LONDON -- Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrived in London on Thursday to attend King Charles III's coronation as part of a weeklong trip to Europe that also includes stops in Sweden, Austria and Romania. Han is scheduled to attend the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday and meet with leaders from various countries to ask for their support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office said. Han is also scheduled to a

WASHINGTON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's recent visit to the United States has opened a new chapter for the 70-year-old alliance, Seoul's top envoy to the US said Thursday. South Korea's ambassador to the US Cho Hyun-dong also insisted that the countries have upgraded their mutual defense treaty signed in 1953. "I think the state visit by President Yoon, I'd say, opened a new chapter for the 70-year-old alliance toward a greater and brighter future of the all

The British Ambassador to Korea Colin Crooks hosted a reception to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and Britain, as well as the coronation of Britain's King Charles III at the British Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday. During the event, Crooks expressed gratitude to the visiting guests and highlighted the long-standing ties of the two nations, expressing optimism for a bright future of cooperation. Crooks was particularly grateful for

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was set to depart for Britain on Thursday for King Charles III's coronation as part of a weeklong trip to Europe that also includes stops in Sweden, Austria and Romania. Han will first stop in London, where he will attend the coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey on Saturday, and meet with leaders from various countries to ask for their support for Seoul's bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southeastern port city of Busan, Han's office said Han w

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working closely with South Korea and Japan to address human rights violations committed by North Korea, including the abduction of foreign nationals, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. The remarks came as Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman was set to meet with a group of Japanese officials and representatives of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea. "The entirety of this department, including Deputy Secretary Sh

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities raided a luxury yacht belonging to a wealthy Russian businessman as part of a probe into possible breaches of Western sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday. Specialists from the German navy and federal and state police took part in the search of the superyacht at an undisclosed shipyard in northern Germany, Frankfurt prosecutors said in a statement. The ship belongs to a 67-year-old Russian businessman, whose n

President Yoon Suk Yeol voiced hope Wednesday for deeper friendship and cooperation between South Korea and Japan as he prepares to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida this weekend, his office said. Yoon conveyed the wish during a meeting with Takeo Akiba, secretary general of Japan's National Security Secretariat, at his office, days before Kishida arrives in Seoul for a summit with Yoon on Sunday. "The president stressed that South Korea and Japan, as partners pu

The referendum extends president's term to 7 years, but Uzbeks say its for better future, economy

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration is working to restart regular three-way talks involving Japan and China, preferably before the end of the year, according to a senior Foreign Ministry official in Seoul with direct knowledge of the matter on Wednesday. South Korea, this year’s host, is making preparations, the official said, adding however it is still too early to narrow down potential dates for the summit, which will bring together President Yoon and his Japanese and Chinese counterparts f

South Korea's foreign ministry has dismissed a protest from Japan over a Seoul lawmaker's recent visit to the country's easternmost islets of Dokdo, a ministry official said Wednesday. According to Kyodo News on Tuesday, the Japanese foreign ministry lodged the protest to Seoul over the visit by Rep. Jeon Yong-gi of the main opposition Democratic Party to Dokdo on the same day. A senior Seoul foreign ministry official said the government "dismissed the unfair claim from Japan

President Yoon Suk Yeol has revealed that he was taken aback when asked to sing "American Pie" at a state dinner at the White House last week but believes he delivered his rendition quite well. During his six-day state visit to the United States last week, Yoon attended the dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden, and close to the end of it, Biden asked Yoon to sing the song, one of Yoon's favorites, originally by Don McLean. "When President Biden asked me to come up to the stage,

President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Tuesday that South Korea should be grateful to the United States for the fact that Washington has been an important ally assisting Seoul's development from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War, as he was speaking of his diplomatic achievements during his state visit last week. "The 70-year history of the South Korea-US alliance is not a given result, of course,” said Yoon, who presided over the first Cabinet meeting after his state visit to the US

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will be the next South Korean ambassador to Russia, a report said Tuesday, in the latest push by the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to quickly put an end to the vacancy of a top Seoul envoy in Moscow. Lee will succeed Chang Ho-jin, who is currently serving as the first vice foreign minister, according to the local daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo. Chang, the former Korean ambassador to Russia, was moved to his current post late last month amid an abrupt reshuf

Kishida likely to discuss trilateral security cooperation with Yoon, but will face unfriendly public, experts say

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to represent South Korea at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III on Saturday as part of his weeklong trip to Europe, the prime minister's office said Tuesday. Han was invited to the coronation ceremony of Charles, which will take place at Westminster Abbey in London. At the age of 73, Charles will officially succeed his mother Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September. Han will depart Seoul on Thursday to embark on an 8-day trip to Europe,