Foreign minister of East Timor to make 1st official visit to KoreaEast Timor's top diplomat plans to visit Seoul next week for talks with Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on ways to expand bilateral cooperation in the economy, security and a range of other sectors, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The visit by East Timorese Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas will mark the first official trip to Korea by an East Timorese top diplomat since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002, according to the ministry. During talks scheduled for Monday, Cho and Freitas will discuss cooperation in the economy, development, security and international affairs, as well as ways to implement the vision for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ministry said. Timor-Leste became ASEAN's 11th member in October 2025. "The upcoming talks are expected to provide an opportunity to further strengthen bilateral ties and explore ways to deepen cooperation between Korea and ASEAN," ministry spokesperson Park Il said at a press briefing.Jun 25, 2026By Yonhap
Foreign minister, MPA chairman discuss cooperation in content industryForeign Minister Cho Hyun on Tuesday met with the head of an American trade association representing major film studios and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in the cultural sector, the ministry said. During the meeting with Charles Rivkin, chairman of the Motion Picture Association (MPA), Cho said Korea-related content, including "KPop Demon Hunters" and "Squid Game," has gained global popularity, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He asked Rivkin to encourage MPA members, including Netflix, to invest in Korean content production and content-related infrastructure. Rivkin hailed the success of Korean culture on the global stage and suggested expanding the impact of the content industry through public-private collaboration. The two sides agreed to communicate to help create an environment conducive to smooth digital exchanges, including the protection of content copyrights, the ministry said.Jun 23, 2026By Yonhap
PM calls for taking bilateral exchanges to next level in talks with China's premierPrime Minister Kim Min-seok called Tuesday for elevating bilateral exchanges with China in areas across politics, the economy, culture and youth, as he held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Kim made the call during his meeting with Li in the Chinese city of Dalian, where he was visiting to attend the World Economic Forum, also known as the Summer Davos Forum. "South Korea and China need to take our bilateral exchanges to the next level, in politics, the economy, culture and youth cooperation," Kim said in the opening remarks. "Building on the previous summit between our leaders, today's meeting is highly meaningful as a bridge toward sustained political engagement in the future," he said. "I'm confident that (this meeting) will provide an opportunity to strengthen our strategic cooperative partnership as it enters a new stage," Kim added. Noting that China is set to host this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, Kim said he hopes for a successful hosting of the multilateral gathering that would "serve as an exemplar" for the international community. SouthJun 23, 2026By Yonhap
Korea asks Azerbaijan to support Korean firms' participation in development projectsKorea has asked Azerbaijan to support greater participation by Korean companies in infrastructure and development projects in the Caucasus nation, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. Vice Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae made the request during the fifth Korea-Azerbaijan policy consultation meeting, held the previous day in Baku and attended by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov, according to the ministry. Wednesday's meeting marked the first of its kind in four years. During the talks, Chung highlighted the significant potential for expanding bilateral trade and investment and called for the Azerbaijani government's active support to facilitate the participation of Korean companies in various projects under way in the country. Mammadov expressed hope for increased investment by Korean firms in Azerbaijan, citing their advanced technological capabilities, according to the ministry. The two sides also exchanged views on developments on the Korean Peninsula, in the Caucasus region and the Middle East, and agreed to maintain close communication on various regional issues. ChJun 18, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, UAE discuss energy supply ties amid supply chain uncertaintiesKorea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) discussed strategic cooperation in the energy sector, including joint oil reserves and nuclear power plants, the industry ministry said Tuesday. Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met with Musabbeh Al Kaabi, chief executive officer (CEO) of upstream at Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, to discuss the stable supply of crude oil, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. During the meeting, Korea was briefed that imports of the 24 million barrels of crude oil secured from the Gulf nation under an agreement reached in March were proceeding smoothly. The two sides also discussed a wide range of issues related to bilateral energy cooperation, including establishing a new supply route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through large-scale infrastructure projects. Kim additionally asked for the UAE's support and attention for competitive Korean firms seeking to participate in energy projects in the Middle Eastern nation. The industry minister also met with Sharif Salim Al Olama, undersecretary for energy affairs at the UAE's energy ministry, to dJun 16, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, Italy sign MOUs to enhance advanced science cooperation, explore joint projects in AfricaROME, June 12 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Italy signed four agreements Friday to enhance bilateral cooperation and exchanges, including in advanced science and technology, and explore joint projects in Africa, the presidential office said. The memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed during President Lee Jae Myung's ongoing state visit to Italy as part of his broader trip to Europe, aimed at expanding South Korea's outreach in the region. During Lee's summit with Italian President Sergio Mattarella a day earlier, the two leaders agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a special strategic partnership and explore ways to expand cooperation into semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and other strategic areas. Under an MOU on technology, both sides pledged to promote cooperation in advanced and science technology, including AI, quantum technology, bioscience, space technology and other strategic sectors. The two sides agreed to monitor the process of the pledged cooperation through a joint science and technology committee, which the presidential office said was aimed at making theJun 12, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, Britain sign revised nuclear cooperation protocol, discuss partnershipKorea and Britain signed a revised nuclear cooperation protocol Friday and discussed ways to deepen their global strategic partnership, Seoul's foreign ministry said. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo met with British Indo-Pacific Minister Seema Malhotra in Seoul, where they exchanged views on bilateral ties and regional issues. The two sides signed the revised protocol amending a bilateral agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy that entered into force in 1991. The ministry said the revisions update provisions on nuclear safeguards and physical protection to reflect current international standards. They also reaffirmed their commitment to advancing cooperation under the two countries' global strategic partnership across trade, investment, security, defense and cultural exchanges. Park also conveyed Seoul's concerns over Britain's planned new steel safeguard measures, stressing the need to minimize negative impacts on Korean companies and the global trading system.Jun 12, 2026By Yonhap
Lee, Mattarella agree to elevate Korea-Italy ties into special strategic partnershipROME — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Italian President Sergio Mattarella agreed Thursday to elevate their countries' ties into a special strategic partnership, while exploring ways to expand cooperation in semiconductors, artificial intelligence (AI) and other strategic sectors. The two presidents reached the agreement during summit talks at the presidential Quirinal Palace in Rome, the second stop on Lee's first visit to Europe since taking office a year earlier. "Today, the president (Mattarella) and I agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a special strategic partnership, reflecting our determination to further develop bilateral ties," Lee said in a joint press announcement at the palace following the talks. The president noted that a South Korea-Italy business roundtable, to be held here Friday involving around 30 companies from the two countries, will explore opportunities for growth. Lee cited semiconductors, AI, defense manufacturing, aerospace, energy and biotechnology as areas in which the two countries could deepen cooperation. "Just like the trust built over 142Jun 11, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, China agree to add 70 flights per week amid growing exchangesKorea and China have agreed to increase the frequency of flights between the two countries amid growing bilateral exchanges, the transport ministry said Thursday. For the first time since 2019, the two countries agreed to expand bilateral traffic rights by 70 weekly flights during the Korea-China aviation talks held in Seoul last month, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Under the agreement, passenger flights will be increased to 664 per week, while cargo flights will be expanded to 68 per week, the ministry added. The number of passengers traveling to China from Korea has rebounded to surpass the level seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 4.4 million using the route in the first quarter of this year, according to ministry data. The transport ministry said it plans to allocate the newly secured international air traffic rights to local airlines as early as the second half of the year.Jun 4, 2026By Yonhap
Debris from attack on Korean ship in Strait of Hormuz arrives in KoreaThe debris from airborne objects that struck an HMM-operated vessel in the Strait of Hormuz last week arrived in Korea on Friday to undergo analysis, the foreign ministry said. The debris was flown in following consultations with the United Arab Emirates government and will be closely analyzed by specialized agencies, it said in a notice to the press. An on-site inspection conducted last weekend found that the HMM Namu, a Panama-flagged cargo ship operated by Korean shipping firm HMM, was struck by two airborne objects while stranded in the strait on May 4, leading to an explosion and fire on board. The government has yet to identify the objects or who was behind the attack. A senior government official said earlier that the possibility it was launched by an actor other than Iran was "not high," and that a "commensurate diplomatic offensive" would be needed once the perpetrator was identified. The strike was the 33rd attack on a civilian vessel since the war in the Middle East began with the United States and Israel's attack on Iran on Feb. 28, and Seoul was reviewing how other countriesMay 15, 2026By Yonhap
