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Defense ministry commemorates 75th anniv. of UN Command
The defense ministry hosted a ceremony Monday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the UN Command and honor the sacrifice of UN troops during the 1950-53 Korean War, the ministry said. The UNC was launched in 1950 following the outbreak of the three-year conflict as a US-led multinational command responsible for maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, as well as facilitating cooperation among allied nations. Monday's ceremony, hosted by Defense Minister Ahn
Sept. 8, 2025 -
S. Korea to continue talks with US to safeguard national interests: minister
South Korea will continue its follow-up negotiations with the United States on the details of a bilateral trade agreement signed in late July, the country's trade minister said Monday, highlighting the need to minimize the impact of US tariffs on Korean companies. "The government will hold close talks with the US to minimize the tariffs' impact on Korean companies and safeguard national interests, taking into account the outcome of the US-Japan trade agreement," Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo said.
Sept. 8, 2025 -
Defense chiefs of S. Korea, Japan to hold talks in Seoul on Monday
The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan are set to hold talks in Seoul on Monday afternoon, the South's defense ministry said, on the sidelines of the first official visit to the country by a Japanese defense minister in 10 years. The meeting between Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, comes as Nakatani visits Seoul for the Seoul Defense Dialogue, an annual security forum hosted by the South's Defense Ministry. During his two-day trip, Nakatani will also
Sept. 8, 2025 -
Thai traditions and T-pop energy share the spotlight at Cheonggye Plaza in Seoul
Rain swept through central Seoul on Saturday, but it didn’t stop the crowds from showing up early, and staying late, for one of the capital’s liveliest cultural weekends in recent months. The Sawasdee Seoul Thai Festival 2025, held at Cheonggye Plaza, returned for its 10th anniversary with a program that blended tradition, pop music and community pride. According to organizers at the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, thousands of visitors attended on the first day alone, despite periods of heavy rain
Sept. 7, 2025 -
S. Korea to renew push for joining CPTPP to reduce trade uncertainties: ministry
South Korea will reopen its strategic review on joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, a multilateral trade pact led by Japan, as part of efforts to increase its economic allies amid the global rise of trade protectionism, the industry ministry said Wednesday. "The government will renew its consideration of joining the CPTPP to establish an economic alliance network with like-minded countries," the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said. The plan
Sept. 3, 2025 -
S. Korea, Ecuador to sign strategic economic cooperation agreement to expand ties
South Korea and Ecuador plan to sign a formal bilateral Strategic Economic Cooperation Agreement on Tuesday to expand ties amid global trade uncertainties, Seoul's industry ministry said. The agreement is scheduled to be signed during a meeting between Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and his Ecuadorian counterpart, Luis Alberto Jaramillo, in Seoul later in the day, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. SECA is an economic cooperation agreement that covers broader areas than
Sept. 2, 2025 -
Natl. Assembly speaker to depart for Beijing to attend military parade
National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik is set to depart for Beijing on Tuesday to attend a ceremony marking China's anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II, officials said. The planned visit by Woo to Beijing coincides with a rare trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who also plans to attend the military parade Wednesday, along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. "Speaker Woo will depart for China on an evening flight today," an official at his o
Sept. 2, 2025 -
White House releases photos underscoring cordial mood of Lee-Trump summit
The White House has unveiled dozens of photos taken during last month's summit between South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and US President Donald Trump, including a guest book in which Lee expressed his hope for a "strong and great" future for the bilateral alliance. On Flickr, an image sharing service, it released some 40 photos from the Aug. 25 summit, showing a variety of scenes, including Trump's greeting of Lee at the West Wing entrance, their Oval Office meeting and their handshake and c
Sept. 2, 2025 -
S. Korea to hold rotating presidency of UN Security Council this month
South Korea will undertake the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month for the first time in 15 months, officials said Monday. South Korea will officially begin its presidency Tuesday (New York time), according to the UN headquarters, with Seoul expected to use the chair to help set the council's agenda and shape discussions on key global issues, including the Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Ukraine. As the post of South Korea's permanent representative to the United N
Sept. 1, 2025 -
FM says possibility of US-N. Korea summit at APEC 'very low for now'
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Sunday that the possibility of a US-North Korea summit occurring on the sidelines of a regional forum in South Korea later this year is "very low for now." Speaking on a KBS news program, Cho was referring to speculation US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un could meet during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, 330 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at the end of October. "I can only say that the possibility is very low for
Aug. 31, 2025 -
S. Korea, ASEAN to discuss ways to improve FTA amid new trade issues
South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were set to hold talks Friday on improving their free trade agreement to reflect recent changes in the global trade environment, Seoul's industry ministry said. The South Korean delegation to the talks, comprising officials from the industry, finance, environment and agriculture ministries, as well as other related agencies, will hold a virtual meeting later in the day with trade delegations from the 10 ASEAN member nations, according to
Aug. 29, 2025 -
Who is Dr. Lee, Trump’s interpreter?
At the White House on Monday, during the summit between South Korea and the United States, a familiar face returned: Lee Yun-hyang, one of Washington’s most trusted Korean interpreters. Lee, who directs the State Department’s Office of Language Services, is a graduate of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul and has been with the department since the early 2000s. In Washington, she is widely known simply as Dr. Lee. She first gained international attention during US President Donald Trum
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Trump says US to partner with S. Korea, Japan on Alaska energy project
US President Donald Trump said Monday the United States will partner with South Korea and Japan for an energy project in Alaska to develop the state's massive oil and gas reserves. Trump made the remarks at his first summit with President Lee Jae Myung at the White House, which followed Seoul's trade deal with Washington to lower tariffs from 25 percent to 15 percent in exchange for a $350 billion investment package and $100 billion in US energy purchases. "We have the greatest amount of energy
Aug. 26, 2025 -
Lee vows to increase defense spending, modernize alliance with US
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday pledged to boost defense spending, vowing a more proactive role for Seoul in its alliance with the United States in President Donald Trump's second term. In a speech at the Statesmen’s Forum hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Lee said his administration would build a "smart, elite military" to address 21st-century security challenges, stressing that Korea’s defense commitment to the alliance would remain iro
Aug. 26, 2025 -
White House officially announces plan for summit, luncheon between Lee, Trump
The White House on Sunday announced a plan for President Donald Trump to have summit talks and a luncheon with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung this week, as Lee arrived in Washington on Sunday for the high-stakes meeting. Trump plans to greet Lee at the White House at noon on Monday (Washington time) and start a bilateral meeting at the Oval Office 15 minutes later before joining a bilateral lunch at the Cabinet Room at 12:45 p.m., according to the White House. The White House had not made
Aug. 25, 2025