Top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan were set to hold talks in the southeastern port city of Busan on Sunday, with discussions on resuming the long-stalled three-way summit of the three countries' leaders expected to be in focus. The trilateral meeting among Foreign Minister Park Jin, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa also comes after about a four-year hiatus as the three neighboring countries seek to deepen the tripartite cooperation despite m

Politics Nov. 26, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the appointment of new Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman Kim Myung-soo on Saturday, officials said, making him the first top-ranking military officer to come from the Navy in a decade. According to the presidential office and the JCS, Naval Operations Commander Vice Adm. Kim was appointed as the new JCS chief without a confirmation report from the National Assembly. Kim underwent a parliamentary confirmation hearing earlier this month but failed to win t

Defense Nov. 25, 2023

The South Korean baseball club SSG Landers said Saturday they have stripped general manager (GM) Kim Sung-yong of his duties over a recent series of mishaps. The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) team said Kim will instead lead its research & development center, which oversees player development. Kim's reassignment is the latest development in what has been a tumultuous offseason for the Landers. They abruptly fired manager Kim Won-hyong on Oct. 31, soon after the team's eliminat

Baseball Nov. 25, 2023

A former Pentagon official argued against the idea of South Korea acquiring nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs) in a media contribution piece on Friday, citing high costs, operational realities and other challenges. Dov S. Zakheim, who served as undersecretary of defense from 2001 to 2004, made the case in the piece carried by The Hill, a US media outlet, as he pointed out a continuing debate in South Korea over whether the country should possess SSNs. The debate has gained traction in recent ye

Defense Nov. 25, 2023

The top diplomats of China and Japan arrived in South Korea on Saturday for trilateral talks with their South Korean counterpart on efforts to resume the long-suspended leaders' summit of the three neighbors. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa each landed in the southeastern port city of Busan, the venue for the gathering, in the afternoon. They will hold separate bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Park Jin on Sunday, before having the three-wa

Politics Nov. 25, 2023

North Korea claimed Saturday its leader Kim Jong-un observed photos taken by the country's recently launched military spy satellite of "major target regions" in South Korea, where US Army bases are located, and parts of Hawaii. Kim visited the Pyongyang General Control Center of the National Aerospace Technology Administration (NATA) on Friday to "learn about the operational preparation of the reconnaissance satellite" and looked at the aerospace photos, the official

North Korea Nov. 25, 2023

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to visit France next week to participate in the voting for the 2030 World Expo as South Korea vies to host the mega event in its southeastern city of Busan, his office said Saturday. The host country will be elected by the 182 member states of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body in charge of overseeing the quadrennial event, during its general assembly in Paris on Tuesday (local time). Busan is competing against Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and

Politics Nov. 25, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday that South Korea plans to return the favor it received from the international community during its economic development by hosting the 2030 World Expo in its southeastern city of Busan. Yoon made the remark during a National Day reception hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Paris, which was attended by around 500 people, including delegates to the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the body in charge of overseeing the World Expo. The 182 BIE mem

Politics Nov. 25, 2023

PARIS -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Friday to strengthen cooperation on advanced technology and climate change issues, Yoon's office said. The two leaders reached the agreement during a breakfast and summit meeting at Elysee Palace, the official residence of the French president, as Yoon was in Paris to campaign for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Yoon and Macron discussed their countries' business cooperation

Foreign Affairs Nov. 24, 2023

The government will strengthen cooperation and information sharing with China to reduce fine dust pollution, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday. The plan, unveiled during a special committee meeting on the fine dust issue, is one of various measures the government plans to carry out to achieve its goal of reducing 108,000 tons of fine airborne particles. "We have set reducing fine dust as a major government project, and have focused pan-ministry capabilities on it. We will strengthen

Foreign Affairs Nov. 24, 2023

Seoul shares closed lower Friday, snapping a four-day winning streak, with no major guidance in the markets due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was down 18.33 points, or 0.73 percent, to close at 2,496.63. Trade volume was slim at 352.2 million shares worth 6.38 trillion won ($4.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 452 to 413. Institutions and individuals bought a combined 194

Market Nov. 24, 2023

Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung on Friday denounced North Korea's scrapping of a military tension reduction agreement with South Korea, expressing concern that tit-for-tat actions of both sides could lead to tensions getting out of control. The North effectively scrapped the 2018 agreement on Thursday, saying it will restore all military measures halted under the deal. The move came after the South suspended part of the agreement in protest of the North's successful launch of a militar

Politics Nov. 24, 2023

The top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan will hold trilateral talks in the southeastern port city of Busan this weekend, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday, amid fresh tensions after North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite. Foreign Minister Park Jin will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Sunday for broad discussions on ways to boost trilateral cooperation and other regional and global issues, Seoul's forei

Foreign Affairs Nov. 24, 2023

Seoul shares opened higher Friday, with no major guidance in the markets due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States on Thursday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 3.38 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,518.34 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Market participants expected the Federal Reserve is near the end of its hiking cycle and rate cuts are likely in 2024. But the latest Fed minutes said officials have no intention to ease the monetary policy. In Seoul, large-cap st

Market Nov. 24, 2023

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has lauded the country's successful launch of a military spy satellite as an eye-opening event of deploying a "space guard" monitoring enemies' military activities, state media reported Friday. Kim made the remark during his visit to the National Aerospace Technology Administration on Thursday, as he encouraged engineers and scientists who contributed to Tuesday's launch of the Malligyong-1, according to the Korean Central News Agency. &qu

North Korea Nov. 24, 2023