South Korean and US national security officials met in Washington on Monday to fine-tune the agenda for the upcoming summit between the two countries. Kim Hyun-chong, the second deputy chief of Cheong Wa Dae’s National Security Office, held talks at the White House with US deputy national security adviser Charles Kupperman. Kim Hyun-chong, the second deputy chief of Cheong Wa Dae’s National Security Office, speaks to reporters in Washington on Saturday. YonhapDuring the meeting, Kim and Kupperma

Summit conferences among South Korea, ASEAN members and countries along the Mekong will be held in Busan in November, Cheong Wa Dae announced Monday. The presidential office also said the suggestion of inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the event has been reviewed, and that Seoul is discussing the matter with ASEAN nations.  Yoon Do-han, the senior secretary to the president for public relations, announces the plans for the summit conferences in Seoul on Monday. YonhapAccording to Seoul

The debate over two failed ministerial nominations continues, with the opposition parties now raising the heat on Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk and Secretary for Personnel Affairs Hyun-ok. President Moon Jae-in withdrew the nomination of Cho Dong-ho for the post of science minister and the land minister candidate Choi Jeong-ho, following controversies raised in the parliamentary confirmation hearings.  Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs Cho Kuk (left) and S

Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom on Friday expressed his intention to resign, following controversy over alleged real estate speculation. (Yonhap)In a message sent out to the Cheong Wa Dae press corps, Kim said that he was leaving his post, and apologized for the controversy, and his shortcomings while serving as the presidential spokesperson. “It was a decision my wife made without consulting me. It was already too late when I found out,” Kim said, saying that that he was not aware of the

President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump will hold a summit meeting in Washington on April 11, Seoul’s presidential office announced Friday. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon will set out to Washington on April 10, and return immediately after the summit the following day. At the meeting, Moon’s seventh with Trump, the South Korean leader will focus on North Korea issues, and South Korea-US alliance, according to Cheong Wa Dae. (Yonhap)“The two leaders will discuss ways to strengthen t

Nestled against the ancient city walls of Seoul, Bukjeong is a small village with a much larger character. Although Bukjeong Village has been linked to redevelopment projects, it remains one of the last standing Daldongne – a hillside shanty town so named for being on steep hillsides and therefore closer to the moon – in Seoul.The village is also symbolic of contrasting characteristics of Seoul. While the village itself is packed with small, aging properties it overlooks one of the wealthier nei

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday pledged to increase support and to reduce regulations to aid foreign companies operating here, as he highlighted their contributions to the Korean economy. Speaking at his first meeting with leaders of foreign businesses and related organizations at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon emphasized the significance of their role.  President Moon Jae-in addresses leaders of foreign businesses and organizations at the presidential office on Thursday. Yonhap“When a foreign company in

Seoul and local governments will seek to secure diverse communication channels with their Russian counterparts to achieve the goals of the Moon Jae-in administration’s New Northern Policy, the presidential committee for the policy said Wednesday. The New Northern Policy aims to boost economic and political ties with countries to the north of South Korea. It is one of President Moon’s main foreign policy projects, along with the New Southern Policy.  Chief of New Northern Policy committee Kwon Go

The parliamentary confirmation hearings of seven minister nominees kicked off Monday, heralding yet another round of political wrangling. The latest confirmation hearings began with one for Choi Jeong-ho, who has been nominated to lead the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.As with most, if not all, confirmation hearings for Cabinet nominees, the opposition’s attacks focused on Choi’s personal affairs. Choi, who rose to the rank of vice minister at the ministry before serving as depu

Former Minister of Environment Kim Eun-kyung is to be questioned by the court in an arrest warrant hearing Monday. Kim faces allegations of pressuring heads of public organizations under the Ministry of Environment to step down to make room for individuals with ties to the Moon Jae-in administration. A file photo shows former Minister of Environment Kim Eun-kyung at a Cabinet meeting in July 2018. YonhapThe request for the warrant was filed by the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office on Fr

North Korea may be trying a new tack in diplomatic relations, raising questions for the future of inter-Korean relations and denuclearization. On Friday, North Korean officials at the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong withdrew from the facility, stating only that they were following orders from higher up. The North also stated that it will not concern itself with South Korean officials remaining at the facility, and that practical matters will be dealt with at a later date. The move came am

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday met with US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats in Seoul to discuss bilateral issues, Cheong Wa Dae said. According to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom, Moon and Coats held an “in-depth and wide ranging discussion about current issues between South Korea and the US.” President Moon Jae-in greets US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats at the presidential office in Seoul on Wednesday. Cheong Wa DaeCoats’ visit is seen as aimed at sharing info

The US is committed to engaging North Korea, and “sequencing” of denuclearization-related actions led to the summit in Hanoi ending without an agreement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday.  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media in Washington on Friday. YonhapSpeaking in an interview on KCMO, a Kansas-based radio station, Pompeo said that while he cannot reveal details of the summit, differences in the two sides’ ideas about the sequence of denuclearization caused its

President Moon Jae-in on Monday named Joo Hyung-chul as his new economic adviser. The post had been vacant since late January when Kim Hyun-chul resigned over controversy raised by his comments regarding opportunities in Southeast Asia. Joo Hyung-chul. Cheong Wa DaeJoo heads the Korea Venture Investment Corp. Previously, Joo headed the Seoul Business Agency and worked as the chief of SK Communications. Joo studied computer science at Seoul National University and received a master’s degree in ma

President Moon Jae-in on Monday ordered thorough investigations of prominent scandals involving celebrities and a former ranking Ministry of Justice official.  President Moon Jae-in gives orders regarding investigations into a number of scandals to ministers of justice, and interior at the presidential office on Monday. Cheong Wa DaeAccording to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom, Moon gave the orders in connection with cases involving late actress Jang Ja-yeon, former Vice Justice Minister K

US national security adviser John Bolton said on Sunday that US President Donald Trump hoped to resolve the North Korean situation through negotiations, but warned Pyongyang against resuming weapons development. Speaking in an interview with a New York-based station on Sunday (US time), Bolton said Trump was committed to dialogue.  John Bolton. Yonhap“President Trump wants to see this threat resolved through negotiations,” Bolton said. “He’s made a number of proposals to Kim Jong-un, it hasn’t w

North Korea is considering ending talks with the US, a senior North Korean diplomat said Friday. In a press conference for foreign media in Pyongyang, the North’s Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui said Pyongyang had no intention of giving into US demands. (Yonhap)“We have no intention of compromising in any form to the demands of the US,” Choe was quoted as saying in foreign media reports. She also said the US had “lost a golden opportunity” at the US-North Korea summit in Hanoi on Feb. 27 and

President Moon Jae-in once again hopes to bridge the gap between North Korea and the US, but experts say the goal may be too high and room to maneuver too small. Seoul has had a significant role in facilitating the unprecedented level of US-North Korea dialogue seen over the past year. It was Moon’s special envoys to Pyongyang who delivered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s message to US President Donald Trump in March last year, which was instrumental in initiating subsequent developments betwe

Singer-songwriter Jung Joon-young has been booked on suspicion of illegally filming and propagating videos and photographs of a sexual nature, the police revealed Tuesday. The suspicions against Jung came to light during a separate investigation into Seungri, a member of the popular boy band Big Bang. Jung returned to Korea from the US at about 6 p.m., where he was filming a television program. (Yonhap)According to reports, while looking into allegations against Seungri, the police found sex vid

President Moon Jae-in on Sunday departed for a tour of three Southeast Asian nations, continuing his push for the New Southern Policy. Ahead of departure, Moon emphasized the importance ties with Southeast Asian nations hold for Korea, and the potential the region holds. President Moon Jae-in and First Lady Kim Jung-sook wave before departing for a trip of three Southeast Asian nations on Sunday. Yonhap“On the occasion of this trip (I) will make the distance between Korea and the ASEAN even clos