Cooperation on climate change key to prevent complete disengagement of two countries, experts say

SEOUL/WASHINGTON -- A senior South Korean diplomat had meetings with US government and congressional officials in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, during which he delivered Seoul's concerns about the impact from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that excludes Korean-made electric vehicles from tax credits, according to his ministry. Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong was on a visit to the US capital, along with Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul, for the allies' Extended Deterrence St

Future-oriented approach is key to recover ‘compound fractures’ of Korea, Japan

Director of South Korean Netflix show says he did not create fictional country as show is based on true events

South Korea's Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun plans to visit Cambodia this week to attend the inaugural ministerial meeting of a regional mega trade pact, as well as three ASEAN-related economic talks, his office said Thursday. During the three-day visit to Siem Reap starting Friday, Ahn will meet his counterparts from 14 member nations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to discuss ways to better ensure stable supply chains and to check detailed rules of their trade deal,

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo will visit Japan later this month to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister's Office said Thursday. Han and Chung Jin-suk, the interim leader of the ruling People Power Party who doubles as the deputy speaker of the National Assembly, will lead the South Korean delegation for Abe's funeral on Sept. 27, the office said. During the visit, Han plans to meet Japan's political and business leaders, as well a

China's top legislator, Li Zhanshu, was set to arrive in Seoul on Thursday for meetings with President Yoon Suk-yeol and National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo amid speculation he could discuss the possibility of President Xi Jinping visiting South Korea. Li, China's third-highest-ranking official and chief of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, will lead a large delegation to Seoul for the three-day trip at the invitation of Kim. After arrival in the afternoo

From May 20-24, international attention shifted to the Indo-Pacific region from Ukraine, where a power struggle between the US and NATO against Russia has been taking place since mid-February. US President Joe Biden attended the “Quad” summit in Japan after visiting Korea in May. It was only 10 days after the inauguration of Korea’s new government headed by President Yoon Suk-yeol. As Biden selected South Korea for his first destination in Asia, he certainly attracted Korea

Now is the time for Korea and China to look back on the past, face the present and talk about the future. Over the past 30 years, Korea-China relations have developed explosively. This week, as we continue the series on the New Korea-China relations, the second topic covers economy and trade, following the social and cultural dimensions. This week’s discussion invites two experts from home and abroad. Senior research fellow Yang Pyoung-seob at Korea Institute for International Economic Pol

The 17th Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity kicked off in Jeju on Wednesday to address and explore ways to tackle major global challenges such as the intensifying US-China rivalry, the Ukraine crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. Under the theme, “Beyond Conflict, Towards Peace: Coexistence and Cooperation,” the three-day forum has invited world-class leaders, government officials and experts of various sectors to the International Convention Center Jeju to share insig

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights appointed an Australian labor expert as the new head of the Seoul office, filling in the post that has been vacant for the past two years, according to a media report Wednesday. The office of the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General confirmed that James Heenan, the head of the OHCHR Office in Palestine, has been tapped as the new chief of the Seoul office, the Voice of America reported. “The head of the office is Jam

SEOUL/JEJU -- An annual international peace forum is set to kick off on the southern resort island of Jeju on Wednesday, with a focus on ways to promote global cooperation amid North Korea's continued saber-rattling, growing US-China rivalry, the Ukrainian crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. The three-day Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity comes especially as the Russia-Ukraine war poses new challenges to the global security environment, accelerated by intensifying Washington-Beijing stan

MADRID/SEOUL -- National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met the leader of Spain's Senate to discuss ways to widen economic cooperation between the two countries, his office said Wednesday. During their 30-minute meeting in Madrid on Tuesday, Kim and Ander Gil Garcia, president of the Senate of Spain, discussed how they could enhance cooperation in areas like renewable energy, electric vehicles, construction and infrastructure. Kim asked for Spain's support for South Korea's bid to h

Yoon expected to meet with leaders of US, Japan, China amid ongoing diplomatic challenges

MADRID -- National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met with the leader of Spain's Congress of Deputies to discuss ways to enhance economic cooperation between the two countries, his office said Tuesday. Kim held a 70-minute meeting with Meritxell Batet Lamana, president of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, in Madrid on Monday (local time) in the first official visit by a South Korean speaker to the country in 14 years. The meeting came as part of efforts to strengthen parliamentary cooperation