South Korea - The Korea Times

'Discrepancy remains in defense deal'

By Lee Min-hyungForeign Minister Kang Kyung-whaUnification Minister Kim Yeon-chulA large discrepancy remains in place over the ongoing defense cost-sharing negotiation between Seoul and Washington, South Korea's Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said, Thursday.“Under the common goal of maintaining solid security postures, both sides are in talks for the third round of the Special Measures Agreement (SMA). But there remains a large discrepancy in views on the issue between the allies,” Kang told lawmakers during the National Assembly's plenary session.The remark came a day after she met with David R. Stilwell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, for talks on pending security affairs here, such as the SMA and the suspended nuclear disarmament dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea.Stilwell also met with National Security Office Second Deputy Director Kim Hyun-chong on the same day for 70 minutes when both sides exchanged what the presidential house said are “specific and constructive” views on the SMA.She did not reveal any det

Nov 7, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

'Seoul needs to pay deployment of US strategic assets'

US, S. Korea to conduct 'scaled-down' aerial drills

A South Korean pilot stands near his F-35 stealth fighter during a ceremony to mark the 71st Armed Forces Day, at the Air Force Base in Daegu, Oct. 1. Reuters-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulA government official said Thursday that the United States and South Korea will conduct a “scaled-down” joint air force exercise sometime later this month.“Because the key focus of the upcoming drill is to check our combined defense posture and readiness through C4I systems, the allied forces plan to scale back the upcoming exercise,” the official said.In December 2017, the two countries held “Vigilant Ace,” which involved hundreds of the latest military aircraft and “strategic military assets” from the U.S. to confirm the combat readiness of the allied air forces.The scaled-back exercise comes after the denuclearization dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang stalled. Negotiators from the United States and North Korea held talks in Stockholm in early October, but no agreement was reached. Prior to these, North Korea tested an advanced inter-continental ball

Nov 7, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

US, S. Korea to conduct 'scaled-down' aerial drills

Cheong Wa Dae mulls replacing presidential aides

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, left, and President Moon Jae-in wait to speak at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three summit in Nonthaburi, Thailand, Nov. 4. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulIn a country where the head of state is elected for a single five-year term with no possibility of re-election, as is the case for presidents of South Korea, the third year has always been a challenge.Cheong Wa Dae is mulling replacing senior presidential aides, amid growing public dissatisfaction over President Moon Jae-in's handling of state affairs in the wake of an alleged corruption scandal involving former Justice Minister Cho Kuk, the lack of communication between presidential aides and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), and few signs of progress in the denuclearization talks between North Korea and the United States.In addition there seems to be no way for Tokyo and Seoul to come to an agreement over rulings by the South Korean Supreme Court on the wartime labor issue.“We've acknowledged the need to replace senior aides and some Cabinet members. Because the ruli

Nov 7, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Cheong Wa Dae mulls replacing presidential aides

Speaker Moon proposes joint compensation to Japan

National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang speaks during his lecture at Japan's Waseda University in Tokyo, Tuesday, where he proposed a compromise to Tokyo on the issue of Japanese companies compensating surviving South Korean victims of forced labor. Courtesy of the National AssemblyBy Jung Da-min National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang has proposed a compromise deal to the Japanese government in an attempt to resolve the thorny issue of compensation for wartime forced labor, which has rocked Seoul-Tokyo relations over the past year.Calling for lawmakers of the two countries to establish “a new system” that would help restore bilateral relations while the two sides remain as far apart as ever, Moon said he is planning to submit a comprehensive plan putting together other submitted plans for the forced labor issue. Moon was on a four-day trip to Tokyo to attend a meeting of parliamentary speakers of G20 countries on Monday. “We need to set up a fund which consists of contributions from companies of the two countries which do not just include those responsible but also

Nov 6, 2019

Speaker Moon proposes joint compensation to Japan

'Moon-Abe meeting is an encouraging sign': US envoy

'Moon-Abe meeting is an encouraging sign': US envoy

David R. Stilwell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, leaves the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday morning, after holding talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and other high-level officials. YonhapUS repeats pressure with Indo-Pacific driveBy Lee Min-hyungPresident Moon Jae-in's recent meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is an “encouraging sign” in terms of improving bilateral relations, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affair David R. Stilwell said Wednesday.“(I am) very encouraged while we were there to note that President Moon and Prime Minister Abe had the opportunity to talk and that's an encouraging sign, as we watched the relationship improve,” Stilwell told reporters after talks with Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha at the ministry's headquarters in Seoul.Earlier this week, Moon had an 11-minute conversation with Abe in Bangok during which they agreed to resolve all bilateral pending issues via open dialogue. Stilwell had discussions with Kang on bolstering the three-w

Nov 6, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

'Moon-Abe meeting is an encouraging sign': US envoy

Speaker Moon proposes joint compensation to Japan

Trump expects co-efforts with Moon for North Korean issue

President Moon Jae-in, center, heads for the ASEAN Special Lunch on Sustainable Development in Nonthaburi, Thailand, Monday. AP-YonhapBy Kim Yoo-chulU.S. President Donald Trump told President Moon Jae-in that he was expecting to see continued joint efforts between Washington and Seoul in achieving complete denuclearization of North Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula, Cheong Wa Dae said, Tuesday.“During a meeting with President Moon and U.S. National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien in Bangkok, Monday evening, O'Brien delivered Trump's personal letter in which the U.S. president expressed his condolences over the passing of President Moon's mother. Trump wrote of his expectation for continued efforts with President Moon to stay together in achieving denuclearization of North Korea and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson Ko Min-jung told reporters in a briefing.Trump also wrote that South Korea and the United States are making concerted and relentless efforts to restart the reunions between families north and south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ),

Nov 5, 2019By Kim Yoo-chul

Trump expects co-efforts with Moon for North Korean issue

US envoy for East Asia visits Seoul to discuss pending security affairs

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, speaks with David R. Stilwell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, at the Centara Grand at Central World Hotel in Bangkok on Aug. 1 on the sidelines of this year's ASEAN Regional Forum. YonhapUS top defense cost negotiator makes surprise visit to SeoulBy Lee Min-hyungDavid R. Stilwell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, embarked on a three-day trip to Seoul, Tuesday, to discuss pending security issues with South Korea's ranking diplomats and senior government officials.His Seoul visit came amid looming security uncertainty on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of North Korea's intermittent missile provocations.Attention is on whether he will make any remarks on the long-simmering diplomatic feud between South Korea and Japan which mostly stems from their historic dispute. South Korea wants the U.S. to actively intervene to help improve the relations between Washington's top two Asian allies.“Stilwell's major schedule here includes his planned meetings with Foreign Minister

Nov 5, 2019By Lee Min-hyung

US envoy for East Asia visits Seoul to discuss pending security affairs

Foreign Line

Stroke survivor returns for fundraiserMaggie Whittum is restarting her arts and acting career, after suffering a massive brain stem stroke at age 33 in December 2014, leaving her with permanent disabilities.She's coming to Korea for an event to raise awareness about the danger of strokes, and to take part in a fun-filled evening at Dulwich College Seoul next Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m., along with Seoul City Improv, Seoul Players and Stand-up Seoul.There will be improv and comedy performances and she will give a talk on her experiences. The event is family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. It is carried out in English, with Korean translation available. Admission is by donation, with 10,000 won suggested, which will be put toward her travel expenses and producing her documentary “The Great Now What.”Later that week, she'll be in Iksan for the “One World, One Family” Conference and Cultural Exchange Festival held Nov. 15 to 17.Whittum lived in Seoul from 2005 to 2011, during which time she founded Seoul City Improv in 2007, and also worked as an actor, direc

Nov 5, 2019By Jon Dunbar

Moon, Abe agree to resolve conflict through dialogue

President Moon Jae-in, right, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have a "pull-aside" meeting ahead of the ASEAN+3 summit in Bangkok, Monday. YonhapBy Do Je-haePresident Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo have agreed to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues via open dialogue, while also reaching a consensus to advance Seoul-Tokyo relations, visibly and substantially.A face-to-face meeting between the South Korean and Japanese leaders took place ahead of the ASEAN+3 summit in Bangkok, Monday morning, according to Cheong Wa Dae. The encounter lasted from 8:35 a.m. to 8:46 a.m. in a “pull-aside” meeting after Moon spoke with his counterparts from Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar ahead of the multilateral summit. The much-anticipated meeting is the first direct communication between the two since an Oct. 2018 Supreme Court ruling ordering Japanese companies to compensate South Koreans forced to work for them during Japan's colonial rule of Korea.“At their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed the principle of resolving all bilateral issues

Nov 4, 2019By Do Je-hae

Moon, Abe agree to resolve conflict through dialogue

Trump is no Asian hater; stop 'sour kimchi' on him

In this file photo taken on Oct. 25 U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press before departing the White House in Washington, D.C. for South Carolina. AFP-Yonhap By Oh Young-jin On Oh Young-jin's Nov. 1 column (in the Nov. 2-3 weekend edition), entitled “Why Trump hates Koreans,” two conflicting groups of readers sent emails and posted comments. Aliases or nicknames for the email senders and commentators are used because at least one asked for anonymity, citing his fear that his pension may be affected. We have tried to minimize editing so the opinions are presented in as unfiltered a manner as possible, even though some information is incorrect. ― ED. 'Trump is not Asian hater but bad-tempered child' I think it is safe to say that President Trump does not hate Korea, or Asia, but he thinks like a businessman and looks at everything as an investment. Every savvy businessman looks at his investments and if the investment over time does not pay off, he will get

Nov 4, 2019By Oh Young-jin

Trump is no Asian hater; stop 'sour kimchi' on him

Why Trump hates Koreans

Politics