Japan calls on next Korean gov't to implement deal on 'comfort women'

TOKYO -- Japan on Monday urged the next South Korean government implement a landmark 2015 deal to resolve the long-running rift over Japan's wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women as the official campaign period for South Korea's upcoming presidential election began the same day."The two countries promised to implement the December 2015 agreement that was highly esteemed in the international community regardless of the internal affairs (in South Korea)," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshi

April 17, 2017

Top diplomats of Korea and Angola to meet next week to discuss cooperation

Top diplomats of South Korea and Angola will have talks next week to discuss cooperation in a wide range of areas, including the economy and security, the foreign ministry in Seoul said Friday.South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will meet with his Angolan counterpart Georges Chikoti on Tuesday, according to the ministry.  South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (Yonhap)They will exchange views on regional and global issues and discuss cooperation in economy, security and other areas, t

April 14, 2017

More than half of Americans worried about Trump's handling of tensions with NK: poll

WASHINGTON -- More than half of Americans are concerned about President Donald Trump's ability to handle tensions with North Korea, a survey showed Thursday.The CBS News poll, conducted April 7-9, showed that 56 percent described themselves as "uneasy" about Trump's ability to handle the standoff with the North, while 39 percent said they were "confident" in his ability.(Yonhap)Confidence levels varied largely along party lines, with 85 percent of Democrats saying they're not confident in Trump'

April 14, 2017

Korean rice to be sent to developing countries via int'l aid program

SEJONG -- South Korean rice will be sent to Southeast Asian developing countries through an international food aid program for the first time in history, the agriculture ministry said Thursday.According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, a panel of the ASEAN+3 Emergency Rice Reserve approved South Korea's plan earlier this week to offer 750 tons of rice to the food aid program.(Yonhap)Launched in 2013 by 10 countries of the ASEAN, South Korea, Japan and China, APTERR is aime

April 13, 2017

Hwang urges Japan to show sincere remorse over shared history

South Korean Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn urged Japan Thursday to squarely face history and show sincere remorse over its past occupation of the Korean Peninsula.Hwang made the call in an address marking the 98th anniversary of the establishment of Korea's provisional government in Shanghai, China, in 1919. Korea was under Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45. Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn delivers an address to mark the 98th anniversary of the establishment of Korea's provisional government i

April 13, 2017

US will not bypass Seoul when dealing with N. Korea: FM

The United States will first consult with South Korea before taking any serious measures, including a pre-emptive strike, against North Korea to punish the communist state for possible provocations, Seoul's top diplomat said Thursday.Yun Byung-se refused to speculate whether Washington was preparing to pre-emptively strike following additional provocations from the communist North but insisted the US will not take such measures without first consulting with Seoul."In fact, the US is working to r

April 13, 2017

Korea's finance minister meets with acting US ambassador to South Korea

SEJONG -- South Korea's finance minister on Wednesday met with the acting US ambassador to South Korea to discuss ways to bolster cooperation between the two countries ahead of the scheduled visit by US Vice President Mike Pence, his office here said.In a meeting with Marc Knapper, who is acting as the ambassador after Mark Lippert stepped down, Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said the South Korean government is hoping to build a stable and reciprocal economic and trade relationship with the new US g

April 12, 2017

China envoy discusses THAAD with Korean politicians for second day

A senior Chinese diplomat on Wednesday held a second round of talks with South Korean politicians on the bilateral dispute over the deployment of a US missile defense system here.Wu Dawei, Beijing's chief negotiator on North Korea's nuclear program, met with Rep. Kim Moo-sung, election committee chief of the splinter conservative Bareun Party.He arrived in Seoul Monday for a five-day visit amid growing signs of Pyongyang preparing new nuclear and missile tests.Rep. Kim Moo-sung of the Bareun Par

April 12, 2017

China's envoy says Beijing will 'actively' work for talks between US, NK

China's top nuclear envoy said Tuesday that he will work hard to bring the United States and North Korea to the negotiating table for direct talks aimed at resolving the North's nuclear stalemate.Wu Dawei made the remarks in a meeting with Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the minor progressive Justice Party. During the 40-minute-long meeting, the two discussed North Korea's nuclear program and other issues of mutual concerns, according to Sim, who shared what was discussed in a press briefing.  China's chi

April 11, 2017

S. Korea, US reaffirm unity against N. Korea

South Korea and the United States agreed Tuesday to maintain their firm unity against North Korea's military threats, a show of their robust alliance in the wake of the latest US-China summit talks.David F. Helvey, US assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, briefed Wee Seung-ho, South Korea's deputy defense minister for policy, by phone on the results of the Florida meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, according to Wee's mi

April 11, 2017

Russian Navy vessels make port call in Korea for friendship visit

BUSAN -- Two vessels belonging to the Pacific Fleet of the Russian naval forces made a port call Tuesday at the South Korean coastal city of Busan as part of a regular exchange program with the South Korean Navy.The call at the port of South Korea's Naval Operations Command by the guided-missile cruiser Varyag and the tanker Pechenga, both 11,000-ton vessels, was the second this year to be made by Russian warships. The guided-missile cruiser Varyag of the Russian Pacific Fleet enters a port in S

April 11, 2017

Seoul believes US won't unilaterally act against North without 'cooperation' with ally

South Korea's defense ministry said Tuesday the Donald Trump administration won't take any substantive military action against North Korea without "close cooperation" with Seoul.It cited the spirit of the bilateral alliance that dates back to the 1950-53 Korean War."(Such a military operation, if any,) will be conducted under the robust South Korea-US combined defense posture based on their close cooperation," the ministry's spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said at a press briefing.South Korean Defense

April 11, 2017

Hwang urges 'calm, consistency' amid concerns over NK provocations

South Korea's Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday urged "calm and consistency" amid growing concerns that North Korea could stage provocations in time for its key political events this month.During a Cabinet meeting, Hwang also stressed the need to strengthen the country's vigilance posture against the North "based on the South Korea-US security alliance."Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (3rd from R) speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the central governm

April 11, 2017

S. Korea, US, Japan arrange meeting to discuss NK issue

South Korea, the United States and Japan are arranging a meeting to coordinate their joint response toward North Korea's nuclear and missile threats amid growing concerns that Pyongyang might carry out a major provocation, a foreign ministry official here said Tuesday.A Japanese media report said earlier that top nuclear envoys of the three countries are planning to hold a trilateral meeting in Tokyo later this month, citing multiple government officials.  Kim Hong-kyun (L), South Korea's chief

April 11, 2017

Chun Doo-hwan said a few nukes enough to induce NK to talks: diplomatic dossier

In the mid-1980s, then South Korean President Chun Doo-hwan said that owning only a few nuclear weapons could be enough to induce North Korea to talks aimed at easing growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, declassified diplomatic documents showed Tuesday.Chun made the remarks in his meeting with Edward Rowny who came to Seoul on Oct. 15, 1986, as a USenvoy. Rowny made a visit to brief the Seoul government on Washington's arms reduction negotiations with Moscow, according to the documents.Form

April 11, 2017

Korea, China warn of strong response to N. Korea nuke, ICBM tests

South Korea and China agreed on Monday to take strong new measures in line with UN resolutions if North Korea conducts new nuclear and missile tests, a Seoul official said.The warning came after chief negotiators on the North's nuclear program from the two countries met in Seoul amid growing concerns that the North may carry out its sixth nuclear test and launch an intercontinental ballistic missile this month.(Yonhap)"Both the South Korean and Chinese sides shared the urgency and gravity of the

April 10, 2017

French School of Seoul refashioned

Building on years of collaboration between French and Korean institutions and companies, the French School of Seoul in Seorae Village will be revamped and enlarged through renovation that kicked off Friday.The school, which includes a kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school, provides education in the French language. It was originally located in Hannam-dong, Seoul, and moved to the current location in 1985. The construction is expected to be completed by September 2018.“The additional c

April 10, 2017

Austria rings sounds of music, innovation, dynamism

Despite being far away from each other, Austrians and Koreans are kindred spirits sharing unusual passions for the arts, culture and nature, says Ambassador Elisabeth Bertagnoli. Although typically identified as Europe’s crown jewel of art, music and sightseeing, Austria is as much about cutting-edge technology and innovation as Amadeus Mozart or Gustav Klimt, the country’s top envoy to Korea wants people to know. Marking the 125th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations this year, the Ger

April 10, 2017

Japan envoy meets vice foreign minister amid girl statue controversy

Japan's top envoy here met with a senior foreign ministry official on Monday apparently to demand that Seoul fully implement a 2015 deal aimed at resolving a rift over Japan's sexual enslavement of Korean women during World War II, the foreign ministry said.Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam and Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine had a closed-door meeting, according to the ministry.Nagamine returned to Seoul from Japan on Tuesday following an almost three-month absence.Ambassador Yasumasa Nagamine (Yo

April 10, 2017