South Korea is likely to see the emergence of a "left-of-center" government that is more accommodating to North Korea and less willing to follow the US lead, former US Ambassador to South Korea Christopher Hill said.South Korea is scheduled to elect a new president in May after former President Park Geun-hye was forced out of office in the wake of a massive corruption scandal involving a longtime friend accused of using her ties to Park to amass wealth and other personal gains.(Yonhap)"The betti

Former President Park Geun-hye left the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae on Sunday evening, two days after the Constitutional Court upheld her impeachment.Ending a some four-year stay in the presidential mansion, Park headed back to her private residence in Samseong neighborhood, southern Seoul. Hundreds of supporters were waiting for her arrival, chanting "Park Geu-hye, the President!" and "Cancel the impeachment!" (Yonhap) The Constitutional Court upheld Park's impeachment over a corruptio

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to visit South Korea later this week for meetings with senior government officials to discuss issues of mutual concern including the growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, officials said Sunday.US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will stay in South Korea for two days from March 17 during which he will meet with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and other senior government officials. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (L) meets with US Secretary of Sta

More than 90 US congressmen have signed a latest congressional resolution calling for the swift deployment of an advanced anti-missile system in South Korea to counter North Koran threats since its proposal early last month, a US broadcaster reported Friday. As of Thursday, a total of 93 Democratic and Republican congressmen have signed the H. Res. 92 since it was proposed by Rep. Joe Wison on Dec. 7, Voice of America said. (Yonhap)In particular, 16 legislators left their signature on Monday alo

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United States will discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in dealing with North Korea and its nuclear program when they meet next week in Seoul, the foreign ministry here said Thursday. South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (L) meets U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Germany on Feb. 16, 2017. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will stay in South Korea for two days starting from March 17 during which he will meet with

Chinese Ambassador to Seoul Qiu Guohong on Thursday urged South Korea to suspend the deployment of an advanced US missile defense system in the country."The deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery must be scrapped immediately. If that is impossible, it should at least be suspended to leave room open for Seoul and Beijing to negotiate," the envoy was quoted as saying by Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling Liberty Korea Party. (Yonhap)Yoon said he held a private meeting with th

Bolivia has named one of its streets after South Korea in a show of respect and friendship for the country that helped build its new town in Santa Cruz, the Seoul government said Thursday.The 80-meter wide, 9.85-kilometer-long road bisecting the new town of Santa Cruz was named "Avenida Corea" or Korea Avenue in a ceremony held Wednesday (Bolivia time), according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The rendered image (on left), provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure

Vice foreign ministers of South Korea and Mexico have agreed to continue their countries' collaboration to denuclearize North Korea and improve its human rights situation, Seoul officials said Wednesday.During their talks in Mexico on Tuesday, South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Ahn Chong-ghee and his counterpart Carlos Alberto de Icaza also discussed North Korea's recent assassination of its leader Kim Jong-un's half brother Kim Jong-nam in Malaysia, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. South K

China's top diplomat on Wednesday voiced his strong objection to the deployment of an advanced US missile defense system in South Korea, calling it a mistake that threatens Seoul's security going forward. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the renewed opposition as Seoul and Washington recently started the process of deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in South Korea.During his meeting with press on the sidelines of the annual session of China's parliament, Wang said that

Senior defense officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan on Wednesday condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches and agreed to coordinate on how to deal with its provocations, the defense ministry said. Wee Seung-ho, deputy minister for policy, held a video conference with David F. Helvey, US assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, and Satoshi Maeda, director general for defense policy. (Yonhap)They strongly condemned the North's ballis

The deployment of the US THAAD missile defense system is a "national security matter" for South Korea, the White House said Tuesday, reaffirming it would go ahead as scheduled despite China's protest.   Earlier Tuesday, South Korea's Defense Ministry and US Forces Korea said they have brought two interceptor-missile launchers and other elements of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense into the US base in Osan, south of Seoul.The move marks the beginning of a deployment that China has vehemently op

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will visit South Korea next week in his first trip to the region that will also take him to Japan and China, the State Department announced Tuesday.Trillerson will be in Tokyo on March 15-17, Seoul on March 17-18, and Beijing on March 18, the department said. (Yonhap)"In each country, Secretary Tillerson will meet with senior officials to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues, including strategic coordination to address the advancing nuclear and missile th

China on Tuesday threatened counteractions against South Korea and the US' deployment of the high-tech defense system THAAD which started this week. Earlier in the day, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense and the US Forces Korea said they have brought two interceptor-missile launchers and other elements of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense into the US base in Osan, south of Seoul. Parts of THAAD system arrive in Korea (Yonhap)"We solemnly object to South Korea and the US' deployment of

US President Donald Trump agreed Monday to work with South Korea and Japan to show North Korea "very dire consequences" for its provocative actions, the White House said.Trump reached the agreement when he spoke separately by phone with South Korea's acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, a day after the North fired a barrage of four ballistic missiles. US President Donald Trump (Yonhap)"President Trump emphasized the United States' ironclad commitment to stand wi

The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan vowed Tuesday to ensure North Korea "pays the price" for its provocations, one day after it test-fired four ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, the defense ministry said.South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his counterpart Tomomi Inada held phone talks to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch, the ministry said. South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo talks to his counterpart Tomomi Inada. (Yonhap)They shared the view that North K