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  • North Korea

    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

    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
  • Foreign Affairs

    Greece eyes more Korean travelers through Santorini tourism showcase in Seoul

    2 MIN READBy Anna J. Park
    Greece eyes more Korean travelers through Santorini tourism showcase in Seoul
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North Korea

Recent legal revisions bring end to era of leaflet campaigns against N. Korea: unification ministry

The recent passage of legal revisions regulating the scattering of propaganda leaflets into North Korea has ended the era of leaflet campaigns targeting Pyongyang, the unification ministry said Monday, expressing hope for the restoration of inter-Korean ties. "The latest revisions to the Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officers and the Aviation Safety Act have made it difficult to scatter anti-North Korea leaflets, effectively drawing the era of leaflet campaigns toward the North to a close," unification ministry spokesperson Yoon Min-ho said at a press briefing. Following the passage of a revised Aviation Safety Act in early December that more strictly regulates the airborne launch of leaflets near the border with North Korea, the National Assembly passed another revised law the previous day granting police broader legal authority to block leaflet campaigns. The spokesperson said leaflet campaigns toward the North have fueled distrust between the Koreas and undermined the peace and safety of border residents, expressing hope that the revisions could serve as a starting point

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
Recent legal revisions bring end to era of leaflet campaigns against N. Korea: unification ministry
North Korea

Unification ministry reviewing participation in regular Seoul-Washington talks on N. Korea policy

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Monday that the ministry is reviewing whether to participate in upcoming regular consultative talks between Seoul and Washington on coordinating their North Korea policy. The minister's remarks came as Seoul and Washington were reportedly arranging to launch regular consultations this week to fine-tune the pace and direction of their North Korea policy, as both seek to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang in an effort to address its nuclear issues. Jeong Yeon-doo, vice minister for intelligence and North Korea's nuclear issues at the foreign ministry, and acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim were reportedly set to inaugurate their regular consultative meeting as early as Tuesday. "We are continuing to discuss it," Chung told reporters on his way to his office in central Seoul earlier in the morning when asked whether the ministry would take part in the regular consultations. "We will make a decision after looking into the details." The minister said that Seoul and Washington appear to have decided to change the meeting's name from the one i

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
Unification ministry reviewing participation in regular Seoul-Washington talks on N. Korea policy
Foreign Affairs

Korea to push for trade agreements with African nations: vice minister

Korea will push for trade agreements with African nations, while working to deepen ties in supply chains for critical minerals and manufacturing, Seoul's vice trade minister said Monday. "Amid challenges in the global trade environment, the collaboration between Korea and Africa serves as a wise choice that can foster growth for both sides and turn crises into an opportunities," Vice Trade Minister Park Jung-sung said in his opening remarks for the Korea-Africa forum on trade and industrial cooperation, according to his office. Park added that the government will actively push for trade agreements with African countries and "boost supply chain cooperation in critical minerals and the manufacturing sector." Monday's forum in Seoul was attended by some 100 officials from both sides, including foreign envoys from 12 African nations and business figures, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
Korea to push for trade agreements with African nations: vice minister
North Korea

N. Korean leader's sister spotted with what appears to be Chinese foldable smartphone

The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has recently been spotted holding what appeared to be a Chinese foldable smartphone, as members of the country's ruling class are frequently seen with the latest smartphone technologies. A photo published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed Kim Yo-jong holding a smartphone that appeared to be a foldable model from Chinese firm Honor's Magic series as she accompanied Kim Jong-un on an inspection of a newly built regional hospital on Saturday. A pro-North Korean news outlet based in Japan has said North Korea produces smartphones under an indigenous brand. The photo provides only a rough image of the phone held by Kim Yo-jong, without revealing any information about the device's manufacturer, though it appears to be a Chinese model. If the device was imported from China, it could constitute a violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397, which prohibits the supply of electrical equipment to North Korea amid concerns over foreign-currency earnings and technology acquisition. In 2023, Kim Jong-un and Hyon So

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korean leader's sister spotted with what appears to be Chinese foldable smartphone
North Korea

N. Korea urges completion of ruling-party projects ahead of key party congress

North Korea on Monday urged all-out public efforts to complete major projects of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea ahead of the first party congress in five years in 2026, where a new development plan is expected to be unveiled. The Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's most widely read newspaper, issued the call in an editorial, describing the period until the ninth party congress as "a very important and responsible juncture" in implementing party decisions and transitioning to a new stage of reform. The North Korean party is expected to convene its ninth party congress in January or February, at which a new five-year development plan is expected to be formulated. It will mark the first party congress since the eighth in 2021, where a five-year economic development plan was adopted. At the upcoming party congress, leader Kim Jong-un is likely to highlight the achievements of his signature regional development drive, known as "the Regional Development 20x10 Policy," touting them as major party accomplishments. "Not even a trivial case of incompletion should be allowed" in the implementation of p

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea urges completion of ruling-party projects ahead of key party congress
Foreign Affairs

Lee and Laotian president set to discuss transnational crime responses at summit

President Lee Jae Myung is set to hold summit talks with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith on Monday, with discussions to center on closer coordination to combat transnational crimes, as well as economic and security cooperation. The two leaders are expected to explore ways to strengthen joint efforts to curb transnational crimes, such as online scam operations, which have surged across Southeast Asia in recent years. During the summit, the two countries plan to sign mutual legal assistance and extradition treaties to lay the groundwork for closer cooperation in combating transnational crimes, according to Lee's office. South Korea has been working with regional partners to address a rise in criminal cases involving Korean nationals, including online fraud, illegal gambling and drug trafficking. Their talks are also expected to explore ways to expand trade and investment, strengthen cooperation in infrastructure and supply chains, and coordinate on regional and international issues, the office said. Thongloun arrived in Seoul on Sunday for a two-day official visit at Lee's invitation

Dec 15, 2025By Yonhap
Lee and Laotian president set to discuss transnational crime responses at summit
North Korea

Nat'l Assembly passes bill allowing police to intervene in anti-NK leaflet launches

The National Assembly passed Sunday a bill led by the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) that would give police legal authority to block attempts to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets near border areas. The amendment to the Act on the Performance of Duties by Police Officers allows police to intervene in the launch of leaflets near the inter-Korean border, aiming to prevent activities that could heighten tensions between the two Koreas. The bill was passed at a plenary session, shortly after the main opposition People Power Party (PPP)'s filibuster ended through a vote 24 hours after it began. The DPK has argued that the legislation is necessary to protect the safety of border residents and to help reduce military tensions, while the PPP opposed the bill, saying it infringes on freedom of expression. The move follows the recent passage of a revision to the Aviation Safety Act, which bans the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in restricted areas, effectively blocking the use of drones to distribute leaflets toward the North. The legislation comes as the government seeks to ease military

Dec 14, 2025By Yonhap
Nat'l Assembly passes bill allowing police to intervene in anti-NK leaflet launches
Foreign Affairs

Korea, China, Japan agree on health care cooperation amid Tokyo-Beijing squabble

Heads of health authorities from Korea, China and Japan have agreed to strengthen trilateral cooperation on universal health coverage and mental health by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies, Seoul's health ministry said Sunday, amid recent diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Taiwan. The agreement was reached during the two-day 18th Trilateral Health Ministers' Meeting held in Seoul, attended by Korean Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong, Japanese Health Minister Kenichiro Ueno and Feng Yong, director general for international cooperation at China's National Health Commission. The trilateral dialogue was launched in 2007 following cooperation among the three nations on pandemic influenza preparedness. During the meeting, the three sides agreed to make joint effort to expand access to essential medical services by utilizing AI and digital technologies and to share their ways of using technologies in accordance with each country's infrastructure and institutional frameworks. To address the challenge of rapid population aging, they also agreed to sup

Dec 14, 2025By Yonhap
Korea, China, Japan agree on health care cooperation amid Tokyo-Beijing squabble
North Korea

N. Korea completes building 2nd modern regional hospital

North Korea has built its second modern regional hospital as part of leader Kim Jong-un's push to expand medical facilities nationwide to improve public health services, state media reported Sunday. Kim attended the inaugural ceremony of the Kusong City Hospital in North Phyongan Province to tour the facility, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The hospital follows the opening of the Kangdong County Hospital on the outskirts of Pyongyang last month. Calling the Kusong facility "another precious creation," Kim said it reflects the ruling party's determination to strengthen regional areas and advance public health across the country. He also described 2025 as "the first year of the public health revolution," the KCNA reported. At a plenary meeting last week, the Workers' Party of Korea announced plans to build modern hospitals simultaneously in 20 cities and counties starting next year, based on experience gained from this year's pilot projects. During the ceremony, Kim reaffirmed his commitment to building modern hospitals across the country to lay a solid found

Dec 14, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea completes building 2nd modern regional hospital
Foreign Affairs

US, Korea, other partners sign 'Pax Silica' declaration amid AI race with China

WASHINGTON — The United States, Korea and other partners on Friday adopted the "Pax Silica" Declaration for cooperation to build a "trusted" supply chain ecosystem for artificial intelligence (AI), critical minerals and other areas, as Washington seeks to counter China's growing heft in those fields. Seven countries, including Japan, Australia, Britain, Israel and Singapore, signed the declaration under an America-led initiative to forge a coalition among U.S. allies and partners, as they attended the inaugural Pax Silica summit in Washington. Pax Silica draws from the Latin pax, which means peace, stability and long-term prosperity, while silica refers to the compound refined into silicon, a chemical element key to the computer chips that enable artificial intelligence, according to the State Department. The declaration came as President Donald Trump's administration is pushing to enhance America's global "AI dominance," ensure stable supply chains for critical minerals and counter China's control over those strategically vital resources, amid an intensifying rivalry between the two

Dec 13, 2025By Yonhap
US, Korea, other partners sign 'Pax Silica' declaration amid AI race with China
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