Russia on Thursday rejected a recent South Korean claim that North Korean soldiers were likely fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. During a parliamentary audit session in Seoul on Tuesday, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said it was "highly likely" that North Korea had deployed troops in support of Russia, because the two countries have a mutual treaty "akin to a military alliance." Kim also said a recent media report on North Korean troop casualties in

Seoul now holds leadership position in 3 key UN bodies

Uzbekistan's partnership with South Korea is important not economically but also in cultural aspects as the central Asian country hopes to boost tourism, Uzbek Minister of Tourism Umid Shadiev said at a recent event. Speaking to tourism professionals and the media at the Uzbekistan-Korea tourism forum held on the sidelines of "Uzbekistan Roadshow Seoul 2024," Shadiev highlighted the cultural ties that lasted over 2,000 years, via the Silk Road. “Our partnership with South Ko

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to raise the issue of the "concerning" and "deepening" partnership between North Korea and Russia during annual gatherings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos this week, a State Department spokesperson said Tuesday. Blinken is set to represent the US at the East Asia Summit and the US-ASEAN Summit on behalf of President Joe Biden during his trip to the Laotian capital of Vientiane, which lasts u

China and North Korea marked their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations Sunday with no publicly reported major events, in contrast to earlier pledges from both leaders to celebrate the milestone with displays of camaraderie in the designated "Year of Friendship." In their New Year messages, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pledged to organize activities throughout the "Year of Friendship" and deepen cooperation across various sectors, inclu

North Korea has denounced the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's condemnation of military cooperation between the North and Russia, warning that the entity could face "tragic consequences" if it continues to pursue an anti-North Korea stance. NATO issued a statement last week that condemns North Korea and Iran for "fueling" Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine with their direct military support to Moscow. North Korea's foreign ministry on Sunday denounc

A South Korean military aircraft evacuating Korean nationals and their families from Lebanon returned home Saturday, as Israel intensifies ground operations against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah inside Lebanon, the South Korean government said Saturday. A total of 96 South Korean nationals and one foreign family member who had been residing in Lebanon arrived at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, at 12:50 p.m. local time aboard a South Korean Air Force KC-330 Cygnus transp

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul on Friday held his first phone talks with Japan's new foreign minister, Takeshi Iwaya, and discussed bilateral ties as well as regional and global issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the 25-minute conversation, Cho congratulated Iwaya on his inauguration and proposed the two sides closely communicate to expand cooperation between South Korea and Japan, the ministry said. Describing the Seoul-Tokyo ties as "very important" re

Allies restore use of South Korean inflation rate to adjust defense contributions

A group of business leaders, including Samsung Electronics Co. Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Euisun Chung, will accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his visit to Singapore next week, industry sources said Thursday. Yoon is set to embark on a three-nation trip on Sunday to visit the Philippines, Singapore and Laos to attend the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and hold bilateral talks, according to his office. In Singapore, Lee is expected to attend a

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation on countering threats posed by North Korea, Yoon's office said. During the call, Yoon and Ishiba agreed to work on enhancing both bilateral cooperation and trilateral collaboration involving the United States to address North Korean issues. "The leaders agreed on the need for South Korea, Japan and the United States to make

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday directed the immediate dispatch of military aircraft to evacuate nationals from the Middle East as tensions escalated rapidly with intensified clashes between Israel and Iran as well as its backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. "The president emphasized that protecting South Korean nationals in Israel and the Middle East is of utmost importance and instructed that all necessary measures be taken," his office said in a statement issued fo

The 10th edition of India’s Sarang Festival in Korea, an annual cultural exchange event hosted by the Indian Embassy in Korea, kicked off Tuesday, featuring an hour long dance performances. The festival's title, "sarang," means "love" in Korean and "diversity" in Hindi, reflecting cultural significance for both nations. This year's Sarang Festival began with a Kuchipudi performance by renowned artist Sreelakshmy Govardhanan, with the group set to per

BRUSSELS (Yonhap) -- South Korea and three other Indo-Pacific partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will attend the upcoming defense ministerial meeting for the first time later this month, NATO's chief said Tuesday. New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the defense ministers of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as IP4, were invited to the meeting scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in Brussels. "I look forward to welcoming them and forging a sh

NOIDA, India -- Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, showcased production capabilities and diversity at the second edition of the five-day UP International Trade Show held from September 25 to 29. The show, inaugurated by Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, attracted over 2,500 exhibitors and foreign buyers from more than 60 countries, showcasing traditional handicrafts, technology, organic agricultural items, AI solutions, robotics, and foo