S. Korea notes Ishiba's call to face history in remarks marking anniversary of end of WWII

The foreign ministry said Saturday it took note of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's call to face history in his remarks on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, calling such efforts "desirable" for cooperation. In Friday's statement, Ishiba said, "What matters most are the courage and integrity to squarely face the past, classical liberalism that values the tolerance of listening humbly to the arguments of others, and a healthy and robust democracy" as he reflected on the war.

Oct. 11, 2025

S. Korea vows swift repatriation of remains of late student after torture death in Cambodia

The foreign ministry vowed Saturday to push for the swift repatriation of the remains of a student tortured to death in Cambodia in connection with a suspected employment scam, more than two months after he was found dead. In August, the student's body was discovered near Bokor Mountain, where employment scams and detentions targeting South Koreans have occurred, a month after he left for the country. Cambodian police believe he died from cardiac arrest resulting from torture. The body still rem

Oct. 11, 2025

Vice FMs of S. Korea, US to discuss alliance modernization ahead of APEC summit

Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-Joo was set to meet with his US counterpart, Allison Hooker, on Friday and discuss the bilateral alliance and coordination over North Korea's nuclear issues. Park will hold a "strategic dialogue" with Hooker, US undersecretary of state for political affairs, to discuss pending issues ahead of the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, according to the foreign ministry. It will mark the first such vice foreign ministerial talks between the two nations s

Oct. 10, 2025

Alliance with South Korea poses military burden, but boosts chip supply competition for US: think tank

While the South Korea-US alliance remains vital to Washington’s strategic posture of deterring threats from China, it is both an asset and a liability, a US think tank said Thursday. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace called the decadeslong alliance militarily burdensome yet indispensable for safeguarding global semiconductor and critical mineral supply chains, in its report “Legacy or Liability? Auditing US Alliances to Compete with China.” The report assessed seven key US treaty al

Oct. 9, 2025

S. Korea raises travel alert for Ecuador over anti-gov't protests

South Korea raised the travel alert for Ecuador on Wednesday, citing growing safety risks from anti-government protests, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The "special alert," which is set to effect at 3 p.m., covers the entire country except for areas already under existing second-level travel warnings for the Galapagos Islands and level three for the provinces of Guayas, Azuay, Los Rios, Santa Elena, El Oro, Manabi and Esmeraldas, the foreign ministry said. The ministry urged South Korean nationa

Oct. 8, 2025

S. Korea, China FMs agree on efforts to develop ties through APEC summit in phone talks

The top diplomats of South Korea and China on Tuesday agreed to make efforts to develop bilateral ties through the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, made the remarks during phone talks held earlier in the day ahead of the two-day APEC summit set to open in South Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju on Oct. 31. "(They) agreed to make efforts so that a new turning point for the developm

Oct. 7, 2025

China's Li to visit N. Korea to attend key ruling party anniversary

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will make a "goodwill" visit to North Korea this week to attend the North's commemorative events to mark the 80th founding anniversary of its ruling party, the North's state media said Tuesday. Li will lead a Chinese delegation to take part in the celebrations of the founding anniversary of the Workers' Party of Korea, which falls on Friday this year, according to the Korean Central News Agency. Li's delegation will pay "an official goodwill visit to the Democratic Peopl

Oct. 7, 2025

Kim Jong-un hails Putin as ‘closest comrade’ in birthday message

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a congratulatory birthday message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, describing him as his “dearest comrade,” underscoring deepening bilateral ties. According to North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun on Tuesday, Kim wrote, “My most intimate comrade Vladimir Putin, I extend my warmest and most heartfelt congratulations to you on your meaningful birthday.” Praising Putin’s “wise leadership and patriotic devotion,” Kim said that under the Russian leader’s

Oct. 7, 2025

New S. Korean envoy vows to solidify alliance with US

South Korea's new top envoy to the US pledged Monday to reinforce the Seoul-Washington alliance, stressing it as the "foundation" of "pragmatic" diplomacy that President Lee Jae Myung's administration pursues. Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha made the remarks during her inauguration ceremony at the Korean Embassy in Washington. Earlier in the day, she submitted a copy of her credentials to Monica Crowley, the chief of protocol of the US at the State Department. "Ambassador Kang stressed that despite co

Oct. 7, 2025

New Korean envoy to US pledges best efforts to address trade, other bilateral issues

South Korea's new top envoy to the United States vowed Saturday to mobilize "all embassy capacities" to help address trade and other bilateral issues with the US, as she arrived in Washington to begin her ambassadorship. Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha, who served as Seoul's foreign minister from 2017-2021, made the remarks as Seoul and Washington face a series of challenging tasks, including finalizing a trade deal, resuming diplomacy with North Korea and addressing visa issues for Korean workers. "A

Oct. 5, 2025

Trump expected to visit S. Korea on Oct. 29 ahead of APEC summit: sources

US President Donald Trump is considering visiting South Korea later this month just ahead of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, sources said Saturday. Government circles speculate that Trump may hold bilateral summits with South Korea and China before the APEC gathering opens and depart without attending the main session of the summit, slated for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. "President Trump is expected to arrive on Oct. 29 and visit Gyeongju," a ruling party of

Oct. 4, 2025

Ruling party lawmaker proposes bill to ban rallies that incite hatred, discrimination

Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea has proposed a revision to the Assembly and Demonstration Act that would ban rallies inciting hatred or violence against specific groups, the lawmaker's office said Friday, amid growing concerns over anti-China sentiment in the country. The proposal, submitted Thursday, would add rallies “organized primarily to incite or promote discrimination, hatred or violence against specific groups such as races, nationalities or people with disabil

Oct. 3, 2025

Chinese Embassy expresses regret over anti-China protest

The Chinese Embassy in Seoul denounced a large protest planned for Friday by a conservative group in South Korea, which claims the South Korean government’s new visa-free entry program for Chinese tourists threatens national security. In a statement released Thursday on its official website, the embassy said it had “witnessed some Korean politicians spreading false information, and certain far-right groups staging frequent anti-China demonstrations in areas where Chinese tourists gather, such as

Oct. 3, 2025

Bessent says Trump, Xi will have 'pull-aside' meeting in Korea, expects breakthrough in trade talks

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have a "pull-aside" meeting in South Korea late this month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday, anticipating a "pretty big breakthrough" in his parallel trade talks with his Chinese counterpart. Bessent made the remarks during a CNBC interview, a day after Trump also reaffirmed he will meet the Chinese president "in four weeks," as South Korea is preparing to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in the south

Oct. 3, 2025

Trump reaffirms he will meet Xi in 4 weeks to discuss soybean issue

US President Donald Trump reaffirmed Wednesday that he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping "in four weeks" to discuss Beijing's halt to US soybean purchases, as he earlier said that the two sides agreed to meet at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea. Trump made the remarks in a social media post as Seoul is preparing to welcome Trump and other world leaders during the APEC summit, which is set to take place in the southeastern city of Gyeongju from Oct. 31-Nov

Oct. 2, 2025