The International Hydrographic Organization has reached a consensus to adopt a new way of identifying seas by number, rather than by name, a move that could put an end to the long-standing dispute between Seoul and Tokyo over what the body of water between two countries should be called, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. 　 During a virtual General Assembly of the international organization on maritime data on Monday, the 65 member states agreed to revise the existing standard for a world map

Foreign Affairs Nov. 17, 2020

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi may visit South Korea later this month for talks on bilateral cooperation and to discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping’s planned visit to Seoul, according to media reports Monday. 　 Citing diplomatic sources, the report said Seoul and Beijing officials have been in talks to arrange Wang’s visit to happen within this month, around his reported trip to Japan. 　 South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, however, declined to confirm the report, adding the t

Foreign Affairs Nov. 16, 2020

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a Politburo meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party on Sunday to discuss COVID-19 measures, marking his first public appearance in 25 days, its state media said Monday. 　 During the meeting, Kim evaluated the country’s coronavirus situation and ordered that the emergency antivirus system be tightened in preparation for the worsening global public health crisis, the Korea Central News Agency said. 　 Kim stressed the “need to keep a h

North Korea Nov. 16, 2020

The South Korean government is seeking to make a breakthrough in its strained relations with Tokyo over a wartime labor dispute, with Seoul officials racing to Japan for talks with political leaders.  A delegation of bipartisan lawmakers from the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians’ Union, led by Rep. Kim Jin-pyo of the ruling Democratic Party, is in Tokyo from Thursday to Saturday to meet with its counterparts and officials to discuss ways to improve bilateral relations deteriorated by a f

Foreign Affairs Nov. 13, 2020

Pope Francis has expressed hope of visiting North Korea sometime in the future, reaffirming his previous stance of wanting to bring about peace on the Korean Peninsula. 　 The pontiff made the remark last month during a closed-door meeting with then-South Korean Ambassador to the Holy See Lee Baek-man, who paid the pope a farewell courtesy call before leaving his post, according to the Korean Embassy in the Vatican. 　 When Lee asked whether the pope still wanted to visit the North, as he had s

Foreign Affairs Nov. 12, 2020

After four tumultuous years of the Donald Trump presidency, countries around the world are trying to figure out what President-elect Joe Biden’s America will mean for them. 　 With Biden’s win on pledges to take the nation on a very different path from Trump on every front -- from COVID-19 responses and the economy to foreign policy -- a lot is at stake for Seoul, Washington’s key ally on issues from security to trade and North Korea diplomacy. 　 The Blue House appears to be

Foreign Affairs Nov. 11, 2020

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reaffirmed their commitment for their countries to closely cooperate on ensuring the stable management of the Korean Peninsula situation. 　 Seoul’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said the top diplomats of the two countries held talks during a luncheon in Washington on Monday, discussing pending bilateral and regional issues. 　 Kang and Pompeo agreed on continuing efforts to develop South Korea-US relations a

Foreign Affairs Nov. 10, 2020

Stressing the latest US presidential election as an important turning point, Unification Minister Lee In-young on Monday called on North Korea to act cautiously and refrain from provocations to make this period a time for peace between the two Koreas.  Noting it could take several months for the incoming Joe Biden administration to review and come up with policy on Pyongyang, Lee underlined that this period of uncertainty could in turn become an opportunity to obtain peace on the Korean P

North Korea Nov. 9, 2020

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha predicted that the incoming Joe Biden administration would not return to the Obama-era policy of “strategic patience” in dealing with a nuclear-armed North Korea.  Kang made the remarks to reporters on Sunday (US time) after visiting the Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington. Seoul’s top diplomat is in the US capital through Wednesday for talks with her counterpart, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, about pending bilateral a

Foreign Affairs Nov. 9, 2020

With Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the US presidential race, South Korea will seek to forge ties with the new administration to further bolster the alliance and make progress toward peace on the Korean Peninsula. 　 South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday sent a congratulatory message to US President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, hours after major media outlets in the US announced Biden’s win over incumbent President Donald Trump. 　 “Congratulati

Foreign Affairs Nov. 8, 2020

Marilyn Strickland, the former mayor of Tacoma, Washington, won her race for the US House of Representatives, becoming the first Korean American woman elected to the US Congress in its 230-year history.  Democrat Strickland won the open seat in Washington’s 10th Congressional District, defeating state Rep. Beth Doglio, who is also a Democrat. They were competing for the seat held by US Rep. Denny Heck, who stepped down to run for the state’s lieutenant governor.  &ldquo

Foreign Affairs Nov. 5, 2020

PANMUNJOM -- Unification Minister Lee In-young on Wednesday called on North Korea to restore suspended communication channels between the two Koreas in a move to achieve a thaw in inter-Korean relations. 　 He also expressed hope of rebuilding the now-demolished inter-Korean joint liaison office, as well as resuming reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. 　 Lee’s remarks came during the ceremony for the opening of the tourism support center at Panmunjom to mark the resu

North Korea Nov. 4, 2020

As Americans head to the polls Tuesday, the South Korean government is watching closely and bracing itself for uncertainty. Whoever is elected, the result will have a lasting impact on the Korean Peninsula and the bilateral alliance for the next four years. 　 Seoul’s national security officials and related ministries are monitoring the election that will determine whether US President Donald Trump will lead the country for another four years or Democratic challenger Joe Biden will sweep

Foreign Affairs Nov. 3, 2020

North Korea on Monday argued that South Korea is scheming to deploy an additional US missile defense system in the country, and warned that doing so would lead to “self-destruction.” 　 Pyongyang propaganda outlet Uriminzokkiri claimed that at recent defense ministers’ talks, Seoul and Washington had agreed to establish a long-term plan for a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in the town of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, and that the plan was aimed at deploying a

North Korea Nov. 2, 2020

US voters this week will choose the leader of the world’s largest economic and military power, faced with the starkly different choices of incumbent President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden. 　 The election could be a turning point for South Korea -- a key Washington ally in security, trade, and North Korea diplomacy -- which will face either Trump’s “America First” approach or Biden’s pledge to strengthen the alliance over the next four years.&nb

Foreign Affairs Nov. 1, 2020