The Korea Times

APEC summit transforms Gyeongju into global diplomacy hub

Gyeongju, the historic capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom, is rapidly becoming a focal point of global diplomacy as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which began Monday. The weeklong event will temporarily shift the world’s attention to this ancient Korean city in North Gyeongsang Province, using its deep historical backdrop for critical discussions on the future of Asia-Pacific trade and security. Officials are operating under a mandate to ensure flawless execution for the high-stakes gathering. As a visible measure of this commitment, Pohang Gyeongju Airport, a regional gateway, has been temporarily repurposed as the exclusive hub for visiting corporate leaders. The city itself is being carefully managed and promoted as a unique convergence point, where the demands of 21st-century technology are set against the backdrop of millennia-old Korean culture, providing a distinctive setting for the world’s economic leaders. Delegates participating in the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting, scheduled Monday and Tuesday at Sono Calm and Commodore Hotel, bega

Oct 27, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

APEC summit transforms Gyeongju into global diplomacy hub

North Korea

Possibility of Kim-Trump meeting looms on sidelines of APEC summit

U.S. President Donald Trump is ramping up the possibility of a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) gathering later this week, employing rhetoric that may entice the reclusive leader for talks. Although officials from all involved parties — the U.S., North Korea and South Korea — have remained cautious about reporting any progress, they are also not ruling out the chance for a meeting. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One before departing for his Asia tour, Trump said he would be “open to it” if the opportunity for a meeting arose, showing his willingness to revive the stalled face-to-face meetings. "Well, I would if he would contact. The last time I met him, I put it out over the internet that I'm coming to South Korea and if he'd like to meet, I'm open to it," he said. "There's not a lot of ways other than the internet ... But he knows I'm coming." Trump made history in 2019 as the first sitting U.S. president to step into North Korea. He met Kim at the border village of Panmunjeom, j

Oct 26, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Possibility of Kim-Trump meeting looms on sidelines of APEC summit

Foreign Affairs

ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 promotes innovation, collaboration

The ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC) hosted the ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025, a five-day event aimed at promoting innovation and investment cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Korea. The event, held from Monday to Friday at Ondream Society in Seoul, brought together 30 promising startups from 10 ASEAN member states. Established in 2018, the annual Startup Week identifies early-stage startups across ASEAN with strong growth potential and connected them with investors, accelerators, and venture capital networks in Korea. This year’s edition went beyond the traditional pitching competition, placing a stronger focus on capacity building. Participants — selected through recommendations by ASEAN embassies in Seoul and the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) — represented sectors such as artificial intelligence, health care, climate technology and education. Throughout the week, startups attended workshops led by Korean experts and investors, covering topics such as the local startup ecosystem, market entry strate

Oct 24, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 promotes innovation, collaboration

Foreign Affairs

Dutch envoy visits Busan Port to discuss stronger maritime, logistics cooperation

Dutch Ambassador to Korea Peter van der Vliet visited Busan Port Authority (BPA) headquarters on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in port and logistics sectors, the authority said. The visit, organized on the basis of the long-standing friendship between Korea and the Netherlands, included discussions on the current state of collaboration between the two countries’ port industries and the potential for expanding future exchanges. Following a meeting with BPA President Song Sang-keun, the ambassador and his delegation boarded a port vessel to tour the North Port area of Busan. Busan Port and the Port of Rotterdam established a sister port agreement in 1985 and have since maintained close relations. In 2022, BPA opened a logistics center within the Port of Rotterdam to support Korean companies seeking overseas logistics bases, marking another milestone in bilateral cooperation. Handling more than 24 million twenty-foot equivalent cargo units annually, Busan Port serves as one of the world’s leading transshipment hubs and a key node in the global maritime network. The

Oct 23, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Dutch envoy visits Busan Port to discuss stronger maritime, logistics cooperation

Foreign Affairs

Korea, UAE deepen investment ties at tech forum

The United Arab Emirates and Korea reaffirmed its commitment to expanding economic and investment cooperation during the UAE-Korea Advanced Manufacturing and Life Sciences Investment Forum, held Tuesday in Seoul. Hosted by the UAE Ministry of Investment in collaboration with the UAE Embassy in Seoul, the event brought together senior officials and industry leaders from both countries to explore new opportunities for trade, technology exchange and foreign direct investment (FDI). Mohammad Al Hawi, undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Investment, said the roadshow and forum aimed to unlock new avenues for bilateral investment. “It’s a pleasure to welcome you to the Invest UAE Roadshow in Korea, a platform dedicated to strengthening investment partnership and unlocking new avenues of FDI between our two nations,” he said. Al Hawi noted that the UAE and Korea share over 45 years of friendship “built on trust, innovation and shared ambition.” He added that the UAE offers a dynamic investment environment with world-class infrastructure, updated regulations and access to more than 3

Oct 21, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Korea, UAE deepen investment ties at tech forum

Foreign Affairs

Dominican Republic eyes stronger ties with Korea in digital, energy, manufacturing sectors

The Dominican Republic has seen historic levels of foreign direct investment (FDI) under President Luis Abinader, and Biviana Riveiro, executive director of ProDominicana, says the country’s approach offers valuable lessons for Korea as it seeks to expand its presence in Latin America. ProDominicana is the Dominican Republic’s public agency that promotes the export of goods and services and attracts foreign direct investments. “In 2024, the Dominican Republic achieved a historic high of US$4.52 billion in FDI,” Riveiro said. “This upward trend continues in 2025, with $2.89 billion recorded in the first half of the year — a 15.3 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.” She added that projections for the end of 2025 exceed $4.86 billion, marking the fourth consecutive year of record investment inflows. Riveiro credited this performance to “a deliberate, coordinated effort” that focused on political, macroeconomic and social stability, as well as investment facilitation and sectoral promotion. She highlighted the country’s One Stop Shop for Investment pla

Oct 20, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Dominican Republic eyes stronger ties with Korea in digital, energy, manufacturing sectors

Defense

Lee appoints aide as special envoy to boost Korea’s defense exports

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday appointed presidential office chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik as a special envoy to bolster defense industry cooperation, underscoring Seoul’s drive to become one of the world’s top four defense exporters. According to a presidential spokesperson, Kang will begin his mission next week by visiting several European nations targeted for defense cooperation, where he will deliver a personal letter from the president. The envoy is scheduled to carry out three rounds of visits through the first half of next year to strengthen strategic economic ties. “The success of today’s large-scale defense programs, which countries around the world are hastily pursuing, hinges not only on defense and security cooperation but also on comprehensive government support across finance, industry and defense startups,” the spokesperson, Kang Yu-jung, said. She added that the Lee administration is building an integrated “defense export control tower” within the presidential office to coordinate interagency efforts and promote Korea’s ascent into the global top four i

Oct 17, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Lee appoints aide as special envoy to boost Korea’s defense exports

Law & Crime

Lee orders crackdown on ads promoting illegal jobs in Southeast Asia

President Lee Jae Myung directed authorities Friday to launch an immediate crackdown on illegal online recruitment scams involving Southeast Asian countries, after a recent human trafficking scandal in Cambodia. Lee instructed the Korea Media and Communications Commission, the Korea Communications Standards Commission and the National Police Agency to urgently delete such ads, presidential secretary for public relations and communication Lee Kyu-yeon said during a briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan. “The president made this decision amid concerns that, as the crackdown intensifies in Cambodia, those running illegal job recruitment schemes may shift their operations to other Southeast Asian nations,” the secretary said. Authorities will closely monitor websites and social media platforms where illegal recruitment ads are posted and share their findings with major online platforms, including portal operators, Lee added. The government has also formed an interagency task force to coordinate its response and launched a joint consultative body involving Naver, Kakao and Google

Oct 17, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Lee orders crackdown on ads promoting illegal jobs in Southeast Asia

Foreign Affairs

Korea seeks greater role for France to promote peace on Korean Peninsula

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young called on France to take a more active role in fostering “peaceful coexistence” on the Korean Peninsula, citing the European nation’s global status. During talks with French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux at Government Complex in Seoul, Wednesday, Chung said he hoped that “France, a nation of global influence and responsibility, will engage more deeply in efforts for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.” Bertoux responded that France would continue to serve as a partner working for positive change and peace on the peninsula, reaffirming its commitment to dialogue and diplomacy in resolving regional tensions. Chung recalled his recent visit to Germany for Unification Day on Oct. 3, and referenced French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech in Dresden, which called on Europe to emulate the courage and dynamism shown during Germany’s unification in 1990. He added that the image of a French president speaking in Germany, despite the two nations’ painful wartime history, was “deeply inspiring.” “I hope the Korean Peninsul

Oct 16, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Korea seeks greater role for France to promote peace on Korean Peninsula

Foreign Affairs

Kazakhstan seeks Korean partnership in smart city, innovation drive

Kazakhstan is moving to position itself as a Central Asian hub for innovation and digital finance through the ambitious Alatau City Project, with the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev Kanat calling for stronger partnerships with Korea in areas from smart city development to renewable energy and healthcare. Speaking at an international investment roadshow titled “Alatau Rise with Kazakhstan” in Seoul, Wednesday, Bozumbayev said the Kazakh government is pursuing a comprehensive strategy to transform its urban and economic landscape through advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and digital finance. “The new framework aims to protect investment capital and ensure transparent capital flow,” he said, noting that a special fiscal regime covering taxation, budgetary arrangements and cooperation with international funders will simplify business regulations and strengthen investor confidence. He added that the urban innovation drive “has already turned the city into a powerful platform for technological companies and exporters,” w

Oct 15, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin

Kim Hyun-bin

Read more

APEC summit transforms Gyeongju into global diplomacy hub

Possibility of Kim-Trump meeting looms on sidelines of APEC summit

ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 promotes innovation, collaboration

Dutch envoy visits Busan Port to discuss stronger maritime, logistics cooperation

Korea, UAE deepen investment ties at tech forum

Dominican Republic eyes stronger ties with Korea in digital, energy, manufacturing sectors

Lee appoints aide as special envoy to boost Korea’s defense exports

Lee orders crackdown on ads promoting illegal jobs in Southeast Asia

Korea seeks greater role for France to promote peace on Korean Peninsula

Kazakhstan seeks Korean partnership in smart city, innovation drive

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