The number of North Korean defectors who resettled in the South climbed more than 15 percent from a year ago to 815 in the first seven months of this year, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said Tuesday.The increase could be a sign of the economic suffering and oppression in the communist state, the ministry suggested.If the current upward trend continues, the yearly total is expected to reach 1,400 and the accumulated tally to hit 30,000. This would mark a rebound following a two-year decline. Since

North Korea Aug. 2, 2016

A North Korean student has taken refuge in South Korea’s consulate in Hong Kong after breaking away from a team taking part in an international math contest, local news reports said Friday.The 18-year-old male student, whose identity remains unknown, reached the diplomatic mission on July 16, according to local newspaper Ming Pao. A North Korean student delegation participates earlier this month in the International Mathematical Olympiad at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. (Yo

North Korea July 29, 2016

Korea launched a 1 billion yen ($9.55 million) fund on Thursday for the victims of Japan’s sexual slavery during World War II despite unabated protests from some survivors and civic groups.  The Foundation for Reconciliation and Healing held its inauguration ceremony and first meeting of the board of directors at its secretariat in downtown Seoul. Kim Tae-hyeon, professor emeritus in social welfare studies at Sungshin Women’s University, exits the event as one of the protesters threw a capsaicin

Foreign Affairs July 28, 2016

Seoul will launch a 1 billion yen ($9.5 million) fund on Thursday for the victims of Japan’s sexual servitude during World War II, following months-long debate with Japan and ongoing protests at home. The organization, called the Foundation for Reconciliation and Healing, has several tasks to carry out, including persuading reluctant victims. Korea and Japan have also yet to agree on the timing of the funds’ transfer. An 11-member public-private preparation committee has been gearing up for the

Foreign Affairs July 27, 2016

With the regional security forum in Vientiane, Laos, drawing to a close, South Korea, the U.S., China and other countries on Tuesday stepped up diplomatic efforts to carry through their claims on pressing issues. The 27 foreign ministers took part in the ASEAN Regional Forum’s plenary and retreat sessions, delivering speeches and conversing with one another in between. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (center) and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attend a dinner during the ASEAN Regi

Foreign Affairs July 26, 2016

Breaking a drawn-out cooling-off period after Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests, the top diplomats of North Korea and China held talks Monday at a regional security conference in Vientiane, Laos. The session between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his North Korean counterpart Ri Yong-ho took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum for the first time since Ri took office last May. His predecessor Ri Su-yong and Wang did not meet face-to-face during last year’s event.“The meeti

Foreign Affairs July 25, 2016

The two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and other major regional powers are embarking on a diplomatic race this week at a security forum in Vientiane amid tension over North Korea’s ceaseless military provocations and the planned stationing of U.S. anti-missile assets here. Foreign ministers from around the Asia Pacific began to touch down in the Laotian capital on Sunday for the ASEAN Regional Forum, the region’s largest security conference organized by the 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc.  Forei

Foreign Affairs July 24, 2016

With financial support being key to fostering eco-friendly growth, the upcoming Global Green Growth Week event in September seeks to provide a link between the developing world and multinational banks, organizers said Thursday. The Global Green Growth Institute plans to present the first-ever weeklong event on Jeju Island on Sept. 5-9, under the theme of “Maximizing Impact for Inclusive and Sustainable Green Growth.”With a three-pronged focus on finance, renewable energy and social inclusion, th

Foreign Affairs July 21, 2016

North Korea said Wednesday that Tuesday’s launch of three missiles was aimed at boosting its capabilities to strike South Korean ports and airfields, in an apparent bid to ratchet up its protest against the Seoul-Washington plan to dispatch advanced U.S. antimissile assets here. The firing of one Rodong and two Scud missiles was seen as a show of force targeting the allies’ recent announcement of their deployment decision. Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, was picked as the location for the Te

North Korea July 20, 2016

An intense debate took place at the National Assembly on Tuesday over the Seoul government’s decision to have the U.S. station its missile defense system here, as the rival parties and the government relayed polarized views on the plan’s potential domestic, military and diplomatic impact.Citing North Korea’s test-firing of three missiles earlier in the day, the administration and the ruling Saenuri Party stressed the need for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system to safeguard the South

Defense July 19, 2016

GUAM -- The U.S. showed its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery stationed in Guam for the first time to the outside world on Tuesday as South Korea struggles to defuse concerns over the possible health and environmental impact of the system’s planned deployment here. Members of the local press kicked off a three-day tour to the Anderson Air Force Base alongside officials from Seoul’s Defense Ministry with the support of the U.S. military. They were scheduled to look around the battery, i

Defense July 18, 2016

The rift between pro- and anti-THAAD camps continued to deepen over the weekend with further political wrangling and public protests despite the government’s efforts to ease diplomatic and safety concerns. The government has been striving to pare down rumors about the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system’s potential health hazards since last week’s announcement that it will be stationed in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province. The Defense Ministry arranged a media tour on Thursday to a milit

Politics July 17, 2016

On paper, Kim In-shik may not be the most likely candidate to steer the Korea International Cooperation Agency. An old hand at trade and investment relations, the 67-year-old spent nearly 30 years promoting Korean products, technologies and markets around the globe for the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency until his departure in 2005. It’s rare for a non-diplomat to take on the helm the organization. Despite the odds, he took the post in May, and is more than ready to prove he is the perfe

Foreign Affairs July 15, 2016

With North Korea seen as plunging deeper into isolation, concerns are growing over the absence of communication channels with Pyongyang and possible military provocation stemming from miscalculations. Pyongyang’s state media said Monday it will “completely” shut down its telephone line with the U.S. in New York in protest against Washington’s recent sanctions on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un over human rights abuses. The so-called New York channel, based in the communist state’s permanent miss

North Korea July 12, 2016

With Beijing’s rebuke showing little signs of abating over the U.S.’ envisioned THAAD stationing here, concerns are intensifying that China may take retaliatory steps that may take a substantial toll on the South Korean economy. Following last Friday’s announcement, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other officials have reacted with sharp criticism, urging South Korea and the U.S. to shelve the plan. Official media churned out editorials and articles calling for military action and economic c

Foreign Affairs July 11, 2016