Since China overtook Japan in terms of economy in 2010, Japan‘s vigilance and checks against China have been visibly rising. Mostly, the two countries have a wide gap regarding issues surrounding the East China Sea, South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. The Russia-Ukraine war re-emphasizes the importance of traditional Japanese geopolitics. In addition, technological competition -- the core of supply chain and future hegemony -- intensifies Japan’s foreign and security policies an

South Korea plans to launch a government-private consultative body later Monday on ways to resolve the longstanding diplomatic row with Japan about compensation for the Korean victims of wartime forced labor, one of the major sticking points in their relations. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Hyun-dong is scheduled to preside over the inaugural session of the team composed of government officials and experts, as well as legal representatives of the victims and their families, according to his mi

South Korea and the United States will hold the first session of their newly launched economic security dialogue in Washington this week, the presidential office said Monday. The dialogue channel was established as part of a summit agreement between President Yoon Suk-yeol and US President Joe Biden in May, and aims to help the two countries deepen cooperation on economic and energy security. Wang Yun-jong, presidential secretary for economic security, will leave for Washington on Wednesday and

US-China relations are the most critical bilateral relations among numerous others in the international community. Since Xi Jinping became the supreme leader of China in 2012, China has been shaping its own diplomatic color, instead of “taoguang yanghui” (keep a low profile and bide your time, while also getting something accomplished). Although there is still a lack of sophistication and detail, it is clear enough to shock and give tension to the US, since the US has enjoyed a

South Korea and China agreed Sunday to hold a ceremony returning remains of Chinese troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War in September, in what would be the ninth such repatriation, Seoul's defense ministry said. Kim Sang-jin, the ministry's director-general of international policy, and Li Jingxian, a Chinese veterans affairs official, met in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, and agreed to hold an event casketing the remains on Sept. 15 and return them the following day. The min

Park Jin also urges China to join new world order, says it benefits most from free trade

Yoon seeks economic cooperation with leaders through 10 bilateral talks at NATO summit

MADRID – South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol met with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a NATO summit in Madrid on Thursday to discuss South Korea-NATO cooperation and exchange views on major international issues, including those pertaining to the Korean Peninsula. President Yoon said that South Korea and NATO have been closely cooperating and responding to various challenges facing the international community since establishing the global partnership in 2006, according t

President Yoon Suk-yeol had a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the occasion of attending the NATO Summit on Thursday. The two leaders adopted a “Bilateral Framework for Closer Cooperation” encompassing a vision of bilateral relations and discussed key international issues, including peace on the Korean Peninsula. President Yoon said, “We are pleased to have adopted the Korea-UK framework on the occasion of today‘s talks and evaluated that

MADRID -- President Yoon Suk-yeol had a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday, reaffirming their efforts to deal with North Korean provocations and the Ukraine crisis, on the sidelines of the NATO summit. Trudeau said he fully agrees with the future-oriented bilateral relationship with South Korea, and explained that Canada’s newly announced Indo-Pacific strategy puts close relations with regional partners such as Korea as a top priority, according to the presid

Victim support organizations insist Japan should be held liable for wartime atrocities

Korea forges stronger security, economic ties with Western partners

No bilateral talks or pull-aside, but both show drive for warmer relations whenever they meet, avoid sensitive issues

HONG KONG (AP) -- When the British handed Hong Kong to Beijing in 1997, it was promised 50 years of self-government and freedoms of assembly, speech and press that are not allowed on the Communist-ruled Chinese mainland. As the city of 7.4 million people marks 25 years under Beijing's rule on Friday, those promises are wearing thin. Hong Kong's honeymoon period, when it carried on much as it always had, has passed, and its future remains uncertain, determined by forces beyond its control. Before

MADRID -- US first lady Jill Biden advised South Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee on Wednesday to be herself as she talked about the pressures of being the president's wife, the presidential office said. Biden and Kim took part in an official program for spouses of leaders attending the North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in Madrid, which included visits to the Royal Palace of La Granja of San Ildefonso near Segovia, northwest of Madrid, the nearby Royal Glass Factory of La Granja, an