Wednesday marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China. Both Seoul and Beijing opened a new era by establishing a good, neighborly friendship based on the principle of reciprocal equality and peaceful coexistence and by signing a joint statement supporting “One China” and “Peaceful Unification of the Korean Peninsula” in Beijing. The establishment of Korea-China diplomatic relations was meaningful in terms of history an

Sino-US rivalry puts Seoul in difficult position, but ‘decoupling’ from China is unrealistic, experts say

Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming said relations between South Korea and China are declining, but that they could be solved by developing a mature, independent and stable relationship while preserving the core interests of the two. “The current situation is complex and serious. Relations between China and South Korea have entered a new phase,” Xing said at a forum on Tuesday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Korea-China relations in Seoul. He admitted that the mu

WASHINGTON -- South Korea's offer to help North Korea in exchange for denuclearization is entirely consistent with the United States' own plan to rid the North of its nuclear ambition, a state department spokesperson said Monday. Ned Price also called on Pyongyang to respond positively to Seoul's outreach. "We have been clear about our support for the bold or the ambitious plan that the South Korean administration has put forward," the department press secretary said in

While South Korea and China celebrate 30 years of their diplomatic relationship this week, Koreans’ dislike for the neighboring country appears to be reaching its peak. According to a survey of South Koreans by Hankook Research on Monday, China was the second-least popular country among five countries -- the United States, Japan, North Korea and Russia. The survey asked 1,000 South Koreans aged over 18 from July 15 to 18 to rank their positive sentiment toward five major countries. Th

The top diplomats of South Korea and China plan to attend events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties in their respective countries later this week, Seoul officials said Monday. Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are set to join the ceremonies in Seoul and Beijing, respectively, on Wednesday, the officials said, in an apparent show of their commitment to maintaining close relations between the two countries. During the ev

Seoul's top diplomat conveyed to his Washington counterpart concerns over a new US law excluding electric vehicles built outside North America from tax breaks during their recent phone conversation, a diplomatic source said Sunday. Per the source, South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin broached the topic in his call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken last Friday. The $430 billion bill, called the Inflation Reduction Act, was signed into law by US President Joe Biden last Tuesday. It ca

BULLA HAGAR, Kenya -- The United States is stepping up to buy about 150,000 metric tons of grain from Ukraine in the next few weeks for an upcoming shipment of food aid from ports no longer blockaded by war, the World Food Program chief has told The Associated Press. The final destinations for the grain are not confirmed and discussions continue, David Beasley said. But the planned shipment, one of several the UN agency that fights hunger is pursuing, is more than six times the amount of grain t

Second Vice Foreign Minister Lee Do-hoon will visit the U.N. headquarters this week to offer briefings on the government's policy on North Korea, including President Yoon Suk-yeol's "audacious plan" calling for denuclearization in exchange for economic aid, the ministry said Sunday. Lee will visit New York from Sunday to Thursday for meetings with Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed; Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu;

South Korea plans to take part in US-led negotiations over the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in a way that maximizes national interests, the finance minister said Friday. Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho said as a ministerial meeting of the IPEF, the new economic framework launched by US President Joe Biden in May, will be held from Sept. 8-9, its official negotiations will start in earnest. He said from the rule-setting stage, there is a need to reflect his country's stance and buil

The United States sees the need to take "incremental steps" with North Korea to completely denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, a state department spokesperson said Thursday, in apparent support of South Korea's offer to help the impoverished North when and if Pyongyang takes denuclearization steps. Department Press Secretary Ned Price also said "practical steps" may be taken to denuclearize the peninsula. "We believe that there are practical steps that can be taken t

South Korea has conveyed its concerns over a new US law that provides tax incentives for electric vehicles manufactured in North America only, a foreign ministry official said Thursday. "As revisions to the electric vehicle subsidies, included in the Inflation Reduction Act, are subject to violation of not only the South Korea-US Free Trade Agreement but also the World Trade Organization rules, we have reviewed (the issue) and expressed our concerns to the US through various channels,"

WASHINGTON -- Republican scion Liz Cheney's primary defeat to a hardline Trumpist rival underlines the dramatic shift the party has undergone under the former president as he pulls it away from mainstream conservatism towards the politics of personality. The congresswoman's loss to Harriet Hageman on Tuesday -- ending her hopes of seeking a fourth term in her safe Wyoming seat -- was a definitive rebuke for her opposition to Donald Trump. Cheney's voting record aligned with Trump's positions 93

WASHINGTON -- The United States will continue to maintain strong sanctions against North Korea until the recalcitrant country changes its behavior and engages in dialogue, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday. Department Press Secretary Ned Price made the remarks after North Korea fired two cruise missiles, marking its 19th show of force this year and first since June. "We will continue to maintain those sanctions until and unless the underlying conduct, the underlying activity ch

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban on Monday marked a year since they seized the Afghan capital in a rapid takeover that triggered a hasty escape of the nation's Western-backed leaders, sent the economy into a tailspin and fundamentally transformed the country. Bearded Taliban fighters, some hoisting rifles or the white banners of their movement, staged victory parades on foot, bicycles and motorcycles in the streets of Kabul. One group marched past the former US Embassy, chanting "Long