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    Unification advisory vice chief expects US-NK talks around US midterms

    Kang Chang-il, senior vice chair of a presidential advisory on unification policy, said he expected talks between North Korea and the United States will resume in the second half of this year, around the U.S. midterm elections in November. “North Korea and the U.S. will likely hold talks around the Trump administration’s midterm elections, potentially late this year or early next year,” Kang, senior vice chair of the Peaceful Unification Advisory Council (PUAC), said Wednesday at his first press conference since taking office on April 17. The PUAC is a presidential advisory body mandated by the Constitution to promote peaceful unification through policy consultation, consensus building and international outreach. President Lee Jae Myung serves as an ex officio chairperson of the body. Kang, a veteran four-term lawmaker who previously served as ambassador to Japan, added that “Washington had no room to maneuver due to the war with Iran ... Once the U.S.-Israel war with Iran ends, the North Korea issue will take center stage as the last major unresolved global conflict. The focus

    2 MIN READBy Park Ji-won
    Unification advisory vice chief expects US-NK talks around US midterms
  • Foreign Affairs

    Filipino killer of Korean businessman nabbed as Lee hails arrest

    2 MIN READBy Jung Min-ho
    Filipino killer of Korean businessman nabbed as Lee hails arrest
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee arrives in Italy for talks with Italian president, PM

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee arrives in Italy for talks with Italian president, PM
  • Foreign Affairs

    Seoul denies report of Japan's request for talks on Fukushima seafood import ban

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Seoul denies report of Japan's request for talks on Fukushima seafood import ban
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee, Belgian PM agree to expand investment in batteries, energy, boost market access

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee, Belgian PM agree to expand investment in batteries, energy, boost market access
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Foreign Affairs

Top security adviser meets US energy secretary for talks on civil uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing: sources

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac has met with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright for talks that likely centered on Korea's push for civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing in line with recent summit agreements, sources said Wednesday. Wi and Wright met in Washington for discussions related to the joint fact sheet detailing the outcome of the two summits between President Lee Jae Myung and U.S. President Donald Trump on trade and security, sources familiar with the matter said. In the joint fact sheet, the United States committed to supporting Korea for "the process that will lead to its civil uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for peaceful uses." It also includes U.S. approval for and its commitment to advancing Seoul's drive for nuclear-powered submarines. The two sides likely discussed efforts to move forward with the summit agreements, with a particular note on advancing Seoul's drive for securing uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing capabilities for civil purposes, as well as building the strategic vessels. Under a bilateral energy pact with

Dec 18, 2025By Yonhap
Top security adviser meets US energy secretary for talks on civil uranium enrichment, spent fuel reprocessing: sources
North Korea

Pro-Pyongyang paper takes note of omission of N. Korea from US security strategy report

A pro-Pyongyang newspaper on Thursday took note of the omission of North Korean issues from a recent security strategy roadmap released by the Donald Trump administration, calling it the "most notable" aspect. "What is the most notable part is the fact that it does not mention" North Korea, the Japan-based Choson Sinbo said in an editorial in its Thursday edition, assessing the recent National Security Strategy (NSS) released in early December. This year's NSS, which serves as a new strategic roadmap for the United States, made no mention of North Korea or its nuclear issues in a major departure from previous editions, raising questions in Seoul about whether the issue may be put on the back burner under the Trump administration. It must be "because mentioning North Korea would mean the U.S. is admitting a complete failure in its policy to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula," the newspaper said. The news outlet, run by a Japan-based Korean organization sympathetic to North Korea, is widely seen as reflecting the regime's official stance. Thursday's editorial marks the newspaper's second re

Dec 18, 2025By Yonhap
Pro-Pyongyang paper takes note of omission of N. Korea from US security strategy report
North Korea

N. Korea bristles at Japan's reported review of 3 non-nuclear principles

North Korea's state media on Thursday denounced Japan's reported review of its decades-long three non-nuclear principles. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper issued the criticism as Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly sought to shift the principles that mandate no possessing, producing or introducing nuclear weapons. Takaichi is reportedly seeking to review the no-introduction principle, particularly regarding U.S. nuclear-armed assets. The Rodong Sinmun accused Japan of trying to rearm itself, saying this was "not aimed at seeking national or regional peace and security but, rather, constitutes a vicious challenge to peace." The newspaper also accused Japan of trying to justify its drive to become a military powerhouse and of drumming up public opinions in favor of its increased defense spending, a constitutional revision and overseas military expansion. "This reminds us of Japan's past history of brainwashing its people to jump into a war of aggression to establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere," the newspaper said, citing Japan's World War II-era imperial ambitio

Dec 18, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea bristles at Japan's reported review of 3 non-nuclear principles
Foreign Affairs

State of Qatar celebrates National Day

The State of Qatar celebrates its National Day on Dec. 18 each year. The occasion reaffirms the nation’s identity and history and commemorates the values upon which the state was founded. It also serves as an opportunity to honor the men and women who contributed to building the country and to reflect on the efforts of Qatar’s founders, who endured great hardships and paid a high price to unify their nation. Qatar National Day marks a defining moment in the country’s modern history and offers a moment for reflection on the principles of unity, resilience and progress that continue to shape the nation. It underscores a shared sense of belonging and pride among citizens and residents alike, while reaffirming a collective commitment to the country’s future. The National Day slogan for 2025, “With you it rises, and from you it awaits,” is inspired by the words of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of the State of Qatar, delivered to youth during his visit to Qatar University in 2016. The slogan represents a renewed call to continue the path of development an

Dec 18, 2025By HE Khalid bin Ebrahim Al-Hamar
State of Qatar celebrates National Day
Foreign Affairs

US military commemorates 75th anniversary of rescuing Korean War orphans

The U.S. military on Wednesday commemorated the 75th anniversary of an operation rescuing Korean children orphaned in the winter of 1950, when North Korean communist troops threatened to take Seoul. Under Operation Kiddy Car, more than 1,000 children and caretakers were airlifted to safety to the southern island of Jeju from Seoul on Dec. 20, 1950, thanks to the humanitarian operation led by chaplain Lt. Col. Russell Blaisdell and Staff Sgt. Merle Strang. The U.S. airmen initially rescued lost children from the streets and worked to provide them with shelter and food. But as communist forces threatened U.N. troops and forced a retreat southward, Blaisdell and others loaded the orphans onto trucks at the port of Incheon and transported them to an air base in Gimpo, from where they were flown to safety. "I love the fact that it really was a reminder of this great partnership that we have between the Republic of Korea and the U.S.," Maj. Gen. Trent Davis, the chief of chaplains at the U.S. Department of Air Force, told reporters. "And it is that partnership ... it's really a partnership uni

Dec 17, 2025By Yonhap
US military commemorates 75th anniversary of rescuing Korean War orphans
Foreign Affairs

Foreign ministry vows not to repeat failures of 2018 NK working group

A newly launched South Korea-U.S. consultative body on North Korea policy differs fundamentally from the 2018 bilateral working group, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday, pushing back against concerns that the new framework could repeat past mistakes. The clarification came a day after Seoul and Washington held the inaugural meeting of the consultative body amid concerns that it could mirror the earlier working group, which was widely seen as giving the United States excessive influence over South Korea's approach on North Korea. "Both South Korea and the U.S. clearly recognized that the purpose and background of the discussions were entirely different from those of the previous working group, and this understanding remains unchanged," a foreign ministry official said during a closed-door briefing. The meeting was co-chaired by Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for diplomatic strategy and intelligence at the foreign ministry, and acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim. During the talks, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization

Dec 17, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Foreign ministry vows not to repeat failures of 2018 NK working group
North Korea

Female N. Korean restaurant workers return home en masse from Beijing since late November: report

Female North Korean workers employed at some North Korean restaurants in Beijing have returned home en masse since late last month, Kyodo News reported Wednesday, citing the possibility that China might have tightened visa controls. Since the departure of North Korean female employees beginning late November, North Korean restaurants in the Chinese capital have been scrambling to stay afloat by hiring Chinese staff or suspending the serving of North Korean cuisine, Kyodo said. The news agency, citing diplomatic sources, speculated that the incident may have been related to visa requirements in China, although it said details remain unknown. "There is information suggesting that employees at North Korean restaurants in China have made use of student or training visas. It is also possible that Chinese authorities have tightened visa controls," Kyodo said. The news agency pointed out that the U.N. Security Council in 2017 demanded that member states forcibly repatriate overseas North Korean workers in compliance with sanctions against the country.

Dec 17, 2025By Yonhap
Female N. Korean restaurant workers return home en masse from Beijing since late November: report
North Korea

Ruling party pushes to lift ban on North Korean media

A group of lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea is pushing to ease a decades-old ban on accessing North Korean websites such as the online Rodong Sinmun, reviving a debate over national security and freedom of information. The proposed revision, drafted by Rep. Han Min-soo and 11 other lawmakers, would allow people in South Korea to freely visit North Korean websites, while maintaining existing bans on distributing or actively promoting content that violates the National Security Act. “Blocking access excessively limits citizens’ most basic right to information and undermines their ability to freely use the materials needed to shape public discourse on North Korea and unification,” Han said. “By permitting access to and viewing of North Korean websites, the aim is to clarify the original intent of regulations on information distribution and to expand citizens’ opportunities to obtain information about the North, and thereby promote a more balanced understanding of the country.” Supporters frame the change as a necessary update for a mature democracy, arguing tha

Dec 17, 2025By Jung Min-ho
Ruling party pushes to lift ban on North Korean media
Foreign Affairs

EU, UN mark Human Rights Day in Seoul

The European Union Delegation in Seoul hosted an event to mark International Human Rights Day in Seoul, in partnership with the U.N. human rights office in Seoul, highlighting the 2025 campaign theme, “Human Rights, Our Everyday Essentials.” The event, held Dec. 15 and supported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Seoul, drew about 150 participants, including civil society representatives, youth activists, academics, policymakers, EU member state diplomats, journalists and human rights defenders. Organizers said the gathering aimed to deepen dialogue on equality, inclusion and democratic participation, while encouraging broader public engagement on human rights challenges in Korea and beyond. The program opened with remarks from representatives of the European Union, the U.N. Human Rights Office and the Korean government, followed by a panel discussion on equality and inclusion in Korea. A youth-focused session featured selected submissions from a joint EU-Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights social media campaign under

Dec 17, 2025By Kim Hyun-bin
EU, UN mark Human Rights Day in Seoul
Foreign Affairs

UNC opposes legislative move to allow S. Korean authority over DMZ access

The United Nations Command (UNC) has issued a rare press release stressing its authority over access to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). It comes amid growing debate in South Korea over proposed legislation that would allow the Korean government to approve nonmilitary access to the DMZ. According to the release posted on its website Tuesday, the UNC said that it, through the UNC Military Armistice Commission (UNCMAC), has been the successful administrator of the DMZ, a role that has been essential in maintaining stability, especially amid periods of heightened inter-Korean tensions. Citing the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement, the UNC emphasized that civil administration and relief activities in the DMZ south of the Military Demarcation Line fall under its authority. It further noted that the agreement grants the UNCMAC jurisdiction over all access to the DMZ. “No person, military or civilian, shall be permitted to enter the demilitarized zone except persons concerned with the conduct of civil administration and relief and persons specifically authorized to enter by the Military Armistice

Dec 17, 2025By Anna J. Park
UNC opposes legislative move to allow S. Korean authority over DMZ access
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