Lee departs for Argentina after summit with Kast in ChileSANTIAGO — President Lee Jae Myung departed for Argentina on Thursday after wrapping up his visit to Chile, where he held a summit with Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast to discuss cooperation in trade and critical minerals. During their summit earlier Thursday, Lee and Kast agreed to reactivate a joint committee to discuss ways to enhance bilateral trade, including by modernizing their free trade agreement. They also agreed to pursue "mutually beneficial and future-oriented" cooperation in critical mineral supply chains, the defense industry, infrastructure and public security. Lee is now en route to Buenos Aires, the final stop in his ongoing three-nation South America tour, which also included a state visit to Brazil. In Buenos Aires, Lee is scheduled to hold a summit with Argentine President Javier Milei and meet with members of the Korean community on Friday.Jul 31, 2026By Yonhap
Korea holds ceremony marking return of lion statues to ChinaA ceremony marking the return of a pair of Qing Dynasty stone lion statues from a Seoul museum to the Chinese government took place Thursday, officials said. The event took place some six months after the two countries signed a document during a summit meeting in January, pledging the return of the statues purchased by the Kansong Art and Culture Foundation in the 1930s. At the ceremony held at Kansong Art Museum, the museum and the National Museum of Korea (NMK) signed a document on transferring the ownership of the statues and the statues themselves to Chinese cultural authorities. Attending Thursday's event were NMK Director You Hong-june, Kansong Art Museum Director Chun In-keon, Rao Quan, chief of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing. The statues, each standing 1.9 meters tall and weighing 1.25 tons, were purchased at an auction market in Japan and had been a symbolic fixture welcoming visitors at the museum in Seoul. Korean art collector "Kansong" Jeon Hyeong-pil, who died in 1962, is believed to have said the statues shouJul 23, 2026By Yonhap
Korea discusses economic security, energy cooperation with Canada, Australia, New ZealandMANILA — Korea held separate foreign ministers' talks with Canada, Australia and New Zealand in Manila on Wednesday, discussing ways to expand cooperation in economic security, energy, defense and other strategic sectors amid geopolitical uncertainties, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters on the sidelines of a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related ministerial meetings in the Philippine capital, according to the ministry. Cho and Anand discussed ways to advance the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership and to expand practical cooperation in a range of fields, including defense, the arms industry, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI). The two sides agreed to deepen cooperation on energy security and critical mineral supply chains, including imports of Canadian crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG), while also exploring ways to expand collaboration in AI research and inJul 22, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't advises short-term visitors to leave Middle East amid rising tensionsThe foreign ministry has advised short-term visitors to leave the Middle East promptly amid rising tensions stemming from the renewed conflict between the United States and Iran. The ministry issued the warning after holding a meeting with representatives from 17 diplomatic missions, including embassies in Iran and Israel, on Sunday to review safety measures for Korean nationals and vessels in the region. Tensions were escalating in the Middle East as armed clashes between the U.S. and Iran had continued for more than a week after last month's preliminary peace deal meant to permanently end their monthslong war has crumbled and the Strait of Hormuz has largely been blocked. "Given that most Middle Eastern countries have been under a Level 3 Travel Advisory, which recommends that travelers leave unless necessary, since March, short-term visitors are advised to depart promptly unless they have compelling reasons to remain," Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina said during a meeting. Kim also called for heightened vigilance to ensure the safety of Korean vessels operating in the Red Sea amJul 20, 2026By Yonhap
Lee sends condolence message over death of former Qatari rulerPresident Lee Jae Myung sent a message of condolence over the death of former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and decided to dispatch his chief of staff as a special envoy, his office said Tuesday. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik will depart for Qatar later in the day to attend the funeral of the former emir and extend Lee's condolences, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Kang is scheduled to return home Thursday. Kang's visit was arranged at the request of the Qatari side. His upcoming trip draws attention over whether he will hold high-level talks on bilateral ties, including energy cooperation, as Kang has previously visited the Middle East several times as Lee's special envoy for strategic economic cooperation. Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013 before handing power to his son, the current emir. He died Saturday (local time) at the age of 74.Jul 14, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, Int'l Red Cross discuss ways to expand cooperation on humanitarian aidSecond Vice Foreign Minister Kim Jina has met with the chief of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and discussed cooperation on humanitarian assistance and disaster response, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. During the talks held in Seoul on Tuesday, Kim and IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain exchanged views on Seoul's humanitarian assistance policy and measures to strengthen cooperation with the organization, according to the ministry. Kim highlighted the IFRC's role in responding to natural disasters and helping enhance the international community's capacity in the health sector amid a growing number of humanitarian crises worldwide. The vice minister also outlined Korea's efforts to play a greater role in humanitarian aid and called for continued cooperation with the organization, based on the IFRC's expertise and global network. Chapagain expressed appreciation for Seoul's support, saying it has made a tangible contribution to the agency's operations. He also requested Seoul's attention to areas facing growing humanitarian needs, incluJul 1, 2026By Yonhap
Korea, East Timor agree to expand cooperation in climate change, infra, educationKorean and East Timorese foreign ministers agreed Monday to broaden cooperation in climate change, infrastructure, human resource development and other areas of mutual interest, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The agreement was reached during the meeting between Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his East Timorese counterpart, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, held in Seoul earlier in the day, according to the ministry. Freitas' visit marked the first official trip to Korea by an East Timorese foreign minister since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 2002, though he previously visited the country twice, in 2010 and 2011, while serving as head of East Timor's vocational training and employment agency. During the talks, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in education, human resource development and government capacity building, which East Timor considers key priorities for its national development. The ministers also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in climate change-related areas, including greenhouse gas reduction projects, and carbon capture and storage (CCJun 29, 2026By Yonhap
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
