Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Tuesday that the government respects the Supreme Court’s ruling on wartime forced labor and hopes to move relations with Japan forward in a future-oriented manner.The Supreme Court ruled that a Japanese steel firm should compensate four Koreans mobilized into forced labor during the 1910-45 colonial rule, rejecting Japanese claims that all colonial-era compensation claims were settled under a 1965 treaty that the two countries signed when normalizing diplomatic re

The top court ruled Tuesday that a Japanese steel firm must compensate four South Korean victims forced to work in its factories during Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, a decision expected to intensify tension between the neighboring countries.　The Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s 2013 ruling that ordered Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal to pay 100 million won ($88,000) in compensation to each of the four victims, recognizing their rights to sue for damages despite the 1965 Kore

BRUSSELS -- About 26,000 South Koreans received their first residence permits to stay for three months or longer in European Union countries last year -- the highest number in 10 years -- the EU’s statistics agency said Tuesday.Eurostat said in a report that the number of Koreans who obtained such stay permits for the first time increased 124 from a year ago to 25,767 in 2017. This undated file photo released by German news agency DPA shows the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels. (Yo

US Rep. Mac Thornberry, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, assured South Korea Monday of bipartisan support for the alliance, Seoul's foreign ministry said. (Yonhap)The Republican congressman from Texas also pledged every effort to denuclearize the peninsula and establish lasting peace.He delivered the message to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha in their meeting here.Kang took note of a sea change in the regional security conditions over the past year and briefed him on close cooperat

The final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea is a primary requirement for the US and South Korea to bring an end to the Korean War, a US nuclear envoy said during his visit to Seoul on Monday.　Stephen Biegun, US Special Representative for North Korea, and his South Korean counterpart Lee Do-hoon underscored the need of close coordination amid concerns about a possible discord between the allies over the pace of inter-Korean developments.　“We have a shared goal here, which is to brin

Top South Korean and US officials on North Korea met here Monday for discussions on ways to revitalize denuclearization talks amid growing concerns about a possible rift between the allies.Stephen Biegun, the Trump administration's special representative for North Korea, opened talks with counterpart Lee Do-hoon in the wake of a brief meeting with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha.(Yonhap)He arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a three-day stay, his fourth visit here as Washington's point man on Pyongya

Stephen Biegun, the US’ special representative for North Korea, arrived in South Korea on Sunday to meet with his counterpart to discuss the countries’ shared efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons programs. Stephen Biegun, the US' special representative for North Korea (Yonhap)On Monday, Biegun is set to hold separate meetings with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon, and with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha to discuss issues including recent developments on Washington’s e

US experts warn of “emerging gaps” between South Korea and the US in dealings with North Korea

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun will arrive in South Korea on Sunday to discuss cooperation with South Korea over North Korea's nuclear disarmament, Seoul officials said.On Monday, Biegun is set to meet Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and his counterpart Lee Do-hoon separately for talks over a set of issues, including Washington's push for high-level and working-level denuclearization talks with North Korean officials.  Stephen Biegun (Yonhap)Observers said that Biegun c

South Korea and the United States will hold their annual defense ministers' talks in Washington, DC next week to discuss the fate of this year's combined air exercise, the transfer of wartime operational control and other issues, Seoul officials said Friday. Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and his US counterpart James Mattis will attend the 50th Security Consultative Meeting on Wednesday amid the allies' efforts to ensure cooperation over denuclearization and a lasting peace regime on the peni

Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan discussed the issue of a Japanese-funded foundation for South Korean victims of Japanese wartime sex slavery at a meeting in Tokyo on Thursday, according to the Foreign Ministry. 　South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with his Japanese counterpart Takeo Akiba on Thursday on his two-day visit to Tokyo to exchange views on South Korea-Japan relations and their shared goal of the denuclearization of North Korea, the ministry said. 　The meeti

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Croatia held talks Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and issues on the Korean Peninsula and in Europe, Seoul's foreign ministry said.The South's top diplomat, Kang Kyung-wha, and her Croatian counterpart, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, agreed to make efforts to boost investment and trade between the two nations, according to the foreign ministry.They also decided to seek cooperative projects in several areas, including science, technology, healthcare and tran

South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun is visiting Japan on Wednesday and Thursday to meet his Japanese counterpart Takeo Akiba to discuss the controversial compensation fund Tokyo offered in 2015 for Korean victims of Japan’s wartime slavery, which the Korean victims have been refusing to accept, a government official said. 　　The 1 billion yen ($9 million) fund was provided by Tokyo as part of the controversial 2015 Seoul-Tokyo deal to settle the issue of “comfort women”-- South Korean vi

A war of nerves between Washington and Pyongyang over efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons appears to be escalating, with North Korea yet to respond to a US proposal for high-level talks and the US delaying a second summit with the North.　High-level talks as well as working-level talks between the US and North Korea to discuss denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula have yet to be held, and the two sides have yet to confirm a date or venue for such talks, a senior South Korean

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha plans to hold talks with her Croatian counterpart in Seoul this week on improving ties between the two countries, Kang's ministry announced Tuesday.Marija Pejcinovic, Croatia's deputy prime minister and foreign minister, will begin her first official trip here later in the day. (Yonhap)The ministers are scheduled to meet each other Wednesday to discuss Croatia's plan to open its embassy in Seoul and direct flight services between Incheon and Zagreb, t