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Foreign minister reaffirms Korea's commitment to climate action at P4G summit

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul reaffirmed Korea's commitment to tackling climate change as he called for global efforts toward a green transition for sustainable growth, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Cho made the remarks at the summit of the Partnering For Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) in Hanoi on Wednesday, unveiling a plan that Korea will make a new $1.8 million contribution to the P4G initiative, the ministry said in a release. In the plenary session, Cho "emphasized the need to restore global momentum for climate action in order to address the escalating climate crisis," the ministry said. "He also underscored the international community should push for the green transition based on the values of innovation, inclusiveness and solidarity," it said. P4G is an initiative launched in 2018 to address climate action and sustainable development goals through public and private cooperation. Korea hosted the second P4G summit in 2021.

Indian envoy shares spiritual legacy at Buddha’s birthday lantern ceremony

Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar joined religious and academic leaders at Dongguk University on Thursday for a vibrant lantern lighting ceremony to celebrate the birth of Buddha. The event, organized by Dongguk University in partnership with the Embassy of India, drew over 500 participants and featured the lighting of 16,000 lanterns to symbolize the universal values of compassion and wisdom. In a speech delivered at the ceremony, Kumar reflected on the enduring relevance of Buddha’s teachings and the deep historical and spiritual connections between Korea and India. “It is a great honor for me and my spouse to join you all at this auspicious and beautifully illuminated ceremony to celebrate the birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. I extend my warm greetings to you all,” the ambassador said. He emphasized the civilizational journey of Buddhism, which spread from Korea to India through peaceful means led by monks, scholars and spiritual seekers — not through conquest. “Lord Buddha’s core teachings — the Middle Path, the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path — offer tim

Korea, China likely to hold maritime talks this month after standoff in Yellow Sea

Korea and China plan to hold working-level talks on maritime issues later this month, diplomatic sources said Monday, as Seoul seeks to reinforce calls for stability following a recent standoff with Beijing in overlapping waters. The two countries are fine-tuning the details to hold the director-general-level dialogue in Seoul, headed by their foreign ministries, sources said. The talks, if realized, would come after the brief standoff between the two neis in the Yellow Sea in February, when Chinese authorities blocked the Southan Coast Guard's attempt to approach a steel structure built by China in the Provisional Maritime Zone (PMZ) near South Korea's southwest coast. Seoul sent a research ship to investigate the structure China installed without authorization. China claimed that the structure was a commercial aquafarm and that Seoul had no right to investigate. The PMZ is an area where the Exclusive Economic Zones of Korea and China overlap. The two sides have reached an agreement to allow their fishing vessels to operate there and jointly manage marine resources, while prohibiting an

Korea, Uzbekistan sign cooperative deal in procurement service

Veterans minister to leave for Washington this week to meet Korean War veterans

Veterans Minister Kang Jung-ai will depart for Washington, D.C., this week to meet with U.S. veterans who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War as Seoul marks the 75th anniversary of the conflict's outbreak this year, her ministry said Friday. During her three-day trip from Saturday through Monday, Kang will first visit the Armed Forces Retirement Home in the U.S. capital, where 43 Korean War veterans currently reside, and express her gratitude for their service on the battlefield, according to the ministry. She will also pay her respects at the Korean War Veterans Memorial in the National Mall and Arlington National Cemetery, and hold a meeting with Curtis Scaparrotti, chairman of the Korea Defense Veterans Association and a former U.S. Forces Korea commander, to discuss ways to strengthen the alliance. Kang will then visit several national independence-related sites in Washington, including the Old Korean Legation and the Korean Commission building, as this year also marks the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. "The United States is our closest ally t

Korea to expand interagency task force in response to US tariff measures

Korea will expand its existing response task force into a comprehensive interagency team to better cope with the U.S. administration's evolving tariff measures, the finance ministry said Thursday. The decision came as the Donald Trump administration announced a 90-day suspension of newly imposed reciprocal tariffs on imports from Korea and other trading partners, only hours after the tariffs went into effect Wednesday. In response, the government will operate the task force under an expanded framework, including eight specialized working groups focusing on sectors such as macroeconomy, finance, industry, and small and medium-sized enterprises. The task force aims to conduct in-depth analyses of sector-specific impacts of the tariff measures by facilitating rapid information-sharing among government agencies, the ministry said. Given the unpredictable nature and potential longevity of global trade tensions, the government also plans to review more fundamental strategies, the ministry added.

Top procurement officials of Korea, Austria agree to deepen ties

Top procurement officials of Korea and Austria held talks in the European country earlier this week to discuss closer bilateral cooperation, the Public Procurement Service (PPS) said Thursday. The meeting between PPS Administrator Lim Ki-keun and Martin S. Ledolter, managing director and CEO of Bundesbeschaffung GmbH (BBG), Austria's central procurement organization, took place in Austria on Tuesday (local time), PPS said. It marked the first official meeting between the heads of PPS and BBG. BBG, as a central purchasing body, is responsible for approximately 80 percent of the country's total public procurement volume under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Finance. The meeting took place following the participation of an Austrian delegate in the 2025 International Public Procurement Workshop, co-hosted by PPS and the OECD in Korea in March. During the workshop, both sides expressed a strong willingness to enhance bilateral cooperation. Lim shared the nation's experience in establishing the next-generation KONEPS (government e-procurement system) and engaged in in-depth discussi

Unification minister visits Japan for meetings with senior officials on unification, NK

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho will travel to Japan on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will include meetings with senior officials to discuss policies related to inter-Korean unification and North Korea, his ministry said. Kim's visit to Tokyo through Friday aims to strengthen Korea-Japan cooperation on unification between the two Koreas and North Korea policy under the Shigeru Ishiba administration, according to the ministry. During the visit, Kim plans to hold meetings with Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, a ministry official said. He also intends to brief the association of foreign correspondents in Japan on South Korea's policies on unification and attend a local forum. The ministry said the minister expects his visit to Japan to strengthen Seoul-Tokyo cooperation on issues, including efforts to repatriate abductees held in North Korea. The ministry also said the latest visit is expected to elevate the bilateral partnership to a higher level as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations this ye

Public diplomacy in action: Peruvian artist's photo exhibition

The Embassy of Peru is deeply honored and proud to bring Korea the talent and artistry of Roberto Huarcaya, presenting a monumental exhibition, “A Sombre Aspect,” with the generous support of the Korea Foundation and the chief curator of the Donggang International Photography Festival Kim, Ms. Kim Hee-jung. There is no doubt that Huarcaya, a 66-year-old from Lima, is one of the most renowned and talented photographers and visual artists in my country, if not the most. His innovative experimental techniques invite us to engage with the world from a natural, empathetic and intimate perspective. The photograms shown in the Korea Foundation gallery embody an artisanal and minimalist process that stands in stark contrast to today’s technology and artificial intelligence-driven trends. It takes us back, in many ways, to the origins of photography: photosensitive paper and light, whether from natural sources like storms or the moon, or from artificial sources like a small handheld flash. The result is a delicate realm of shadows and ephemeral images presenting the opportunity to unveil a

People’s Daily Journalist Remembers Kim Dae-jung

By Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― The life of former President Kim Dae-jung touched not just Koreans, but also many foreigners who crossed paths or developed special friendships with him at some point in their lives. Xu Baokang, a senior reporter with The People's Daily in China, was one. In a piece titled "Unforgettable Old Friend Kim Dae-jung," Xu remembers the former South Korean President, who he met as the Chinese newspaper's Seoul correspondent. "Kim dedicated his life to South Korea's democracy and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula," he said in a two-page special obituary piece, published in the September edition of The Global People, a sister monthly magazine of The People's Daily. "Kim was also an old friend of Chinese people. He exerted a great effort to promote the China-South Korea friendship," he said. After returning to China, Xu again met the late former President in May this year during Kim's visit to Beijing. "I never imagined this would be my last time to see him," he wrote. It was his fifth and last interview with the deceased.