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The boat, carrying four fishermen, was reportedly drifting after its engine broke. South Korean fisherman first spotted the boat near waters off Samcheok Port in Today North Korea [News Focus] Moon returns to mounting speculations about NK dialogue President Moon Jae-in has returned back from a three-nation tour of Europe, but his comments regarding North Korea have gained more public attention than Seoul’s relationship with Nordic countries. On the tour to Finland, Norway and Sweden, Moon not only put a timeline on his desired meeting with Kim Jong-un, but also urged Pyongyang to take concrete steps, while voicing his views on the groundwork necessary for US-North Korea dialogue. “(I think) working-level negotiations sho Today Politics No deal reached, parliamentary standoff to continue A parliamentary impasse appears set to continue, as rival political parties on Sunday failed to narrow differences on holding a public hearing on the country’s economic situation. In addition, an extraordinary session in June is likely to be held without the main opposition Liberty Korea Party. Floor leaders from the Liberty Korea Party, Democratic Party and minor opposition Bareunmirae Party held behind-the-scenes discussions to narrow their differences over the weekend, as they are Today Social affairs S. Korea completes African swine fever quarantine in border area South Korea has completed quarantine measures against African swine fever in regions bordering North Korea, which reported a recent outbreak of the contagious animal disease, the agriculture ministry said Sunday. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said it conducted disinfection at hog farms located south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas from June 5 to Friday, after the North confirmed the outbreak of the swine fever on May 30. The ministry said blood tests of Today Foreign Policy Moon back in Korea after Northern Europe trip Following an eight-day tour of Finland, Norway and Sweden, President Moon Jae-in returned to South Korea on Sunday, where a pile of tough tasks remains unresolved.The keywords of his discussions during the state visits were peace, innovation and inclusive growth.Moon secured firmer support for the Korea peace process from the Nordic nations and paved the way for stronger partnerships during the fourth industrial revolution and discovery of the next economic growth engines, according to his offic Today North Korea NK leader's wreath sent to late ex-first lady expected to be preserved permanently A wreath of flowers that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent for the funeral of late former South Korean first lady Lee Hee-ho is expected to be preserved permanently, an official said Sunday.Kim sent a condolence message and the wreath of white chrysanthemums to South Korea on Wednesday after Lee, wife of late former President Kim Dae-jung, died Monday. Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, delivered the message and the wreath at the border village of Panmunjom.The wreath was decorated with a black ribbo Today Social affairs S. Korean gov't struggling to handle growing number of refugee cases More than 20,000 refugee applications have piled up, but only 81 government officials are assigned to review the cases, a local human rights group said Sunday, citing data from the justice ministry.According to the statistics obtained and released by the Seoul-based Refugee Rights Center, or NANCEN, ahead of World Refugee Day, a total of 16,173 people applied for asylum in South Korea last year, a rise of more than 6,000 from 9,942 in 2017.Ministry officials said the number of asylum seekers arr Today Diplomatic Circuit S. Korea, Sweden to expand ties on new industries, inclusive growth The leaders of South Korea and Sweden agreed Saturday that their tech-savvy, like-minded countries have great potential for closer partnerships in various sectors, including in response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Seoul's pursuit of inclusive growth.Speaking after a summit with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, President Moon Jae-in noted that the two-way trade volume reached an all-time high of US$2.9 billion in 2018."The amount of investment is fast increasing as well. But Jun 15, 2019 Diplomatic Circuit [Newsmaker] S. Korea, Sweden sign MOUs on trade, economic cooperation South Korea and Sweden have signed six memorandums of understandings (MOUs) to expand trade and cooperation in emerging industries, the government said Saturday.The MOUs were signed in line with President Moon Jae-in's visit to Sweden on the last leg of his eight-day Northern Europe trip that also took him to Finland and Norway.The agreements include those signed by the Korea International Trade Association and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, as well as the signings between res Jun 15, 2019 North Korea N. Korean fishing boat found stranded in East Sea, crew under investigation A North Korean fishing boat was found adrift in South Korean waters off the east coast Saturday, and its crew members are under investigation by authorities, they said. The boat carrying four crewmen was spotted by a South Korean fishing boat in waters south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) at around 6:50 a.m., according to officials. The North Korean boat is known to have drifted across the NLL, the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas, due to an engine problem. The m Jun 15, 2019 Diplomatic Circuit S. Korea keeps membership on UN economic-social council South Korea has been reelected as a member of a UN council in charge of economic and social issues, a position it has held since 2008, the foreign ministry said Saturday.South Korea received membership on the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) from 2020 to 2022 in a vote at a UN general meeting Friday, the ministry said. It marks the country's eighth successive entry on the 54-member council.A total of 18 countries were elected to be members for the next three years in the latest election.&nbs Jun 15, 2019 North Korea NK media says inter-Korean declarations are milestones for peace, prosperity North Korean media outlets said Saturday inter-Korean agreements signed last year are milestones for peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula, celebrating the 19th anniversary of a joint declaration signed by the two Koreas at their first-ever summit. The North's main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the June 15 declaration signed by then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000 was a landmark event in the country's unification history.It said the thr Jun 15, 2019 North Korea Trump brushes off N. Korea's sanctions violations US President Donald Trump on Friday appeared to downplay North Korea's violation of sanctions, saying "everybody" tries to skirt them.Trump has seemed eager to keep diplomacy with North Korea alive despite the collapse of his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February and the North's firing of short-range missiles last month.On Tuesday he revealed that he received another "beautiful" letter from Kim and expressed optimism about the future of US dealings wi Jun 15, 2019 Diplomatic Circuit ASEAN cultural festival kicks off The ASEAN-Korea Center, an intergovernmental organization, has kicked off ASEAN Week 2019 in Seoul. The ASEAN-Korea Center Secretary-General Lee Hyuk, Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and Thai Ambassador Singtong Lapisatepun joined the opening ceremony held Friday at Seoul Plaza and delivered congratulatory remarks.Seoul Mayor Park has pledged to strengthen ties with major cities of the 10 ASEAN member countries.First lady Kim Jung-sook, who is on an overseas trip with President Moon Jae-in, also deliv Jun 14, 2019 Foreign Affairs Swedish king: Moon's visit to improve bilateral ties STOCKHOLM, (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's state visit to Sweden is expected to serve as a chance for the two countries to deepen cooperative ties, King Carl XVI Gustaf said Friday. The king greeted Moon at the Royal Palace in Stockholm in a grand welcoming ceremony. Moon rode through the streets in a horse-drawn carriage to reach the palace in accordance with Sweden's tradition and protocol for state guests. Moon then inspected honor guards.Briefly speaking to media later, the MORE 15 / 163935
