President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to lead one of the plenary sessions at the Summit for Democracy, a US-led meeting of democratic countries united against authoritarian rule, will raise South Korea’s international profile as a leading democracy committed to peace, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Tuesday. US President Joe Biden has invited Yoon to chair a session held on March 29 -- the first day of the two-day gathering where world leaders will virtually discuss advancing human r

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping for his election for a third term, an informed official said. In the message, Yoon said they had a productive discussion on the development of the relations between the two countries during their first summit at a Group of 20 meeting last year, according to the state-run China Central Television. Yoon also expressed his hope to maintain close communication with Xi, and further deepen exchanges and coo

South Korea's presidential office on Sunday reaffirmed its push to ease strains over the wartime forced labor dispute with Japan amid further backlash following the Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister's refusal to acknowledge the victims as forced laborers. President Yoon Suk Yeol's office released Sunday clips of Yoon saying during the closed-door meetings with the Cabinet on Tuesday that his effort to mend ties with Japan "will deliver on his presidential election campaign promise" as

US President Joe Biden has invited Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to lead one of the plenary sessions at the upcoming second Summit for Democracy, the presidential office said Sunday. The invitation was sent to Yoon on Feb. 23, asking him to lead one of the five plenary sessions scheduled for March 29. The sessions will serve as the launch of the summit and provide a platform for "candid conversations about democracy's power and potential around the world.” Biden expressed gratit

South Korea is anticipating a potential visit this year by Chinese President Xi Jinping or at least big senior-level exchanges between the two countries, a senior Foreign Ministry official in Seoul said Friday. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to sensitivity of the topic, said outside factors like pandemic travel curbs had prevented senior Seoul-Beijing exchanges, dismissing speculation that the two countries are at odds over policy. In late February, China said it does not a

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration will resume regular military intelligence sharing with Japan depending on how a recent thaw in ties unfolds, a senior official at Yoon’s office said Thursday, ahead of a two-day summit starting Thursday next week between Yoon and his Japanese counterpart. The South Korean leader is seeking to use the opportunity to make stronger three-way ties with Japan and the US to fend off North Korea’s nuclear threats. But the General Security of Military Informa

President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida next week, as he is set to visit the neighboring country with first lady Kim Keon Hee, the presidential office said Thursday. This is the first visit by a Korean president to Japan in about four years since former President Moon Jae-in visited Osaka in June 2019 to attend the Group of 20 summit. It is also the first time in 11 years and 3 months that a Korean president participates in a bilateral summit in Ja

Jordan's new ambassador to Korea, Asal Al-Tal, and The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young agreed to seek ways to expand bilateral exchanges between South Korea and Jordan during her visit to the company in Seoul on Wednesday. Al-Tal expressed optimism on fostering a positive image of Jordan among Koreans and of Korea among Jordanians. She pointed to increasing economic cooperation and interpersonal exchanges between the two countries as reasons for hope. The operations of Korean companies such

WASHINGTON -- There exist concerns over the United States' Chips and Science Act that it may require too much information in exchange for US government subsidies, South Korea's Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun said Wednesday. Ahn said he plans to discuss such concerns with his US counterparts after arriving in Washington on a three-day visit. "The two governments of South Korea, the US and their industrial sectors have been working together to build a semiconductor supply chain, but th

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon highlighted the need to ensure the safety of contaminated water to be released from Japan’s destroyed Fukushima nuclear plant, at a meeting with Rafael Grossi, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, according to Lee’s ministry. In a ministry statement released Wednesday, Lee asked the director-general of the UN nuclear watchdog to continue communicating closely with South Korea and other countries affected by the discharge into the P

  President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to pay a state visit to the US at the end of April at the invitation of US President Joe Biden, officials said on Tuesday night. President Yoon's state visit to the US will be made this year to mark the historic year of the 70th anniversary of the alliance of the two nations and it will be the first state visit to the US by a South Korea leader in 12 years since 2011 and the second since the launch of the Biden administration, according to a written st

President Yoon Suk Yeol could visit Japan this month for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida following Seoul's decision to compensate wartime forced labor victims without Japanese firms' involvement, the presidential office said Tuesday. The visit is under strong consideration, the office said, making it the first time in four years detailed discussions are taking place over a South Korean president's visit to Japan. Kyodo News and other Japanese media outlets have re

  WASHINGTON-- The United States will continue to strengthen its trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Japan, a state department spokesperson said Monday, shortly after Seoul and Tokyo announced steps aimed at improving their bilateral ties. Department Press Secretary Ned Price said the US welcomes the "historic" steps taken by the two US allies. "The United States welcomes the historic announcement that bilateral discussions between the Republic of Korea and Japan to r

Exclusion of Japanese companies from compensation plan prompts backlash amid calls for closure

President Yoon Suk Yeol may visit Japan later this month to mark a historic deal between South Korea and Japan to resolve a long-standing dispute over compensation to forced laborers during Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945, according to sources on Monday. The details of the visit are still being discussed and have not been confirmed by either side. Yoon’s visit is likely to be scheduled for the end of this month after Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit