President Yoon visits Paris, where final vote will take place next week

The top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan will hold trilateral talks in the southeastern port city of Busan this weekend, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday, amid fresh tensions after North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite. Foreign Minister Park Jin will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Sunday for broad discussions on ways to boost trilateral cooperation and other regional and global issues, Seoul's forei

When the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, I was overjoyed. Years of hard work, sleepless nights, and lengthy negotiations were finally behind us. Commitments to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius seemed to be a “reality." There was consensus for a multilateral, legally binding treaty, and my support as a legal adviser to the least developed countries on Paris Agreement negotiations was to benefit so many. Yet my joy was short-lived. Despite scientific knowledge of what

A South Korean appeals court found the Japanese government liable for damages to be paid to Korean women forced to work in wartime brothels during its 1910-45 occupation of the peninsula, reversing the previous ruling two years ago. A group of 21 plaintiffs -- “comfort women” or sex abuse victims who are still alive and their families -- filed the complaint in 2016. Dismissing the case in 2021, the court acknowledged Japan has state immunity from lawsuits in another country. The same

The German ambassador to Korea, Georg Schmidt, addressed the need to pursue a "de-risking" strategy to protect the economy in the face of global uncertainties, at the Global Biz Forum in Seoul on Wednesday. In his remarks, Schmidt recalled the perils of relying heavily on a single source, citing Germany's vulnerability caused by the Russia-Ukraine war, when gas supplies from Russia were disrupted. Germany swiftly adapted by diversifying its sources, constructing LNG terminals and

South Korea has been elected to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for a four-year term through 2027, officials here said Thursday, marking the country's fourth such election as a member of the committee. Seoul regained the membership at the 24th session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage that opened at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Wednesday for a two-day run, according to the Cultural Heritag

LONDON -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that updating the South Korea-Britain free trade agreement will enable the two countries' businesses to lead the global market. Yoon made the remark during a business forum attended by CEOs and business representatives from both countries during his ongoing state visit to London, as the two sides signed a joint declaration announcing the launch of negotiations to revise the FTA, which went into effect in 2021. "Over the course of the neg

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee, who are on a state visit to Britain to mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, attended a state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace, Tuesday. The two leaders confirmed the strong relationship between South Korea and Britain, paying tribute to influential cultural figures and the history of each country. After attending an official welcoming ceremony at

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife at a glittering banquet at Buckingham Palace Tuesday, as Britain rolled out the red carpet for a formal state visit aimed at strengthening trade and defense ties between the two countries. The UK government hopes the Korean leader's three-day visit will help cement an “Indo-Pacific tilt ” in its foreign and trade policy. The king and Queen Camilla hosted Yoon and first lady Kim Keon H

LONDON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee received a ceremonial welcome from King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they began their state visit to Britain on Tuesday. The ceremony began with Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, arriving at Yoon and Kim's hotel in London to travel with them to Horse Guards Parade, where the official welcome took place amid a 41-gun salute and an inspection of the Guard of Honor. The King and Queen greeted the presid

Oman marked its 53rd National Day, celebrating the legacy of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and highlighting the nation's enduring partnership with Korea in Seoul on Monday. “Oman values the Republic of Korea as a reliable ally across various sectors and is committed to peace,” said Omani Ambassador to Korea Zakariya bin Hamad Al Saadi, underscoring collaborations in trade, energy, ports, technology and education as he delivered his remarks. Oman's National Day, de

The US Department of State reiterated its concerns Monday over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, as Pyongyang is gearing up for a space rocket launch to put a military spy satellite into orbit. Pyongyang has notified Japan's Coast Guard of a plan to conduct the launch between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1, Japanese media reported, despite Seoul's warning against what would be its third such launch attempt this year. "I will say that our concerns about North Korea's ba

Latvia hopes to boost trade, investment and cultural relations with Korea, said the country's top envoy to Korea on Friday, as Latvia marks its 105th anniversary of independence. Latvian Ambassador to Seoul Aris Vigants said there was potential for increased cooperation on many fronts, with trade volume between Korea and Latvia reaching 128.3 million euros ($140 million) last year. Latvian exports to the country amounted to 72.7 million euros and imports were worth 55.5 million euros in 202

INDIAN CINEMA Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar (center), spouse of the Indian ambassador to Korea Surabhi Kumar (left), and Korean Film Archive director Kim Hong-jun pose for photos at the 11th edition of the Indian film festival at the Korean Film Archive in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 14. The event showcased Indian cinema which has a rich history dating back to the early 20th century, and has evolved into a dynamic and diverse industry. (Indian embassy)

FLOWERS OF COLOMBIA Attendees pose for a group photo at a floral workshop co-hosted by the Colombian Embassy in Korea and ProColombia, a government agency promoting exports, tourism and foreign direct investment, at the Grand Mercure hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Friday. The event, attended by over 60 local buyers and representatives from seven Colombian companies affiliated with flower exporters association Asocolflores, showcased a stunning array of Colombian flowers. Varieties such as carnat