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  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee to receive Italy's highest decoration for promoting bilateral ties

    ROME — President Lee Jae Myung will receive Italy's highest state decoration from Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Thursday in recognition of his contributions to bilateral ties, a presidential official said. Mattarella was to confer the Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic on Lee during a state banquet in Rome, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a briefing. The honor comes after the two leaders held summit talks earlier in the day at the Quirinal Palace, during which they agreed to elevate bilateral ties to a special strategic partnership. Lee is currently on a state visit to Italy, the first such visit by a South Korean president in 26 years. The Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic is Italy's highest decoration bestowed on foreign heads of state. Italy conferred the honor on King Charles III of Britain and the president of the United Arab Emirates last year. The conferral reflects Italy's "highest expression of respect for Lee in appreciation of his contributions to strengthening friends

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee to receive Italy's highest decoration for promoting bilateral ties
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee says S. Korea, Italy are 'optimal partners' for business cooperation

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee says S. Korea, Italy are 'optimal partners' for business cooperation
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee hopes S. Korea, Italy will work together to promote free trade, multilateralism

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee hopes S. Korea, Italy will work together to promote free trade, multilateralism
  • Others

    Korea, Italy sign MOUs to enhance advanced science cooperation, explore joint projects in Africa

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korea, Italy sign MOUs to enhance advanced science cooperation, explore joint projects in Africa
  • Others

    Korea, Britain sign revised nuclear cooperation protocol, discuss partnership

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korea, Britain sign revised nuclear cooperation protocol, discuss partnership
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North Korea

N. Korea replaces chemical industry minister ahead of party congress

North Korea appears to have replaced the chemical industry minister, according to state media Wednesday, as leader Kim Jong-un is dialing up discipline among officials ahead of a key party congress. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Chemical Industry Minister Kim Sun-myong delivered a speech at a completion ceremony for a catalyst production line at the Namhung Youth Chemical Complex in South Pyongan Province the previous day. Kim Chol-ha was North Korea's last-reported chemical industry minister doubling as vice premier, with the KCNA reporting on his attendance at the inauguration of a melamine resin production line at a fertilizer complex in Hungnam on June 9 last year. Wednesday's report suggests the North replaced the chemical industry minister after mid-2025. The KCNA did not elaborate on whether the chemical industry minister had been replaced or when and why the reshuffle was made, though it appears linked to Kim's ongoing tightening of discipline. In his Monday speech, the North's leader cited "incidents" at the Namhung Youth Chemical Complex and the Hungnam Fer

Jan 21, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea replaces chemical industry minister ahead of party congress
Foreign Affairs

Turkish ambassador honors Korean War commander, recalls wartime bond

Turkey’s ambassador to Korea, Murat Tamer, on Tuesday paid tribute to a Turkish commander whose leadership during the Korean War helped save allied forces and cemented what both countries describe as a lasting “brotherhood forged in blood.” Speaking at a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and the Embassy of Turkey in Seoul, Tamer welcomed the ministry’s “Hero of the Korean War of the Month” initiative, which honors one veteran each from Korea and the United Nations Forces. The ministry selected the late Tahsin Yazici as the Hero of the Korean War for January 2026. Tamer said the recognition preserves the shared memory of a struggle fought “in the name of freedom and peace.” Born in 1892 in Monastir, now in North Macedonia, Yazici was educated at Ottoman military schools and graduated from Harbiye, the Ottoman military academy, as a cavalry lieutenant in 1912. He fought in World War I and the Turkish War of Independence, later receiving the Independence Medal. In 1934, he established the Turkish Army’s first combat tank unit, helping steer

Jan 21, 2026By Kim Hyun-bin
Turkish ambassador honors Korean War commander, recalls wartime bond
Foreign Affairs

Defense chief to visit Japan next week for talks with Japanese counterpart: sources

Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back is expected to visit Japan next week for talks with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, sources said Wednesday, with the resumption of military cooperation seen as a major agenda item. The two countries are in the final stages of arranging Ahn's possible three-day trip to Japan from Jan. 29-31 for talks with Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi, according to government sources. Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun has also reported on the possible bilateral meeting, mentioning the Japanese city of Yokosuka near Tokyo — where the U.S. 7th Fleet is based — as a strong candidate for the venue for the talks. The envisioned meeting comes after President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met in Takaichi's hometown of Nara earlier this month and discussed ways to deepen their bilateral ties. The Japanese newspaper said Ahn and Koizumi also held phone talks last month where they apparently agreed to push to improve defense ties, which have been largely stalled following an Air Force refueling incident in November. South Korean fighter jets taking p

Jan 21, 2026By Yonhap
Defense chief to visit Japan next week for talks with Japanese counterpart: sources
Foreign Affairs

PM to visit US this week to meet with senior officials, possibly Vance

Prime Minister Kim Min-seok will visit the United States this week to meet with senior U.S. officials and lawmakers, his office said Wednesday, including a possible meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. Kim will visit Washington and New York from Thursday to Monday on his first overseas trip as prime minister and also meet with Korean residents in the country. Sources said a meeting with Vance is being arranged, which would allow the two sides to discuss ongoing tariff and trade issues. Under a deal reached in November, Washington agreed to lower "reciprocal" tariffs on Korean goods to 15 percent while Seoul agreed to invest $350 billion in the U.S. A new challenge has emerged, however, as Washington has since announced plans to impose separate tariffs on memory chip makers that do not build facilities in the U.S., putting additional strain on Korean semiconductor companies. It is rare for a prime minister to visit the U.S. alone to discuss bilateral issues, and Kim's trip suggests he will seek to help resolve the uncertainties. "This visit is expected to positively contribute to th

Jan 21, 2026By Yonhap
PM to visit US this week to meet with senior officials, possibly Vance
North Korea

N. Korea's Kim praises rebuilt Onpho hot spring resort

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended a ceremony inaugurating a hot spring resort in the country's northeastern province, praising it as becoming a "wonderful" holiday camp for the people after years of remodeling, state media reported Wednesday. The ceremony to open the Onpho Working People's Holiday Camp took place the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The Onpho holiday camp, located in North Hamgyong Province, is North Korea's largest hot spring resort. In July 2018, the North's leader ordered the remodeling of the rest home into an all-round service center and therapy facility after harshly criticizing the poor management and sanitary conditions of the holiday camp. After looking around the rebuilt resort, Kim assessed that all the sections of the camp are arranged in a balanced manner and its architectural elements are in good harmony with the surroundings, according to the KCNA. "He said that taking a look at the holiday camp, which has been remodeled as a wonderful holiday service base for the people, made him feel proud that he has done anot

Jan 21, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim praises rebuilt Onpho hot spring resort
Foreign Affairs

Korea reviewing invitation to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday it has received an invitation related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” but is still reviewing whether to participate, as the initiative faces early resistance from several U.S. allies. “We can confirm that we have received an invitation from the U.S. side,” a ministry official said. “This proposal was made only recently, and it is not something that can be decided within a day or two. We need time to review it.” The official said Seoul is examining the nature and structure of the proposed body and monitoring how other countries respond, noting reports that more than 60 nations were invited. “Not all invited countries are expected to take part,” the official said. “We need to look at the situation comprehensively.” The proposal has already drawn pushback in Europe. French President Emmanuel Macron declined an invitation to join the panel, which was also extended to leaders such as Belarus’ longtime autocratic leader Alexander Lukashenko. Trump responded by threatening a 200 percent tariff

Jan 20, 2026By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea reviewing invitation to Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’
Foreign Affairs

Gov't, business lobbies discuss US visa issues to support Korean firms

The government and business lobbies held a joint meeting Tuesday to assess the U.S. visa system in light of better supporting Korean companies investing in America, after Seoul and Washington launched a working group to address visa concerns for Korean investors. The participants agreed to boost public-private cooperation in a way that U.S. visa reform would help Korean industries carry out their investment pledges in the United States, the foreign ministry said in a release. They also agreed to hold the meeting on a regular basis this year to assess the progress in the agreements reached between Seoul and Washington regarding the visa issues. Korea and the U.S. launched the visa working group to better support the entry of Korean businesspeople into the U.S. and ensure their smooth U.S. operations, after more than 300 Korean workers were arrested in an immigration raid in Georgia in September last year. They were released a week later through diplomatic negotiations.

Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
Gov't, business lobbies discuss US visa issues to support Korean firms
Foreign Affairs

FM Cho says seeking to hold talks with China's Wang Yi in '1st quarter'

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Tuesday he is seeking to meet one-on-one with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi sometime "in the first quarter," talks that would likely focus on making progress in key pending maritime and other issues with Beijing. Cho indicated the plan while reporting to President Lee Jae Myung during a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, as Seoul seeks to resolve the issues over which the two countries remain apart, including China's steel structures built in the overlapping waters of the West Sea and its unofficial ban on the inflow of Korean pop culture content. "(We are) trying to have foreign ministers' talks in the first quarter," Cho said at the meeting, when asked by Lee if any progress has been made with Beijing regarding cultural exchanges and cooperation. "We believe it is getting better," Cho said. Echoing Cho's remarks about a potential meeting with Wang, the foreign ministry said the top diplomats would broadly discuss all range of issues concerning both countries should the meeting take place. The talks, if held, would come in the follow-up to the summit ta

Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
FM Cho says seeking to hold talks with China's Wang Yi in '1st quarter'
Foreign Affairs

Nat'l Assembly speaker, Singaporean PM discuss ways to expand bilateral ties

National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik has met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and discussed ways to upgrade the countries' free trade agreement (FTA) and expand bilateral cooperation, officials said Tuesday. During the talks held the previous day at Singapore's presidential palace, Woo expressed hope that a revision to the FTA will advance their trade cooperation in supply chains and green energy, noting that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the agreement. He also asked for Singapore's support in Seoul's bid to join the 12-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Noting Korea's push to create a sovereign wealth fund, Woo called for expanded investment by Singaporean sovereign wealth funds in Korean companies. In response, Wong expressed appreciation for the bipartisan support of both parliaments for stepping up bilateral ties, including discussions on revising the FTA and cooperation in the areas of defense, nuclear energy and infrastructure. Separately, Woo also held talks with his Singaporean counterpart, Seah Kian Peng, and dis

Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
Nat'l Assembly speaker, Singaporean PM discuss ways to expand bilateral ties
Foreign Affairs

FM Cho to visit Turkey, Belgium for bilateral, EU talks

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will visit Turkey and Belgium later this week for bilateral talks with each country and a strategic dialogue with the European Union, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. His four-day trip will begin in Turkey, where he is scheduled to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday (local time), the ministry said. The upcoming talks come as a follow-up step after President Lee Jae Myung's state visit to the country in November last year, deputy ministry spokesperson Lee Moon-bae said in a press briefing. "(The ministers) will discuss the progress in key bilateral projects, including nuclear energy, the defense industry, bio and infrastructure," Lee said. Cho will then travel to Belgium and hold the second strategic security dialogue with Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Thursday. Korea and the EU elevated ties to a "strategic partnership" in 2010 to deepen cooperation from security, defense and the economy to trade and science and technologies. The two sides launched the strategic dialogue in late 2

Jan 20, 2026By Yonhap
FM Cho to visit Turkey, Belgium for bilateral, EU talks
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