German frigate visits Incheon on Indo-Pacific mission

The German frigate Baden-Wurttemberg and replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main arrived in Incheon on Friday as part of the Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024, a key German maritime defense diplomacy initiative in the region. Before reaching Incheon, the ships played a role in monitoring the United Nations arms embargo against North Korea, said the German Embassy in a press release Friday. The ships leave Incheon on Tuesday, it added. According to the embassy, the deployment aligns with the mission of t

Sept. 8, 2024

Korea, US held simulation drills for nuclear deterrence in Washington this week: defense ministry

WASHINGTON-- South Korea and the US held simulation drills in Washington this week to enhance nuclear deterrence cooperation, both sides said Friday, as the allies are stepping up security coordination to counter evolving North Korean threats. Seoul and Washington held the first table top simulation of the Nuclear Consultative Group, the allies' key nuclear deterrence dialogue body, on Thursday and Friday, Seoul's defense ministry and the Pentagon said in a joint statement. The TTS

Sept. 7, 2024

Farewell summit: Yoon, Kishida pledge to keep momentum in revitalizing ties

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stressed the vital importance of sustaining the momentum in bilateral cooperation and exchanges -- an effort driven by their leader-to-leader diplomacy -- during Kishida's farewell visit to Seoul on Friday. Seoul and Tokyo signed a formal agreement to strengthen cooperation in protecting their nationals abroad and pledged to boost people-to-people exchanges by streamlining immigration procedures ahead of

Sept. 6, 2024

Japanese PM Kishida due in S. Korea for last summit with Yoon

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to visit South Korea on Friday for talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol as Kishida is preparing to leave office with a legacy of improving long-frayed relations with Seoul. Yoon and Kishida are scheduled to hold summit talks later Friday, their 12th summit in just about two years. It will also be their last summit as Kishida has given up on reelection as prime minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party after three years on the job. Durin

Sept. 6, 2024

Tokyo hands in list of Koreans who died in 1945 Japanese ship explosion

Tokyo has handed over a long-awaited list of Koreans who perished aboard the Ukishima Maru, a Japanese ship that exploded in 1945 while repatriating thousands of Koreans after Japan's colonial rule ended, the Seoul government announced on Thursday. The announcement by the two countries came just a day before Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Seoul for a summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol before leaving his office. The transferred list is incomplete, as the Japanese government has not

Sept. 5, 2024

S. Korea to expand export ban list against Russia, Belarus

South Korea will tighten export controls against Russia and Belarus by expanding its list of items subject to export restrictions, including machine tool parts and sensors, in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the industry ministry said Thursday. According to the revision to the regulations on trading strategic items, South Korea added 243 more items that can potentially be used for military purposes to the list of items that are banned from shipping to Russia and Belarus, according

Sept. 5, 2024

S. Korean envoy calls for solidarity among NATO, Indo-Pacific partners against cyberthreats

A senior South Korean diplomat has called for joint efforts among the countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and in the Indo-Pacific to act against growing cyberthreats, the foreign ministry said Thursday. Rhee Dong-yeol, ambassador for international cybersecurity affairs, made the call during the Cyber Champions Summit held in Australia on Wednesday, as he particularly noted the need to address the spread of misinformation as a key focus for international cooperation against cybert

Sept. 5, 2024

US may reconsider approach to NK-Russia military ties under Harris' leadership: senator

The United States may need to reevaluate its strategy on the expanding military ties between North Korea and Russia if Vice President Kamala Harris becomes president as Pyongyang's alleged arms support for Moscow's war in Ukraine is deeply troubling, a US senator said Tuesday. In an interview with Yonhap News Agency, Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del) said the Biden administration's North Korea policy has focused on its denuclearization and recently has been pressing the North to stop s

Sept. 3, 2024

Uzbekistan touts deepening ties with S. Korea on Independence Day

Uzbekistan touted deepening ties with South Korea, marking the 33rd anniversary of the country's independence and the 32nd year of their bilateral relations Friday. Uzbekistan, which became part of the Soviet Union in 1924, declared its independence on August 31, 1991. "Today, we celebrate remarkable achievements, including more than a one-and-a-half-fold increase in GDP, a doubling of business entities, and over 40 percent growth in the industry," said Uzbek Ambassador-designate

Sept. 3, 2024

Oct. 1 Armed Forces Day designated as temporary holiday

Armed Forces Day, which is celebrated annually on Oct. 1 to honor the country’s military, has been designated by the government as a temporary holiday this year to boost awareness of the new security challenges on the Korean Peninsula, officials said Tuesday. In the afternoon, President Yoon Suk Yeol approved the Cabinet's decision in the morning to pass the motion to designate Oct. 1 as a temporary holiday, according to the presidential office. "Oct. 1 is when (UN troops) crosse

Sept. 3, 2024

S. Korean travelers in Israel for religious event all left country: Seoul official

Around 30 South Korean nationals who stayed in Israel after attending a religious event have now left the country, officials said Tuesday. That means all South Korean travelers who were there for the same event have exited the region, where tensions have heightened following a series of missile and air strikes exchanged between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The 30 people were among some 180 South Koreans who entered Israel last month to attend the event. Of them, 150 first de

Sept. 3, 2024

Trump says his talks with N. Korean leader Kim prove 'real change' is possible

Former US President Donald Trump said in a soon-to-be-published book that his summitry with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his time in office showed "real change" was "indeed" possible, portraying it as "honest, direct and productive." The Republican presidential candidate made the remarks in the photo book, titled "Save America," reinforcing speculation that should he win the Nov. 5 general election, he could revive his personal diplomacy with the

Sept. 3, 2024

S. Korea announces 'offensive cyber defense' strategy

The South Korean presidential office on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive cybersecurity plan with 100 actionable tasks, including measures for enhanced "offensive cyber defense" strategies to proactively counter and neutralize those with intentions of spreading fake information such as deepfakes in cyberspace. The presidential Office of National Security announced the "National Cybersecurity Basic Plan," a collaborative effort developed by 14 government ministries and organizat

Sept. 1, 2024

Trump says getting along with Kim Jong-un is 'good thing'

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Friday that "getting along" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a "good thing," after his Democratic rival Kamala Harris vowed not to "cozy up to" dictators like Kim. During a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state, former President Trump again boasted about his personal ties with the North Korean leader, as he and the vice president are in a tight race with the presidential elec

Aug. 31, 2024

US stresses push for 'timely, accurate, unbiased' reporting on NK-related UNSC resolutions noncompliance

WASHINGTON -- The United States on Friday underscored its commitment to finding the "best" way to secure "timely, accurate and unbiased" reporting on noncompliance with North Korea-related UN Security Council resolutions as a key sanctions monitoring panel was disbanded four months ago. A State Department spokesperson made the remarks amid ongoing efforts among the US, South Korea, Japan and other countries to find an alternative to the UN expert panel whose mandate expired

Aug. 31, 2024

Rust Belt senators call on US gov't to reduce import quota for S. Korean oil country tubular goods

WASHINGTON -- Three senators from Rust Belt states have called on the US government to reduce the import quota for South Korean metal products used in the production of oil and gas, saying the reduced demand and high levels of Korean imports are affecting American companies and workers. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Thursday, taking issue with the quota f

Aug. 31, 2024

UAE highlights women's empowerment in Seoul

The UAE Embassy in Seoul marked Emirati Women's Day, underscoring the UAE's ongoing commitment to women's empowerment, Wednesday. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, known as the "Mother of the UAE Nation," established Emirati Women's Day in 2015, to be celebrated annually on Aug. 28, as a testament to the United Arab Emirates' dedication to empowering women across all sectors. The occasion coincides with the anniversary of the founding of the General Women's Uni

Aug. 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] Paraguay eyes nuclear power for future energy: minister

Paraguay is committed to diversifying energy and one sector that the country is looking into in the near future is nuclear energy, said Javier Gimenez, Paraguay's minister of industry and commerce, in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul, stressing that the Latin American country is seeking investments from South Korean companies in its energy sector. “Korea is a specialist in nuclear energy,” said Gimenez, pointing to nuclear energy as a promising area for South Korea th

Aug. 30, 2024

Minister plays down US parties' omission of NK denuke goal

Unification Minister Kim Yung-ho on Wednesday aimed to quell rising concerns in Seoul over the omission of US commitments to North Korea's denuclearization from the 2024 platforms of both the Democratic and Republican parties. Kim remarked, "There has been back-and-forth debate recently over the platforms of US presidential candidates," specifically referring to the US Democratic Party’s platform released in August and the Republican Party’s platform from July that set

Aug. 28, 2024

How should S. Korea tackle growing China conundrum?

As US-China strategic competition has continued to intensify with expectations that it will likely persist, Seoul finds itself increasingly ensnared in a web of structural challenges in its relations with Beijing. With the rivalry itself serving as a key determinant that has caused challenges in critical areas such as economics and security, South Korea's already delicate and intricate China conundrum has become further complicated. South Korea-China relations have reached a pivotal crossro

Aug. 28, 2024