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  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee arrives in Italy for talks with Italian president, PM

    ROME — South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Italy on Wednesday for talks with the country's top leaders on bilateral ties. Italy is the second stop on Lee's 10-day trip to Europe, his first visit to the region since taking office in June last year, which is widely aimed at broadening his diplomatic outreach in the region. As the presidential aircraft carrying him and his entourage entered Italy's airspace, two Italian fighter jets provided an air escort in a show of respect. On Thursday, Lee will attend an official welcome ceremony hosted by President Sergio Mattarella and hold a summit with him before the two leaders make a joint press announcement. The South Korean president will hold separate talks with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni the following day. On Sunday, he will attend Mass at St. Peter's Basilica and meet with Pope Leo XIV the next day. The president will wrap up his visit to Italy on Tuesday, when he will head to France's Evian for the Group of Seven (G7) summit, to which South Korea has been invited as a partner nation.

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

    Korea attracts $165 mil. investment from European firms, signs digital trade agreement with EU

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korea attracts $165 mil. investment from European firms, signs digital trade agreement with EU
  • Foreign Affairs

    Korea, US host energy business forum to expand bilateral cooperation

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korea, US host energy business forum to expand bilateral cooperation
  • Foreign Affairs

    Japanese hotel to remove monument to colonial-era Korean independence activist

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Japanese hotel to remove monument to colonial-era Korean independence activist
  • 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
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Foreign Affairs

High-level trade talks held in Jeju as APEC ministers' meeting kicks off

JEJU — Top trade envoys of Korea and the United States sat down for tariff negotiations on Jeju, Thursday, amid Seoul’s efforts to sign a package deal that will ease impacts of Washington’s proposed “reciprocal” tariffs. Korea’s Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which kicked off on the southern resort island of Jeju earlier the same day. "During the meeting with USTR Jamieson Greer, (Korea) has inquired the negotiation process between the U.S. and other major countries regarding the U.S. tariff measures, while also discussing trade issues between our two countries," Cheong told reporters after the meeting. "Also, as Korea hosts the APEC summit this year, both countries have agreed to cooperate to draw progressive results (from APEC)." Though details of their talks remain unknown, their meeting is assumed to be serving as a prelude to Korea’s push for a “July package” — a set of trade deals aimed at easing the impa

May 15, 2025By Lee Gyu-lee
High-level trade talks held in Jeju as APEC ministers' meeting kicks off
Foreign Affairs

USFK's strategic flexibility issue resurfaces as Pentagon focuses on deterring China

The geopolitically-charged issue of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK)'s "strategic flexibility" appears to be reemerging as the Pentagon is working to craft a new defense strategy to prioritize deterring Chinese threats and increasing allies' "burden sharing." The issue has gained renewed attention amid speculation that President Donald Trump's administration might strive to align USFK troops and other U.S. military assets in the Indo-Pacific with his "America First" policy priorities to keep China in check and prevail in a potential contingency. Greater strategic flexibility would mean the use of U.S. troops in South Korea for a wider range of expeditionary operations, including roles for regional contingencies — a move farther away from their traditional dedication to deterring North Korean threats. Analysts said that from the United States' perspective, strategic flexibility might be a requirement for Washington to rebalance its military assets to optimize deterrence against China at a time when security challenges have become more convoluted due to Beijing's military buil

May 15, 2025By Yonhap
USFK's strategic flexibility issue resurfaces as Pentagon focuses on deterring China
Foreign Affairs

Number of N. Korea's ICBMs may rise to 50 by 2035: US intel report

North Korea is projected to have 50 ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, by 2035, an intelligence agency of the U.S. Defense Department said in a report Tuesday. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) released the report on the current and future threats to the U.S. homeland, pointing out evolving missile threats from the North, China, Russia and Iran. "North Korea has successfully tested ballistic missiles with sufficient range to reach the entire Homeland," the report said. According to the report, the North is expected to have 50 ICBMs by 2035, a jump from the current 10 or fewer ICBMs, while China is projected to have 700 ICBMs by that year, compared with the current 400 ICBMs. The number of Russia's ICBMs is forecast to rise to 400 from the current 350 by 2035, while the figure for Iran is expected to jump to 60 from zero. The agency defined the ICBM in point as a ground-based missile with a range exceeding 5,500 kilometers that flies on a ballistic trajectory and is typically armed with a nuclear warhead or warheads.

May 14, 2025By Yonhap
Number of N. Korea's ICBMs may rise to 50 by 2035: US intel report
Foreign Affairs

Bessent says Korea presented 'very good' proposals in trade talks before election cycle

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday that Korea put forward "very good" proposals in bilateral talks over trade and other related issues before the Asian country's election cycle kicked off, as Seoul is seeking to secure exemptions from new U.S. tariffs. Bessent made the remarks during a Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum in Riyadh as Seoul and Washington have been conducting trade consultations with a focus on tariff- and non-tariff measures, economic security, investment cooperation and currency policy. "Korea is going through a governmental change, but before they went into the election cycle, the Koreans came with very good proposals," the secretary said. He did not elaborate, but Seoul officials have said that they discussed with the U.S. ideas for economic and industrial cooperation, particularly in the shipbuilding industry — a sector that the U.S. wants to focus on given China's overwhelming shipbuilding capacity. Bessent also touched on trade talks with other Asian countries. "I've been focused on the Asia deals, of which obviously China is the largest. We've had very pr

May 14, 2025By Yonhap
Bessent says Korea presented 'very good' proposals in trade talks before election cycle
Foreign Affairs

S. Korea, ASEAN set to hold inaugural joint think tank dialogue on economic, trade policies

South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were set to hold their first joint think tank dialogue on economic and trade policies Wednesday, Seoul's industry ministry said. The inaugural ASEAN-ROK Think-tank Dialogue on Economic and Trade Policy (AKTD) will be held on South Korea's southern Jeju Island, with the attendance of some 100 officials from major Korean and ASEAN think tanks, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. ROK stands for Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name. The AKTD was established after the two sides elevated their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership," diplomatic parlance that refers to the highest level of relations that ASEAN can forge with a dialogue partner, during a summit in Laos in October. "ASEAN is South Korea's third-largest trading partner and the second-largest destination for direct investment," Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said. Cheong said the two sides have continued to strengthen their cooperation, but in a rather "fragmented manner." "As South Korea and ASEAN have grown into a comprehen

May 14, 2025By Yonhap
S. Korea, ASEAN set to hold inaugural joint think tank dialogue on economic, trade policies
North Korea

N. Korea's Kim supervises special operations' drills, urges full preparations for war

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised combined tactical drills of special operations, stressing that the most "crucial" task for the North's armed forces is to make full preparations for war. The combined tactical drills of special operations and tank subunits' joint fire strike demonstration took place the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "Saying that our revolutionary armed forces are now in charge of not a few fronts, but the most important among them is the anti-imperialist class front and making full preparations for war is the most crucial task," Kim was quoted as saying by the KCNA. Kim appears to have highlighted the concept of the anti-imperialist class front to justify the North's deployment of troops to Russia to support Moscow's war against Ukraine. Photos carried by state media showed North Korean troops in camouflage suits operating drones. South Korea's spy agency earlier said it detected signs of North Korean troops deployed to Russia learning drone operations and tactics from Moscow. Last month, North Korea acknowledged for the fi

May 14, 2025By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim supervises special operations' drills, urges full preparations for war
Foreign Affairs

'Iraq sees economic gains, investor confidence rises' : Iraqi envoy

The Iraqi economy has witnessed significant and remarkable improvements over the past few years. According to the latest international economic indicators, Iraq has entered a new phase of recovery and growth amid significant transformations that reflect a tangible improvement in economic performance and enhance confidence in the national economy among local and international investors. This improvement comes amid an economic policy characterized by openness and balanced planning to address challenges and stimulate sustainable development. Increased Non-Oil Revenues and Improved Financial Performance In a remarkable development, Iraq's nonoil sector recorded unprecedented growth during 2024. Nonoil revenues rose by 198 percent during the first nine months of the year — a jump from $3.5 billion in the same period in 2023 to $10 billion in 2024. These revenues now account for 12.1 percent of the state’s total revenues, clearly indicating a diversification of income sources and improvements in financial management efficiency. Decline in Inflation Rates and Recovery of the Financial Mark

May 13, 2025By Mohammed Mustafa Juma ALMUNTAFKY
'Iraq sees economic gains, investor confidence rises' : Iraqi envoy
2025 Presidential Election

Peace vs. strength: Rival presidential hopefuls offer contrasting approaches to NK policy

South Korea's two leading presidential candidates are presenting sharply contrasting approaches to North Korea — one emphasizes diplomacy and dialogue, while the other advocates for a more robust deterrence strategy, including the possible redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea. These weapons were withdrawn in late 1991 under U.S. President George H. W. Bush’s nuclear reduction initiatives. While North Korea policy has not traditionally played a decisive role in presidential elections, lingering uncertainty over how U.S. President Donald Trump might engage with Pyongyang has raised the stakes for the next South Korean government's security strategy. According to his campaign pledge booklet, Tuesday, Lee Jae-myung, the candidate from the liberal Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), vowed to pursue dialogue with North Korea aimed at achieving denuclearization — following the liberal bloc's traditional playbook of easing military tensions and fostering peace. Lee has laid out an amicable approach to Pyongyang, pledging to "pursue and promote inter-Korean humanitaria

May 13, 2025By Lee Hyo-jin
Peace vs. strength: Rival presidential hopefuls offer contrasting approaches to NK policy
North Korea

Close aide to N. Korean leader presumed to be reinstated after suspected reeducation

Jo Yong-won, a North Korean party secretary considered one of the closest aides to leader Kim Jong-un, appears to have been reinstated following months of suspected disciplinary reeducation, according to Seoul officials and sources, Tuesday. Jo was reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) to be among a group of high-level officials who accompanied Kim on his visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang on Friday to mark Moscow's 80th Victory Day anniversary, according to Seoul's unification ministry. It was the first time that North Korea's media has mentioned Jo by his name and title since he was last listed among the attendees at groundbreaking ceremonies on Feb. 28 for regional industrial factories. His absence had fueled speculation about a possible change in his official status. On April 27, the KCNA also published photos showing Jo among officials attending an event in Pyongyang to evaluate industrial products from new factories, but he was not mentioned by name or title at the time. "Considering that (Jo's) name and title were listed in the state media report, his status app

May 13, 2025By Yonhap
Close aide to N. Korean leader presumed to be reinstated after suspected reeducation
Foreign Affairs

Korea, Malaysia set to hold 9th round of FTA negotiations in Kuala Lumpur

Korea and Malaysia were set to hold their ninth round of negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) on Tuesday, as the two sides seek to broaden their trade portfolio and enhance cooperation, Seoul's industry ministry said. The latest round of talks for an FTA was scheduled to kick off in Kuala Lumpur for a three-day run, involving some 70 trade officials from the two countries, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The countries are seeking to make progress in eight separate areas, including market access for goods and services, as well as economic cooperation, the ministry added. Following a five-year hiatus, the two nations agreed to resume their FTA negotiations in March 2024. Korea already has an FTA with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), but it is seeking to forge separate free trade deals with individual members, including Malaysia. "A bilateral FTA with Malaysia, a promising market in the ASEAN region, will greatly help Korean companies boost their competitiveness in the global market and mitigate uncertainties amid growing risks s

May 13, 2025By Yonhap
Korea, Malaysia set to hold 9th round of FTA negotiations in Kuala Lumpur
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