Most Popular
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10-man S. Korea lose to Indonesia to miss out on Paris Olympic football qualification
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Hybe-Ador feud should have limited effect on Hybe's overall performance: analysts
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Second Gimpo civil servant found dead, after apologizing for not finishing work
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DP leader says he will meet Yoon without conditions
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First-ever meeting of president, opposition chief set to finally happen
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NewJeans' singles, Japanese debut to proceed as planned, despite Hybe-Ador feud
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Experts raise concerns about Japan putting pressure on Naver over Line
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Samsung mobile chief, Google device head meet in Seoul
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Blinken calls on China to press N. Korea to end its 'dangerous' behavior
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Ship linked to NK arms shipments to Russia is moored in China: State Dept.
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Senior diplomat to visit US to prepare Moon-Trump summit
A South Korean senior diplomat will depart to the United States on Thursday to prepare a summit between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump set for next month, the foreign ministry said.During his three-day trip, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam is expected to discuss the timing, agenda and protocol details for the first talks between the two leaders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam (Yonhap)Moon and Trump are expected to focus on North Korea's nucle
May 25, 2017
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FM nominee says 'more powerful' sanctions needed against NK provocations
INCHEON -- President Moon Jae-in's nominee for the country's top diplomat said Thursday that humanitarian aid to the North should be provided regardless of political considerations.Kang Kyung-wha, recently tapped to lead the foreign ministry, still emphasized that it is necessary to seek "more powerful" sanctions against North Korea in case the regime carries out additional provocations."It is a universal value to provide humanitarian aid to where human beings are suffering. It is also the princ
May 25, 2017
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President says special envoys help fill diplomatic hiatus
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Wednesday that his special envoys to the US, Japan and China help make up for what he called a monthslong diplomatic hiatus, also noting the country's diplomatic efforts have got back on the right track.The president was apparently referring to a policy vacuum created by the March 10 ouster of his conservative predecessor Park Geun-hye."Our diplomacy has been in a state of vacuum due to the prolonged political impasse, but it appears (the envoys) have comp
May 24, 2017
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Moon seeks trilateral cooperation with Russia to change N. Korea: envoy
MOSCOW -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special envoy has told the Russian Far East development minister and parliament leaders that South Korea intends to increase economic cooperation with Russia as a means to dissuade North Korea from its nuclear weapons development and military provocations.After meetings with the Minister for Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka and parliamentary leaders on Tuesday, Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party said the Russian sid
May 24, 2017
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Korea to address flight course, safety distance in aviation talks with Japan
South Korea and Japan will hold their annual aviation talks this week, with Seoul asking for adjustments in flight course and safety distance between planes, the transportation ministry said Tuesday.The talks will be held on South Korea's southern island of Jeju from Wednesday to Friday, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. It will be the 12th round of the talks that began in 2005. (Yonhap)South Korea is asking Japan to adjust flight routes to shorten the flying dista
May 23, 2017
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‘Kashmir, the root of conflict in South Asia’
By Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Zahid Nasrullah KhanOn 6 June 1998, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1172 and expressed deep concern over the risk of a nuclear arms race in South Asia. Determined to prevent such a scenario from happening, it urged India and Pakistan to resume all of their bilateral dialogues covering outstanding issues and encouraged them to find mutually acceptable solutions that “address the root causes of those tensions, including Kashmir.” Nineteen yea
May 22, 2017
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‘One Belt, One Road could unlock regional prosperity’
With China embarking on a gargantuan enterprise of infrastructure and international development through the “Belt and Road” initiative, Beijing, Pyongyang and Seoul could join hands to tap its immense economic potential and promote regional trust-building and integration, according to a North Korea expert.Professor Fang Haofan, dean of the school of political science and public administration at Yanbian University, stressed that the more Seoul harped on its unification rhetoric, the further it w
May 22, 2017
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‘Iran nuke deal offers road map on N. Korea’
With North Korea upgrading its nuclear and missile capabilities, the world should seek an interim agreement that would freeze the regime’s programs with a long-term aim of denuclearization, according to a renowned security expert. Robert S. Litwak, vice president for programs at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said full denuclearization of Pyongyang is not feasible in the near future, and the alternative would be an “imperfect” deal based on a “transactional,
May 22, 2017
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Moon's top security advisor points to need for dialogue with N. Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in's top security advisor on Monday voiced a need to resume talks with North Korea, though he said the dialogue must not get in the way of ongoing international sanctions against the communist state."We will have to try and gradually resume dialogue, starting with working-level talks," Chung Eui-yong, the head of the National Security Office, told reporters.(Yonhap)"I believe we must review the possibility as I believe we could resume exchanges in various areas, s
May 22, 2017
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Moon's special envoy departs for Russia
President Moon Jae-in's special envoy departed to Russia on Monday where he will seek to forge closer cooperation over North Korea and bilateral economic issues."I will do my efforts to deliver President Moon's visions for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issues and economic cooperation issues and to make a meaningful agreement," Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party told reporters before his flight. President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy to Russia, Rep. Song Young-gil (cen
May 22, 2017
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FM nominee seeks progress on NK nukes
Foreign Minister nominee Kang Kyung-wha said Sunday she is ready to help resolve North Korea’s nuclear issues by capitalizing on her yearslong experience at the UN, calling it a top priority. In her first press availability following President Moon Jae-in’s nomination earlier in the day, Kang said she felt a “heavy weight on her shoulders” due to various foreign policy challenges faced by Seoul.Foreign Minister nominee Kang Kyung-wha (Yonhap)“Though I’ve never dealt with it directly, the North K
May 22, 2017
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Duterte vows help to denuclearize N. Korea, curb its missile launches
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pledged to cooperate with China and other neighboring countries to help denuclearize North Korea and curb its missile launches during his meeting with President Moon Jae-in's special envoy on Monday.The meeting between Duterte and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon took place in Davao City, the Philippines, Park's first stop as Moon's special envoy to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (Yonhap)During the meeting, Park conveyed a handwritten letter from Moon t
May 22, 2017
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S. Korea to flexibly handle civilian inter-Korean exchanges
South Korea plans to resume humanitarian assistance to North Korea and civilian inter-Korean exchanges to an extent that the move would not compromise the international sanctions regime, a government official said Monday.The government said that it will sternly respond to North Korea's provocations but also does not believe that long-strained inter-Korean ties will help stability on the divided peninsula."The government plans to flexibly review (the resumption) of civilian inter-Korean exchanges
May 22, 2017
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Korea welcomes Iran president's re-election, expects better ties
South Korea on Monday extended congratulations on Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's re-election last week, expressing hopes for a boost for bilateral relations.Rouhani secured 57 percent of the vote in Iran's presidential election on Friday, winning a second term as president. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (EPA-Yonhap)South Korea "congratulates President Rouhani on his re-election," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement."Our government hopes Iran, on the opportunity of the late
May 22, 2017
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[Newsmaker] Kang Kyung-wha: Seoul's first-ever female FM nominee
President Moon Jae-in’s pick for foreign minister is a female diplomat with a career in the United Nations and who started off as a language expert. Kang Kyung-wha, who was nominated Sunday to lead the Foreign Ministry, has been serving as a special policy adviser to the UN secretary-general since December. The position was newly created by UN chief Antonio Guterres for Kang, who headed his transition team. “She is a diplomatic expert holding titles of the first and the best,” Moon told reporter
May 21, 2017
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New security chief says Seoul should ‘take the lead’ in restoring two-Korea relations
President Moon Jae-in’s chief security aide said Sunday that South Korea should “take the lead” in restoring frosty inter-Korea relations, pledging to ease mounting tensions on the peninsula amid North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. Chung Eui-yong, a former ambassador to Geneva who was named chief of the National Security Office, also said the deployment of the US advanced missile system lacks “procedural legitimacy” and that as far as he understands neighboring countries also respect Se
May 21, 2017
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Presidential envoy to ASEAN begins tour
A newly named presidential envoy to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations departed for the Philippines on Sunday, the first leg of his tour of the region.Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, tapped by President Moon Jae-in on Friday to be his special envoy to ASEAN, will travel to Indonesia and Vietnam after visiting the Philippines, the current rotating chair of the ASEAN. Park Won-soon (center), presidential envoy to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), enters Incheon International A
May 21, 2017
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China’s Xi hopes for ties’ ‘return to orbit’
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday expressed his hopes for a prompt return to the “normal orbit” of relations with South Korea which have been strained by disputes over a US missile shield, Seoul’s special envoy said.Xi delivered the message during his 40-minute meeting with Lee Hae-chan, a former prime minister and incumbent lawmaker of the ruling Democratic Party who is visiting Beijing as President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy. Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with South
May 19, 2017
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Tillerson promises NK regime security, appeals for trust: envoy
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Thursday Washington has no intention for a regime change or invasion of North Korea, urging it to abandon its nuclear program in return for regime security and an end to hostility, according to Seoul’s special envoys.Tillerson made the remarks during his meeting with Hong Seok-hyun, a former chairman of JoongAng Media Network who is visiting Washington as President Moon Jae-in’s special envoy. During the 40-minute talks, Tillerson expressed the country’s
May 19, 2017
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Top organizer for PyeongChang 2018 offers to open land route for N. Korea
The top organizer of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea has offered to open the land route for North Korean athletes if they decide to compete south of the tense border.In a meeting with journalists at the South Korean Embassy in London on Thursday (local time), Lee Hee-beom, head of the organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, said South Korea will welcome North Korea with open arms.Lee has repeatedly stated that all peace-loving nations have an obligation to participate
May 19, 2017