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Seoul official stresses Korea's efforts for uranium enrichment, reprocessing rights unrelated to proliferation
A senior South Korean diplomat has told US think tank officials that Seoul's efforts to secure rights to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes have nothing to do with nuclear proliferation, the foreign ministry said Wednesday. First Vice Foreign Minister Park Yoon-joo made the remarks during his visit to Washington this week, underscoring Seoul's "firm" will to abide by international nonproliferation norms related to civil nuclear energy cooperation, it said. Rele
Dec. 4, 2025 -
US puts on Federal Register 15% tariff on S. Korean autos retroactive to Nov. 1
US President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday posted on the Federal Register a notice implementing certain tariff elements of a South Korea-US trade deal, including a reduced duty rate of 15 percent on Korean autos retroactive to Nov. 1. The Department of Commerce and the Office of the US Trade Representative posted the document to implement tariff-related elements of the Korea-US Strategic Trade and Investment Deal ahead of its official publication date set for Thursday. The notice ca
Dec. 4, 2025 -
New Indian envoy to S. Korea, Herald vow to deepen diplomacy
Newly appointed Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das and The Korea Herald pledged to deepen ties between their countries on Wednesday. “Future cooperation can expand through various formats — articles, films, music and more,” said Das during a courtesy meeting held at Herald Corp. headquarters in Seoul. India is now “one of the youngest and fastest-changing nations in the world,” the ambassador said, emphasizing the need to enhance Korea’s understanding of contemporary India. India-S
Dec. 4, 2025 -
US envoy urges allies to address 'common challenges' on Korean Peninsula, Indo-Pacific
Acting US Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim said Friday that South Korea and the United States need to address "common challenges" they face on the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region, as the allies seek to modernize the decadeslong alliance. Kim made the remarks as Seoul and Washington are pushing to modernize their alliance to better respond to a changing security environment, defined by China's increasing assertiveness and continued North Korean nuclear and missile threats. "First
Nov. 28, 2025 -
Unification minister meets US envoy, stresses bilateral cooperation in resuming US-NK dialogue
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young underscored the importance of close South Korea-US cooperation in resuming dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang in his meeting with acting US Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim on Tuesday. According to the unification ministry, Chung noted that a "window of opportunity" has opened for such a resumption following summits held on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in late October and said the period leading up to planned US-Chin
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Lee pays tribute at Korean War Memorial in Ankara
President Lee Jae Myung paid tribute at the Korean War Memorial in Ankara on Tuesday and met with Turkish veterans who fought in the 1950–53 conflict, honoring their service and sacrifice. Lee laid a wreath of red and blue flowers -- the colors of the South Korean national flag -- at the memorial and observed a moment of silence, accompanied by first lady Kim Hea Kyung. Four surviving Turkish veterans and 13 family members of fallen service members attended the ceremony. Turkey dispatched more t
Nov. 25, 2025 -
S. Korean firms call for USMCA extension ahead of next year's joint review
South Korean firms with production bases in North America have expressed their hope for preserving a free trade pact among the United States, Mexico and Canada in their comments to the US government, stressing the importance of policy certainty, as a joint review of the pact is set for next year. In comments posted on the website of the Office of the US Trade Representative, Korean companies called for extending the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, as the review, slated to start in July, could lead t
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Lee, Erdogan agree to bolster defense, nuclear energy cooperation in summit talks
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a summit Monday and agreed to expand economic cooperation in the defense, nuclear energy, bio and other fields to deepen the two countries' strategic partnership. During the talks held at the presidential palace in Ankara, Lee described Turkey as a "brotherly nation" for having fought alongside South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, and expressed hope to strengthen the bilateral strategic partnership into a
Nov. 25, 2025 -
Omani envoy's address at National Day reception
Oman marked its National Day on Thursday. In Korea, the embassy of Oman celebrated the day with an event that brought together diplomats and officials, with the ambassador of Oman stressing Oman's role in the international stage, as well as Korea-Oman ties. Following is the full text of Omani Ambassador to Korea Zakariya Al Saadi's speech at the event held in Seoul on Thursday. In the name of Allah, the most compassionate, the most merciful, H.E. Lee Jae-woong, spokesperson and deputy minister f
Nov. 24, 2025 -
Number of Koreans aboard 1945 sunken Japanese ship likely to be unveiled by year-end
The number of Koreans aboard a Japanese ship that sank in 1945, killing up to over 3,000 people, will likely be revealed by the year-end following an analysis of passenger lists, the interior ministry said Sunday. The government has commissioned the Foundation for Victims of Forced Mobilization by Imperial Japan to carry out an in-depth analysis of 75 passenger lists and related items received from the Japanese foreign ministry between September last year and March this year. The analysis is exp
Nov. 23, 2025 -
South Korea, Poland face shared challenges from China–Russia–NK triangle: think-tank
South Korea is a crucial partner for Poland in its drive to bolster its defense, but Seoul must make hard choices in the face of shifting security challenges, say experts from the OSW Center for Eastern Studies, a Polish government-affiliated think tank. Speaking in an interview in Seoul on Oct. 22, OSW analyst Witold Rodkiewicz warned that Korean firms operating in Russia indirectly support Moscow's war machine and that too much hedging could place South Korean industries in a precarious positi
Nov. 21, 2025 -
Oman marks National Day by ushering in new chapter
MUSCAT (ONA) — The Sultanate of Oman will mark this Thursday its Glorious National Day, commemorating the Al Busaidi State Foundation Day on Nov. 20 each year. This historic occasion embodies the patriotic spirit of this blessed nation's people as they advance with renewed determination to build their homeland under the leadership of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. The profound pride of the nation's monarch in the people of Oman reflects the deep unity between the leader and his loyal citizens. This n
Nov. 20, 2025 -
Trump's chip tariff plan likely postponed: report
Officials of US President Donald Trump's administration have said privately that they might not impose semiconductor tariffs soon, potentially postponing a plan to roll out the sector-specific duty, a report said Wednesday. Reuters reported, citing multiple unnamed people, that the officials recently delivered the message to government and private-industry stakeholders, amid concerns that additional tariffs could provoke China and heighten worries about consumer prices. Citing two people, the ne
Nov. 20, 2025 -
S. Korean envoy stresses close cooperation with US to pave way for NK dialogue
South Korea's top envoy to the United States pledged Tuesday to work closely with the US to foster conditions needed for the resumption of diplomacy with North Korea, amid uncertainty over whether Pyongyang would accede to dialogue overtures. New Ambassador Kang Kyung-wha, who served as Seoul's foreign minister from 2017-2021, made the remarks during her first meeting with Korean correspondents since taking office last month. "While closely communicating with the US side, (we) will continue (eff
Nov. 19, 2025 -
Belgium marks King’s Day, lauds S. Korea’s role on UNSC
Belgium marked King’s Day in Seoul on Nov. 13, highlighting its monarchical tradition and deepening partnership with South Korea. King’s Day, observed annually, honors the continuity of the Belgian monarchy and the king’s role as a symbol of national unity. The celebration dates back to 1866, when it was first dedicated to King Leopold I on the feast day of Saint Leopold. Speaking at the reception, Belgian Ambassador to Korea Bruno Jans highlighted more than a century of relations with South Kor
Nov. 18, 2025