First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong-kun will meet with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun in Washington on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations, the regional situation and other issues, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.  “During the talks, the two sides are planning to have comprehensive consultations on the overall South Korea-US relations, regional situation and issues of mutual interest,” Kim In-chul, the ministry’s spokesperson, said in a regular brief

A UN group has asked the North Korean government to provide an explanation as to the whereabouts of 41 civilians presumed to have gone missing or been abducted. 　 According to an annual report posted on its website, the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has requested information on a total of 41 “enforced disappearance” cases from May 23, 2019, to May 15, 2020. The report is to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council’s upcoming 45th session slated

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged North Korea to resume stalled talks with the US and South Korea, stressing that diplomacy is the “only pathway” to achieve sustainable peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. 　 “In 2018, leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, and the United States showed that dialogue is possible and that diplomacy is the only pathway to sustainable peace and denuclearization,”

The World Trade Organization is kicking off the selection process for its new director general this week, with South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee vying with seven other candidates for the job.   　 The selection process starts on Monday by Geneva time, where representatives from 164 members states are to voice their preference among the eight candidates to the selection committee, made up of David Walker, WTO General Council chair, Dacio Castillo, chair of the Dispute Settlement Bo

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called for the need to allow essential trips by businesspeople, while countries maintain quarantine measures on COVID-19 outbreak, during a Group of 20 nations’ ministerial forum, her office said Friday.  Kang attended the special video session of G-20 on Thursday evening, which came ahead of the regular G-20 ministers’ meeting slated for November, where the members discussed global cooperation in the battle against the novel corona

A UN investigator on North Korea has urged Pyongyang to free political prisoners, saying that the country should “follow suit” after Venezuela, which pardoned such people recently.  Tomas Ojea Quintana, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, made an appeal on his Twitter Wednesday (local time), by retweeting a post from the United Nations Human Rights welcoming the decision of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to pardon over 100 political prisoners and act

Senior US officials and experts on North Korea are increasingly concerned that Pyongyang is ramping up its long-range missile capabilities, with the possibility of introducing a new solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile at the upcoming military parade in October. 　 “We know that North Korea is trying to increase the size of its ICBM capabilities, maybe even move to a submarine launched ballistic missile, but we don’t know the extent of that,” said Rob Soofer, deputy

North Korea appears to be preparing a huge military parade to mark the 75th anniversary of the Workers’ Party next month despite coronavirus fears, a US-based North Korea monitoring website said Wednesday. 　 Satellite images of Mirim airfield in Pyongyang taken Aug. 31 provide the first evidence that rehearsals for a massive military parade to be held Oct. 10 are underway, according to 38 North. The images show hundreds of vehicles parked in the parking lots adjacent to the parade ground

Seoul and Washington’s top nuclear envoys spoke on the phone Wednesday, reiterating the need to resume the stalled dialogue with Pyongyang as soon as possible. 　 Lee Do-hoon, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, and his US counterpart -- Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, who doubles as Washington’s chief nuclear envoy -- shared their assessment of the situation on the Korean Peninsula and reaffirmed the need for an early resumption of talk

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry and its Unification Ministry on Tuesday announced budget hikes of 3.6 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, for next year. 　 The Foreign Ministry said it is requesting 2.84 trillion won ($2.4 billion) for next year, an increase of 3.6 percent from 2.74 trillion won this year, with a focus on reinforcing virtual diplomacy amid the COVID-19 pandemic and bolstering cooperation with the US and China, as the rivalry between the two superpowers is expected to in

South Koreans living overseas will be able to schedule an appointment online before visiting their local embassy or consulate for consular services, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.  Due to concerns related to the outbreak of COVID-19 around the world, the ministry said it will start allowing Korean nationals to book an appointment at its website (http://consul.mofa.go.kr) before making an in-person visit at local missions for consular assistance.  Applicants have to sign up on th

Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha on Monday expressed caution about projecting future relations with Tokyo, amid rising hope of significant improvement in the strained bilateral ties after the imminent departure of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. 　 “We have to take a cautious stance on casting a hopeful outlook, as the matter itself is difficult,” Kang told a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee. She was answering a law

North Korea is making every effort to minimize crop damage from Typhoon Bavi and record rainfall this season, its state media said Monday, calling it an urgent matter affecting the country’s self-reliance and prosperity. 　 “Minimizing crop damage is an urgent demand necessary to open the path toward self-reliance and self-prosperity,” the North’s official Rodong Sinmun said in an article, stressing that it is a pressing priority. 　 “Fight to minimize crop damage

Former Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon’s victory as the new leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea paves the way for his bid in the 2022 presidential race, but daunting challenges await him as the country battles a resurgence of coronavirus infections and soaring housing prices. 　 Lee took the helm of the party in a landslide vote Saturday, claiming 60.77 percent of the votes, beating former Interior Minister Kim Boo-kyum and two-term lawmaker Rep. Park Ju-min, who won 21.37 percent a

Typhoon Maysak, which has formed in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, is on course to hit Busan and southern parts of the Korean Peninsula this week, the national weather agency said Sunday. 　 The Korea Meteorological Administration said the ninth storm of this year’s typhoon season was located some 960 kilometers northeast of Manila, Philippines, as of 3 p.m. Sunday, advancing at about 29 kilometers per hour to the northwest. It had a central pressure of 965 hectopascals and wi

Rep. Lee Nak-yon, former prime minister and one of the leading presidential candidates for 2022, was elected the new chairman of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea on Saturday.   　 The party elected its new leadership at its headquarters in Yeouido, western Seoul, during an unprecedented virtual convention attended by only a minimal number of party officials at the site, due to recent surge of the new coronavirus cases here. 　 The 67-year-old five-term lawmaker overwhelmingly won 60.77

Typhoon Maysak, currently a tropical storm forming in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines, is expected to hit the Korean Peninsula next week, the national weather agency said Saturday.  The Korea Meteorological Administration said the ninth storm of this year’s typhoon season is located some 970 kilometers northeast off Manila, Philippines, and currently traveling at about 3 kilometers per hour to the northwest with a central pressure of 985 hectopascals and wind speeds of up

South Korea’s daily tally of new COVID-19 cases exceeded 300 for the fourth consecutive day Saturday, with sporadic cluster infections in the Seoul metropolitan area continuing to raise alert.  The country reported 323 new virus cases Saturday -- 308 locally transmitted and 15 imported from overseas -- putting the total caseload at 19,400, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Five more people died of the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 321. The

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s reported decision to delegate part of his authority to his younger sister Kim Yo-jong and other key aides should be seen as a show of confidence, affirming the leader’s grip on the country, rather than a sign that he has health problems or has chosen his sister as his successor, experts here said Friday. The National Intelligence Service on Thursday told lawmakers in a closed-door meeting that Kim Jong-un appears to have transferred some of his res

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has delegated some of his authority to his younger sister Yo-jong, allowing her to manage South Korean and US affairs, South Korea’s spy agency told lawmakers Thursday. 　 The move appears to be intended to lighten Kim Jong-un’s burden, the National Intelligence Service said, denying that the leader has any serious health issues. 　 “In regards to Kim Jong-un’s circumstances, ‘delegation of power’ was mentioned,” Rep. Ha