Signs point to N. Korean troops in Russia-Ukraine combat zone

Growing indications suggest that North Korean troops are on the brink of deployment to support Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine, as North Korean soldiers have reportedly arrived in Russia's Kursk region, where Russian and Ukrainian forces have been battling for control of key strategic border location. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday that Russia is expected to deploy the first contingent of North Korean soldiers to combat zones as early as Sunday and Monday, based on an

Oct. 27, 2024

S. Korean, Japanese finance ministers vow efforts to form stronger economic ties

South Korea's Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok has met with the new Japanese finance chief, Katsunobu Kato, and discussed ways to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, his office said Friday. Choi held his first meeting with Kato in Washington, DC, on Thursday on the sidelines of the Group of 20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. During the meeting, the two sides agreed to maintain close communication and make

Oct. 25, 2024

Putin does not deny reports about North Korea troops

KAZAN, Russia -- President Vladimir Putin did not deny US claims that North Korea had sent troops to Russia but said on Thursday it is up to Moscow how to run its mutual defence clause with Pyongyang and accused the West of escalating the Ukraine war. The United States said on Wednesday that it had seen evidence that North Korea has sent 3,000 troops to Russia for possible deployment in Ukraine, a move that the West is casting as a significant escalation of the Ukraine war. Asked by a reporter a

Oct. 25, 2024

UN voices opposition to 'further militarization' of Ukraine conflict amid concerns over NK troop dispatch

The United Nations Secretariat expressed its opposition Thursday to the "further militarization" of the ongoing war in Ukraine amid growing concerns that North Korean troops could be deployed to support Russian forces in the armed conflict. Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for Secretary General Antonio Guterres, made the remarks as Seoul and Washington have confirmed that some 3,000 North Korean troops were sent to eastern Russia by ship earlier this month -- a development reaffirming d

Oct. 25, 2024

Yoon signals flexibility in no-weapons policy for Ukraine

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday suggested possible flexibility in the country's longstanding policy of withholding lethal weapons aid to Ukraine, framing it as part of a phased counterstrategy in response to North Korea’s dispatch of troops to Russia. Yoon's comment came after South Korea's presidential office confirmed Tuesday that, depending on how the battlefield situation in Ukraine unfolds, Seoul will first consider providing defensive weapons, with the option of late

Oct. 24, 2024

New envoy expects upgrade in Uzbek-Korean ties

Uzbekistan’s newly appointed Ambassador to South Korea Alisher Abdusalomov expressed hopes for expanded economic, academic and tourism cooperation during a courtesy visit to Herald Media Group on Wednesday. “It’s very interesting to hear the concerns of Korean companies and CEOs when doing business overseas at (The Herald's) Global Business Forum,” Abdusalomov said, sharing his memories of attending Herald Media Group’s biannual forum held last year. Herald Med

Oct. 24, 2024

Asiana starts direct flights to Egypt

Asiana Airlines has started direct charter flights from Incheon to Cairo, according to the Egyptian Embassy in South Korea at an event Wednesday. Hosted by Egyptian Ambassador to Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman, the event showcased tourism and culture with presentations from travel agencies from Korea. In his address, Rahman applauded the cooperation of Asiana Airlines and major South Korean tour operators such as Hana Tour, Mode Tour, Verygood Tour and Yellow Balloon Tour. "The message we want t

Oct. 24, 2024

S. Korea secures additional 34 passenger manifests from Ukishima ship sinking

Japan provided South Korea on Wednesday with another batch of passenger manifests from the 1945 sinking of a Japanese vessel that is known to have killed thousands of Koreans aboard. The Ukishima Maru sank in waters off the Aomori Prefecture in August 1945 following an explosion in the hull. The ship was transporting Koreans, many of whom were forcibly mobilized for wartime labor, back to their homeland, as Korea was liberated from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. South Korea's foreign m

Oct. 23, 2024

N. Korea's support puts Putin in its debt: experts

North Korea's dispatch of personnel to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- even if their military involvement is limited or indirect -- could put Russian President Vladimir Putin in Pyongyang's debt, experts said. The development may also set the stage for reciprocal support from Moscow for Kim Jong-un's aggressive ambitions, especially if North Korean casualties occur in the Ukraine war. Whether North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia remains a hotly debated issue, w

Oct. 23, 2024

[ASEAN Plus Korea] 'Restrictive immigration may dampen Southeast Asian interest in Korea'

South Korea's attempts to make its immigration rules more restrictive to reduce the number of unregistered immigrants here could easily backfire, a veteran diplomat said, adding that the current popularity of the Korean Wave is far from everlasting. Kim Jae-shin, secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center, noted much interest among people in Southeast Asia in learning about South Korea and its culture. However, he cautioned that making immigration procedures for citizens of the 10 countrie

Oct. 22, 2024

UNDP chief calls for stronger ties with Korea in fight against global challenges

The world we once knew, shaped by decades of work toward multilateralism, international governance and legal systems, is drifting apart. Conflicts, crises and rising hostilities are making international cooperation and development efforts increasingly difficult. Yet in this time of challenges, South Korea has been a valued partner and contributor to the United Nations Development Programme, stepping up to play a bigger role in several areas, chief Achim Steiner said in a recent interview with

Oct. 22, 2024

S. Korea, UK to initiate 2+2 talks, boost defense ties

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United Kingdom have agreed to launch foreign and defense ministerial "2+2" talks early next year in a bid to strengthen their joint response to regional and global security threats, while pledging further cooperation on co-developing defense capabilities, according to a joint statement released Tuesday. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy met for the 9th Korea-UK Foreign Ministers' Strategi

Oct. 22, 2024

Russia defends N. Korea ties, denies clarifying use of N. Korean soldiers in Ukraine

Russia said on Monday it will continue its cooperation with North Korea but declined to comment on allegations that it plans to use North Korean soldiers in military operations against Ukraine. "There is a lot of contradictory information," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters when questioned about the alleged dispatch of North Korean troops and a possible plan to use them, according to the Russian news agency TASS. He added such questions should be directed to the defense

Oct. 21, 2024

Yoon, British FM agree to cooperate against NK-Russia military cooperation

President Yoon Suk Yeol met with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy on Monday to discuss strengthening security and defense industry cooperation amid deepening military ties between North Korea and Russia, Yoon's office said. During the meeting, Yoon shared the latest information on North Korea's preparations for sending troops to Russia to support its war in Ukraine, and pledged to cooperate closely with Britain and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to counter the threats, h

Oct. 21, 2024

Seoul warns Russian envoy on North Korea troop deployment

South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun summoned Russian Ambassador Georgy Zinoviev on Monday to issue a stern warning over North Korea’s deployment of troops to Russia in support of its war in Ukraine -- a move confirmed by Seoul's intelligence agency last week -- and to demand their immediate withdrawal. The Foreign Ministry in Seoul said that the summoning of Russia's top envoy was aimed at conveying the South Korean government’s "grave stance o

Oct. 21, 2024

Ban Ki-moon launches carbon transaction facility

Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday inaugurated the Carbon Transaction Facility, an entity commissioned to scale up international carbon trading. The facility was launched in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, according to the Global Green Growth Institute, an intergovernmental organization dedicated to supporting sustainable economic growth. Ban chairs the institute. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allows countries to cooperate on emission reduction

Oct. 20, 2024

Israel says it has killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Gaza

Israeli forces in Gaza killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar , a chief architect of last year’s attack on Israel that sparked the war, the military said Thursday. Troops appeared to have run across him unknowingly in a battle, only to discover afterwards that a body in the rubble was Israel’s most-wanted man. Israeli leaders celebrated his killing as a settling of scores just over a year after Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others in an attack tha

Oct. 18, 2024

Trump says America 'can't be taken advantage of any longer,' hints at possible SMA renegotiation

Former President Donald Trump said Wednesday that America "cannot be taken advantage of any longer in trade and in the military," reinforcing speculation that he could demand renegotiation of a recent defense cost-sharing deal with Seoul if he returns to office. The Republican presidential candidate made the remarks during a televised town hall event hosted by Fox News, falsely claiming that South Korea does not pay for the stationing of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea. "South K

Oct. 17, 2024

S. Korea, US, Japan align on response to NK escalating provocations

South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to coordinate their responses to North Korea's recent escalating provocative steps targeting South Korea, based on a shared assessment of the current situation on the Korean Peninsula, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said Wednesday. Campbell said South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano "were able to conduct a deep and sustained review of the situation on the

Oct. 16, 2024

New multilateral N. Korea sanctions monitoring team debuts in Seoul

South Korea, the United States, Japan and eight other countries on Wednesday unveiled a new mechanism to monitor North Korea’s flouting of sanctions and strengthen sanctions enforcement, filling the void left by the UN Panel of Experts, which was dissolved following Russia's veto of its renewal. South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Hong-kyun, US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano, joined by ambassadors to South Korea from

Oct. 16, 2024