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  • North Korea

    N. Korea calls denuclearization 'irreversibly finalized' matter

    North Korea on Sunday called denuclearization an "irreversibly finalized" matter as it denounced recent talks between South Korea and the United States that reaffirmed the goal of the North's denuclearization. An unnamed spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry issued the criticism, after South Korea and the United States reaffirmed the shared goal at the bilateral Nuclear Consultative Group meeting on Thursday. "It is an unreasonable talk and fantastic daydream to mention about disarming the other belligerent party's nuclear weapons," the spokesperson said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). "The U.S. and its vassal forces' meaningless rhetoric against the DPRK and cooperation in posing a nuclear threat to it can never affect the irreversible position of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state," the spokesperson said. "The 'denuclearization' is an irreversibly finalized matter." DPRK stands for the North's official name — the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The spokesperson also took issue with the bilateral Extended Deterrence Dialogue between the U

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    N. Korea calls denuclearization 'irreversibly finalized' matter
  • North Korea

    Presidential office reaffirms NK's denuclearization as int'l community's 'consistent goal'

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Presidential office reaffirms NK's denuclearization as int'l community's 'consistent goal'
  • Foreign Affairs

    S. Korea, US, Japan hold talks on N. Korea

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    S. Korea, US, Japan hold talks on N. Korea
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee says S. Korea, Italy are 'optimal partners' for business cooperation

    2 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee says S. Korea, Italy are 'optimal partners' for business cooperation
  • Foreign Affairs

    Lee hopes S. Korea, Italy will work together to promote free trade, multilateralism

    1 MIN READBy Yonhap
    Lee hopes S. Korea, Italy will work together to promote free trade, multilateralism
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North Korea

N. Korea inaugurates greenhouse farm in Sinuiju ahead of key party congress

North Korea has inaugurated a major greenhouse farm in Sinuiju, a northwestern city hit hard by flooding in 2024, with leader Kim Jong-un calling it a "wonderful achievement" ahead of the country's upcoming party congress, according to state media Monday. Kim attended the ceremony inaugurating the Sinuiju Combined Greenhouse Farm the previous day, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). It took place around one year after the groundbreaking ceremony was held in February 2025. North Korea has prioritized building a large greenhouse farm in vast areas of Wihwa Island, an islet in Sinuiju where the North suffered flood damage during summer in 2024. In a speech, the North's leader expressed satisfaction that the project has become a "base" for new life for the residents of Sinuiju, who have suffered from flooding generation after generation. "Our soldiers and young people have made a wonderful achievement of creation to be presented to the Ninth Party Congress," Kim said, referring to the upcoming key once-every-five-years event. North Korea is widely expected to hold the ninth pa

Feb 2, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea inaugurates greenhouse farm in Sinuiju ahead of key party congress
Foreign Affairs

Lee to send presidential envoys to Honduras following leadership change

President Lee Jae Myung is sending two ruling party lawmakers to Honduras this week as his special envoys, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday, following the launch of a new government led by conservative President Nasry Asfura. Reps. Boo Seung-chan and Lee Hoon-ki of the Democratic Party of Korea will visit the Central American country from Tuesday through Thursday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. They plan to pay a courtesy call on Asfura and deliver Lee's correspondence on enhancing ties between Korea and Honduras. They will also use the meeting to outline the Lee government's foreign policy approach, Kang said. The envoys will meet with top Honduran officials, including the president of the National Congress of Honduras. Asfura, known to have the backing of U.S. President Donald Trump, was sworn in as president of Honduras last Tuesday (local time), marking a power shift in the country previously led by a leftist president.

Feb 1, 2026By Yonhap
Lee to send presidential envoys to Honduras following leadership change
North Korea

N. Korea's premier highlights leader Kim's regional development drive as top priority

North Korean Premier Pak Thae-song has highlighted the regional development initiative being pushed for by leader Kim Jong-un as the state's top priority, calling on officials to devote themselves to the plans, its state media reported Sunday. Pak made the remarks during a groundbreaking ceremony of a construction project in Pyongwon County, South Phyongan Province, the previous day, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. In a speech at the event, Pak described the "Regional Development 20X10 Policy" as the highest priority for the party and the state, urging officials to commit themselves to implementing the policy, the KCNA reported. The state media also quoted Pak as calling for "patriotic strength and enthusiasm" to make this year "a new year of victory for the regional revolution." Since 2024, North Korea has been pushing for regional development aimed at building modern industrial plants in 20 cities and counties every year, seeking to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas in the next 10 years. Last week, Kim attended a groundbreaking event for a construction project

Feb 1, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's premier highlights leader Kim's regional development drive as top priority
Foreign Affairs

Industry minister says 'unnecessary misunderstandings' resolved via tariff talks with US

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Saturday he thinks "unnecessary misunderstandings" were resolved through his talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in Washington over renewed trade tensions this week. Kim made the remarks upon his return to Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, after holding meetings at the Commerce Department, Thursday and Friday (local time), which ended without reaching a conclusion. "Our mutual understanding has deepened significantly," Kim said. "I believe some unnecessary misunderstandings have been resolved." Kim's trip came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and auto duties on Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, citing delays in the Asian country's legislative process supporting the implementation of a bilateral trade deal. Last year, the two countries agreed on a trade deal under which Korea would invest $350 billion in the United States in return for a cut in tariff rates. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea submitted a bill to the National Assembly in November to implement the bilateral tr

Jan 31, 2026By Yonhap
Industry minister says 'unnecessary misunderstandings' resolved via tariff talks with US
Foreign Affairs

Tariff talks between industry minister, Lutnick conclude without agreement

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Friday that his talks with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick over renewed trade tensions ended without reaching a conclusion, but their understanding of each other's positions has "deepened." They met at the Commerce Department in Washington for the second straight day, after U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened on Monday to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and auto duties on Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, citing a delay in the Asian country's legislative process supporting the implementation of a bilateral trade deal. "Our understanding of each other's positions has deepened. There were discussions on how to find a middle ground," Kim told reporters as he walked out of the department's building. "We need more talks. We have not yet reached a conclusion," he added. Asked if there were discussions about when the U.S. will actually raise the tariffs, he refused to elaborate. "Negotiations are ongoing," he said. Kim and Lutnick plan to continue talks via video links after Kim returns home, the minister said. During this week's talks with Lutnick, K

Jan 31, 2026By Yonhap
Tariff talks between industry minister, Lutnick conclude without agreement
Foreign Affairs

Lee thanks Vietnam for support following Korean politician's death in phone talks with To Lam

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday thanked Vietnam for its cooperation in posthumous arrangements for a late South Korean politician during phone talks with Vietnam's leader To Lam, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said. The phone talks came after the Vietnamese government provided assistance following the death of former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan in Ho Chi Minh City earlier this week. Lee, a prominent politician in South Korea's liberal bloc, died at a hospital on Sunday while visiting the Southeast Asian country as a senior vice president of a presidential advisory council for unification. Lee's body was brought home on Tuesday. "President Lee conveyed his heartfelt gratitude for the special cooperation and courtesies extended by the Vietnamese side throughout the entire process, from medical treatment to the transfer of the coffin," presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing. Lam expressed deep condolences and offered comfort on behalf of the Vietnamese people, Kang said. Lee congratulated Lam for his reappointment as the general secretary of Vietnam's Comm

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
Lee thanks Vietnam for support following Korean politician's death in phone talks with To Lam
Foreign Affairs

Korea-EU cooperation deepens on tech, supply chains amid global uncertainty

The European Union’s strategic Digital Trade Agreement with Korea has been implemented alongside green and digital partnerships, widening cooperation into some of the most innovative areas of modern life, including artificial intelligence and advanced computing, the EU’s ambassador to Korea said Friday. Ugo Astuto, the EU Ambassador to Korea, speaking at his first official press conference in Seoul, said the EU is Korea’s largest trading partner and its biggest foreign investor, calling the relationship “highly successful” and increasingly strategic across economic, technological and security domains. “The free trade agreement between the EU and Korea is being complemented by green and digital partnerships,” Astuto said. “This means that today our cooperation covers the most innovative aspects of our economies.” Astuto said cooperation has expanded into advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, adding that the two sides are “working very closely in the most innovative areas of our economies.” He pointed to progress toward a digital

Jan 30, 2026By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea-EU cooperation deepens on tech, supply chains amid global uncertainty
North Korea

N. Korea's Kim attends ceremony for this year's 1st regional development project

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a construction project, the first this year under his regional development drive, saying his policy will transform one-third of the country, state media said Friday. Kim attended the ceremony the previous day to mark the start of a regional development construction project in Unnyul County in South Hwanghae Province, and dug the first spadeful of earth, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, announcing the first regional construction campaign for 2026. Kim began his signature regional development policy in 2024, pledging to build modern factories in 20 cities and counties across the country every year for a 10-year period, in a bid to improve living standards for the people. "This is the third year for implementing the regional development policy, and public health facilities and leisure complexes, together with regional-industry factories, will be built in 20 regions of the country including this Unnyul County," the KCNA quoted Kim as saying at the ceremony. "This means that nearly one-third of the cities

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korea's Kim attends ceremony for this year's 1st regional development project
North Korea

N. Korean ruling party's central committee elects delegates to upcoming congress

The central committee of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) has elected its delegates for the party's upcoming congress, state media reported Friday, signaling that the key event is near. The party held a conference of the headquarters of the party's Central Committee on Wednesday and elected delegates to be sent to the ninth party congress, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The election of central committee delegates typically indicates that working-level preparations for a party congress are in the final stage, a sign that the party congress is likely to take place soon. Last week, North Korea said its city and county party committees had elected representatives to a meeting of lower-level provincial organizations as part of preliminary congress preparations. Given typical procedures leading up to a party congress, North Korea is expected to convene a meeting of the WPK's politburo to set the date of the impending congress after electing final delegates at meetings of province-level party representatives. South Korea's intelligence agency and government have pr

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
N. Korean ruling party's central committee elects delegates to upcoming congress
Foreign Affairs

First-day talks between Korea, US end without tariff agreement

Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said Thursday that he and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick concluded the first day of their talks over renewed tariff tension between the two countries without an agreement but they agreed to meet again the next day. Kim and Lutnick held the meeting in Washington, three days after Trump threatened to increase reciprocal tariffs and auto, lumber and pharmaceutical duties on South Korea to 25 percent from 15 percent, citing a delay in Seoul's legislative procedures supporting the implementation of the trade deal. "We had extensive talks and agreed to meet again tomorrow morning," Kim told reporters after the meeting. "We have not yet reached a conclusion," he added. Asked if he succeeded in preventing the Trump administration from raising tariffs on Korea, he said, "(We were) not at the point of saying whether it was prevented or not prevented." He was expected to stress Seoul's commitment to fulfilling its investment pledge under a bilateral trade deal that was first struck in late July and finalized months later. Under the deal, Korea has committed to

Jan 30, 2026By Yonhap
First-day talks between Korea, US end without tariff agreement
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