The top diplomats from South Korea, the US and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to dealing with growing military exchanges between Russia and North Korea, calling them a serious global threat at a gathering on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in San Francisco. Foreign Minister Park Jin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa discussed coordinating policy on North Korea, going over steps taken to deliver on what the three agreed at Camp David in August,

The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan held three-way talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco on Tuesday, as they are stepping up cooperation to address North Korean threats and other regional and global issues. Foreign Minister Park Jin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa met trilaterally less than two months after they held brief talks on the margins of the UN General Assembly i

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that the United States is not trying to "decouple" from China, but pursuing better relations with its assertive rival, as he prepares for a summit with the Chinese leader this week. Biden's remarks apparently set an amicable tone ahead of the summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping slated to take place in San Francisco on Wednesday on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. "As I told you, we are not trying to decouple fro

'UAE, Korea not just friends, more like brothers, sisters'

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol slammed the purported illicit arms deal between North Korea and Russia, saying he’ll emphasize its far-reaching security implications and discuss international response during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco this week. In written responses to questions from The Associated Press ahead of the APEC meeting, Yoon also said that North Korean provocations will invite immediate retaliation by South Korean and US forces. There are

A group of 19 South Koreans held captive by a criminal organization in Myanmar have been freed by local police, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The ministry said it had sought to arrange their release after receiving a report early last month that they had been locked up in the border town of Tachileik by what it called an “illegal company.” “We reached out to local police for their immediate release, and authorities raided the firm in late October,” the mini

French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux (left) and German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt attend a memorial and wreath-laying ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the end of World War I, known as Armistice Day, on Friday. World War I officially concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, at the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. Armistice Day, observed annually on Nov. 11, commemorates the end of hostilities on the Western Front a

The Embassy of Greece and the National Assembly co-hosted an event marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, a poignant event that symbolized the enduring friendship between Greece and South Korea. The commemoration, held Monday, reflected on the shared commitment to democracy, freedom and values that both nations bravely defended on the battlefield. Greece and Korea's historical ties were vividly showcased during the event, underscoring their mutual dedication to the

South Korea has attended the Finance Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in San Francisco this week to discuss ways of cooperation with member nations on the global economy, sustainable finance and digital assets, the finance ministry said Tuesday. The South Korean delegation led by Deputy Finance Minister Choi Ji-young attended the two-day meeting that began Sunday (US time), where the 21 member nations agreed upon joint efforts to secure growth momentum while ensur

South Korea's Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon-ho will travel to Indonesia this week to attend an annual regional security meeting involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the defense ministry said Tuesday. Kim will leave for Jakarta on Wednesday to participate in the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus set to kick off the next day. It will bring together top defense officials from nine ASEAN countries and eight others, including the United States and China. Myanmar will n

South Korea, the United States and 44 other countries have joined a declaration highlighting the "responsible" use of artificial intelligence in the military domain, the State Department said Monday. Launched in February, the Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of AI and Autonomy aims to build international consensus on responsible behavior and guide countries' development, deployment and use of military AI, according to the department. The declaration came amid grow

Two South Korean nationals sentenced to death for drug trafficking by a Vietnamese court will be offered consular services necessary for due process and a fair trial in case of appeal, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said Monday. The two Koreans were among 18 defendants found guilty of drug offenses in a trial court ruling last week, according to VnExpress, a Vietnamese online media outlet. Kim, 63, and Kang, 30, were partners who had made ties in a Korean prison for unrelated crimes. A Chinese na

President Yoon Suk Yeol will attend the meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity in San Francisco on Thursday, Yoon's office confirmed Sunday. The IPEF meeting will be joined by the leaders of 14 member countries, and is aimed at discussing "concrete plans for cooperation" between member states, according to Yoon's office. Participating countries of the United States-led initiative include Korea, Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a much-anticipated summit in the San Francisco Bay Area next week, senior U.S. administration officials have said. Biden and Xi plan to meet bilaterally Wednesday on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering slated to begin its weeklong run in San Francisco on Saturday, the officials said in a telephonic press briefing Thursday. The leaders are expected to discuss a "whole range" of issues, including

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is scheduled to visit France later this week to bolster South Korea's bid for hosting the 2030 World Expo, just around two weeks before the crucial vote, his office said Friday. Han will depart for Paris on Sunday for a four-day trip in a last-minute pitch to win support to bring the mega event to the southeastern city of Busan. The trip comes as South Korea has been stepping up its campaign to host the quadrennial event, as member states of the Bureau Internatio