Diplomats of South and North Korea clashed over differing views of the Russian invasion of Ukraine at the UN as delegates met for an emergency session to discuss a resolution condemning Moscow’s aggression. 　 Cho Hyun, the South Korean ambassador to the UN, strongly condemned “Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine,” throwing support behind a UN General Assembly resolution that was set for a vote Wednesday, demanding Russia withdraw its troops from Ukraine. On the contrary,

Foreign Affairs March 2, 2022

South Korea decided to prohibit exports of strategic materials to Russia, joining the US and other countries in imposing tough restrictions following the invasion of Ukraine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. 　 The government has notified the US of its related decisions via a diplomatic channel, the ministry said.  　 Seoul announced its first set of economic measures targeting Russia in the wake of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The government will strengthen export control re

Foreign Affairs Feb. 28, 2022

The South Korean government on Monday said it will grant special stay permits to Ukrainians living here, allowing them to overstay their visa until the situation in their home country stabilizes following Russia‘s invasion of the Eastern European country.  The Justice Ministry said 3,843 Ukrainians, who have been staying in the country on either short- or long-term visas, will benefit from the measure, including 538 whose visas were set to expire by June.  The government will

Foreign Affairs Feb. 28, 2022

South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong on Friday stressed that the alliance between Seoul and Washington is steadfast, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine renewed concerns here over the credibility of the US security commitment to its allies.  “The South Korea-US alliance, by nature, is steadfast and firm for the security of the Korean Peninsula, so there’s no need to compare with the situation in Ukraine,” Chung told lawmakers during an emergency meeting of the

Foreign Affairs Feb. 25, 2022

The South Korean Embassy in Ukraine on Friday urged its nationals still remaining in the country to be “fully prepared” for potential chaos as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine the previous day.  In a notice posted on its website, the embassy said it believes there is possibility of various chaotic situations breaking out in the capital Kiev and other major cities, such as disruption of electricity and related networks, arson and explosions, whose actors may be hard to

Foreign Affairs Feb. 25, 2022

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province -- The renowned American investor Jim Rogers still bets on the Korean Peninsula as the most exciting place for investment in the next 20 years once the heavily fortified border opens up, despite no signs of Pyongyang abandoning nuclear weapons and returning to diplomacy with the outside world. 　 “Once we open the 38th parallel, this is going to be the most exciting country in the world,” Rogers said during an interview with The Korea Herald on the side

Foreign Affairs Feb. 24, 2022

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province — Four years ago this week, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics came to a grand finale. During the Games, South and North Korea enjoyed a moment of peace, with athletes from either side of the Demilitarized Zone marching together during the opening and closing ceremony. It was here in Gangwon Province that the two Koreas also fielded a unified team for the first time in Olympics history, with their joint women’s hockey team. 　 Preceded by a year of nuclear

North Korea Feb. 23, 2022

An annual international peace forum kicked off in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, on Tuesday for a three-day run to discuss peace, inter-Korean relations and ways that the upcoming Winter Youth Olympics in 2024 could serve as an opportunity for peace on the divided Korean Peninsula. 　 Under the slogan of “Peace, Here and Now!,” the PyeongChang Peace Forum brings together global leaders, scholars and experts in the city of PyeongChang, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 2018. The ev

Foreign Affairs Feb. 22, 2022

Japan’s decision to recommend a disused gold and silver mine as a UNESCO World Heritage site has drawn backlash in South Korea, with observers accusing Tokyo of trying to distort history by nominating the mine, which was the site of forced labor in the early 20th century. 　 Located on Sado Island in Niigata prefecture, the mine highlights outstanding mining technology development before and after the industrialization, becoming one of the world’s largest sources of gold in the 17th

Foreign Affairs Feb. 21, 2022

Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN special rapporteur on North Korea’s human rights situation, met with senior officials in Seoul on Wednesday and discussed human rights concerns in the reclusive nation. 　 Quintana arrived here on Tuesday for a nine-day stay, during which he will meet South Korean government officials, lawmakers as well as civic groups and North Korean defectors. 　 The purpose of his visit is to collect data necessary for writing a report on the findings of right abuses in the

North Korea Feb. 16, 2022

The US said it is up to the South Korean government to decide on providing military support to Ukraine amid heightened threat of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine. 　 “That is a question for the South Korean government to answer,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Monday (US time), when asked about what kind of military support Washington wants from Seoul as an ally in the face of Russian threats. 　 Should Seoul want to assist Kyiv in a tangible way, Ukraine would welc

Foreign Affairs Feb. 15, 2022

Top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the US and Japan urged North Korea to cease activities that escalate tension and return to dialogue and diplomacy at the earliest, following the regime’s recent flurry of missile tests.  The call was made at the three-way session between South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy, Noh Kyu-duk, and his American and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday (local time). Both bilateral and tril

Foreign Affairs Feb. 11, 2022

South Korea’s top nuclear envoy stressed that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is at a pivotal moment following North Korea’s recent series of missile tests, calling for the need of engagement with the reclusive regime.  “I believe we are at a very pivotal moment that will decide if we will return to the period of cold winter or a season of warm atmosphere as it is here,” South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy Noh Kyu-duk told reporters upon arriving at Honol

North Korea Feb. 10, 2022

 The top US diplomat to South Korea released a photo donning hanbok and backing its origin as Korean on Tuesday, in an apparent response to the controversy sparked by China’s alleged cultural appropriation over the traditional Korean attire during the opening of the Beijing Winter Olympics.   　 Christopher Del Corso, charge d’affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Seoul, posted two pictures of himself wearing hanbok while touring historic places on his Twitter on Tuesda

Foreign Affairs Feb. 9, 2022

North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament gathered for two days earlier this week to discuss cabinet work and government budgets, with leader Kim Jong-un absent at the key gathering. 　 The sixth session of the 14th Supreme People’s Assembly was held in Pyongyang on Sunday and Monday, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday. 　 There was no separate message toward Washington or Seoul amid heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula, unlike last September when

North Korea Feb. 8, 2022