First Vice Foreign Minister travels to Tokyo for bilateral, trilateral talks with his US, Japanese counterparts

NEW YORK -- Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-soo has been elected as the chairperson of a council of past UN General Assembly presidents, according to Seoul's permanent mission to the UN on Monday. Han was elected to lead the Council of Presidents of General Assembly for a three-year term at the group's annual meeting held in New York last Thursday, along with Jan Kavan, former Czech foreign minister, as vice chairperson. Han served as the president of the 56th UN General A

WASHINGTON -- North Korea is believed to be continuing preparations for a nuclear test while the US is set to face any threat posed by the recalcitrant country, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Department Press Secretary Ned Price said the US also remains open to engaging in dialogue with Pyongyang. "Our concern regarding the potential for another North Korean nuclear test, which would be its seventh, has been consistent for some time now. We assess that the DPRK is preparing it

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria is visiting Korea to attend the "World Bio Summit," which is co-organized by the Korean government and WHO (World Health Organization). Due to geographical distance, Nigeria is not well-known to the Korean public. However, Nigeria has the biggest economy in Africa; with the world’s 6th largest population of 220 million; and abundant natural resources. Nigeria plays the leading role in West Africa and the African Union. It is also an active

Foreign Ministry rejects local reports in Japan, says 'nothing has been decided' on how to handle court ruling on historic dispute

South Korean Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will visit Hungary, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic this week to discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation and to drum up support for the country's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, his office said Monday. During a six-day trip from Monday, Ahn will meet with the Hungarian foreign minister to discuss bilateral economic issues and ask for the European nation's support for Korean firms operating there amid high energy prices, according the Min

South Korea and a group of Arab countries will hold another round of negotiations for their free trade deal next week, Seoul's trade ministry here said Sunday. South Korea and the Gulf Cooperation Council will begin the sixth round of official talks for a bilateral free trade agreement in Seoul on Monday for a five-day run, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The GCC involves six countries -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. Vario

NEW YORK -- South Korea's top envoy at the United Nations appealed Thursday to the international community to pay more attention to the dire human rights conditions that female North Korean defectors endure in the North before escape. Addressing a UN Security Council (UNSC) session, Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook said it is "heartbreaking" to see that many North Korean women arrive in South Korea only after suffering from years of human rights violations in the North. "I would li

WASHINGTON -- The United States remains committed to the denuclearization of the "entire" Korean Peninsula, a defense department spokesperson said Thursday, indicating that the US is not considering deploying nuclear weapons to South Korea. Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder also reiterated that the US extended deterrence provided to South Korea would be sufficient to defend the Asian ally and deter any potential aggression from North Korea. "We are still committed to denuclearization of the en

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari will visit South Korea to attend the World Bio Summit 2022, being held in Seoul next Tuesday and Wednesday, the Embassy of Nigeria in Seoul said Thursday evening. According to a statement released by the embassy, Nigerian president Buhari will deliver a congratulatory message at the event’s opening ceremony. During his visit, Buhari will meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The Nigerian president is also scheduled to meet with former UN Sec

Seoul expected to co-sponsor the UN resolution for first time in four years

South Korea and the United States have agreed to continue close consultations to seek solutions regarding a new US law that excludes electric vehicles assembled outside of North America from tax incentives, Seoul's trade ministry said Thursday. The consensus was reached during telephone talks between Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun and US Trade Representative (USTR) Katherine Tai the previous day, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The IRA, signed by US President Joe Biden

WASHINGTON -- South Korea is backed by the "full range" of US defense capabilities, including nuclear capabilities, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday, apparently dismissing the need for the deployment of US nuclear weapons to South Korea. Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the department, made the remarks as North Korea is widely anticipated to conduct a nuclear test in the near future. "I think you saw President (Joe) Biden over the course of this admini

Diplomats and representatives of foreign business groups in Seoul demonstrated interest in the discourse surrounding humanity in tech, at The Korea Herald Biz Forum 2022 on Wednesday. The forum was attended by a number of diplomats, including the ambassadors of Singapore, Malaysia, Estonia, El Salvador, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Italy, Mexico and Latvia, and representatives from embassies such as India, Kenya, Poland, New Zealand, Qatar, Vietnam, Canada, the US and Germany. According to

South Korea should take the wheel to address NK human rights issue globally, make allies speak up, says NK human rights ambassador-at-large