PAJU -- Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday expressed his support for fresh inter-Korean rapprochement during his first visit to the heavily-fortified border between the two Koreas. "National division is not something that can be overcome overnight, it needs a long time," he said during a visit to the Joint Security Area (JSA) inside the Demilitarized Zone, where armed troops from both sides stand face to face. "The South and the North should not stop the attempt to approach eac

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha promoted the PyeongChang Winter Olympics as a chance to defuse tensions with North Korea at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the Foreign Ministry said Friday. Her remarks came amid growing concerns that North Korea’s current peace overture is part of a propaganda effort, and that the reclusive regime might stage a provocation following the resumption of South Korea-US joint military drills after the Olympics. In her keynote speech a

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Thursday that the conciliatory mood in inter-Korean relations created by North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics might not continue after the sporting event ends. 　“Given the circumstances, I don’t think that the conciliatory mood will continue after the PyeongChang Olympics ends,” Ban said during a seminar in Seoul on the PyeongChang Olympics and North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats. “Looking back at the past, the North ha

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha stressed the need for the private sector's role in financing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, her ministry said Thursday.Kang attended a closed-door debate session on new approaches to achieving the UN's 2030 agenda for economic and social development, on Wednesday (local time).Kang called on government leaders to harness new technology and innovation as a way of expanding private financing f

The presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's offer to visit South Korea, possibly to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games."The government welcomes Japan's official notification of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's trip to South Korea," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun told a press briefing.The remarks came hours after the Japanese Embassy here requested discussions with Seoul to arrange the Japanese leader's visit.

The South Korean government was embroiled in controversy for treating the North Korean delegation “excessively” well here during its two-day visit to the South aimed at inspecting venues and facilities where the two Koreas plan to hold joint cultural events. Hyon Song-wol (Yonhap)　Led by Hyon Song-wol, the head of the Samjiyon Orchestra, the advance team from Pyongyang inspected possible venues in Gangneung and Seoul on Sunday and Monday, respectively, where the North Korean art troupe is set to

TOKYO -- South Korea needs to take a "long-term" approach in dealing with the decadeslong feud with Japan over its wartime sexual slavery of Korean women, South Korea's top envoy in Japan has said.Amb. Lee Su-hoon made the remark early last week during a meeting with a group of reporters who visited Tokyo as part of an exchange program for journalists between the two countries."Let's take a long-term approach with a deep breath," he said. "If you rush to resolve it and put (a patch) to it again

South Korea on Monday voiced a strong protest over Japan's renewed territorial claims to its easternmost islets of Dokdo and demanded their immediate withdrawal."We express our deep regrets over Japan's unjustifiable claims to Dokdo again," the foreign ministry said in a spokesman's commentary."The Japanese government should stop its wrong claims with regard to our inherent territory, which it undoubtedly is from a historic and geographical perspective, as well as in the eyes of international la

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hwa will attend the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, next week, the foreign ministry said Sunday.The prestigious conference will be held from Jan. 23-26 with some 3,000 participants, including 70 heads of state and government, on the theme of "Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World." (Yonhap)Kang will participate in sessions on North Korea's nuclear crisis, sustainable development goals and a shared future for the world.

South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to stay unified and work together to rid North Korea of its nuclear weapons program.The two sides affirmed the position during a meeting between South Korean Vice Defense Minister Suh Choo-suk and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Pat Shanahan, according to a Pentagon statement."The leaders reaffirmed the ironclad nature of the alliance, and the importance of maintaining vigilance and unity in the face of North Korean aggression," it said.Their meet

South Korea will try to use the momentum generated by inter-Korean talks on Pyongyang’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympics to bring together the reclusive regime and the US for dialogue on denuclearization, according to a 2018 policy briefing. 　The foreign, defense, unification, culture and veterans ministries jointly briefed Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on policies they will pursue this year during an annual briefing Friday. Their shared theme was “peace on the Korean Peninsula, which begi

South Korea is expected to try to use the momentum generated by North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympics this year to encourage the reclusive regime to the denuclearization talks. Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon (second from left) meets with top policymakers  to be briefed on this year's major policies on foreign affairs and national security in Seoul on Friday. (Yonhap)The foreign, defense, unification, culture and veterans ministries jointly briefed Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on poli

President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron held a telephone conversation Thursday and discussed ways to work together on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, and for a successful PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games. President Moon Jae-in and French President Emmanuel Macron (Yonhap)According to Cheong Wa Dae, the two leaders spoke for about 30 minutes from 7:20 p.m. during which Moon gave a detailed account of inter-Korean talks. Seoul’s presidential office added that Moon expr

South and North Korea have agreed to plans to collaborate in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next month, but challenges lie ahead in making the plans materialize. South Korea is now tasked with finding ways to host the North Korean delegation -- which could comprise at least 400 athletes, officials, musicians, cheerleaders and journalists -- without violating United Nations Security Council sanctions against the North.  North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects Masikryong Ski Resort, North Korea,

Despite ongoing inter-Korean talks, 20 nations including South Korea and the US agreed Wednesday to beef up sanctions on North Korea to pressure the country to give up its nuclear and missile programs during a meeting in Vancouver. 　Foreign ministers from the 20 countries also vowed to support ongoing dialogue between the two Koreas “in hopes that it leads to sustained easing of tensions” and “diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea” during the meeting co-hosted by the US and Canada. 　But