WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States will likely resume their strategic dialogue on extended deterrence in the very near future, South Korea's ambassador to the US said Monday. Amb. Cho Tae-yong said the bilateral dialogue, known as the "Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group (EDSCG)," may be held within the next two months. "(We) have been working to strengthen our traditional alliance (with the US), while focusing on efforts to restart the EDSCG amid

The Embassy of Bangladesh highlighted the business and investment prospects the country has to offer at the second edition of the Global Business Forum co-hosted by the embassy and The Korea Herald on Wednesday. Bangladesh’s Ambassador to South Korea Delwar Hossain invited South Korean companies to participate in his country’s robust socioeconomic progress and vibrant private sector. “Complementarities of the Bangladeshi and Korean economies render huge potential for a mutual

The Egyptian embassy in Seoul celebrated the country’s 70th National Day in South Korea on Friday. Egypt’s National Day, which falls on July 23, marks the annual celebration of the Egyptian revolution of 1952 that ended the country’s monarchy and marked the founding of the country as a modern republic. Delivering welcoming remarks at the ceremony, Egyptian Ambassador Khaled Abdel Rahman highlighted Cairo and Seoul’s strengthened bilateral cooperation over the years and

    The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family said Monday that it is planning to set up a shelter for male victims of sexual and domestic violence in its first move to keep up with a rising number of men subject to such crimes. In its work plan reported to President Yoon Suk-yeol, the ministry said the new institution's purpose is to provide protection, medical and legal support to male victims of five offenses including digital sex crimes, domestic violence, dating violence and sta

South Korea will keep the current level of response against monkeypox, public health officials said Monday. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Ministry of Health and Welfare called an emergency meeting over monkeypox on Monday, and decided not to tighten rules based on their assessment of risk to the South Korean population. The emergency meeting follows the World Health Organization’s declaration Saturday that the monkeypox outbreak constitutes a public health eme

President Yoon Suk-yeol requested the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family to develop a roadmap for abolition soon. “(Yoon) has requested that (the Gender Minister) come up with a roadmap for abolition after figuring out the overall duties of the ministry,” spokesperson Kang In-sun said at a briefing held Monday after Gender Minister made her first report to the president. Gender Minister Kim Hyun-sook said the ministry is working on the agenda. 　 “We have launched a ta

President Yoon Suk-yeol will hold a summit with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Seoul on Thursday and discuss pending bilateral and major international issues, the presidential office said on Monday. According to Kim Sung-han, head of the National Security Office, Widodo will arrive in Seoul Wednesday for a two-day visit. On Thursday, the Indonesian leader will visit Hyundai Motor Technology Research Institute in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, after a meeting with business leaders. He pl

Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s first interpellation began on Monday afternoon at the National Assembly, with the ruling and opposition parties clashing over multiple pending issues ranging from the economy to national security. Pending issues, such as the launch of a new “police bureau” under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the repatriation of North Korean fishermen and Yoon’s controversial personnel appointments were put on the table. The first part of the p

Lee Sang-min attacks meeting of police chiefs, compares to coup d’etat

Defense leaders plan to advance discussion on follow-up measures to May 21 summit

South Korea’s daily COVID-19 infections continued to post a week-on-week increase on Sunday amid the recent COVID-19 wave fueled by the highly contagious omicron strain BA.5, government data showed Monday. Amid the ongoing spread of the new omicron strain, some antivirus measures at international airports and senior care hospitals have also been reinstated. Starting on Monday, international arrivals need to take a polymerase chain reaction test on the day of their entry to the country,

The slide in President Yoon Suk-yeol's approval rating has slowed, a survey showed Monday, with 33.3 percent of people giving a positive assessment of his performance, only 0.1 percentage point down from a week earlier. The disapproval rating also rose only 0.1 percentage point in the Realmeter survey of 2,527 voters from Monday to Friday last week. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. It marked the eighth consecutive week Yoon�

With the end of the rainy season approaching, the state weather agency on Monday issued a heat wave advisory for Seoul and almost all parts of the country, excluding Jeju Island and inland mountain areas. The Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said the heat wave advisory takes effect in Seoul, Busan and all major cities nationwide as of 11 a.m. Such an advisory is issued when the maximum sensible temperatures are expected to exceed 33 C for two or more days, or when severe damage is expec

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday he expects the interior ministry and the National Police Agency to take "necessary steps" to deal with police officers taking collective action to protest the planned establishment of a police bureau under the ministry. The remark came after a senior superintendent based in the southeastern port city of Busan was put on "standby" in a preliminary disciplinary action for organizing a general meeting of senior superintendents from across the

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will hold talks in Washington D.C. this week to discuss security on the Korean Peninsula and deterrence against evolving North Korean threats, the defense ministry here said Monday. Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup and his counterpart, Lloyd Austin, are scheduled to meet Friday, as the allies have been cranking up security coordination amid speculation Pyongyang could ratchet up tensions by conducting a nuclear test or other provocative acts.