North Korea should approach denuclearization talks with the US with a “wider scope,” Seoul’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday.“The US is taking a comprehensive approach (to the talks) and looking for comprehensive dialogue,” Kang said at a meeting with the local media. Kang was responding to a question on which side – the North or the US – should alter its position to enable denuclearization talks to make progress.  Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha speaks during

US National Security Adviser John Bolton is likely to visit South Korea later this month for talks with Seoul officials over North Korea's nuclear program, Japanese media reported Thursday.Citing diplomatic sources, the Kyodo News agency said that Seoul and Washington are "in the final stages of arranging his visit to Seoul around May 28 to meet Chung Eui-yong," referring to the director of the National Security Office at South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. (AP-Yonhap)His possible v

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon has called on Kuwait to allow more South Korean companies to participate in infrastructure projects in the Middle Eastern country during talks with his Kuwaiti counterpart.Lee embarked on trips to Kuwait, Colombia and Ecuador on Tuesday as part of the government's efforts to expand diplomacy with the Middle East and Central and South America. (Yonhap)Lee met with Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, the prime minister of Kuwait, on Wednesday in Kuwait City to discuss wa

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will embark on an 11-day trip to Kuwait, Colombia and Ecuador on Tuesday in an effort to discuss ways to expand cooperation with the three nations, his office said.Lee will visit Kuwait from Tuesday to Friday and Colombia from Saturday to Monday. His final leg of the trip is Ecuador, where he will stay from Monday to May 8. (Yonhap)The trip is part of the government's efforts to expand diplomacy with the Middle East, and Central and South America.In Kuwait, Lee will me

South Korean President Moon Jae-in formalized Seoul’s bid to become an associate member of the Pacific Alliance during talks here with his Chilean counterpart, Sebastian Pinera, Monday.The visiting president agreed to “actively cooperate” with South Korea on the issue, as his country is slated to serve as the rotating chair of the Latin American trade bloc -- which also includes three other full-time members: Colombia, Mexico and Peru -- starting in the latter half of this year, according to Che

The World Trade Organization Friday finalized the recent ruling in favor of South Korea's import restrictions on Japanese seafood passed in the wake of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.The WTO's Dispute Settlement Body adopted the report by the appellate body, saying that Seoul's import ban does not violate the WTO's sanitary and phytosanitary agreement, according to a press release by the South Korean government.Upon the DSB adoption, the appellate body's ruling, which overturned the 2018 ve

Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Vladivostok, with Pyongyang’s confirmation of the state visit Tuesday. North Korea’s state-run airline landed at an airport in Vladivostok on Tuesday morning, hours after the Korean Central News Agency confirmed that Kim “will soon pay a visit to the Russian Federation at the invitation of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the Russian Federation.” In thi

South Korean President Moon Jae-in headed home Tuesday, wrapping up a state visit to Kazakhstan that also concluded his three-nation tour in Central Asia.Moon's departure came one day after he and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev agreed to boost their countries' bilateral ties and economic cooperation in their first summit held here. (Yonhap)To this end, the countries have signed a new agreement calling for a "fresh wind," or cooperation, in various areas, including ICT, transportation and

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s ongoing trip to Central Asia will lead to enhanced cooperation between his country and Central Asian countries, including new joint projects that could be worth more than US$28 billion in total, the presidential office said Monday.　The assessment came one day before Moon returns home, wrapping up his three-nation tour. 　The South Korean president arrived here Sunday on a three-day visit, following his trips to Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.(Yonhap)　“Turkmenista

Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Monday met with Russia‘s Ambassador to South Korea Andrey Kulik and discussed North Korea and other issues ahead of a widely expected summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.　It was part of a series of meetings Minister Kim has been having with foreign diplomats since taking office earlier this month. Last week, he met with ambassadors of the United States, China and Japan.(Yonhap)　“South Korea and Russia have long

　South Korea and Kazakhstan will work to boost their economic ties by developing new areas of cooperation that also help them jointly prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the countries’ leaders said in a meeting here Monday.　In their first-ever summit, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said their countries’ bilateral relationship has steadily expanded since they established diplomatic ties in 1992.(Yonhap)　“Also, they noted that trade between

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un should decide whether he will seize the opportunity to advance nuclear negotiations with Washington. US Ambassador to South Korea Harry Harris said Monday while emphasizing the US’ commitment to “final, fully verified denuclearization.”Harris said US President Donald Trump took the right course of action by opting for no agreement during his summit with Kim in February as the negotiation was a choice between “no deal” or a “very bad deal,” in a press briefing sess

Amid his hectic schedule while on a state visit to Kazakhstan that includes summit talks, South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended a highly emotional ceremony on Sunday to observe and celebrate the return of the remains of two former anti-Japanese independence fighters back to their native country.The ceremony was held shortly after Moon arrived here on a three-day visit that began earlier in the day in Almaty.In the ceremony, the remains of the late independence fighters (Yonhap)Gye Bong-woo

The leaders of South Korea and Uzbekistan agreed Friday to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a special strategic partnership, also vowing efforts to further expand their economic cooperation.In a summit held in Tashkent, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted that their countries' cooperation has greatly contributed to expanding cooperation between South Korea and the Central Asian region.(Yonhap)"President Moon and President Mirziyoyev expressed sa

South Korean President Moon Jae-in was set to hold a summit with his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Friday on ways to further improve the countries' bilateral ties and expand economic cooperation.The South Korean leader arrived here Thursday on a four-day state visit. It marks his first trip to the Central Asian country, although his meeting with Mirziyoyev will be his second. The two met in November 2017 when the Uzbek president made a state visit to Seoul. (Yonhap)In their second bilat