A South Korean military aircraft evacuating Korean nationals and their families from Lebanon returned home Saturday, as Israel intensifies ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the South Korean government said Saturday. A total of 96 South Korean nationals and one foreign family member who had been residing in Lebanon arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 12:50 p.m. local time aboard a South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus transp

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Friday held his first phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya, and discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the 25-minute conversation, Cho congratulated Iwaya on his inauguration and proposed the two sides closely communicate to expand cooperation between South Korea and Japan, the ministry said. Describing the Seoul-Tokyo ties as "very important" re

Allies restore use of South Korean inflation rate to adjust defense contributions

A group of business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, will accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his visit to Singapore next week, industry sources said Thursday. Yoon is set to embark on a three-nation trip on Sunday to visit the Philippines, Singapore and Laos to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and hold bilateral talks, according to his office. In Singapore, Lee is expected to attend a

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation on countering threats posed by North Korea, Yoon's office said. During the call, Yoon and Ishiba agreed to work on enhancing both bilateral cooperation and trilateral collaboration involving the United States to address North Korean issues. "The leaders agreed on the need for South Korea, Japan and the United States to make

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. "The president emphasized that protecting South Korean nationals in Israel and the Middle East is of utmost importance and instructed that all necessary measures be taken," his office said in a statement issued fo

The 10th edition of India’s Sarang Festival in Korea, an annual cultural exchange event hosted by the Indian Embassy in Korea, kicked off Tuesday, featuring an hour long dance performances. The festival's title, "sarang," means "love" in Korean and "diversity" in Hindi, reflecting cultural significance for both nations. This year's Sarang Festival began with a Kuchipudi performance by renowned artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan, with the group set to per

BRUSSELS (Yonhap) -- South Korea and three other Indo-Pacific partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will attend the upcoming defense ministerial meeting for the first time later this month, NATO's chief said Tuesday. New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the defense ministers of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as IP4, were invited to the meeting scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in Brussels. "I look forward to welcoming them and forging a sh

NOIDA, India -- Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, showcased production capabilities and diversity at the second edition of the five-day UP International Trade Show held from September 25 to 29. The show, inaugurated by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, attracted over 2,500 exhibitors and foreign buyers from more than 60 countries, showcasing traditional handicrafts, technology, organic agricultural items, AI solutions, robotics, and foo

The government discussed plans Monday for a potential emergency evacuation of South Korean nationals in Lebanon as the escalating conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is raising fears of a full-scale war in the region. The meeting, led by the Foreign Ministry, was the latest to be held to review contingency plans for South Korean citizens in Lebanon and nearby regions, following a serious of strikes by Israel on Lebanon that have killed dozens of people, including He

The drop in Thai tourists to Korea as a result of tight screening and the large population of Thais working in Korea illegally should be addressed simultaneously, according to Tanee Sangrat, who began his mission as Thai ambassador to South Korea in April. In an interview with The Korea Herald, Sangrat said that for Korea to see a rebound in tourism from Thailand, some efforts were needed on his country’s part to reduce the number of Thais overstaying their visas. “We are doing our

South Korea ramped up its diplomatic efforts to gain greater influence over North Korea’s traditional allies and old friends -- China, Cuba, and Iran -- with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spearheading a series of high-level talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Central to the efforts was Cho's third face-to-face meeting of the year with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday, a meeting South Korea's Foreign Ministry described as part of &

Environment ministers adopt joint communique for collaboration

South Korea and China reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and communication, highlighting the significance of their partnership during a reception on Thursday celebrating the upcoming 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1. The Chinese Embassy hosted the event at The Shilla Seoul on Thursday, with the attendance of over 800 guests, including South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, current and former lawmakers

The top diplomats of South Korea and China agreed to continue high-level meetings between the two countries on the margins of multilateral gatherings, the foreign ministry said Sunday, signaling a summit between President Yoon Suk Yeol and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, reached the agreement as they met in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to discuss bilateral ties and security on the Korean Peninsula, according