Japan’s newly appointed Foreign Minister on Thursday expressed willingness to step up dialogue with South Korea to improve their strained ties, but urged Seoul to take appropriate action to resolve the historical issues at the center of their feud.  Veteran lawmaker Yoshimasa Hayashi was named the country’s top diplomat the previous day, as Fumio Kishida was formally inaugurated as Japan’s new prime minister. Hayashi replaced Toshimitsu Motegi, who now occupies the rulin

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong said Thursday coordination between Seoul and Washington over a declaration to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War is in its final stages. Chung made the remarks during a parliamentary session, confirming there has been progress in the allies' talks over the declaration as stated this week by South Korean Ambassador to the US Lee Soo-hyuck. "We have recently had very close consultations with the US about the format and contents of an end-of-war declaration,&

TOKYO -- Japan's new foreign minister on Thursday emphasized the need to repair soured ties with South Korea and step up cooperation for regional security but urged Seoul to offer acceptable solutions to resolve the prolonged historical disputes. Yoshimasa Hayashi, a veteran lawmaker with wide Cabinet-level experience, called South Korea Japan's "important neighbor" and said the frayed bilateral relations shouldn't be left as they are now. "After recovering South Korea-Japan ti

South Korea and the United States have agreed to launch a ministerial-level dialogue on energy policy to strengthen cooperation on clean energy and climate challenges, Seoul's industry ministry said Thursday. The agreement for the launch of the Energy Policy Dialogue (EPD) was made during the meeting between South Korea's Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook and US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in Washington on Wednesday (Washington time). The new platform aims to promote collaboration across

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States will launch new bilateral talks next month on enhancing their cooperation on the semiconductor supply chain, Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook said Wednesday. The inaugural meeting will be held Dec. 8, involving director-level officials from the two countries, as well as officials and representatives from businesses and other related organizations. Moon said he and his US counterpart, Gina Raimondo, have also agreed to consider upgrading the count

WASHINGTON -- The United States and South Korea have yet to make any decision on the timing of wartime operational control (OPCON) transfer to Seoul, US Department of Defense Press Secretary John Kirby said Wednesday. The press secretary also said the countries continue to make progress toward the proposed OPCON transition, but that they still have more work to do. "The other thing important to remember is that the OPCON transition is going to be conditions-based in accordance with bilate

South Korea and Colombia vowed to deepen ties and step up cooperation in the areas of health care, digital transformation and climate change, as the top envoys of the two countries met Wednesday. 　 Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong held talks with visiting Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez in Seoul, discussing a wide range of bilateral and regional issues. Ramirez was in Seoul to attend the Korea-Pacific Alliance Green Economy Forum held earlier in the day, joined

About 18,700 metric tons of urea that China was holding back will be shipped to South Korea soon, temporarily alleviating an acute shortage of an essential additive used to cut emissions from diesel vehicles. 　 China has confirmed that it will proceed with the export process for 18,700 tons of solid urea that was previously contracted to Korean firms, the Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. 　 Of the total, about 300 tons of urea has cleared customs and will be able to leave the Chinese port arou

 

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has said that Washington's recent request on South Korean and major global chipmakers to submit trade data was an "inevitable" measure under "unprecedented" circumstances of a global supply shortage, according to South Korea's industry ministry Wednesday. Raimondo made the remarks during her meeting with Seoul's Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook held in Washington, a day after Samsung Electronics Co. and SK hynix Inc. submitted their busine

The top US diplomat for East Asia was set to arrive in Seoul on Wednesday as part of his first Asia trip since taking office in September, officials said, with North Korea, the bilateral alliance and economic cooperation likely to top the agenda in discussions with Seoul officials. Daniel Kritenbrink, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will fly to Seoul later in the day, after wrapping up a four-day trip to Japan, the first leg of his six-day trip. His trip

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won has met with a visiting US senator and discussed cooperation in green business, including electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and climate change, the conglomerate said Wednesday. The meeting with Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) on Monday came as SK has been ramping up investment in America with its EV battery, hydrogen and other eco-friendly businesses in a move to join US emission-reducing efforts. In the US state of Georgia, SKC Co., a chemical unit of SK Group, South K

WASHINGTON -- A group of US lawmakers sent a letter to President Joe Biden last week, urging his administration to quickly engage with North Korea and discuss declaring a formal end to the Korean War, an activist group said Monday. The letter was also sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to the Korean American Public Action Committee (KAPAC). "We wish to highlight the importance of the United States continuing its efforts to facilitate peace between South Korea and North K

South Korea's Industry Minister Moon Sung-wook left for the United States on Tuesday for talks on semiconductor supply chains, steel tariffs and other pending issues, his office said. During a three-day stay in Washington, Moon plans to meet with US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, as well as other government officials and industry experts, to discuss ways to strengthen economic partnership, according to Seoul's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. &q

WASHINGTON -- China has the ability to help steer North Korea toward a diplomatic solution of its nuclear standoff, the Pentagon Press Secretary said Monday. John Kirby insisted one way for China to do so would be to faithfully implement UN Security Council sanctions on the North. "China does have influence in Pyongyang and we all, the international community, would like to see them use that influence in a constructive way to put some bite into the sanctions that are already in place unde