South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will visit three northwestern African countries next week in a bid to strengthen bilateral economic cooperation, his office said Thursday.Lee will leave for a seven-day trip on Sunday that will take him to Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco in the Maghreb region. (Yonhap)It will be the first time for a South Korean prime minister to make an official trip to Algeria and Tunisia, countries that lie at a strategic point linking Europe, Africa and the Middle East. I

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is unlikely to visit Russia this year, Seoul’s top envoy in Moscow said Thursday, amid speculations about his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ambassador Woo Yoon-keun said it is difficult to predict when the North Korea-Russia summit will happen, given that a second summit between North Korea and the US and Kim’s visit to Seoul have yet to be confirmed. (Yonhap)“The mood for Chairman Kim’s trip to Russia took form after September,” Woo told reporters

A government civil rights watchdog said Thursday it has asked the Ministry of Justice to allow foreigners staying in South Korea to use their credit cards to pay immigration fees.According to the Anti-Corruption & Civil Rights Commission, foreigners are currently required to pay fees related to immigration and nationality in cash only, causing them inconvenience. (Yonhap)The fees include 50,000 won ($44) to 100,000 won for an application for a reentry permit, 120,000 won for an application for a

South Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha on Wednesday urged Japan to make a “prudent” response to rulings on Japan’s wartime use of South Korean forced labor, in a phone conversation with her Japanese counterpart amid an intensifying diplomatic row. According to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry, Kang Kyung-wha and her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono exchanged views on the South Korean top court’s recent rulings that ordered Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims forced into lab

South Korea joined 163 UN member states in signing a nonbinding migration pact aimed at better handling the rising flow of migrants worldwide, despite growing anti-immigrant sentiment at home.The Global Compact for Migration was formally approved by 164 countries at a two-day conference in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is the first international accord on managing migration.(Yonhap)The pact is not legally binding, and signing it would not immediately result in changes in South Korea’s immigration and r

North Korea condemns the US’ decision to impose sanctions on its high-ranking officials for human rights abuse

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called on South Korean ambassadors and consuls general Monday to increase their diplomatic efforts to achieve complete denuclearization of North Korea and establish peace. “Now, we are facing an important opportunity for a resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue,” Kang said at the opening of the annual meeting of some 181 ambassadors and general consuls abroad.  “The journey, going forward, will not be smooth, but I believe in the power of our di

US President Donald Trump is reportedly demanding South Korea pay as much as double its current funding for American troops stationed in South Korea, as Seoul and Washington negotiate how to shoulder defense costs in the coming years. (Joint Press Corps)The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump wants South Korea to pay roughly double the current amount, equivalent to $1.6 billion per year for the next five years, citing people familiar with the talks. Other sources cited in the report say the

The top diplomats of South Korea and the US pledged united efforts to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs, as the allies’ leaders seek another summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un amid the stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her US counterpart Mike Pompeo held a meeting in Washington on Thursday, the first since they met in Seoul after Pompeo’s trip to Pyongyang in October. The meeting came amid efforts in Seoul and

President Moon Jae-in held a meeting Thursday with the chairwoman of Vietnam’s National Assembly, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, to discuss ways to further enhance the countries’ bilateral relationship.The meeting was held at Moon‘s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul.　The Vietnamese lawmaker has been on a four-day visit since Tuesday at the invitation of her South Korean counterpart, Moon Hee-sang.　While meeting with the chairwoman, President Moon emphasized the importance of Vietnam to South Kore

The top diplomats from South Korea and the US were set to meet Thursday in Washington amid continued efforts to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were scheduled to meet in Washington D.C. at 8:30 a.m., according to the ministry. Kang was in the US to lead South Korea’s delegation to the funeral of former US President George H.W. Bush. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Sout

South Korea will hold an annual meeting of its top envoys abroad next week to focus on promoting diplomacy for the people and fostering peace and prosperity on the peninsula, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.A total of 181 ambassadors, consul generals and other heads of diplomatic missions in foreign countries will participate in the five-day session that will open on Monday in Seoul. (Yonhap)Major programs include special lectures by Yoon Young-chan, senior presidential secretary f

US President Donald Trump plans to hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un because the North has failed to follow through on its promise to denuclearize, US national security adviser John Bolton said Tuesday (US time), amid North Korea’s continued silence. His remarks came after Trump reaffirmed his wish to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim in January or February. Trump said he could grant Kim his wishes if he delivers on denuclearization, according to South Korean Pre

South Korea, China and Japan will hold their 14th round of negotiations for a free trade agreement to boost trade and investment between the Asian neighbors, Seoul's trade ministry said Wednesday.Senior trade officials of the three nations will gather in Beijing on Thursday and Friday to discuss ways to open goods and services markets and lower other trade barriers, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said. (Yonhap)The talks come at a time when China is seeking to strike trade pacts with

President Moon Jae-in returned home Tuesday after a three-nation tour that began a week earlier in the Czech Republic.In Prague, the president held a meeting with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to discuss ways to improve the countries' ties. (Yonhap)His tour then took him to Argentina, where he was joined by the leaders of 19 other developing and developed nations for the annual Group of 20 Leaders' Summit.The annual meeting, held in Buenos Aires, also provided the venue for a series of bilat