President Moon Jae-in’s proposal to set up an East Asian railroad community is not likely to gain steam without significant progress in talks between North Korea and the US over denuclearization, experts said.Moon announced the proposal to establish road and rail links across the Korean Peninsula before the end of this year and create the East Asian Railroad Community encompassing the Koreas, China, Japan, Mongolia, Russia and the US. “Beyond tackling the nuclear issue, the road map is about coo

Foreign Affairs Aug. 16, 2018

A South Korean advance team left for North Korea on Wednesday to check on preparations for next week’s reunion event of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. 　The 18-member team, led by Lee Jong-chol, a Red Cross official, departed for Kumgangsan on the North’s east coast, where the first reunion event in nearly three years will be held from Aug. 20-26, according to the Unification Ministry. 　The team will inspect facilities, including accommodations and a banquet hall, and consult with

North Korea Aug. 15, 2018

Despite North Korea’s promise to denuclearize and public image makeover, Jo Sun-keun, 23, who has grown up under threat from North Korea’s occasional nuclear and missile tests, does not think the North will dismantle its nuclear arsenal completely. A unification flag (Yonhap)In his memory, North Korea has never stopped pursuing nuclear ambition, and used threats and fiery rhetoric toward its southern neighbor. It made conciliatory gestures only when it needed help from the South, and broke its o

Foreign Affairs Aug. 15, 2018

A female diplomat was tapped as Korea’s ambassador to the United Kingdom last week, becoming the country’s first female career diplomat to lead one of the major diplomatic missions abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday that Park Enna, ambassador for public diplomacy, will take up the post as the government moves to fill more key positions with women.  Park Enna (Yonhap)Park, who has specialized in multilateral and public diplomacy, will become Korea’s first female ambassador t

Foreign Affairs Aug. 13, 2018

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Monday that it is still too early to consider declaring an end to the Korean War.The retired admiral stressed that the US and North Korea have only begun “the process” to achieve the goal of the “final, fully verified denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and it would take diplomacy and negotiations to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. “With regard to the end of war declaration, I think it’s in early days yet, it’s too early for that eve

Foreign Affairs Aug. 13, 2018

Three South Korean companies brought in North Korean coal and pig iron disguised as Russian products in possible violation of international sanctions, the South Korean customs agency said Friday. 　Seoul has been examining nine cases of shipments of suspected North Korean coal, which would breach UN Security Council resolutions banning exports of coal and other minerals from the North. 　Wrapping up the 10-month investigation, the Korea Customs Service  said that the three local companies brought

Foreign Affairs Aug. 10, 2018

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it is closely communicating with the US on the issue of suspected North Korean coal shipped to South Korea, amid concerns that the North may be exploiting gaps in the international sanctions regime. The US Department of State also reiterated that it is closely coordinating with South Korea on North Korean issues and implementing international sanctions against the country. (Yonhap)“The Republic of Korea is a faithful and reliable partner in the m

Foreign Affairs Aug. 9, 2018

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho’s visit to Iran within hours of the US sanctions against the Islamic Republic taking effect raises questions over North Korea’s intentions amid a deadlock in negotiations with Washington over its nuclear weapons program. (Yonhap)By strengthening relations with Iran, which is at odds with the US, Pyongyang is sending a message to Washington that it will not give in to the US pressure campaign, experts noted. Ri and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif met T

Foreign Affairs Aug. 8, 2018

The government will dispatch a special envoy to Libya as part of efforts to rescue a South Korean man held captive by an unidentified armed group there, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will send Baik Joo-hyeon, a former ambassador to Kazakhstan with experience in resolving kidnapping cases involving South Korean nationals, to the North African country as soon as preparations are completed. He plans to stay there for two or three days. One South Korean nationa

Foreign Affairs Aug. 8, 2018

The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles featuring inter-Korean relations to mark the paper’s 65th anniversary that falls on Aug. 15. Following is the third installment. -- EdAfter 65 years of division of the two Koreas, uniting with North Korea is nothing more than a far-fetched dream for many young South Koreans, who remain indifferent to the reclusive country -- if not fearful or hateful toward it for its nuclear and missile provocations. Unlike the older generation that views the

North Korea Aug. 6, 2018

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the US delegation attending a regional security forum in Singapore delivered a letter from US President Donald Trump for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Saturday. 　“Our US delegation also had the opportunity to deliver @Potus reply to Chairman Kim’s letter,” Pompeo said in a tweet after attending the foreign ministerial meeting at the ASEAN Regional Forum. The reply to Kim’s letter was delivered after the White House had announced Thursday that Trum

Foreign Affairs Aug. 4, 2018

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday called on Russia, China and other countries to strictly enforce international sanctions on North Korea, saying Washington would take any violations “very seriously.” 　Speaking on the sidelines of an annual ASEAN Regional Forum in Singapore, Pompeo told reporters that the US had credible reports that Russia was violating UN sanctions by allowing joint ventures with North Korean companies and issuing new permits for North Korean guest workers. 　“We exp

Foreign Affairs Aug. 4, 2018

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her US counterpart Mike Pompeo vowed close coordination to resolve North Korea’s nuclear standoff during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a regional security forum in Singapore on Saturday. 　Kang and Pompeo, both attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum that began Thursday, had the one-on-one meeting Saturday morning on the sidelines to exchange views on matters regarding North Korea and other areas of mutual conc

Foreign Affairs Aug. 4, 2018

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho turned down a request for a formal bilateral meeting with her South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha on the sidelines of an annual regional forum in Singapore on Friday, a South Korean government official said. 　 North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho returns to his hotel in Singapore Friday night after attending bilateral talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum. A handful journalists, mostly Japanese, waited for Ri to arrive at his hotel. (

North Korea Aug. 4, 2018

South Korea’s nuclear envoy and a senior US State Department official met on the sidelines of an annual regional forum in Singapore on Friday, as the countries’ top diplomats are set to hold a meeting the following day. Lee Do-hoon, South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy, and Sung Kim, US ambassador to the Philippines, met on the margins of the ASEAN Regional Forum. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha are scheduled to hold a meeting Saturday morning. Lee

Foreign Affairs Aug. 3, 2018