The following are excerpts from the interview with Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan. ― Ed. The Korea Herald: Regarding the upcoming inter-Korean dialogue, what is the government’s official position on not linking North Korea’s apology for the attacks last year with the resumption of the six-party talks?Kim Sung-hwan: While we can set the conditions for the inter-Korean talks and have the initiative,

Those who are considered elite in Somalia join a gang of pirates, and pirates are the most sought after groom among Somali women, according to a source in Seoul. As pirates get ransoms of $2million on average, according to a BBC report in 2008, the rewards which pirate gang members receive, can exceed the average annual income of a developed country, the source said. The Financial Times reported t

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was opposed to the second hereditary power succession, but had no other option in order to stabilize the impoverished communist state, a Japanese newspaper quoted Kim’s eldest son as saying Friday.The Tokyo Shimbun said it had an exclusive interview with Kim Jong-nam, thought to be in his late 30s, in a southern Chinese city earlier this month. “Even Chairman Mao Ze

Yoo Jeong-bok, agriculture minister (Yonhap News)  South Korea's farm minister offered Friday to step down over the severest foot-and-mouth (FMD) outbreak in the country's history once ongoing quarantine efforts arrest the spread of the highly contagious animal disease.   Yoo Jeong-bok said in a news conference that he plans to take full responsibility for the outbreak that forced the government t

 WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- North Korea will likely develop intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads within the coming decade, the chief U.S. military officer said Thursday.   "There's little doubt in my mind, unless North Korea is deterred, that sometime in the next, I'm not sure but, five to 10 years, the provocations ... will continue at a much higher threat level,

The ruling party will push to organize a special legislative committee for a constitutional amendment during next month’s extraordinary parliamentary session, its floor leader said Thursday, a move aimed at putting the sensitive issue to an open public debate.The Grand National Party’s internal discussion about revising the Constitution to allow the president to seek re-election has recently gaine

Overriding the main opposition party’s strong resistance, President Lee Myung-bak on Thursday pressed ahead with the appointment of his new knowledge economy minister.Lee gave the letter of appointment to Choi Joong-kyung, a long-time financial bureaucrat, following a month of heated partisan strife over whether he is qualified for the post handling the government’s export and corporate policy.Cho

Korea may send military aircraft to bring in five captured pirates for trialThe captain of the Korean freighter rescued from Somali pirates last Friday was in a “serious condition,” according to a Korean doctor dispatched to Oman where he is being treated.On Wednesday, Seok Hae-gyun, the 58-year-old captain of the Samho Jewelry freighter, underwent the second surgical procedure for the abdominal g

The international community must send a strong, coordinated message that North Korea’s new uranium enrichment activity will not be tolerated, a senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday, visiting Seoul amid Pyongyang’s recent efforts to resume peace talks with regional powers. It is “very important that the international community sends a strong message” that any uranium enrichment activities by North Kor