South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed back to Seoul on Wednesday after a hectic visit here highlighted by talks with US President Donald Trump and a speech at a UN session.Moon had his ninth summit with Trump on Monday, in which they discussed ways to make headway in working-level nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington that will resume soon. They reaffirmed the principle of avoiding hostile acts against Pyongyang and help it move toward a bright future in case of denuclearization.The

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe noted the importance of trilateral cooperation with South Korea during their talks in New York Wednesday, the White House said.In their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump and Abe discussed issues of mutual interest and signed a preliminary bilateral trade agreement.The White House did not elaborate on the discussions on South Korea, but the two leaders are likely to have touched on the escalating

The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan held trilateral talks on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York this week ahead of nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday. South Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator, Lee Do-hoon, met his US and Japanese counterparts -- Stephen Biegun and Shigeki Takizaki, respectively -- on Tuesday to discuss three-way cooperation in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue. W

NEW YORK -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday met with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, requesting his support for the plans to jointly host the mega sports competition with North Korea. At the start of the meeting, Moon credited the IOC for playing a critical role in last year’s PyeongChang Winter Olympics with North Korean participation, requesting Bach’s support in hosting the Summer Olympics in 2032 jointly with North Korea. “We will active

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a resolution stressing the importance of US alliances with South Korea and Japan.The resolution, led by Rep. Eliot Engel, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, came as trade and historical disputes between South Korea and Japan have threatened to undermine trilateral cooperation with the US.Engel also sent a letter to US President Donald Trump last week urging him to address the escalating tensions.The resolution expresses "the se

South Korea and the United States held a second day of talks on sharing the cost of stationing American troops here on Wednesday as US President Donald Trump renewed calls for allies to pay their "fair share."The two sides launched the negotiations on Tuesday to renew the Special Measures Agreement on determining how much Seoul should pay for stationing some 28,500 US soldiers in the country.The current deal is set to expire on Dec. 31. During the first day of talks, the two sides exch

South Korea and Russia agreed Tuesday (Moscow time) to launch a fund for the industrial materials and parts sectors, and to speed up free trade negotiations, Seoul's finance ministry said.During the annual meeting on economic cooperation between South Korea and Russia, held in Moscow, South Korean Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki proposed a $1-billion joint fund to beef up the supply chain of industrial materials and parts by investing in core technologies, according to the ministry. Russia's delega

NEW YORK – The idea of designating an International Day for Blue Sky is aimed at facilitating international cooperation on air pollution, and bringing forward a low-carbon era, Seoul’s Environment Minister Cho Myung-rae said Tuesday. The proposal for the International Day for Blue Sky was made by President Moon Jae-in at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York on Monday. Saying international cooperation was critical to fighting climate change and air pollution, Cho said that Moon&rs

NEW YORK – South Korea’s national security office chief Chung Eui-yong met Robert O’Brien, the recently appointed US national security adviser, on Tuesday, Seoul’s presidential office said. According to Cheong Wa Dae, the two met in New York and agreed to continue working closely together on various issues. “(Chung and O’Brien) said that the close communication and cooperation between the two sides’ national security councils will be continued, and that

NEW YORK -- President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison held a summit meeting in New York on Tuesday (US time), expressing hopes for stronger bilateral ties and cooperation in wider range of fields. “The friendship between the two nations has led to active economic exchange, and advanced into a relationship of cooperation in energy resources and infrastructure,” Moon was quoted as saying by Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung. “I hope for cooperation t

NEW YORK -- President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday (US time) proposed transforming the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas into an “international peace zone.”The idea was put forward in Moon’s keynote speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.  “Today I propose making the DMZ that cuts the Korean Peninsula across the middle into an ‘international peace zone’ based on these three principles,” Moon said, highlighting that the idea is based on

South Korea and the US have initiated talks to decide how much Seoul will pay for the upkeep of the US troops stationed here for 2020 and possibly beyond, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday. As the current deal expires at the end of this year, the two countries are required to negotiate the 11th Special Measures Agreement, the defense cost-sharing pact that sets forth how much is required from each side to maintain the 28,500 US troops. James DeHart, a former charge d’affaires of

NEW YORK -- President Moon Jae-in on Monday held a string of meetings with world leaders, seeking closer cooperation with international society on issues ranging from climate change to his administration’s peace drive. Moon kicked off his day with a summit meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda. At the meeting, Moon expressed hopes for wider economic ties between the two nations. “Trade between the two countries has passed $5 billion, setting a record, and bilateral relation

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan will hold talks on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week, an informed source said Tuesday, amid tensions over Tokyo's export curbs and wartime forced labor.Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her new Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, will meet on Thursday afternoon (local time) for the first time since the latter was appointed in Tokyo's Cabinet reshuffle earlier this month.The two sides are expected to exchange their vie

NEW YORK -- President Moon Jae-in and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday pledged stronger bilateral cooperation in a wide range of areas, including climate change.“It is clear that cooperation is needed in the area of climate change,” Frederiksen was quoted as saying by Cheong Wa Dae.   “If the two countries cooperate closely, it will be a very good thing not only for the two countries but for the world.” Moon praised Denmark’s sus