The South Korean government has begun the process of verifying news reports that a South Korean teenager thought to have joined an Islamic militant group early this year was killed in a U.S.-led air strike in northern Syria, officials said Thursday.“We are now trying to verify the facts with regard to the reports on his fate,” said a Seoul official on condition of anonymity.A local media outlet reported Wednesday that the U.S.-led coalition forces carried out a massive air strike campaign last w

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to make efforts to quickly resolve the issue of double taxation avoidance with South Korea.　South Korea and Nigeria signed a double taxation avoidance agreement in 2006 to help boost two-way investment and trade, though the West African country has yet to complete its domestic procedures.　Buhari made the pledge during summit talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Sunday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, according

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he is willing to set up an industrial complex exclusively for South Korean companies to help facilitate their investment in Pakistan.He also said he is pleased with increased investments by South Korean companies. South Korean investment in Pakistan reached an accumulated US$100 million as of last year. Two-way trade amounted to $1.17 billion for last year alone.　Sharif made the comment in summit talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye on Su

President Park Geun-hye on Sunday stressed the importance of education in setting up an effective and inclusive system to achieve sustainable development.　Park said South Korea drastically expanded investment in education as it was pushing for industrialization in the 1970s, which in turn created decent jobs and resulted in inclusive growth.　South Korea‘s education fervor helped transform the country into Asia’s fourth-largest economy from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War.　Park made the comme

South Korean President Park Geun-hye met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Sunday, Cheong Wa Dae said, in a sign of a thaw between the two countries ahead of a trilateral summit also involving China.　Abe told Park that he was looking forward to the trilateral summit, which may take place in late October in Seoul, Japan‘s Kyodo news agency said, citing Katsunobu Kato, Japanese deputy chief cabinet secretary.　Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters that Japanese media reports “w

South Korea and China plan to build a joint industrial complex near a border area with North Korea, according to South Korean Ambassador to China Kim Jang-soo on Saturday.Kim made the remarks on Friday during his visit to the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture of China, where ethnic Koreans account for about 30 percent of the population, the Yanbian Daily newspaper reported. Kim held talks with Zhang Anshun, the Communist Party secretary of Yanbian, during which they discussed ways to build th

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon have expressed hope that North Korea does not go ahead with a long-range rocket launch.The two also shared the view that the isolated country should come forward for dialogue with the international community, Ju Chul-ki, senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs, told reporters after their meeting at Ban's official residence on Friday evening.Park arrived in New York hours earlier for the U.N. General Assembly.Pa

With the bang of a gavel, international leaders approved an ambitious 15-year plan Friday to tackle the world's biggest problems, from eradicating poverty to preserving the planet to reducing inequality. Now comes the tough part: Drumming up support and money to achieve the goals and transform the world.Pope Francis gave his backing to the new development agenda in an address to the U.N. General Assembly before the summit to adopt the 17-point plan opened, calling it "an important sign of hope"

President Park Geun-hye appeared in a video message released at a ceremony for the U.N. summit on sustainable development, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.Park joined U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Stephen Hawking and nine other high-profile people in announcing 17 goals that world leaders have vowed to accomplish by 2030.The goals call for, among other things, the reduction of poverty and gender equality.Park is set to address the U.N. summit for sustainable development on Saturday, a day after