South Korea and Japan appear to be in a war of nerves ahead of their high-stakes negotiations over the thorny issue of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery as they seek to gain the upper hand in the upcoming consultations. President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold a summit at Cheong Wa Dae this week. (Yonhap)A Seoul official on Friday said it was Tokyo that should first propose solutions to the issue involving Korean victims of the colonial-era atrocity. His remarks came a da

Foreign Affairs Nov. 6, 2015

Korea’s rise from the rubble of the 1950-53 Korean War is a “message of hope” for Palestinian refugees in the war-ravaged region, the chief of a U.N. relief agency supporting them said Thursday, expressing hopes for a deeper cooperation between Seoul and his agency.Pierre Krahenbuhl, commissioner general of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, speaks during a meeting with reporters in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)“Think of what has happened since the 1950s. You

Foreign Affairs Nov. 5, 2015

The ongoing dispute over the South China Sea is posing a tricky diplomatic challenge to South Korea as the U.S. appears to be increasing pressure on its ally to take its side in the name of “freedom of navigation.”Defense Minister Han Min-koo attends a parliamentary budget session on Thursday. (Yonhap)Public opinion is divided over how Seoul should handle the issue: Some argue that Seoul should keep a low profile and prevent itself from falling into a situation in which it has to choose between

Foreign Affairs Nov. 5, 2015

From joining China-led financial and infrastructure initiatives to shunning the U.S-led economic sanctions against Russia, South Korea is taking an increasingly pragmatic foreign policy approach, all the while triggering concerns over the potential impact on its alliance with the U.S.President Park Geun-hye and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pose for a photo before their talks at Cheong Wa Dae last week. (Yonhap)Analysts say that South Korea has secured more “autonomy” in its foreign policy decision

Foreign Affairs Nov. 4, 2015

This is the fourth installment in a series of interviews with scholars and experts on China as a resurgent Asian power that is changing the regional order. This installment looks into China’s relations and strategy for dealing with the two Koreas. -- Ed.China has apparently reevaluated the value of its communist brethren, North Korea, as a source of strategic leverage amid its reemergence as a great power, according to renowned China expert Suh Jin-young.Suh, professor emeritus at Korea Universi

Foreign Affairs Nov. 3, 2015

China urged an early resumption of official maritime demarcation talks with South Korea during a summit in Seoul on Friday, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said Monday, sparking concerns that the talks could rekindle the dispute over Ieodo, a rock in the East China Sea. President Park Geun-hye and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pose for a photo before their talks at Cheong Wa Dae last week. (Yonhap)The ministry revealed its proposal in a press release on its website. Seoul did not mention the proposal in

Foreign Affairs Nov. 2, 2015

South Korea, China and Japan on Sunday agreed to further “institutionalize” their trilateral cooperation to enhance mutual trust and regional stability by holding their summit on a regular basis and bolstering the role of their cooperation secretariat.Korean President Park Geun-hye, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hold a joint press conference after their summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday. (Yonhap)They also agreed to speed up their negotiations on a trila

Foreign Affairs Nov. 1, 2015

 The trilateral summit among South Korea, China and Japan on Sunday helped create the much-needed momentum for cooperation in defusing geopolitical tensions, bolstering trade and economic exchanges and deterring North Korea, analysts said Sunday. South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left)and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang hold hands together for a photo before their trilateral summit at Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday. (Yonhap)What was initiated as a regular summit in 20

Foreign Affairs Nov. 1, 2015

The Defense Ministry is seeking to curtail the number of active-duty general-level officers to around 400 from the current 440, amid criticism it has failed to fulfill a 2011 reduction plan due to resistance from the top brass.President Park Geun-hye walks with Defense Minister Han Min-koo (second from right), Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Lee Sun-jin (center) and other general-level officers in their new post assignment ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday (Yonhap).The ministry said it was no

Defense Oct. 29, 2015

This is the third installment in a series of interviews with renowned scholars and experts on China as a resurgent Asian power triggering shifts in the regional order. This installment looks into China’s vision for a regional order and the ongoing Sino-U.S. rivalry. -- Ed. China and the U.S. have been envisioning different regional orders with the former seeking one that encompasses Asians’ unique cultural aspects and the latter pursuing a strictly rule-based approach anchored in its alliance ne

Foreign Affairs Oct. 27, 2015