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  • North Korea

    North Korea denuclearization missing from US readout as Trump pushes for Kim talks

    The United States conspicuously omitted any reference to "the denuclearization of North Korea" from its readout of a phone call between the top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S., raising speculation that Washington is creating diplomatic room for renewed engagement with Pyongyang. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke by phone Monday to discuss a range of bilateral issues, with both sides stressing the need for close coordination between the allies. The two governments, however, differed notably in how they described discussions on North Korea. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cho and Rubio "agreed to preserve the strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture while maintaining close communication and coordination for peace on the Korean Peninsula and to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue." Cho also told Rubio that Seoul "would work to ensure that U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent messages toward Pyongyang could lead to the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue and contribute to peace on the Korean

    4 MIN READBy Park Ji-won
    North Korea denuclearization missing from US readout as Trump pushes for Kim talks
  • Foreign Affairs

    US Amb. Steel meets Japanese envoy, stresses continued trilateral cooperation

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    US Amb. Steel meets Japanese envoy, stresses continued trilateral cooperation
  • North Korea

    N. Korea, Belarus near visa-waiver agreement for ordinary citizens: report

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    N. Korea, Belarus near visa-waiver agreement for ordinary citizens: report
  • Foreign Affairs

    Korean, Mexican FMs discuss cooperation in AI, middle-power solidarity

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Korean, Mexican FMs discuss cooperation in AI, middle-power solidarity
  • North Korea

    N. Korea slams Japan's Yasukuni shrine visits as 'neo-militarist frenzy'

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    N. Korea slams Japan's Yasukuni shrine visits as 'neo-militarist frenzy'
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Foreign Affairs

‘Relief, but no escape yet’: Korean seafarers still trapped off Hormuz

Despite a Washington-Tehran ceasefire intended to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, Koreans stranded in the area say tension, fatigue and anxiety are still building as their ships remain stuck, according to a senior official of their labor union. “For now they pin their hopes on the (ceasefire) news,” an official at the Federation of Korean Seafarers’ Unions (FKSU) said. “But in the end, they say they will only really relax when the ships actually set sail. Things change so quickly that it is impossible to get a grip on the situation, and that leaves some people upset and frustrated.” There are 26 vessels linked to Korean companies and roughly 170 Korean and Korea‑linked crew members trapped on the inner side of the waterway, according to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, which is monitoring conditions for reopening and consulting with other countries amid Iran’s control over traffic through the strait. For now, life looks much the same as it did before the ceasefire, according to the official. “From our AIS map, we se

Apr 10, 2026By Jung Min-ho
‘Relief, but no escape yet’: Korean seafarers still trapped off Hormuz
Foreign Affairs

InterviewNordic ambassadors highlight trust, human-centered values in AI cooperation with Korea

As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes economies and societies, Nordic countries like Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are positioning themselves not only as innovation leaders, but also as proponents of a distinctly human-centered approach to AI. In a joint interview with The Korea Times ahead of the Nordic+Korea Innovation Days from April 21 to 23, four ambassadors outlined how their social model — grounded in high levels of social trust, inclusive governance and human-centric values — is shaping the trajectory of AI development and what policy and societal lessons it may offer Korea. The annual initiative, jointly organized by the four countries, will run this year under the theme “Human–AI Collaboration: The Productive Partnership.” The discussion underscored the strong alignment between Korea and the Nordic region as innovation-driven, highly digitalized economies, making for a natural partnership in the AI era. Both regions invest heavily in research and development, while pursuing technological advancement alongside sustainability. “Both Korea and the Nor

Apr 10, 2026By Anna J. Park
Nordic ambassadors highlight trust, human-centered values in AI cooperation with Korea
Others

Ex-Kuwait Ambassador Chung Byung-ha named special envoy to Iran

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Friday it named Chung Byung-ha, former ambassador to Kuwait, as a special envoy of the foreign minister to Iran. Chung, who is currently the ambassador for polar affairs, will arrive in Iran this weekend to discuss the situation in the Middle East and Korean ships stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, amid a tenuous ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran. “Through the dispatch, the foreign ministry will exchange views on the situation in the Middle East and discuss the safety of Korean nationals in Iran and those on the ships, as well as the passage of the ships,” the ministry said in a press release. The decision to send an envoy happened Thursday during a phone call between Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The two foreign ministers’ call happened as the situation in the region remains unclear, even after the U.S., Israel and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire agreement the previous day. A total of 26 ships related to Korean businesses have been stranded in the strait as Iran blocks the Strait of Ho

Apr 10, 2026By Park Ji-won
Ex-Kuwait Ambassador Chung Byung-ha named special envoy to Iran
Foreign Affairs

President shares video alleging Israeli soldiers abused Palestinian child

President Lee Jae Myung shared a video on social media, Friday, alleging that Israeli soldiers abused a Palestinian child and then threw him off a rooftop. He wrote, “We need to verify whether this is true, and if so, what actions were taken. There is no difference between this and the Japanese wartime sexual slavery issue we raise, the massacre of Jews, or wartime killings.” Lee made the remark on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing a video uploaded by an account named Jvnior, a Palestinian content creator who shares information about the situation on the ground in Gaza and calls for international attention. The account has about 152,000 followers. The 20-second-long video garnered 428,000 views as of 10:30 a.m. Friday. In the post reposted by Lee, Jvnior wrote, “IDF soldiers tortured a Palestinian kid and threw him off a roof. They call themselves ‘the most moral army.’” However, some viewers said the video may have been filmed in September 2024, prior to the outbreak of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran this year. Lee later confirmed the context, adding that the footage shows a rea

Apr 10, 2026By Yi Whan-woo
President shares video alleging Israeli soldiers abused Palestinian child
North Korea

N. Korea celebrates late founder Kim Il-sung's birth anniv. with cultural events

North Korea is marking the upcoming birth anniversary of its late founder Kim Il-sung with various cultural events honoring his achievements, according to state media Friday. The country launched a film week to mark the April 15 anniversary Thursday, along with art exhibitions, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. North Korea observes April 15, the birthday of founder Kim, as one of its biggest national holidays, often marked by extravagant events honoring his achievements and aimed at boosting national unity. Following a ceremony launching the cinema week at the International Cinema Hall in Pyongyang, participants watched a film praising Kim, while art exhibitions showcased works depicting his life, the KCNA said. North Korea, however, appears to have reduced its use of the honorific term for the founder's birthday, the "Day of the Sun," in recent years, including this year, as it seems to be shifting allegiance to his grandson, the current leader Kim Jong-un.

Apr 10, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea celebrates late founder Kim Il-sung's birth anniv. with cultural events
North Korea

N. Korea's top diplomat tells China that Pyongyang vows to deepen bilateral ties

North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui has told her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that Pyongyang would forge relations with Beijing for the interests of the people, with both ministers praising their leaders' pledge to deepen ties, according to the North's state media Friday. Choe made the remarks during talks with Wang in Pyongyang, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, with a Chinese foreign minister visiting North Korea for the first time in more than six years. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited Beijing last year and held summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Choe told Wang that bilateral ties have been advanced to a "higher new level" under an agreement reached during the summit talks between Kim and Xi last year. North Korea would further deepen the bilateral friendship under the "common ideology of socialism in accordance with the aspirations and interests of the people of the two nations," Choe told Wang, according to the KCNA. Wang also recalled that Xi and Kim held a "historic" meeting in Beijing in September last year, during which, he said, t

Apr 10, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's top diplomat tells China that Pyongyang vows to deepen bilateral ties
Others

Korea to send special envoy to Iran to discuss Middle East situation: foreign ministry

Korea will dispatch a special envoy to Iran to study the situation in the Middle East, as contradictory reports from the U.S. and Iran about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz continue, according to Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thursday. The sending of an envoy was decided during a phone call between Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and his Iranian counterpart Seyyed Abbas Araghchi. The phone call was made as the situation in the region remains unclear even after the U.S., Israel and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire agreement the previous day. A total of 26 ships related to Korean businesses have been stranded in the strait as Iran has blockaded the key trade route since the conflict started on Feb. 28. “Cho welcomed that the U.S. and Iran’s agreement on a ceasefire has brought the chance to resume passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and said negotiations between the two sides of the conflict will lead to a successful deal and bring peace and stability to the Middle East," the ministry said in a press release. "Cho said he will dispatch a special envoy of the for

Apr 9, 2026By Park Ji-won
Korea to send special envoy to Iran to discuss Middle East situation: foreign ministry
Others

Seoul urges immediate departure of Korean nationals in Lebanon amid ongoing strikes

The foreign ministry on Thursday urged Korean nationals in Lebanon to leave the country promptly, as airstrikes have continued in the Middle East despite a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Seoul's Ambassador to Lebanon Jeon Gyu-seok said on the embassy's website that Koreans in the Middle Eastern country should "seriously consider departing and moving to a safe location as soon as possible," warning that a "wait-and-see" approach is "becoming increasingly dangerous." Currently, about 90 Korean nationals, around 10 embassy staff and some 180 members of South Korea's peacekeeping contingent Dongmyeong Unit are in Lebanon. While the U.S. and Iran agreed Wednesday to a ceasefire following their monthlong conflict, Israel carried out extensive airstrikes across Lebanon, arguing that the country was not part of the agreement. More than 1,000 casualties have been reported following the strikes. "The embassy will provide all possible support, but if the situation worsens, our ability to assist may become limited," the message said. Though the Dongmyeong Unit's base is located away fr

Apr 9, 2026By Yonhap
Seoul urges immediate departure of Korean nationals in Lebanon amid ongoing strikes
Foreign Affairs

IAEA chief to visit S. Korea next week for nuclear energy discussions

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit South Korea next week for consultations on nuclear energy, North Korea and other issues, the foreign ministry said Thursday. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi will make a two-day trip to Seoul from Tuesday, during which he plans to meet Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and other officials here, ministry spokesperson Park Il said in a press briefing. Grossi's upcoming visit comes as South Korea is pushing to acquire nuclear-powered submarines, and secure the right to uranium enrichment and spent fuel reprocessing for civilian use under a deal with the United States. Cho and Grossi are expected to have broad discussions on issues of mutual concern, including the situation in the Middle East, North Korea's nuclear issues and cooperation on nuclear safety technology, Park said. "We expect the meeting will serve as a good opportunity to contribute to promoting the peaceful use of nuclear energy in the international community, based on South Korea's strong nuclear energy capabilities," he said. The process for acquiring nuclear-po

Apr 9, 2026By Yonhap
IAEA chief to visit S. Korea next week for nuclear energy discussions
North Korea

Chinese FM's Pyongyang visit signals coordination ahead of Trump-Xi summit

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to North Korea from Thursday to Friday, at Pyongyang’s invitation, is seen by experts as an effort to coordinate positions ahead of a United States-China summit in May, potentially laying the groundwork for a meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump. The trip comes at a sensitive moment in peninsular diplomacy. Speculation over a possible Trump-Kim summit has been growing in Washington and Pyongyang since early this year, and Beijing, which has historically served as a back channel between the two sides, is keen to shape any outcome before Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sit down in May. Wang’s visit signals China’s effort to reassert its central role in regional diplomacy, particularly as discussions involving North Korea are expected to feature in U.S.-China talks. Seoul expressed cautious expectations over the visit, emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue. “The agenda for talks between North Korea and China has not been disclosed, but the South Korean government hopes they will eng

Apr 9, 2026By Park Ji-won
Chinese FM's Pyongyang visit signals coordination ahead of Trump-Xi summit
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