A South Korean man who was kidnapped last month by an unidentified armed group in Libya remains in good health, a diplomat here said Thursday after visiting the country to seek the release of the hostage.Baik Joo-hyeon, a former ambassador to Kazakhstan, also said that the Libyan government has been keeping track of the abductee’s movements and is doing its best to secure his release.“There is video footage in which the hostage appears,” Baik told reporters, as he explained the health condition

South Korea expressed deep regret Wednesday over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s sending of a ritual offering to the controversial Yasukuni war shrine.Marking the 73rd anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, Abe sent a cash donation earlier in the day, while some politicians visited the Tokyo shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead, including war criminals.  Japanese lawmakers visit the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on April 20. (Yonhap)“We call on Japanese politicians to take a sincere att

Despite North Korea’s promise to denuclearize and public image makeover, Jo Sun-keun, 23, who has grown up under threat from North Korea’s occasional nuclear and missile tests, does not think the North will dismantle its nuclear arsenal completely. A unification flag (Yonhap)In his memory, North Korea has never stopped pursuing nuclear ambition, and used threats and fiery rhetoric toward its southern neighbor. It made conciliatory gestures only when it needed help from the South, and broke its o

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday sought to urge Japan to sincerely apologize to Korean women forced into sexual slavery for the Japanese military decades ago, saying the issue cannot be resolved diplomatically."The issue of comfort women for the Japanese military can truly be resolved when the victims' dignity and honor are restored and their broken hearts are healed," Moon said in a ceremony marking the designation of a new national day for comfort women.The issue has long been a s

South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Tuesday explained to her US counterpart, Mike Pompeo, the results of this week's cross-border talks on arranging an inter-Korean summit, her ministry said.The allies' top diplomats held a telephone conversation to exchange views on the situation on the peninsula, including the recent developments in inter-Korean relations. The two Koreas agreed to hold a summit in Pyongyang sometime in September during their high-level talks at the truce village o

WASHINGTON -- US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated South Korea on Monday ahead of a key national holiday marking its liberation from Japanese colonial rule.In a statement, Pompeo said he is extending his congratulations on behalf of President Donald Trump and the American people on the occasion of Liberation Day on Aug. 15. (Yonhap)"As you celebrate your national day on August 15, we recognize your commitment to democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law have been the under

A female diplomat was tapped as Korea’s ambassador to the United Kingdom last week, becoming the country’s first female career diplomat to lead one of the major diplomatic missions abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday that Park Enna, ambassador for public diplomacy, will take up the post as the government moves to fill more key positions with women.  Park Enna (Yonhap)Park, who has specialized in multilateral and public diplomacy, will become Korea’s first female ambassador t

US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Monday that it is still too early to consider declaring an end to the Korean War.The retired admiral stressed that the US and North Korea have only begun “the process” to achieve the goal of the “final, fully verified denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula” and it would take diplomacy and negotiations to declare an end to the 1950-53 Korean War. “With regard to the end of war declaration, I think it’s in early days yet, it’s too early for that eve

TOKYO -- A Japanese Buddhist temple has conducted a memorial for 35 sets of remains belonging to Korean people brought to Japan to work for its factories and military during World War II before they are sent home this week, a South Korean civic group said Monday.Representatives of the civic group, organized in 2008 for the return of the remains of Korean forced labor victims, took part in the ritual at Kokuhei Temple in western Tokyo on Sunday, along with South Korean activists, officials of the

70 students learn the implications of digitalization in ASEAN-Korea Centre youth workshop

Three South Korean companies brought in North Korean coal and pig iron disguised as Russian products in possible violation of international sanctions, the South Korean customs agency said Friday. 　Seoul has been examining nine cases of shipments of suspected North Korean coal, which would breach UN Security Council resolutions banning exports of coal and other minerals from the North. 　Wrapping up the 10-month investigation, the Korea Customs Service  said that the three local companies brought

South Korea said Friday it will provide Indonesian with $500,000 in humanitarian assistance after the Southeast Asian nation suffered damage from a recent earthquake.The cash aid will be delivered through local Red Cross authorities, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indonesian island of Lombok was hit by a 7 magnitude quake on Sunday. (Yonhap)A total of 259 people were killed and 1,033 were injured, with more than 270,000 others displaced as of Thursday, according to the Indonesian gove

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that it is closely communicating with the US on the issue of suspected North Korean coal shipped to South Korea, amid concerns that the North may be exploiting gaps in the international sanctions regime. The US Department of State also reiterated that it is closely coordinating with South Korea on North Korean issues and implementing international sanctions against the country. (Yonhap)“The Republic of Korea is a faithful and reliable partner in the m

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho’s visit to Iran within hours of the US sanctions against the Islamic Republic taking effect raises questions over North Korea’s intentions amid a deadlock in negotiations with Washington over its nuclear weapons program. (Yonhap)By strengthening relations with Iran, which is at odds with the US, Pyongyang is sending a message to Washington that it will not give in to the US pressure campaign, experts noted. Ri and his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif met T

The government will dispatch a special envoy to Libya as part of efforts to rescue a South Korean man held captive by an unidentified armed group there, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha will send Baik Joo-hyeon, a former ambassador to Kazakhstan with experience in resolving kidnapping cases involving South Korean nationals, to the North African country as soon as preparations are completed. He plans to stay there for two or three days. One South Korean nationa