Lee vows to step up cooperation with ASEAN to tackle transnational crimes

President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that South Korea will step up cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to combat transnational crimes and prevent young people from falling victim to organized criminal networks in Southeast Asia. Lee made the remarks during South Korea's summit with the regional bloc in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur amid growing concerns over online scam operations targeting Koreans following the torture and death of a Korean college student lured t

Oct. 27, 2025

Lee says S. Korea, US remain in deadlock on key issues of Seoul's investment pledge: Bloomberg

President Lee Jae Myung has said South Korea and the United States remain deadlocked on key details of Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge as part of a trade agreement with Washington reached earlier this year. Lee made the remarks in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday as the two sides have been negotiating over the major details of the framework agreement struck in July, such as how to carry out the investment package. "The method of investment, the amount of investment, the timeline and

Oct. 27, 2025

FM Cho discusses cooperation, high-level exchanges with Indian counterpart

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with his Indian counterpart, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to discuss ways to advance their countries' bilateral ties, including high-level exchanges, the foreign ministry said. In the meeting that took place on the occasion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, Cho said high-level exchanges between the two countries continue, noting his visit to India just two months ago, according to the ministry. In response, Jaishankar was qu

Oct. 26, 2025

Trump to hold bilateral talks with Lee, Xi in S. Korea next week: White House

US President Donald Trump will have bilateral meetings with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea next week, the White House said Thursday, as he plans to visit the Asian country on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump plans to have talks with Lee on Wednesday, and meet Xi the following day, as she officially announced the plan for Trump's Asia trip that will also

Oct. 24, 2025

ASEAN startup week 2025 kicks off in Seoul

The ASEAN-Korea Center launched ASEAN-Korea Startup Week 2025 on Wednesday. The week-long event with 30 promising startups from 10 ASEAN member states runs through Oct. 24 and highlights innovation-driven collaborations and investment opportunities between ASEAN and Korea. First introduced in 2018, the annual program identifies early-stage startups in ASEAN member states with high growth potential and connects them with Korean investors, mentors and partners. “Through the successful hosting of A

Oct. 23, 2025

S. Korea to soon begin talks with US on revising nuclear energy pact: FM Cho

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that South Korea will soon begin talks with the United States on revising their bilateral nuclear energy pact to gain more flexibility in spent fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment for civilian energy use. Cho made the remarks in a radio interview, referring to the "123 Agreement," under which South Korea is allowed very limited spent fuel reprocessing and uranium enrichment below 20 percent, only with US consent. Seoul has been seeking to renegotiate

Oct. 23, 2025

Seoul, Washington agree to seek practical support for legitimate Korean workers entering US

South Korea and the United States agreed Wednesday to seek practical support to ensure a smooth entry into the US of South Korean businesses investing in the country, as they held follow-up talks on visa issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The latest visa dialogue came as the two countries agreed to explore ways to better address US visas for South Korean companies and their employees visiting the US, after the arrest and detention of more than 300 Korean workers in a US immigration raid in G

Oct. 23, 2025

Rubio to visit S. Korea next week for 1st time as top US diplomat: State Dept.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit South Korea next week as part of a multination trip to Asia, the State Department said Wednesday, as US President Donald Trump is set to travel to Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Rubio will travel to Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo and Korea's southeastern city of Gyeongju, the APEC venue, from Sunday through Oct. 30, according to Tommy Pigott, the department's principal deputy spokesperson. He is expected to accompany Trump during Trump's

Oct. 23, 2025

Senior Seoul official reports 'partial progress' in trade negotiations with US

A senior South Korean official noted "partial progress" in trade negotiations with the United States in Washington on Wednesday, as the two countries strive to bridge their differences over how to implement Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge under a bilateral trade deal struck in July. Kim Yong-beom, the presidential chief of staff for policy, made the assessment, saying "It's not over until it's over," after he and Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnic

Oct. 23, 2025

India, S. Korea hold first-ever joint naval exercise

India and South Korea held their first-ever bilateral naval exercise on Oct. 13 in Busan. The Indian guided missile stealth frigate INS Sahyadri made a port call at the Busan Naval Base as part of its ongoing operational deployment to the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region. The visit coincided with the maiden India-Republic of Korea Navy Bilateral Exercise. The Indian Embassy in Seoul said that INS Sahyadri is an indigenously designed and constructed Shivalik-class frigate, commissioned

Oct. 22, 2025

From Hallyu to Bollywood, India-Korea collaboration to shape future of content: minister

India and Korea should harness the creative energy of their young people to drive the content economy, as both nations’ media industries naturally complement each other, according to India's Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan. Once a niche trend, Hallyu has become a cultural force in India, with post-pandemic growth driven by open-minded millennials whose enthusiasm for Korean content is boosting demand for Korean products. Speaking with The Korea Herald in an intervie

Oct. 22, 2025

Bangladesh invites Korean investors

Bangladesh invited Korean companies to invest in Bangladesh in Seoul on Monday. At the ‘Gateway to Growth: Invest in Bangladesh’ seminar attended by over 150 Korean business leaders, organizers highlighted Bangladesh’s investment potential in key industries. The event was part of a broader mission led by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chair Ashik Chowdhury with officials from Bangladesh's National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority and the banking sector. Chowdhur

Oct. 22, 2025

Trade minister raises concerns over China's Hanwha sanctions in high-level talks

Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wednesday and conveyed concerns over Beijing's recent sanctions against five US-based subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean Co., Yeo's office said. Yeo also called for a swift lifting of the sanctions in a video conference with China's top trade negotiator Li Chenggang, while also expressing concerns over Beijing's recent decision to put export restrictions on five additional rare earth elements, according to the

Oct. 22, 2025

Trump says US has 'done well' in negotiations with S. Korea, Japan, EU thanks to tariffs

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States has "done well" in trade negotiations with South Korea, Japan and the European Union thanks to the power of his tariffs, while voicing his expectation of reaching a "fair" deal with China. Trump made the remarks during a Rose Garden Club event, reaffirming that he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea when he visits the country for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering set to take place in the southeaste

Oct. 22, 2025

Marine chief to discuss regional security with Thai, Indonesian, Philippine counterparts

South Korea's Marine Corps Commandant Ju Il-suk will meet with his counterparts from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines on Tuesday to discuss ways to strengthen security in the region and expand military cooperation with the nations. Royal Thai Marine Corps Commandant Apichat Sapprasert and the chiefs of Marine Corps in Indonesia and the Philippine Marine Corps, Endi Supardi and Vicente Map Blanco III, respectively, are scheduled to visit the Marine Corps headquarters in Hwaseong, just sout

Oct. 21, 2025