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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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Foreign Affairs

USFK drawdown idea deepens security concerns in South Korea over North Korea threats

WASHINGTON — The United States' reported consideration of a U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) troop drawdown is raising eyebrows in South Korea as the reduction, if realized, could affect deterrence against a muscle-flexing North Korea and be construed as a sign of a diminished security commitment to South Korea. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is weighing the idea of pulling out roughly 4,500 troops, part of the 28,500-strong USFK, and move them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing unnamed defense officials. The move comes as the Pentagon is looking to rebalance and reapportion its military assets in the region to optimize deterrence against its geopolitical rival, China, amid Trump's belief that South Korea, a "wealthy" ally, is not "reimbursing" the United States sufficiently for America's "big-time" military protection of it. The issue is expected to figure prominently as a key alliance topic for the next Seoul government that will be launched following the June 3 presidential election, an event triggered by

May 23, 2025By Yonhap
USFK drawdown idea deepens security concerns in South Korea over North Korea threats
North Korea

Satellite photo shows N. Korea's new warship capsized at shipyard

North Korea's new warship that failed to properly launch into the sea this week lies partially submerged on its side while being draped over with tarpaulins, a British research organization has said, citing commercial satellite imagery. The Open Source Centre posted the image taken Thursday of the warship at a shipyard in North Korea's northeastern city of Chongjin on X, a day after the 5,000-ton naval destroyer's failed launch ceremony. "High resolution satellite imagery from @AirbusSpace shows the ship lies partially submerged on its side, tarpaulins draped over the wreckage in a visible attempt to contain the disaster," it said. North Korea said Thursday the warship experienced a "serious accident" during its launch and some sections of its bottom were "crushed." North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who attended the ceremony, called the accident a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated. South Korea's military said the North appears to have failed in using a side launching technique and the destroyer remains partially capsized in the sea. On Friday, the North said it has launched an inv

May 23, 2025By Yonhap
Satellite photo shows N. Korea's new warship capsized at shipyard
North Korea

Pyongyang decries UN General Assembly meeting on NK human rights as 'provocation'

North Korea on Friday decried a recent high-level U.N. Assembly meeting on the country's human rights situation as a "politically motivated provocation," vowing not to overlook such a smear campaign by "hostile forces." The North's Korea Association for Human Rights Studies issued the criticism, carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), regarding the first high-level U.N. General Assembly session convened Tuesday to address North Korea's human rights abuses. During the meeting, North Korean escapees, activists and others called for international action to improve the human rights situation in North Korea, with two defectors from the country sharing insider accounts of the issue. The association accused Washington, Seoul and other countries of a "heinous politically motivated provocation" for viciously picking on the human rights situation in North Korea, denouncing the meeting as a contravention of the U.N. Charter and international law, which respect sovereignty and noninterference in internal affairs. "The U.N. has never been openly used as an arena for confrontation, plot and

May 23, 2025By Yonhap
Pyongyang decries UN General Assembly meeting on NK human rights as 'provocation'
North Korea

N. Korea launches investigation into warship accident

North Korea has launched a full-scale investigation into the recent warship accident that occurred during the destroyer's launch but said the extent of the damage is "not serious," state media reported Friday. Part of a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer was damaged during the launch ceremony in the eastern port city of Chongjin on Wednesday, an accident that the North's leader Kim Jong-un slammed as a "criminal act" that cannot be tolerated. "Detailed underwater and internal inspection of the warship confirmed that, unlike the initial announcement, there were no holes made at the warship's bottom," according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The hull's starboard was scratched, and some amount of seawater flowed into the stern section through the "rescue channel," it added. A group of investigators reported to the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party that it will take two or three days to keep the balance of the warship by pumping out the seawater from the flooded chamber, and some 10 days might be needed to restore the warship's side. The commission assessed that

May 23, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea launches investigation into warship accident
Foreign Affairs

US considers withdrawing thousands of troops from S. Korea: report

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is considering withdrawing thousands of U.S. troops from South Korea and moving them to other locations in the Indo-Pacific, including Guam, a news report said Thursday. It is weighing the idea of pulling out roughly 4,500 troops — part of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed defense officials — a move that could add to security concerns in South Korea in the midst of persistent North Korean threats. The idea is being prepared for consideration by the U.S. president as part of an informal policy review on how to address Pyongyang, the defense officials were quoted by the newspaper as saying. A Pentagon spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency that there are no policy announcements to make regarding any potential USFK troop reduction. The idea came amid speculation that the Trump administration could pursue greater "strategic flexibility" of American troops stationed in South Korea to keep an assertive China in check and to encourage South Korea to assume a greater share of

May 23, 2025By Yonhap
US considers withdrawing thousands of troops from S. Korea: report
Foreign Affairs

Acting president sees APEC summit as chance to boost Korea's national credibility

Acting President Lee Ju-ho said Thursday the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit should serve as an opportunity for Korea to boost its national credibility, as the country is set to host the multilateral meeting later this year. Lee made the call as he presided over a preparatory meeting aimed at discussing planning for the summit, scheduled to take place in late October in the eastern city of Gyeongju. It will be the first time in 20 years that Korea hosts the summit. "We must make the APEC summit a success and use it as an opportunity to demonstrate our leadership on the global stage and enhance the nation's international credibility," Lee was quoted as saying by the foreign ministry. "I ask every official to prepare thoroughly to ensure the summit is held successfully and smoothly," he said. In the meeting, officials reviewed the recent APEC-related events, including the high-level ministers' meeting that was held on Jeju Island last week, and discussed preparations, including transportation, medical systems and cultural events. The officials agreed to work more clo

May 22, 2025By Yonhap
Acting president sees APEC summit as chance to boost Korea's national credibility
North Korea

N. Korea fires multiple cruise missiles into East Sea: JCS

North Korea fired multiple cruise missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday, South Korea's military said, a day after a "serious" accident occurred during Pyongyang's launch of a new warship. The launches took place as North Korea said earlier in the day that parts of a new naval destroyer were "crushed" during its launch ceremony Wednesday, with the North's leader Kim Jong-un calling it a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the North's missile launches at about 9 a.m. from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province, without providing further details, such as the number of missiles fired. The military believes the missiles may have been fired from a maritime platform and are conducting a detailed analysis with U.S. intelligence authorities. In February last year, North Korea test-fired a new surface-to-sea missile, named Padasuri-6. Authorities are looking into the possibility that the latest launch may have involved a variant of the anti-ship missile. The JCS said it is closely monitoring North Korean activities so that Pyongyang do

May 22, 2025
N. Korea fires multiple cruise missiles into East Sea: JCS
North Korea

N. Korea says 'serious accident' occurred during new destroyer's launch ceremony

North Korea said Thursday a "serious accident" occurred the previous day during a ceremony to launch a new warship, with its leader Kim Jong-un calling it a "criminal act" that could not be tolerated. The accident took place Wednesday at a shipyard in the eastern port city of Chongjin during a ceremony to launch a newly built 5,000-ton destroyer, attended by the North's leader, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Citing "inexperience command and operational carelessness" in the course of the launch, North Korea said a "serious accident" occurred as the launch slide of the stern departed first and was stranded while the flatcar failed to move in parallel. Some sections of the warship's bottom were "crushed," destroying the balance of the warship, and the bow couldn't leave the shipway, it reported. After watching the whole course of the accident, Kim said, "It was a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility and could not be tolerated," according to the KCNA. He or

May 22, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea says 'serious accident' occurred during new destroyer's launch ceremony
2025 Presidential Election

High-stakes diplomacy awaits Korea's next president

Korea’s next president, to be elected on June 3, will step into office with a packed diplomatic schedule as the country seeks to resume summit-level engagements that have been on hold for six months. Seoul has been grappling with a leadership vacuum on the diplomatic front since former President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Dec. 3, a move that ultimately led to his impeachment in April. With less than two weeks until the snap presidential election, the race is shaping up as a contest between liberal Democratic Party of Korea candidate Lee Jae-myung and conservative People Power Party nominee Kim Moon-soo, with Lee Jun-seok of the minor Reform Party trailing behind. Whoever becomes the new president, the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada, scheduled for June 15 to 17, is widely expected to serve as his debut on the international stage. The G7 summit stands as a pivotal diplomatic stage for the incoming Korean administration, offering a crucial opportunity to reassert the nation's global presence and revitalize high-level engagements after a period of domestic political upheav

May 22, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
High-stakes diplomacy awaits Korea's next president
North Korea

Rubio says appointment process underway to find 'right person' for NK human rights envoy

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that an appointment process is taking place to find the "right" person to fill the State Department post for special envoy for North Korean human rights issues. The secretary made the remarks during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, responding to a question by Rep. Young Kim about whether he has a plan to appoint someone to fill the post that has been vacant since former Special Envoy Julie Turner left in January. "Yes and obviously, that's going through the process of the presidential personnel for the appointment process to find the right person ... make sure the vetting is cleared and so forth," Rubio said. He noted that initially, the administration prioritized appointments of assistant secretaries and other Senate confirmed positions. "We are working through it, but obviously our intention is to have someone as the statute requires," he said. Questions have lingered over whether the Trump administration would name a new special envoy amid a sense that it is paying less attention to foreign human rights issues. The appointment

May 22, 2025By Yonhap
Rubio says appointment process underway to find 'right person' for NK human rights envoy
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