The US Forces Korea will end all services at a major military base in the heart of Seoul within this year to prepare the return of the land to the South Korean government, military officials said Saturday. The US military has been moving its bases from around the country to a refurbished garrison in Pyeongtaek, some 70 kilometers south of Seoul, since 2017. While the USFK headquarters and the Eighth Army have moved to the new headquarters, called Camp Humphreys, the US military has been preparin

North Korea’s hopes for talks with the US is fading, a senior North Korean official said Saturday, accusing the US of pushing Pyongyang to reconsider its measures. “Our hopes for talks with the US is gradually fading, and (the US is) pushing us into a situation where we cannot but reconsider all measures taken until now,” North Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said in a statement on Saturday.  Referring to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement

The confirmation hearing for Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk appears unlikely to be held on schedule, with the ruling and opposition parties failing to agree on witnesses who will be called to the stand. Cho’s confirmation hearing was scheduled to be held Monday and Tuesday. On Friday, the parliamentary Legislation and Judiciary Committee met to discuss the issue, but the meeting ended within minutes. The main opposition Liberty Korea Party is demanding that members of Cho’s fa

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered retrials for former President Park Geun-hye, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Park’s confidante Choi Soon-sil. The top court ruled that the ruling in Park’s appeal trial was unlawful as the lower court had not considered the bribery charge separately from other crimes of which she was convicted.Park had been sentenced to a 25-year prison term, with 20 billion won ($16.4 million) in fines for various forms of corruption, includin

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday renewed his criticism of the Japanese government, calling on Tokyo to face history, returning to his earlier hard-line stance after weeks of calling for dialogue. “Japan must be honest. Japan has yet to even state an honest reason for its economic retaliation. The Japanese government is trying to rationalize its economic retaliation by baselessly shifting its rhetoric as frequently as necessary,” Moon said, referring to Tokyo’s removal of

The investigation into Justice Minister nominee Cho Kuk is expanding, along with controversy and partisan strife surrounding related developments. On Tuesday, the prosecution raided locations linked to allegations involving Cho and his family, launching the first-ever criminal investigation into a ministerial nominee.  Unlike other investigations into high-profile allegations, the probe got off to a swift start. The prosecution secured search warrants the previous day and conducted simultan

Seoul could reconsider its decision on the General Security of Military Information Agreement if Japan reverts “unjust measures,” Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Tuesday. This is the second time in as many days that Lee has spoken of the possibility, in an apparent message to Tokyo. “There are about three months until Nov. 23, when GSOMIA expires. I think it is possible that a solution could be found in that time, and Japan’s unjust measures could be reversed and we

About half of the Korean public approve of the government’s decision to end the military intelligence-sharing agreement with Japan, a survey showed Monday. On Thursday, Cheong Wa Dae announced that the General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA with Japan would not be renewed, citing Japan’s trade-curbing measures. The agreement will remain valid until Nov. 22.  In the survey, conducted by local pollster Realmeter, 54.9 percent of the respondents said they agre

South Korea and Japan must make separate efforts to address history and must maintain a relationship of cooperation to resolve the current diplomatic issues, says Korean Culture and Information Service Director Kim Tae-hoon. “Just like domestic politics, international politics need compromise. Fundamentally, trust (between Korea and Japan) must be rebuilt based on (mutually acceptable) historical views,” Kim said, describing the current situation as a case where trust has been damage

South Korean and US chief negotiators on North Korea met in Seoul on Wednesday to discuss how to push the denuclearization dialogue forward. On Wednesday, US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun met with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Do-hoon.  “(We) discussed ways to achieve practical progress (in North Korean denuclearization talks),” Lee said, describing the current situation as an “important juncture” in restarting US-North Korea working-level

A possible resumption of talks between the US and North Korea is in the spotlight as the top nuclear negotiator from Washington is due in Seoul on Tuesday, the final day of their joint military drills. According to the US Department of State, US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun is set to arrive here after visiting Tokyo. His trip to both countries is intended to “further strengthen coordination on the final, fully verified denuclearization” of North Korea. 

South Korea’s presidential office on Friday convened an emergency National Security Council meeting following North Korea’s latest projectile launches. “An emergency NSC meeting was called, and the North Korea’s short-range projectiles and the overall military security situation on the Korean Peninsula was reviewed,” Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement. The meeting was held at 9 a.m., presided by national security director Chung Eui-yong. Earlier in the day, the

North Korea has fired two more projectiles into the East Sea in the early hours of Friday, further raising tensions on the peninsula. According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea fired two projectiles from Tongchun, a country near the east coast of North Korean part of Gangwon Province. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the military is analyzing the projectiles, and maintaining high level of readiness. South Korean and US militaries have yet to release details o

President Moon Jae-in said Thursday that Seoul will cooperate with Tokyo if it retracts its recent trade restrictions, stressing the importance of international cooperation and free trade. “Within the realm of the international division of labor, if any country weaponizes a sector where it has a comparative advantage, the peaceful free trade order will inevitably suffer damages,” Moon said in his Liberation Day speech. “Better late than never. If Japan chooses the path of

As he approaches the halfway point in his term, President Moon Jae-in is juggling hefty issues on both the international and domestic fronts. On the home front, Moon faces mounting criticism on a wide range of issues. Personnel choices, politics of security and economyIn addition to increasingly tricky international issues, Moon is faced with complex domestic political issues, ranging from high-level personnel choices to accusations that his administration has botched state affairs. In the

Following is the first part in a two-part series on the crisis facing the Moon Jae-in administration -- Ed.Just over two years into his five-year term, President Moon Jae-in is facing the biggest crisis of his term yet, pressed on all fronts due to the weak economy, domestic politics, ties with North Korea and other diplomatic concerns. Japan, history and tradeTopping the long list of issues which Moon faces is the escalating tension with Japan. Since he took office, bilateral relations with Tok

North Korea on Wednesday said that its recent weapon tests are a warning to South Korea’s “warmongers” who are raising tension on the peninsula. “Our military actions will be an opportunity to send an accurate warning on the joint military exercise the US and South have begun,” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was quoted as saying by the North’s Rodong Sinmun.  The message comes a day after North Korea fired what it calls a newly developed guided bomb. Tue

President Moon Jae-in on Monday stressed the need to seek economic growth and improve inter-Korean relations in overcoming trade curbing measures imposed by Japan. Speaking at a weekly meeting with senior aides, Moon said that the government must look beyond responding to Japan’s measures to laying the foundation for overtaking Japan’s economy, and highlighted the importance of what he called a “peace economy.”“Extraordinary determination and bigger perspective to o

Unofficial edited translation provided by Cheong Wa Dae 　This Cabinet meeting has been urgently convened to respond to the diplomatic and economic emergency situation.The Japanese government has decided to remove South Korea from its whitelist of trading partners. This is a very reckless decision that rebuffs the diplomatic efforts to resolve the problem and further exacerbates the situation. I express profound regret.Ultimately, the Japan dismissed Korea’s proposal to put our heads togeth

President Moon Jae-in on Friday warned that Seoul will “resolutely take corresponding measures” against Japan’s move to remove South Korea from its list of trusted trade partners. Earlier in the day, the Japanese government decided to remove Korea from the whitelist of countries that receive preferential treatment in importing materials and goods from Japan. “(I) express deep regret at the reckless decision that makes the situation worse, while refusing diplomatic ef