasoline, buses, trucks and other items to the North, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported, citing diplomatic sources at the UN Security Council. The 15-member UN Secu

July 15, 2018

President heads home after visit to India, Singapore

SINGAPORE -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in was set to return home Friday after a six-day tour of India and Singapore focused on broadening economic cooperation.Moon wrapped up his three-day visit in Singapore with a meeting with South Korean business people and residents.In a special lecture, given earlier in the day, the South Korean president vowed stepped-up efforts to peacefully denuclearize North Korea, while asking for Singapore's continued support and assistance in the process.Moon's

July 13, 2018

Moon hopes to declare end to Korean War this year; experts say not impossible

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said he hopes to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War this year, and discussions are underway among the two Koreas and the US, but there are stumbling blocks along the way, according to experts. 　In a written interview with the Straits Times conducted before his overseas trip to India and Singapore that kicked off Sunday, Moon said that declaring an end to the Korean War would be a milestone toward permanent peace.　“As agreed in the Panmunjeom Declara

July 12, 2018

S. Korean president set to hold summit with Singaporean leader Lee

SINGAPORE -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in was set to hold a bilateral summit Thursday with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for talks largely expected to focus on ways to improve the countries' economic and trade cooperation and boost their joint efforts to denuclearize North Korea.The Moon-Lee summit follows a historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore on June 12.Moon arrived in the island nation Wednesday following his fo

July 12, 2018

S. Korean leader arrives in Singapore for summit with Prime Minister Lee

NEW DELHI -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a three-day state visit that will include a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart and a summit with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.Moon's trip to Singapore followed his four-day state visit to India. It is the first state visit to Singapore by a South Korean president in 15 years, according to Moon's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.Moon's state visit will begin with an official welcoming ceremony Thursday,

July 12, 2018

Top nuclear envoy says Seoul-Washington coordination key to denuclearization

South Korea’s top nuclear envoy said Wednesday that the next few months are crucial for the path to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as he departed for Washington to consult US officials on North Korea. Lee Do-hoon (Yonhap)Lee Do-hoon, representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security affairs at the Foreign Ministry, also stressed the importance of coordination between South Korea and the US. “In the path toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the nex

July 11, 2018

Moon begins second leg of trip

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday headed to Singapore following a state visit to India. Moon is scheduled to hold a summit with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsein Loong on Thursday. Following the summit, Moon and Lee are scheduled to attend a signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between the governments and other organizations of the two countries, and hold a joint press event. President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook wave before departing New Delhi for Singapore on Wed

July 11, 2018

Full text of joint statement by S. Korean, Indian leaders

The following is the full text of a joint statement issued by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after their bilateral summit in New Delhi on Tuesday. (Yonhap)Republic of Korea and India: A Vision for People, Prosperity, Peace and our FuturePresident of the Republic of Korea (ROK) H.E. Mr. Moon Jae-in paid a State Visit to India from July 8-11, 2018. During the visit, President Moon and Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi elaborated the following shared visi

July 10, 2018

Korea and India agree to strengthen ties

President Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a summit meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday, and adopted a joint declaration that outlines increased cooperation in a wide range of areas. The declaration, titled “A Vision for People, Prosperity, Peace and our Future,” is the first of its kind to be adopted by the two countries, Cheong Wa Dae said.“In the summit meeting, we shared the view that now is the right time for realizing the special strategic partnership between Korea and

July 10, 2018

US Ambassador Harris begins official work in Seoul

New US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris on Tuesday formally started his stint here as he presented a copy of his credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.He delivered the document to Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and exchanged views on ways to strengthen the alliance and on North Korea, the ministry said. Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo meets with Command of US Pacific Command Harry Harris at Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Aug. 20, 2017. (Yonhap)The retired admiral, who served as

July 10, 2018

S. Korea, China to hold second round of FTA talks this week

South Korea and China will hold the second round of talks to expand the scope of their bilateral free trade agreement this week to better cover the service and investment sectors, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday.The two nations engaged in the first round of FTA follow-up negotiations in March and have agreed to discuss details of the agreement in Beijing from Wednesday to Friday, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said.The two sides implemented the FTA in December 2015 to lower tarif

July 10, 2018

Moon focuses on economy, business on 2nd day of trip to India

President Moon Jae-in on Monday focused on highlighting the potential presented by South Korea-India ties. Moon began the second day of the state visit with a meeting with Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, and discussed ways to improve ties between the two countries.“I have hopes to raise Korea-India relations to that with the four major powers surrounding Korea to match India‘s global standing,” Moon said.  President Moon Jae-in and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the mu

July 9, 2018

US-NK negotiations face tough road ahead: experts

After the US top diplomat’s visit to North Korea laid bare fundamental differences between Washington and Pyongyang on how to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the follow-up negotiations are expected to be an uphill battle, experts say. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit to Pyongyang last week did not yield tangible outcomes, but the two countries kept the momentum of dialogue alive by agreeing to create a working group on verification.  Senior North Korean official Kim Yo

July 9, 2018

Moon's trip seeks to turn India into 'next China' for S. Korea: official

NEW DELHI -- Korean President Moon Jae-in's trip to India will help create the next largest market for his country, Seoul's trade minister said Monday, calling India the next China for Korea."The visit to India and Singapore by the head of state marks a move toward launching the New Southern Policy in earnest," Kim Hyun-chong told reporters, referring to Moon's key foreign policy that seeks to greatly enhance the country's relationship with India and 10 members of the Association of Southeast As

July 9, 2018

S. Korean president arrives in India for state visit

NEW DELHI -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in India on Sunday for a state visit that will include a bilateral summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on ways to further improve their countries’ relationship.　The South Korean president left his home country earlier in the day on a two-nation trip that will later take him to Singapore. His trip to India marks the first of its kind since he took office in May 2017.　“India is fast becoming a major power with the fastest growing

July 8, 2018