South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that the US should lower the bar for talks with North Korea and dialogue between the two countries should begin soon, a day after a top North Korean official said that Pyongyang is willing to hold talks with WashingtonIvanka Trump, US President Donald Trump’s daughter and senior White House adviser, and Kim Yong-chol of the North Korean delegation attend the closing ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics on Sunday. (Reuters-Yonhap)“The US should lower its ba

BEIJING — China’s ruling Communist Party has proposed scrapping term limits for the country’s president, the official news agency said, appearing to lay the groundwork for party leader Xi Jinping to rule as president beyond 2023.The party’s Central Committee proposed to remove from the constitution the expression that China’s president and vice president “shall serve no more than two consecutive terms,” the Xinhua News Agency said Sunday.“Xi Jinping has finally achieved his ultimate goal when he

The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics were marked by not only hard-fought competition for medals, but also fierce diplomatic efforts on the sidelines of the sporting event, intent to pave the way for peace on the Korean Peninsula. 　With nuclear-armed North Korea’s participation, the Olympics left behind a legacy of peace and reconciliation for the world after a year of tensions heightened by North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests. 　The momentum for peace began building after North Korean leader

Speculations mounted Sunday over possible interaction between officials from the US and North Korea on the sidelines of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, as North Korea’s delegation includes a specialist on US-North Korea relations. Led by Kim Yong-chul, vice chairman of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee, the eight-member delegation crossed the inter-Korean border on Sunday to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics. The North’s delegation includes Choe Kang-il, deputy dir

Although Ivanka Trump may not have any plans to meet any North Koreans, someone else in her team might be gearing up for a meeting with representatives from the reclusive nation.  Allison Hooker, a National Security Council official arrives at Cheong Wa Dae on Friday. (Yonhap)South Korean analysts and media have pinpointed Allison Hooker, a National Security Council official who specializes in Korean affairs as a potential key player in establishing foundations for future US-North Korea talks. H

Ivanka Trump, US President Donald Trump's daughter and a senior adviser to the White House arrived in South Korea on Friday, for a four-day visit to lead the US delegation to the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Here are some of the photos showing Ivanka's first two days here. Trump arrived at around 4 p.m. here on Friday, and participated in a dinner meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at Sangchunjae, traditional Korean house inside the presidential office.The Blue

South Korea's first lady Kim Jung-sook and Ivanka Trump, the US president's daughter and senior advisor, watched a snowboarding competition together at the ongoing PyeongChang Winter Olympics on Saturday, a presidential aide here said. Ivanka Trump (left), First Lady Kim Jung-sook, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Yonhap) Ivanka Trump (left), First Lady Kim Jung-sook, Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (Yonhap)They watched the men's big air final competition at Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre in the no

PYEONGCHANG -- US President Donald Trump’s daughter toured the 2018 Winter Olympics on Saturday, the morning after telling South Korea’s president that she will use her visit to the Pyeongchang Games to advocate maximum pressure on North Korea to halt its nuclear program. Ivanka Trump (left), cheers with Kim Jung-sook, wife of the South Korean President during the men’s Big Air snowboard competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Saturday. (AP)Ivanka Trump, who is one o

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea -- The United States will continue to put pressure on North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program despite a growing mood of reconciliation between the two Koreas, the White House said Saturday."We are going to continue a campaign of maximum pressure, the latest sanctions are the strongest that we have had on North Korea. We are going to continue in that form," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said at meeting with reporters at Team USA House in Yonpyong Sk

Ivanka Trump gets red-carpet welcome

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday admitted that a controversial part of the 2014 agreement to share costs for US troops stationed in South Korea was omitted from its report to the National Assembly.The ministry’s task force conducted an internal review of the agreement, looking into allegations that the Park Geun-hye administration made a secret agreement with the US to contribute cash to building facilities for US troops stationed here.  Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha answers lawmak

Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was elected on Tuesday to chair the executive organ of the Seoul-based Global Green Growth Institute, the Foreign Ministry said. Twenty-eight member countries of GGGI, whose mandate is to recommend eco-friendly development solutions for developing countries, elected Ban president of the Assembly and chair of the Council for GGGI. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (Yonhap)His began the two-year term immediately, replacing Gemedo Dalle, who

The US mulling imposing heavy tariffs on South Korean steel imports, ostensibly to reduce its own trade deficit with China, shows that the Trump administration has little consideration for its seven-decade alliance with South Korea when it comes to trade, experts say.The US Commerce Department on Friday laid out a range of options for President Donald Trump to consider, including a tariff of 53 percent on steel imports from 12 countries including South Korea and China, as part of its “America Fi

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kung-wha is considering attending a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council to be held this month, her spokesman said Tuesday. "Things are still under review about what Kang will say and which agenda she will raise in case she decides to attend the meeting," Noh Kyu-duk told reporters during a regular press briefing.  Foreign Minister Kang Kung-wha (L) (Yonhap)The high-level meeting of the panel is scheduled for Feb. 26-28 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Geneva-base

President Moon Jae-in on Monday called on the government to respond to US trade protectionism and unfair demands with confidence, and to highlight such elements in dealings with the US. President Moon Jae-in speaks at the meeting with senior aides in Seoul on Monday. Yonhap“Recently, (US) protectionism is being strengthened on top of unstable exchange rates and oil prices,” Moon said at a weekly conference with senior aides on Monday. Citing US regulations on South Korea steel, electronics and s