South Korea's Foreign Ministry on Thursday unveiled plans to restructure the office responsible for negotiations on North Korean nuclear issues and the establishment of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula, amid escalating North Korean nuclear threats and a prolonged absence of nuclear talks. The Foreign Ministry announced its decision to rebrand the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, tentatively renaming it the Office of Diplomatic Strategy and Intelligence in Korean.

US officials' recent focus on the idea of "interim steps" for a path towards North Korea's ultimate denuclearization is raising a flurry of questions about their intentions and the direction of America's policy on the recalcitrant regime. The idea has come into the spotlight in South Korea as some observers see it as a potential sign of Washington's greater desire for dialogue with Pyongyang amid little progress in its diplomacy to the North and security concerns he

A mutual protocol that requires South Korea and Uzbekistan to provide administrative assistance in customs matters to each other was put into effect as of Feb. 24. The protocol, signed in September by top customs officials of the two countries, facilitates the exchange of mutual information on goods and vehicles transported across customs borders and enables cooperation in law enforcement to simplify the flow of goods between the two countries. The protocol also aims to bolster bilateral coopera

Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to introduce new air routes and increase the number of flights between the two countries, the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul said in a press statement. According to the embassy, Kazakh Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev met with South Korean Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Lee Yoon-sang in Sejong and discussed increasing the frequency of flights between Kazakhstan and Korea and adding new destinations. Lastayev and Lee agreed to eleva

Top diplomats of Korea, India hold joint commission meeting for 1st time in 6 years

Angolan envoy recommends S. Korea use its technology, economic progress to build factories across Africa

South Korea and the United States on Tuesday appointed veteran diplomats as their chief delegates for upcoming negotiations on the next defense-cost sharing agreement, clearly signaling an early initiation of the talks. The move stands out as it precedes the expiration of the current agreement by almost two years, scheduled to end in 2025, and gains significance in light of the looming US presidential election. Lee Tae-woo, a seasoned diplomat with a career at the Foreign Ministry since 1996, br

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Seoul to boost bilateral ties on Tuesday. The visit comes as part of 10th India-Korea Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), to be co-chaired alongside his Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday. According to the Indian Embassy in Seoul, the India-Korea Special Strategic Partnership spans various sectors such as trade, investments, defense, education, science and technology, and culture. India and South Korea established their diplomatic rela

The UK Embassy in Seoul launched its first-ever "Green Week" event Monday, covering a range of environmental topics to enhance Korean-UK cooperation in combating the climate crisis, according to the embassy. The inaugural event, which ends Friday, comes on the heels of the Downing Street Accord signed by the leaders of South Korea and the UK last November. The agreement underscores the commitment of both countries to collaborate in accelerating the green transition and combating climat

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appointed a new UN resident coordinator for North Korea in a personnel decision confirmed by the reclusive regime, his spokesperson said Monday. Joe Colombano of Italy assumed his role on Friday, Stephane Dujarric said, in a development that raised hopes for Pyongyang to allow the entry of other personnel from key UN agencies, such as the World Health Organization and the UN Development Program. There has been no presence of international UN staff in the

Members of the US-led Minerals Security Partnership agreed to establish a forum to promote effective cooperation on critical mineral supplies with non-member countries that are significant producers of minerals, South Korea's Foreign Ministry announced Monday. Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun participated in the Representatives Meeting of the MSP chaired by US Undersecretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez in Toronto on Sunday. During the meet

Former South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup has been named as the country's new ambassador to Australia amid growing defense and arms industrial cooperation between the two countries. Lee, who served as defense minister from May 2022 to October 2023, played a crucial role in the exportation of Redback infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by South Korea’s Hanwha Defense. Lee also held the position of vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2017 to 2018. Lee's acad

WASHINGTON, -- Growing military cooperation among North Korea, Russia, China and Iran raises the possibility of "simultaneous conflicts with multiple nuclear-armed adversaries," a top US general warned Thursday. Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of US Strategic Command, made the remarks during a session of the Senate Armed Services Committee, stressing that his command will "always" be "ready to fight tonight." "We are confronting not one, but two nuclear peers

  WASHINGTON -- South Korea and the United States expressed "deep concerns" Thursday over North Korea's definition of the inter-Korean relationship as one between two hostile states and its potential attempt at changing the status quo in the Yellow Sea, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Their position was announced in a statement after Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell had a breakfast meeting in Washington. The previous day, Cho held his firs

Blinken to visit South Korea in March to attend Summit for Democracy