South Korea's trade surplus with the United States has been on a steady decline for the past 13 months amid the Seoul government's efforts to reduce the imbalance, customs data showed Sunday.A trade surplus with the world's largest economy reached $915 million last month, more than halving from $2 billion tallied a year ago, according to the data compiled by the Korea Customs Service. The monthly numbers have been falling since May last year when they backtracked 14.9 percent on-year to $1.78 bi

South Korea's top sports body decided on Thursday to begin the process for naming a candidate for International Olympic Committee membership.At its board of directors meeting, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee discussed the need for South Korea to have a full IOC member, especially with the country preparing to host the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next February. Lee Kee-heung (center), head of the KSOC, presides over the board of directors meeting in Seoul on June 8, 2017. (Korean Sport & Oly

The head of South Korea's presidential policy advisory panel said Thursday that he will put the highest priority on tackling the country's chronic low birthrate in order to bolster growth potential."Solving the sluggish birthrate is the pressing task that will decide the future of South Korea," Kim Jin-pyo, chairman of the State Affairs Policy Planning Committee, said before being briefed by related ministries including the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe voiced hope Thursday for a new and future-oriented relationship with South Korea under new President Moon Jae-in.The premier made the remark during a meeting with South Korea's National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun at his official residence in Tokyo. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (AP-Yonhap)"Together with the new Moon Jae-in government, I would like to build a future-oriented new relationship between South Korea and Japan," he said, noting that

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday dismissed the government's existing plans to fight the spread of avian influenza as a formality, calling for "real and fundamental" solutions, the presidential office said.The proposed measures to fight the spread of bird flu came one day after the country reported a suspected case on the southern resort island of Jeju.The president's senior aides reported the measures. (Yonhap)Details of the reported measures could not be confirmed immediately, but the governme

One month into office, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has wasted no time in tackling diplomatic and security challenges from the controversial US missile defense deployment to a row with Japan over a sex slavery settlement. His hope to reset ties with North Korea faces a major test as Pyongyang has continued to be provocative with more frequent missile firings than before his inauguration."The Moon Jae-in administration was launched under the worst-ever external circumstances in the history

In his first 30 days in office, President Moon Jae-in apparently confirmed the people's willingness and desire for a change as seen in their support for what many of his critics have called the sensational or even radical changes he has initiated.However, his first month in office may have also forced him to recognize certain limitations, partly created by the opposition-led parliament.The new president came into office on May 10, one day after the country held a rare presidential by-election ca

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has convened a meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday to discuss possible measures against North Korea's repeated rocket and missile launches, the presidential office said.The first NSC meeting to be chaired by the president will be held at 2 p.m., according to the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae. South Korean President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)The meeting follows North Korea's launch of what appeared to be short-range surface-to-ship cruise missiles

South Korea's major opposition parties urged the government to allow immediate and complete deployment of the THAAD missile defense system Thursday, one day after the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said the deployment will have to be suspended at least for months.The opposition calls came after North Korea fired a series of what appeared to be surface-to-ship cruise missiles from its east coast earlier in the day. (Yonhap)Seoul's defense ministry said the missiles had a short range of around

South Korea's Constitution leaves no room for pro-North Korea ideologies, the nominee for Constitutional Court chief said Thursday, amid controversy over his ideological orientation.Kim Yi-su, who was tapped by President Moon Jae-in last month, made the remark during the last session of his two-day confirmation hearing at the National Assembly.Constitutional Court chief nominee Kim Yi-su attends a parliamentary confirmation hearing at the National Assembly in Seoul on June 8, 2017. (Yonhap)"The

South Korea's defense ministry said Thursday it has requested a record budget of 43.7 trillion won ($38.7 billion) for next year, citing growing threats from North Korea and the need for reforming the South's military under President Moon Jae-in's campaign pledge.It represents an 8.4 percent increase from 2017.Much of the budget will be used to raise wages for rank-and-file soldiers, according to the ministry.During his presidential campaign, Moon, a liberal leader, vowed to lift the payment up

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday held a phone talk with Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, to discuss North Korea's nuclear issue and ways to strengthen their countries' ties, the presidential office said.Moon expressed his thanks to the prince for the United Arab Emirates' consistent support of Seoul's move to seek North Korea's denuclearization, according to Cheong Wa Dae.President Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)"Our government will push for North Korea's denucleari

WASHINGTON -- The US Missile Defense Agency chief expressed serious concern Wednesday about the progress North Korea has made in its missile development, saying the US should assume Pyongyang can strike the US with a nuclear missile."I would not say we're comfortably ahead of the threat. I would say we're addressing the threat that we know today. And the advancements in the last six months have caused great concern to me and others," Vice Adm. James Syring told a House Armed Services Committee h

WASHINGTON -- The United States believes South Korean won't reverse the decision to host the THAAD missile defense system, the Pentagon said Wednesday after Seoul suspended the deployment pending an environmental assessment.Seoul's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, said earlier in the day that deployment of four launchers for the THAAD battery should wait until the environmental study is over, though two, already-deployed launchers won't be withdrawn.The US could see the suspension as a setbac

Bernard Arnault, chairman of the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, visited South Korea for a two-day trip on Wednesday to take part in an exhibition set up by its Louis Vuitton brand here, industry sources said. The 68-year-old business tycoon showed up at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul to check the exhibition titled "Volez, Voguez, Voyagez - Louis Vuitton," which will open Thursday and run through Aug. 27.  This photo, taken on June 7, 2017, shows the exhibition Volez, Voguez, Voyagez -