The Korea Times

Seoul rushes to reaffirm stable Beijing ties after FM calls China 'problematic'

The presidential office on Tuesday reaffirmed Korea's commitment to fostering stable ties with China that support regional stability, clarifying its stance after Foreign Minister Cho Hyun's reference to China as "problematic" drew backlash from Beijing. The swift response was seen as part of Seoul’s efforts to manage ties with China, amid growing speculation that Chinese President Xi Jinping may attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit which will take place in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in October and November. "We are working to advance Korea-China relations based on the solid foundation of the Korea-U.S. alliance," a senior presidential official said. "Minister Cho's remarks should be understood as an expression of Korea’s continued commitment to building a bilateral relationship that contributes to people's livelihoods, regional stability and prosperity, even if there are differences on certain issues," the official said. "He also emphasized to relevant countries the need for continued engagement with China." The presidential office’s comments came a

Aug 5, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul rushes to reaffirm stable Beijing ties after FM calls China 'problematic'

Defense

South Korea dismantles propaganda loudspeakers aimed at North

The South Korean military has begun dismantling propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border, in the latest gesture of rapprochement with North Korea. The Ministry of National Defense said Monday morning that the operation began earlier in the day and is expected to be completed this week. "This is a practical measure aimed at easing tensions between the two Koreas, carried out within a scope that does not affect our military’s readiness posture,” the ministry said in a statement. The loudspeakers, which had been broadcasting K-pop songs and news critical of the Kim Jong-un regime, were halted in the days following President Lee Jae Myung’s inauguration on June 4. The dismantling operation covers all 20 fixed loudspeakers, with removal expected to be completed within two to three days. Roughly 10 mobile loudspeakers had already been withdrawn in June, when the broadcasts were suspended. "Since halting loudspeaker broadcasts in June, our ministry has held follow-up discussions on the matter. Consultations were also held with relevant organizations," deputy spokesperson Lee

Aug 4, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

South Korea dismantles propaganda loudspeakers aimed at North

Society

Heavy rains expected to soak Korea this week

Days of scorching heat have given way to heavy downpours, with torrential rain forecast across most of the country throughout this week, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said Sunday. The weather agency reported that rainfall, which began Sunday evening across much of the country, is expected to deliver between 80 and 150 millimeters of precipitation in Gwangju, Busan, Ulsan, South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province through Tuesday. During the same period, the cities of Seoul, Daejeon and Sejong, along with Gyeonggi Province, South Chungcheong Province and North Jeolla Province, are forecast to receive between 50 and 100 millimeters of rainfall. Some parts of Gyeonggi Province and South Chungcheong Province could see up to 150 millimeters of rain, while more than 250 millimeters are expected along the southern coast and Jeju Island. The rainfall may let up by Tuesday morning, the KMA said, but heavy showers are expected to return on Wednesday, continuing through Thursday in southern regions. The weather agency urged residents near rivers and streams to stay alert, w

Aug 4, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Heavy rains expected to soak Korea this week

Foreign Affairs

US immigration authorities detain daughter of Korean Episcopal priest

The daughter of a Korean Episcopal priest has been detained by U.S. immigration authorities in New York, despite holding what legal advocates say is valid immigration status — drawing strong condemnation from religious and immigrant rights groups. Episcopal and immigrant rights groups held a press conference Saturday (local time), demanding the immediate release of Go Yeon-soo, 20, daughter of Rev. Kyrie Kim, an Episcopal priest. The event, hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of New York, the Interfaith Center of New York and the New York Immigration Coalition, condemned the "wrongful and unjustified" detention. Go first entered the United States on March 25, 2021, on an R-2 visa, which is a nonimmigrant visa granted to the spouse or unmarried children of a religious worker holding an R-1 visa. She accompanied her mother, Rev. Kim, who is widely recognized as the first woman to be ordained as an Anglican priest in the Seoul Diocese of the Anglican Church of Korea. Go enrolled as a freshman at Purdue University in August 2024, and her stay was extended through December 2025. According to advo

Aug 3, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

US immigration authorities detain daughter of Korean Episcopal priest

Foreign Affairs

No defense cost pressure in Korea-US tariff deal, but issue expected at summit

Defense issues were notably absent from a high-stakes trade agreement unveiled Thursday by the leaders of Korea and the United States, despite earlier indications that Seoul was preparing a comprehensive deal encompassing both economic and security matters. But analysts say it is still too soon for optimism, with more sensitive security issues expected to dominate the agenda at an upcoming summit between President Lee Jae Myung and President Donald Trump. The tariff deal, announced by both leaders on their social media accounts, lowers U.S. tariffs on Korean imports to 15 percent from a proposed 25 percent. In exchange, Korea has pledged to invest $350 billion in the U.S. The comprehensive investment package — focused primarily on shipbuilding, semiconductors, secondary batteries, biotechnology and energy — comes after months of tension following Trump’s April announcement of a so-called “reciprocal” tariff that was scheduled to take effect Friday. Notably, the agreement made no mention of defense issues, despite earlier plans by Seoul to include them as part of a broader deal.

Jul 31, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

No defense cost pressure in Korea-US tariff deal, but issue expected at summit

Foreign Affairs

US immigration authorities detain Korean green card holder

A Korean living in the United States as a permanent resident has been detained by U.S. immigration authorities amid a broad crackdown on immigrants, according to members of the Korean American community. Tae Heung Will Kim, a green card holder and resident of Texas, has been held by federal agents at San Francisco International Airport since July 21, after undergoing additional security screening, according to the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC). The civic group said the 40-year-old is a Ph.D. student at Texas A&M University, where he is researching a potential cure for Lyme disease. Kim, who moved to the U.S. at the age of 5, was detained upon returning from a trip to Korea to attend his brother's wedding. "He is being held in inhumane conditions without access to legal counsel," NAKASEC said in a statement, calling for Kim’s immediate release and his return to academic and private life. A Washington Post report, citing Kim's attorney, said that the government has not explained why he was detained. Immigration officials have reportedly denied him acce

Jul 30, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

US immigration authorities detain Korean green card holder

North Korea

Unification minister to propose scaling down military drills with US for peace efforts

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Monday that he will propose to President Lee Jae Myung adjusting the scale of South Korea-U.S. joint military drills. His remarks came just hours after Pyongyang denounced the exercises for their "aggressive nature" and accused them of escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula. "Yes, I have such plans," Chung told reporters in response to a question about whether he plans to make such a suggestion to the president. "The issue will be a key topic of discussion at the working-level National Security Council (NSC) meeting scheduled for tomorrow [Tuesday]." The newly appointed minister, who took office on Friday, stressed that "the Lee Jae Myung administration's policy direction on the joint exercises will not be a continuation of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s." South Korea and the U.S. are expected to hold their annual summertime joint exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), in August. Pyongyang has routinely criticized the UFS as a rehearsal for invasion. While Chung did not elaborate on what form the adjustment might take, the planned propo

Jul 28, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Unification minister to propose scaling down military drills with US for peace efforts

North Korea

Seoul extends olive branch to North Korea — will Pyongyang respond?

Less than two months in office, President Lee Jae Myung is moving swiftly to improve frayed relations with North Korea, rolling back years of hardline policies imposed by his conservative predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee has suspended military propaganda loudspeakers along the inter-Korean border and authorized several non-governmental organizations to resume humanitarian outreach to the North. His administration has also called on civic groups to stop launching anti-North Korean leaflets that have long angered the Kim Jong-un regime. But the most notable and controversial step taken by Lee’s government is the quiet shutdown of decades-old radio and television broadcasts run by the country’s spy agency. Earlier this month, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) halted its decades-long propaganda broadcasts targeting North Korea, signaling a significant scale-down of South Korea’s psychological warfare efforts. The transmissions, which had aired since the late 1980s, were intended to expose North Korean listeners to outside news and South Korean films and dramas, and to weaken the re

Jul 27, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Seoul extends olive branch to North Korea — will Pyongyang respond?

Politics

Ex-president faces multiple court hearings as special probe zeroes in on treason charges

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol is now facing two separate trials, as special counsel investigations into alleged abuse of power and treason surrounding his martial law declaration intensify. The Seoul Central District Court has scheduled the first preparatory hearing for Aug. 19 in a case brought by the special counsel team led by Cho Eun-seok, who is investigating Yoon's Dec. 3 martial law declaration. The hearing comes after the former president was indicted July 19 on multiple charges, including abuse of power, falsification of official documents and obstruction of official duties. He remains in custody. Yoon is already on trial for insurrection and abuse of power in a case brought by state prosecutors prior to the launch of the special counsel investigation. That case, handled by another panel at the Seoul Central District Court, accuses Yoon of leading an attempted insurrection during his time in office. He was impeached in April. Legal experts say the former president may request the court to combine the two trials. Meanwhile, two other special counsel investigations are closing in

Jul 25, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Ex-president faces multiple court hearings as special probe zeroes in on treason charges

Foreign Affairs

Korea faces new US demands in overhaul of military alliance

As a crucial Aug. 1 deadline looms, Korea and the United States are racing to finalize a sprawling package deal encompassing tariffs and security. The high-stakes negotiations are intensifying scrutiny on how Washington's far-reaching demands concerning defense and regional stability will ultimately shape the agreement. The negotiations may include pressure on Seoul to increase its defense spending and take on a larger role in countering China, both of which align with U.S. President Donald Trump's explicit demands of American allies in Asia. Since President Lee Jae Myung took office on June 4, U.S. officials have repeatedly emphasized the need to modernize the bilateral alliance on defense and security cooperation. The term was notably used by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a congratulatory message on Lee’s inauguration, when he said, "We are also modernizing the alliance to meet the demands of today’s strategic environment and address new economic challenges." The idea was highlighted again during a visit to Seoul by Kevin Kim, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for China,

Jul 24, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin

Lee Hyo-jin

Read more

Seoul rushes to reaffirm stable Beijing ties after FM calls China 'problematic'

South Korea dismantles propaganda loudspeakers aimed at North

Heavy rains expected to soak Korea this week

US immigration authorities detain daughter of Korean Episcopal priest

No defense cost pressure in Korea-US tariff deal, but issue expected at summit

US immigration authorities detain Korean green card holder

Unification minister to propose scaling down military drills with US for peace efforts

Seoul extends olive branch to North Korea — will Pyongyang respond?

Ex-president faces multiple court hearings as special probe zeroes in on treason charges

Korea faces new US demands in overhaul of military alliance

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