Deputy Assembly speaker to visit Japan for Abe's state funeral

Deputy National Assembly Speaker Chung Jin-suk departed for Japan on Monday to attend this week's state funeral of late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Chung will make the three-day trip to Tokyo, leading a group of lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties belonging to the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union aimed at increasing parliamentary exchanges between the two countries. Eight lawmakers are traveling with Chung. Later Monday, Chung's delegation plans to

Sept. 26, 2022

North Korea fires 1 short-range ballistic missile into East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired one short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sunday, two days after a US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived here for a joint exercise. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Sunday that Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile from Taechon in North Pyongan Province at 06:53 a.m. The missile traveled about 600 kilometers and reached a maximum altitude of 60 km, the JCS confirmed. The launch of the ballistic missile comes in an apparen

Sept. 25, 2022

Complaints about Russia's chaotic mobilization grow louder

LONDON -- The strongly pro-Kremlin editor of Russia's state-run RT news channel expressed anger on Saturday that enlistment officers were sending call-up papers to the wrong men, as frustration about a military mobilization grew. Wednesday's announcement of Russia's first public mobilization since World War Two, to shore up its faltering Ukraine war, has triggered a rush for the border, the arrests of over 1,000 protesters, and unease in the wider population. It is also attracting

Sept. 25, 2022

Japan ambassador voices positive view of Yoon-Kishida meeting in New York

Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Aiboshi publicly gave a positive assessment Sunday of a meeting between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in New York last week, describing it as a "forward-looking" step to improve bilateral ties. Aiboshi made the remarks earlier in the day at a meeting in Seoul on bilateral exchanges, days after Yoon and Kishida met in New York and agreed on the need to improve relations between the neighboring countries by res

Sept. 25, 2022

China on Taiwan: 'External interference' won't be tolerated

UNITED NATIONS -- China underscored its commitment Saturday to its claim on Taiwan, telling assembled world leaders that anyone who gets in the way of its determination to reunify with the self-governing island would be "crushed by the wheels of history." The language was forceful but, for Chinese leadership, well within the realm of normal. "Only when China is fully reunified can there be true peace across the Taiwan Strait," Wang Yi, China's foreign minister, said at

Sept. 25, 2022

[Newsmaker] Hundreds demand cancellation of Japanese ex-leader's funeral

TOKYO -- Several hundred protesters demanded the cancellation of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state funeral as they shouted slogans and waved banners Friday in a Tokyo park. "Abe's policies supported war," demonstrator Mayumi Ishida said, noting Abe consistently sought to raise defense spending. Like others at the protest, Ishida said he feared Abe's views heralded a step back to the days of Japan's militarism preceding World War II. Abe, who was assa

Sept. 23, 2022

S. Korea's vice FM discusses IRA issue with White House official, Congress members

A senior South Korean government official has reiterated Seoul's concerns over the negative impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act on Korean automakers during a series of meetings with a White House official and members of Congress, his office said Friday Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon met with White House Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell in Washington on Wednesday and discussed the issue. The inflation act, signed by President Joe Biden last month, has raised concerns ove

Sept. 23, 2022

Blinken highlights importance of trilateral cooperation with S. Korea, Japan

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation between South Korea, Japan and the US, urging the countries to work together on regional and global issues. Blinken made the remarks at the top of a three-way meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa in New York. "The United States, Japan, Korea -- we have the most vital bilateral relationships, but we also have this tril

Sept. 23, 2022

US stands by earlier intelligence on Russian request for N. Korean ammunition: Pentagon

WASHINGTON -- The United States stands by its intelligence that Russia is seeking to purchase ammunition from North Korea, a Pentagon spokesperson said Thursday in response to North Korea's claim that no such deal has taken place. North Korea said on Thursday (Seoul time) that it has never exported any weapons or ammunition to Russia and that it does not plan to do so, while accusing the US of circulating a baseless rumor against the North. "So all I will say is we stand by the informa

Sept. 23, 2022

S. Korea draws $1.15 b investment from Applied Materials, six other US firms

SEOUL -- South Korea has drawn investment worth a combined $1.15 billion from seven North American firms in the semiconductor, battery and energy sectors, which is expected to help strengthen supply chains of key items and boost bilateral economic ties, the industry ministry said Friday. The investment pledges were made during a ceremony in New York, which was attended by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and senior officials from the Seoul government and global companies, according to the Mi

Sept. 23, 2022

Presidential office denies Yoon used foul language to refer to Biden, Congress

NEW YORK -- The office of President Yoon Suk-yeol denied Thursday that Yoon used foul language in reference to US Congress and President Joe Biden, clarifying that he was talking about a situation he could face if South Korea's opposition-controlled National Assembly does not cooperate. On Wednesday, video circulated of Yoon talking with US President Joe Biden at a fundraiser for fighting infectious diseases in New York. As he leaves the venue amid noise, he appears to tell aides in vulgar

Sept. 23, 2022

Opposition slams Yoon for diplomatic mishaps, apparent insult of US Congress

The Democratic Party of Korea, the country’s main opposition party, raised the heat on President Yoon Suk-yeol on Thursday after Yoon was caught on camera using derogatory words when referring to the US Congress at the Global Fund's Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York. As he left the venue, Yoon was caught on camera using a Korean expletive referring to a group of people, apparently referring to the US Congress. Yoon also said that Biden would be humiliated if the "parliamen

Sept. 22, 2022

Preliminary 'Chip 4’ meeting expected next week as China monitors

With the first meeting of the US-led “Chip 4” semiconductor alliance expected to take place before the end of this month, China appears to be closely monitoring its proceedings. The preliminary meeting involving the US, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan is reportedly expected to take place early next week. In response, the Chinese ambassador to Korea met with a Korean lawmaker on Tuesday to reiterate Beijing’s opposition. At the first Chip 4 meeting, working-level officials of the

Sept. 22, 2022

Yoon asks Biden to resolve S. Korea's concerns over Inflation Reduction Act

NEW YORK -- President Yoon Suk-yeol asked US President Joe Biden to resolve South Korea's concerns over the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Biden responded he was well aware of the concerns, Yoon's office said Wednesday. Biden also said the two sides should continue serious discussions about the matter, the office said in a press release summarizing the presidents' three encounters over the last four days. "President Yoon explained our businesses' concerns about the

Sept. 22, 2022

Yoon, German chancellor agree to work to deepen bilateral ties

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held a summit in New York on Wednesday and agreed to work to deepen their countries' bilateral relationship at every level, the presidential office said. The two held their first summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and assessed how the countries have developed their friendly and cooperative relations across diverse sectors as key partners sharing universal values such as freedom, human rights a

Sept. 22, 2022

Biden names N. Korea as one of 'disturbing' reasons to strengthen nonproliferation regime

WASHINGTON -- US President Joe Biden on Wednesday named North Korea as one of a few major reasons why the United Nations and its members must work to strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The US leader also said the US is prepared to pursue "critical arms controls measures" no matter what is happening in the world. "A nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought. The five permanent members of the (UN) Security Council just reaffirmed that commitment in January,&qu

Sept. 22, 2022

US to review 'all possible ways' to address Korea's concerns on IRA hurting EV makers

Washington said it is reviewing "all possible measures" to address Seoul's concerns regarding the US' Inflation Reduction Act hurting Korean electric vehicle makers, and reaffirmed that it will maintain an open channel for communication, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. On Tuesday (US time), South Korean Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon met with Jose Fernandez, the under secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment at the US State Department to disc

Sept. 21, 2022

Arab cultural festival showcases Qatar World Cup Pavilion

Arab cultures are being showcased ahead of the upcoming Qatar World Cup through Sept. 16 -24 in the lobby of Coex in southern Seoul. The pavilion is part of an exhibition held ahead of the World Cup which kicks off on Nov. 20 in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, and offers visitors a chance to experience Arab culture through activities like trying on Arab costumes, tasting Arabic desserts, getting Arabic pattern tattoos, and taking photos in a majlis, or sitting room in Arabic. Co-hosted by the

Sept. 21, 2022

[Hwang's China and the World] Seeking new Korea-China relations: Evaluating politics and diplomacy

Now is the time for Korea and China to look back on the past, face the present and talk about the future. Over the past 30 years, Korea-China relations have developed explosively. The establishment of Korea-China diplomatic relations was an important turning point in advancing the new era of prosperity in Northeast Asia. And now both Korea and China have grown into the core countries in the international community. China has grown into a major powerhouse in the international community, and Korea

Sept. 21, 2022

[Contribution] Emergence of new donors offers fresh opportunities to address global challenges

The emergence of middle-income developing countries willing to share their knowledge, expertise and resources through their own assistance programs offers new opportunities for partnerships and points to the changing dynamics in development cooperation. Over the past decades, South-South cooperation has gained increased importance in accelerating sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region and has evolved as a key modality for countries to address transboundary issues such as the COVID-1

Sept. 21, 2022