South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Thursday called for “flexibility” and a “different approach” in efforts to draw up a road map for the denuclearization process as North Korea and the US continue negotiations to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. Her call for flexibility in the negotiation process comes as US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is set to visit Pyongyang on Sunday and meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to push forward the US-North Korea denuclearization talk

Foreign Affairs Oct. 4, 2018

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to North Korea on Sunday to push forward denuclearization talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as the countries seek to narrow their differences on efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons. 　After a one-day visit to Pyongyang, Pompeo will travel to Seoul on Sunday and stay through Monday, meeting with President Moon Jae-in and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. He will then fly to Japan and China to meet his counterparts there, acc

Foreign Affairs Oct. 3, 2018

The US needs to better understand that joint military exercises between South Korea and the US are for mutual interests, a South Korean official said Monday, refuting US President Donald Trump’s calls on Seoul to pay for the military drills.　“It is true that the joint military exercises are helpful for (South Korea’s) security, but the joint military exercises are not benefitting South Korea unilaterally and they are rather mutually beneficial for both countries,” the official from the Foreign M

Foreign Affairs Oct. 1, 2018

The Navy said Sunday it will continue to consult with Japan to prevent a Japanese warship from carrying a controversial imperialistic flag to an international naval review in South Korea next month, amid public outcry over what many South Koreans see as the symbol of wartime aggression.  Activists protest against Japan’s plan to carry a controversial imperialistic flag to an international naval event in South Korea next month, at a rally in central Seoul on Sept. 27. (Yonhap)Seoul’s Foreign Mini

Defense Sept. 30, 2018

North Korea has reiterated its demand for “corresponding measures” from the US before it takes further steps to dismantle its nuclear weapons, highlighting a continued divide over efforts to achieve denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said at the 73th United Nations General Assembly that continued sanctions were deepening its mistrust in the US and there was “no way” it would give up its nuclear weapons unilaterally under such circumstances. “Witho

Foreign Affairs Sept. 30, 2018

Moon Jae-in directly addressed the issue of Japan’s wartime use of “comfort women” at the United Nations General Assembly, as he hinted at the possibility of disbanding a Japanese-funded foundation created to help South Korean victims of Japanese military sex slavery during World War II.　South Korea has a “direct experience of suffering from the Japanese military’s mobilization of comfort women,” Moon said during his speech at the UN General Assembly, using a euphemism for the victims forced to

Foreign Affairs Sept. 27, 2018

Upon his return to Seoul after a three-day visit to Pyongyang for an inter-Korean summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in offered details on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s commitments. One of the major outcomes of this week’s summit was that Kim agreed to dismantle his country’s long-range missile testing site in the presence of international inspectors, and to close its main Yongbyon nuclear complex if the US takes corresponding measures. Here are some of the key points of what North Kore

Foreign Affairs Sept. 21, 2018

The US said it is prepared to resume talks with North Korea after the North agreed to dismantle its key missile facility and potentially its main nuclear complex at this week’s inter-Korean summit, kick-starting stalled denuclearization negotiations.　At his third meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Kim agreed to permanently dismantle the Tongchang-ri missile testing site in the presence of international experts, and suggested the North would permanently destroy the Yongbyon nuclear

Foreign Affairs Sept. 20, 2018

U.S. President Donald Trumphailed Wednesday‘s summit between North Korean leader Kim JongUn and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and said there had been “tremendous progress” with North Korea on several fronts, including Pyongyang’s denuclearization.　 (Yonhap)Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said agreements reached between the two Korean leaders at the meeting, in which North Korea said it would permanently abolish its key missile facilities with witnesses, was “very good news.

Foreign Affairs Sept. 19, 2018

South Korean President Moon Jae-in called for a big step toward unification by ending mutual hostilities and opening of a new future together in his address at the “mass games” performance in Pyongyang late Wednesday alongside North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.　“Chairman Kim Jong-un and I will hold hands of 80 million people of North Korea and South Korea, and build a new country. Let’s move toward a new future together,” Moon said after watching the performance on the second day of his trip to Py

North Korea Sept. 19, 2018

North Korea said Wednesday it would permanently dismantle a key missile facility, a gesture experts say will keep alive the momentum for dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington but falls short of a major denuclearization step. 　In a joint statement signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, North Korea said it would “permanently” dismantle its Dongchang-ri missile engine test site and a launch pad in the presence of international experts. 　North Korea als

Foreign Affairs Sept. 19, 2018

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave credit to South Korean President Moon Jae-in for his “tireless effort” in bring together Pyongyang and Washington to the negotiations table, as he met with Moon for a meeting Tuesday.  (Joint Press Corps)“There was big progress, and it is thanks to Moon’s tireless effort. North Korea-South Korea relations, and North Korea-US relations saw an improvement,” Kim said at an opening speech before the first official meeting of the third inter-Korean summit. 　“Presi

Foreign Affairs Sept. 18, 2018

President Moon Jae-in received an unprecedentedly enthusiastic reception by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as he arrived in Pyongyang on Tuesday for his third meeting with Kim.　Upon stepping off the plane at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport around 10 a.m., Moon and first lady Kim Jung-sook were greeted by Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, as well as thousands of cheering North Koreans. 　The leaders embraced each other three times, and exchanged smiles and handshakes, before Kim led Moon to meet

North Korea Sept. 18, 2018

President Moon Jae-in left for Pyongyang on Tuesday morning for his third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.Moon's plane with a 110-member delegation left Seongnam Air Base at 8:55 a.m. to fly a non-stop route via the West Sea. The plane is set to arrive in Pyongyang at around 10 a.m., his chief of staff Im Jong-seok earlier said. During his three-day trip, Moon said he will seek to facilitate the stalled denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US.(Yonhap)“First is removing

North Korea Sept. 18, 2018

Top diplomats of South Korea and the US vowed close coordination during phone conversations Monday, a day before South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.South Korea’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke over the phone on two occasions to discuss the summit preparations and recent progress in inter-Korean relations, according to the Foreign Ministry. According to press releases by the ministry, Pompeo reaffirme

North Korea Sept. 18, 2018