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Kang Seung-woo

Korea Times Business Reporter

Kang Seung-woo is the Business Desk editor at The Korea Times. Prior to this position, he covered politics, national affairs, finance and sports.

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Foreign Affairs

Uncertain future ahead of Korea-Japan relations

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong arrives for talks during the G7 foreign ministers' meeting in London, Wednesday. AP-YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooAlthough a long-awaited foreign ministerial meeting between Korea and Japan has taken place, diplomatic tension between the two countries is not expected to decrease overnight due to their sharp differences on pending issues, according to diplomatic observers, Thursday. They also said even if their leaders sit down with each other for the first time in an envisioned summit in Britain next month, it will not be easy to see any improvement in relations, currently strained by a feud over wartime history and Japan's decision to release radioactive wastewater from a destroyed nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean.Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi held their first face-to-face talks Wednesday on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in London, but they lasted a mere 20 minutes and did not proceed well, with one urging the other to show sincerity regarding the thorny issues, a

May 6, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Uncertain future ahead of Korea-Japan relations
Foreign Affairs

Top diplomats of South Korea, Japan finally meet but differ over history issues

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, left, poses with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi during their meeting in London, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign AffairsBy Kang Seung-wooForeign Minister Chung Eui-yong and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi agreed Wednesday to establish “future-oriented” bilateral relations between the two countries, currently strained by a feud over wartime history, in their first meeting, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. However, the two sides still remained far apart over how to resolve the thorny issue.Their first in-person meeting since Chung took office in February was on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting in London, and followed trilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Currently, ties between South Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years due to the latter's imposition of export controls on three key materials critical for the semiconductor and display industries here in apparent retaliation for a ruling by South Korea's Supreme Court

May 5, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Top diplomats of South Korea, Japan finally meet but differ over history issues
Foreign Affairs

Korea faces uphill battle against Japan's Fukushima water disposal

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry speaks during a press conference in Seoul, April 18. He said U.S. intervention in Japan's plan to dump radioactive wastewater from Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant was not appropriate. YonhapThis is the third in a series of articles to highlight the possible effects of, and concerns over, Japan's decision to discharge radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean. ― ED.'Biden administration supports Japan for political reasons'By Kang Seung-wooKorea's attempts to thwart Japan's plan to dump radioactive wastewater into the Pacific Ocean is becoming an uphill battle as it is failing to persuade the United States to join its campaign against the discharge.Last month, the Japanese government approved a plan to release more than 1 million tons of contaminated water from the destroyed Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant into the ocean beginning 2023. The water was contaminated after the nuclear plant was destroyed by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in 2011.Following Tokyo's announcement, Seoul initiated efforts to stir up sentiment against the

May 5, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Korea faces uphill battle against Japan's Fukushima water disposal
  • Campaigner urges Japan's deputy PM to drink Fukushima water
People & Events

Chief of Korean War vet association in Mexico passes away at age 90

Jose Villarreal, center, the late president of the Korean War Veterans Association in Mexico / Courtesy of Ministry of Patriot and Veterans AffairsBy Kang Seung-wooJose Villarreal, the president of the recently launched Korean War Veterans Association in Mexico, died Saturday, according to the Ministry of Patriot and Veterans Affairs. He was 90.Villarreal, who was born in Los Angeles, Calif. and left for Mexico later, joined the U.S. Army and participated in the Korean War from September 1950 to February 1952, during which he was involved in the Incheon Landing Operation, also known as Operation Chromite, and the Second Battle of Seoul during the Korean War.Last month, he and three other Mexican veterans, who also fought in the three-year armed conflict under the U.S. armed forces, were conferred with Ambassador for Peace Medals by Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun on the sidelines of the launch ceremony of the Korean War Veterans Association in Mexico. In addition, Villarreal was elected as the first president of the association, whose establishment was supported by the Korean gov

May 5, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Chief of Korean War vet association in Mexico passes away at age 90
North Korea

US falls short of persuading North Korea to dialogue: experts

Washington puts ball to Pyongyang's courtBy Kang Seung-wooDespite a series of messages from senior U.S. officials highlighting diplomacy as the focal point of the new American government's policy toward North Korea, Washington is still short of cajoling Pyongyang into returning to negotiations, according to diplomatic observers, Tuesday.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken / AFP-YonhapSince the U.S. announced last week the completion of a review of its future policies on the totalitarian state without elaborating, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan have signaled possible diplomatic engagement toward North Korea. “I hope that North Korea will take the opportunity to engage diplomatically and to see if there are ways to move forward toward the objective of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” Blinken said in a joint press conference with his British counterpart Dominic Raab during the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting, Monday (local time).“What we have now is a policy that calls for a calibrated,

May 4, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
US falls short of persuading North Korea to dialogue: experts
Foreign Affairs

Possible Chung-Motegi meeting unlikely to bring about reconciliation

Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong / Korea Times file By Kang Seung-wooOn the occasion of Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong's participation in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting set for next week, talks between Chung and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi are expected to take place on the sidelines. However, diplomatic observers are not pinning high hopes on their long-delayed meeting paving the way for the immediate normalization of the soured relations between Seoul and Tokyo.Currently, bilateral ties between South Korea and Japan have slumped to their worst level in years over wartime history issues, so Chung, who took office in February, has yet to have had a phone call with Motegi due to Japan refusing contact.According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Friday, Chung is scheduled to fly to Britain, Sunday, to attend the ministers' meeting and his itinerary also includes bilateral discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Br

May 1, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Possible Chung-Motegi meeting unlikely to bring about reconciliation
North Korea

'1st half of 2021 opportune time for inter-Korean, denuclearization talks': unification minister

Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks during a press conference at the Office of the Inter-Korean Dialogue in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooUnification Minister Lee In-young said Thursday that the first half of the year would be the most opportune time to initiate progress in President Moon Jae-in's stalled Korean Peninsula peace process, saying the new American administration needs to engage North Korea as early as possible. In addition, the minister expected the U.S. policy review on the North Korean regime will recommend adopting a synchronized and phased approach to eliminating Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, adding that the United States could take a flexible stance on international sanctions following the totalitarian state's moves toward denuclearization.“The government will make efforts to encourage the U.S. to engage North Korea at an early stage in a bid to normalize the Korean Peninsula peace process and achieve tangible results,” Lee said during a press conference at the Office for Inter-Korean Dialogue in Seoul.“As the U.S. policy revi

Apr 29, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
'1st half of 2021 opportune time for inter-Korean, denuclearization talks': unification minister
Foreign Affairs

Moon out of step with Biden ahead of Korea-US summit

President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden / Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooThe South Korean government appears to be out of sync with the new U.S. administration in regard to issues involving North Korea and other diplomatic priorities. Diplomatic observers attribute the seemingly ongoing diplomatic disagreement to the lack of communication channels between the allies, expressing concerns that it may adversely affect next month's summit between President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Joe Biden.On the occasion of the third anniversary of the inter-Korean summit, Tuesday, Moon said the time was approaching again for the two Koreas to resume dialogue. On April 27, 2018, Moon and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed in their Panmunjeom Declaration on making joint efforts to achieve co-prosperity, establish lasting peace and reunite the two Koreas. “It is questionable how President Moon will seek to improve inter-Korean ties given that South Korea and the United States are still struggling to find measures to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table,” said

Apr 28, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Moon out of step with Biden ahead of Korea-US summit
Health

Moon discusses vaccine cooperation with Novavax CEO

President Moon Jae-in poses with Novavax CEO Stanley Erck during the latter's visit to Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. Joint Press Corps By Kang Seung-wooPresident Moon Jae-in met Novavax CEO Stanley Erck, Tuesday, to discuss vaccine cooperation between Korea and the U.S. biotechnology company, including the supply of its coronavirus vaccine here and the expansion of their vaccine production partnership, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Their in-person meeting at Moon's office came three months after the two held a video conversation in January, during which they agreed to produce 40 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for the nation through Korean contract manufacturer SK Bioscience.The meeting also comes as the Korean government is going all out to secure as many vaccines as possible amid mounting concerns over supply challenges and slow progress of the vaccination program in the wake of the fourth coronavirus wave. “Korean people have high hopes for the Novavax vaccine as

Apr 27, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
Moon discusses vaccine cooperation with Novavax CEO
  • New virus cases in 500s for 2nd day
Foreign Affairs

No response to Trump slamming Moon: Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in and former U.S. President Donald Trump / Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooCheong Wa Dae has refrained from responding to former U.S. President Donald Trump's denunciation of President Moon Jae-in as a weak leader and negotiator, in response to the South Korean president saying the ex-American leader “beat around the bush” in his nuclear talks with North Korea.“It is not appropriate to comment on former foreign leader's statements,” said an official at the presidential office.Trump's scathing criticism of Moon came in a statement Friday (local time). The former U.S. president said, “Kim Jong-un of North Korea, whom I have gotten to know (and like) under the most trying of circumstances, never respected the current president of South Korea, Moon Jae-in.”He said, “President Moon was weak as a leader and as a negotiator, except when it came to the continued, long-term military rip-off of the USA (as is the case with many other countries we protect!). We were treated like fools for decades, however, I got them to pay billions

Apr 25, 2021By Kang Seung-woo
No response to Trump slamming Moon: Cheong Wa Dae
  • Trump slams South Korea's Moon but says likes North Korea's Kim
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