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  • Foreign Affairs

    Norwegian architect behind Busan Opera House highlights architecture’s role in social change

    Architecture should do more than create iconic buildings — it should shape how people interact, gather and experience their cities, according to Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, founding partner of Norwegian architectural and design firm Snøhetta, which is currently leading the Busan Opera House project. Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Seoul on Wednesday, Thorsen outlined Snøhetta’s design philosophy and highlighted projects from around the world, arguing that architecture can serve as a catalyst for cultural participation, social integration and sustainable development. The event, held at the Norwegian ambassador’s residence under the theme “Designing Culture, Designing Change: Architecture as a Catalyst for Collective Futures,” brought together architects, cultural leaders and industry professionals to explore the role of design in shaping contemporary society. Welcoming guests, Norwegian Ambassador Anne Kari Hansen Ovind described Snøhetta as one of Norway’s most influential creative enterprises and a global ambassador for Norwegian design. “Sn

    3 MIN READBy Anna J. Park
    Norwegian architect behind Busan Opera House highlights architecture’s role in social change
  • Others

    Lee, Mattarella agree to elevate Korea-Italy ties into special strategic partnership

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee, Mattarella agree to elevate Korea-Italy ties into special strategic partnership
  • North Korea

    Seoul, Washington reaffirm goal of NK denuclearization at key nuclear deterrence meeting

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Seoul, Washington reaffirm goal of NK denuclearization at key nuclear deterrence meeting
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee says depending on US for defense no longer valid, will boost economic ties

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee says depending on US for defense no longer valid, will boost economic ties
  • Foreign Affairs

    PM offers condolences over death of ex-Japanese politician Kono

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    PM offers condolences over death of ex-Japanese politician Kono
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North Korea

N. Korea strongly denounces US capture of Venezuela's Maduro

North Korea on Sunday denounced the U.S. military strike that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, calling the ouster of Maduro "the most serious form of encroachment of sovereignty." The North's foreign ministry made the remarks as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife in a large-scale military strike. The North's foreign ministry "strongly denounces the U.S. hegemony-seeking act committed in Venezuela as the most serious form of encroachment of sovereignty," according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea strongly denounces US capture of Venezuela's Maduro
Foreign Affairs

Korean biz leaders head to China to join President Lee on state visit

Korean business leaders departed for China on Sunday to join a business mission accompanying President Lee Jae Myung's state visit, which includes a summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Led by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, the delegation also includes Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. "The business mission is heading to China for the first time in six years. I hope everything goes well," Chey told reporters before leaving for Beijing from the Seoul Gimpo Business Aviation Center in western Seoul. Organized by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), a business lobby headed by Chey, the delegation comprises about 200 business leaders from major conglomerates, including SK Group, Samsung Group, LG Group and Hyundai Motor Group. It marks the KCCI's first business mission to China since 2019. The delegation is expected to take part in several events in China, including a business roundtable to be held on the sidelines of the summit between President Lee and President Xi slated for Monday. During the China visit, the business

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
Korean biz leaders head to China to join President Lee on state visit
North Korea

N. Korea fires ballistic missiles as US capture of Maduro unnerves Kim Jong-un

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Sunday, a move analysts said underscored its leader Kim Jong-un's unease after the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a surprise overnight military operation. Pyongyang's military provocation also appeared to be timed before a South Korea-China leaders' summit set for Monday, at which North Korea was expected to be on the agenda as Seoul presses Beijing to play a more active role in denuclearization efforts. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from an area near Pyongyang at about 7:50 a.m. and flew roughly 900 kilometers before landing in the East Sea. The military said it was maintaining a heightened state of readiness. The launches marked North Korea's first missile provocation of the year. Its most recent test occurred on Nov. 7, 2025, when it fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea. Analysts said the timing appeared carefully calculated, coming a day after the Donald Trump administration launched a surprise military operation in Venezuela. The o

Jan 4, 2026By Lee Hyo-jin
N. Korea fires ballistic missiles as US capture of Maduro unnerves Kim Jong-un
Foreign Affairs

President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for state visit

BEIJING — President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Beijing Sunday afternoon for a state visit to China, marking his first summit-level diplomatic engagement of the year. The four-day trip runs through Wednesday, with a summit between the two countries' leaders scheduled for Monday. Lee departed Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, earlier in the day aboard the presidential aircraft, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung. The visit comes at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping and is a reciprocal trip following Xi’s visit to Korea last November. During that trip, Xi attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, where the two presidents held their first summit. Lee is set to begin his official schedule Sunday evening at a meeting with Korean nationals residing in China, during which he is expected to hear their concerns and reaffirm the government’s support. Monday's highly anticipated Seoul-Beijing summit is expected to focus on regional security issues, including peace and denuclearization on

Jan 4, 2026By Anna J. Park
President Lee Jae Myung arrives in Beijing for state visit
North Korea

US says is aware of NK missile launches, reaffirms defense commitment to allies

A U.S. military command said Saturday it is aware of North Korea's missile launches this week while reaffirming its security commitment to allies in the region. The Indo-Pacific Command issued a statement after Pyongyang lobbed multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sunday morning (Korea time), marking its first missile test this year. "We are aware of the missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners. Based on current assessments, this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies," the command said. "The United States remains committed to the defense of the U.S. homeland and our allies in the region," it added. The North's latest launches came as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung plans to have a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his four-day state visit to China this week. They also followed U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that the U.S. has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a military strike in Caracas to bring him to face American justice for drug traffick

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
US says is aware of NK missile launches, reaffirms defense commitment to allies
Foreign Affairs

Korea urges easing of regional tensions in Venezuela crisis

Korea urged a de-escalation of tensions in the region surrounding Venezuela, Sunday, the day after the United States launched an attack on the country and captured longtime President Nicolas Maduro. It emphasized "quick stabilization" and "democracy" in Venezuela, taking a prudent stance toward the situation amid controversy over the legitimacy of the U.S. operation. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Korea is closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela. "Our government urges all involved parties to make utmost efforts toward easing regional tensions. We hope for a quick stabilization of the situation via dialogue, ensuring democracy is restored and the will of the Venezuelan people is honored," it said. The ministry added that it is also working to ensure the safety of Korean nationals in the country. There are some 70 Koreans in the country, and no harm to them has been reported. The statement came after the U.S. launched an attack on Venezuela early Saturday morning, capturing Maduro and bringing him and his wife to New York, where he was indicted in federal court on

Jan 4, 2026By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea urges easing of regional tensions in Venezuela crisis
Foreign Affairs

Lee departs for Beijing for summit talks with Xi Jinping

President Lee Jae Myung departed for China on Sunday for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, with the leaders expected to focus on North Korea, economic ties and cultural exchanges. The four-day state visit marks Lee's first to China since taking office in June last year and the first trip by a South Korean president there since 2019. Lee will hold talks with Xi on Monday, marking their second meeting in just two months after they met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Gyeongsang Province, in early November, when Xi visited South Korea for the first time in 11 years. The visit comes as South Korea seeks to stably manage its relations with China, a key partner in trade, tourism and peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula while also maintaining a strong alliance with the United States under the Lee administration's "pragmatic" diplomatic approach. At the summit, Lee is expected to ask for China's support in improving strained ties with Pyongyang and making progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, which is high on h

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
Lee departs for Beijing for summit talks with Xi Jinping
North Korea

N. Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, in what marked the North's first display of weapons testing this year. The launch of missiles came as President Lee Jae Myung was set to depart for Beijing for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. It also came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Washington has captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a large-scale military strike. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the missiles launched from near Pyongyang at around 7:50 a.m. The missiles flew some 900 kilometers, the JCS said, adding the South Korean and U.S. authorities were analyzing the exact details of the launch. The missiles reportedly landed at sea, according to a JCS official. "Our military maintains a firm readiness posture while closely sharing North Korean ballistic missile information with the U.S. and Japan sides amid a heightened surveillance posture against additional launches," the JCS said. The North last fired a short-range ballistic missile toward the East Sea on Nov. 7, whi

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS
North Korea

N. Korea's Kim inspects production of tactical guided weapons at munitions factory

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has inspected the production of tactical guided weapons at a munitions factory, instructing officials to expand production capacity by 2.5 times, state media reported Sunday. Kim visited a major munitions factory the previous day and toured its technologically updated production areas to inspect the state of its modernization, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said without revealing the factory's exact location or name. Kim underscored the need of more innovative planning and rational systems to establish a flexible manufacturing system, pointing out lingering "deficiencies" in the modernization of the assembly process and instructing officials to reexamine overall plans for the construction and modernization of munitions enterprises this year, the KCNA said. "Munitions industry should conduct economic organization and direct production and technical upgrading in a scrupulous way so as to suit ... the present situation where the current munitions production and the modernization project should be pushed ahead with simultaneously," Kim noted. The North

Jan 4, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim inspects production of tactical guided weapons at munitions factory
Foreign Affairs

China's diplomatic divide: red carpet for South Korea, cold shoulder for Japanese firms

As a diplomatic row sees Japanese company executives put visits to China on hold, Beijing is preparing to roll out the red carpet for South Korean business leaders accompanying President Lee Jae Myung on a state visit starting Sunday. The contrasting receptions highlight how geopolitics is reshaping corporate ties in East Asia. Analysts expect continued friction between Beijing and Tokyo in 2026 to accelerate Japanese efforts to de-risk from the Chinese market. Conversely, Beijing's warming relations with Seoul are seen as poised to spur more business engagement. The Japan-China Economic Association (JCEA), Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Wednesday the postponement of a 200-person China visit that was expected to take place in the coming weeks, with no new trip scheduled, an association representative said. "The current state of Japan-China relations presents challenges," the JCEA's deputy director of business promotion, Naoya Sawazu, told the Post, Friday. "We have made strenuous efforts to realise the dispatch of this mi

Jan 3, 2026By SCMP
China's diplomatic divide: red carpet for South Korea, cold shoulder for Japanese firms
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