First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun on Saturday reaffirmed that Seoul and Washington are working to launch new working-level talks in October, ruling out speculation the two sides are in dissent over the matter.   　 Choi returned home Saturday from Washington, where he met US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun and other US officials for talks on enhancing the alliance and other bilateral issues.   　 After the meeting, the Foreign Ministry here said the two sides agreed t

The foreign ministry is pushing to build its own videoconference platform to improve security as virtual meetings continue across the world due to the new coronavirus pandemic, officials said Sunday. The ministry currently uses its intranet for talks with overseas missions but relies on private platforms for discussions with foreign governments or international organizations. "Before COVID-19, we talked in person, so there were no concerns over leakage through the internet, but now as ove

South Korea's foreign ministry on Friday called for its peacekeeping troops to continue their presence in Lebanon and South Sudan for its contribution to the global peace and other factors. Whether to extend the mandate of Dongmyung Unit in Lebanon and Hanbit Unit in South Sudan was discussed during a meeting of related government agencies, including the defense and the public administration ministries. "(The government) confirmed the need to extend their missions in consideration of rela

South Korea and Britain agreed to forge closer cooperation to tackle climate change, Seoul's finance ministry said Friday. The agreement was reached during a telephone discussion between Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki and British business minister Alok Sharma earlier in the day, the ministry said in a statement. Next year, Britain will host the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference and Sharma asked Hong to step up cooperation for a successful hosting of the conference, the ministry said.

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha plans to travel to Vietnam next week for talks with her counterpart on various bilateral issues, including joint efforts for cooperation amid the coronavirus pandemic, diplomatic sources said Friday. Kang will depart for the Southeast Asian country on Thursday for talks with her Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Binh Minh, according to sources familiar with the matter. The two-day visit to Hanoi will be Kang's second trip abroad since the global spread of COVID-19

The foreign ministry failed to fairly handle allegations that a senior diplomat sexually abused a local embassy employee in New Zealand, and even included officials directly under him in an internal probe team, the state human rights watchdog said Friday. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) released a 25-page report outlining its findings into the allegations that the senior Korean diplomat groped a New Zealand employee at the embassy in Wellington multiple times when he was stationed

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump wanted to reduce the number of US troops stationed in South Korea from the early stage of his administration, a news report showed Thursday. Quoting excerpts from an upcoming book by Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward, USA Today reported that Trump had actually called for a withdrawal of troops from South Korea. "The president, in the book, complains about military obligations around the world, saying the United States has become 'sucker

WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States agreed Thursday to set up a new working-level dialogue channel to allow quick and constant consultation on various issues between the two countries, Seoul's First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun said. Choi reached the agreement during talks with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Washington. The two sides also agreed to commit themselves to moving forward the countries' long-stalled discussions on defense cost-sharing, Choi said.

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called for an early resumption of denuclearization talks between the two Koreas and the US, while asking for international support for the peace process to take root on the Korean Peninsula at a regional forum, her office said Thursday. 　 Kang made the call Wednesday during the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations Plus Three meeting, which involves the 10-nation bloc along with South Korea, China and Japan, held virtually due to the COVID-1

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha has called for international support for an early resumption of dialogue with North Korea and renewed South Korea's "firm" will to push for inter-Korean cooperation at a regional forum, her office said Thursday. On Wednesday, Kang made the call during a video-linked foreign ministerial session of the East Asia Summit (EAS) that involves the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South Korea, China, Japan, the United States, Russia, Australia,

  GENEVA -- South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee departed Geneva for Paris Wednesday as she drums up support for her bid to become the next head of the World Trade Organization (WTO). "In the French capital, she is scheduled to meet with key figures to secure their support in the selection process," an insider said without providing details. The minister is expected to remain in Paris till Friday. Yoo traveled to Switzerland late last month and has been engaged in talks

US Ambassador to Seoul Harry Harris on Wednesday shared a list of books on his desk, some related to North Korea, for South Korea's Month of Reading in a tweet that hinted at his interest in the reclusive country. The ambassador's list of seven books included four North Korea-related ones, including "Bridging the Divide," a book about South Korean President Moon Jae-in's efforts to engage with North Korea and foster lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. "For ROK's Month of Re

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha was set to attend a series of annual meetings led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations beginning Wednesday to discuss responses to the novel coronavirus and other regional issues.  This year’s sessions, held virtually due to the pandemic, arrive at a time when Washington and Beijing are competing for influence in the region, intensifying their rivalry.  The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to top the agenda at this year’

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Tuesday that a growing Sino-US rivalry makes South Korea's diplomatic endeavor to firm up relations with the major powers a "very tough task." Kang delivered a speech on Seoul's response to the "challenging global context," its handling of the new coronavirus and the erosion of multilateralism, as a special speaker for a gathering of Romanian diplomats via video links. "We are firmly committed to safeguarding and strengthening our s

First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun will meet with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Washington on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations, the regional situation and other issues, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.  “During the talks, the two sides are planning to have comprehensive consultations on the overall South Korea-US relations, regional situation and issues of mutual interest,” Kim In-chul, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a regular brief