HANOI/BEIJING (Yonhap) -- North Korea's point man on the United States landed in the Vietnamese capital on Wednesday for talks on the agenda of a summit between the two sides next week.Kim Hyok-chol, special representative for US affairs of the State Affairs Commission, arrived in Hanoi at around 6:20 p.m. on a plane from Beijing. North Korean working-level delegates arrive at a Vietnamese government guesthouse in Hanoi on Wednesday. YonhapHe walked out of the Hanoi international airport along w

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday highlighted possible role Seoul could play in giving North Korea corresponding measures in negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington. In a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, the two leaders discussed the upcoming US-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Vietnam, and ways for the allies to cooperate on the issue. President Moon Jae-in and US President Donald Trump. Cheong Wa Dae“President Moon Jae-in conveyed (the idea of) using South Korea’s role i

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday reiterated his vision of building an “inclusive state” with stronger support across all dimensions of society, from child care and education to employment. “South Korea becoming an innovative, inclusive state means growing together through innovation, and everyone sharing in the benefits of growth through inclusion,” Moon said, speaking at an event to announce the government’s welfare measures and policy goals.  President Moon Jae-in speaks at the event highlight

President Moon Jae-in on Monday criticized those taking issue with the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, saying that the controversial claims are damaging to democracy and undermining the country’s foundations. “Some in the National Assembly and political arena who are raising claims, such as North Korean soldiers being sent to the South, and referring to the May 18 Democratization Movement as a riot, are denying our history of democracy and the Constitution,” Moon said at a meeting Monday with

A 38-year old shaman is standing trial for a string of charges involving sexual and nonsexual violence against a customer, and is under investigation for similar actions against two others, it was revealed Friday. According to Seoul police, the suspect is on trial on a number of charges including rape, aggravated bodily injury and imitative rape. Under the Criminal Act, aggravated bodily injury refers to injuries caused to a victim under threat of collective force, or with the threat of a weapon

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s views on North Korea’s true intentions have raised questions about the denuclearization process, with less than two weeks until the second US-North Korea summit. In a meeting with South Korean lawmakers, including National Assembly Speaker Rep. Moon Hee-sang and floor leaders of ruling and opposition parties on Tuesday, Pelosi reportedly directly refuted North Korea and the Trump administration’s claims on denuclearization. US President Donald T

“The first thing I do when I wake up is check the weather report for fine dust and plan the day accordingly,” said Choi Ju-yeon, a 40-year old resident of Paju in northwest Gyeonggi Province. (Yonhap)Despite being in a relatively rural area, Paju is often affected by high levels of fine and ultrafine dust. “When levels are high, I try to stay indoors as much as possible. I also have air quality monitoring devices at home.”While Choi may be more sensitive than others, it seems undeniable that fin

President Moon Jae-in’s decision to reject two nominees for a fact-finding commission to uncover the truth about the May 18 Democratization Movement of 1980 is fueling yet another clash with the main opposition Liberty Korea Party.  Rep. Na Kyung-won, floor leader of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party, speaks during an event held in Washington on Monday. YonhapOn Monday, Moon asked the main opposition to recommend two new candidates for the committee in place of Kwon Tae-oh and Lee Dong-woo

The US and North Korea significantly narrowed their differences during last week’s working-level talks, setting the stage for discussion of more specific steps toward denuclearization, local media reported Monday. Citing unnamed South Korean sources, local news outlets said the US and North Korea had agreed to include certain clauses in the joint statement to follow the second US-North Korea summit. One will concern a declaration of the end of the Korean War and another will concern the disclosu

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday met with leaders of startups emphasizing their role in economic growth, and the government’s efforts to support them. Saying that his administration is seeking growth in innovation, Moon said that local startups will soon begin to benefit from regulation changes, and that the so-called “Korean Peninsula risk” is rapidly fading.  President Moon Jae-in speaks with leaders of major startup companies at the presidential office in Seoul on Thursday. Yonhap“Once resul

Over half of South Korean men in their 20s have anti-feminist attitudes and engage in a “hostile” form of gender discrimination, a recent survey shows. According to the results of an online survey conducted by the Korean Women’s Development Institute, 50.5 percent of respondents in their 20s fell into this category, whereas such attitudes were less prevalent among older men. For example, only 38.7 percent of those in their 30s and 18.4 percent of those in their 40s fell into the same category. F

More than half of the public say social conflict has increased under the Moon Jae-in administration, a study showed.According to the study conducted by the Korea Center for Social Conflict Resolution and Hankook Research, 9 in 10 Koreans consider there to be serious conflict between different groups, and 52.4 percent of Korean say conflict in society has worsened since the Moon Jae-in administration was launched in May 2017.  Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)In comparison, the same study conducted in 2017 sh

The month of February will be critical to the denuclearization of North Korea, a high-level South Korean official familiar with the matter said Thursday. Speaking on the condition of anonymity the official said North Korea’s attitude toward related issues appears to have changed from the past and that concerned parties must strive to keep momentum alive.  US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at the White House on Thursday. He said that major progress has been made with North Korea. Yonh

The allegations surrounding President Moon Jae-in’s daughter Moon Da-hye may be expanding into yet another scandal that bogs down the ruling and opposition blocs.Earlier this week, Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party called on Cheong Wa Dae to reveal why the president’s daughter moved abroad, speculating that Moon Da-hye’s family left the country to avoid legal issues.  Rep. Kwak Sang-do of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party raises allegations against President Moon

President Moon Jae-in’s economic adviser Kim Hyun-chul resigned Tuesday, taking responsibility for controversy caused by his remarks a day earlier.  Kim Hyun-chul. YonhapAt a forum hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday, Kim said that retired Koreans should go to Southeast Asian countries, and that people referring to Korea as “hell Joseon” would realize that the state of this country outpaces those of the Southeast Asian countries. “Kim expressed his wishes to resign as

Seoul is focusing on the military aspects of inappropriate actions by Japanese military planes, in an apparent move to avoid the matter being politicized by Tokyo, following another close-proximity flight by a Japanese patrol plane. On Wednesday, Seoul’s Ministry of National Defense revealed that Japan’s P-3 patrol plane flew at an altitude of 60 to 70 meters and 540 meters away from South Korean destroyer Daejoyeong in international waters near Ieodo, a submerged rock near Jeju Island. Military

Rep. Sohn Hye-won again denied all allegations brought against her in a press conference in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, Wednesday. Sohn is alleged to have used her influence as lawmaker to intervene in the designation of a dilapidated area in the city as a cultural asset. She is also accused of purchasing properties under the names of her family members, including a niece, in the area to profit from the real estate price increase expected after the area became protected for its cultural value.

The UN Security Council Sanctions Committee on North Korea has granted exemptions from the sanctions to four organizations, it was revealed Tuesday. According to the committee, Christian Friends of Korea, the Eugene Bell Foundation, First Steps and UNICEF were given exemptions that took effect Jan. 18. Christian Friends of Korea is a US-based organization that has been providing humanitarian aid to North Korea since 1995, and First Steps is a Canada-based Christian organization that focuses on a

The two Koreas and the US wrapped up working level talks Monday, having reportedly dealt with issues regarding the upcoming US-North Korea summit and regional security. On Monday, US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui and South Korean negotiator Lee Do-hoon concluded their talks held on the outskirts of Stockholm.  North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui leaves the conference venue in Stockholm on Monday. YonhapDetails o

Allegations involving Rep. Sohn Hye-won will be dealt with according to the law if wrongdoings are found, Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Tuesday as the prosecution began its investigation. Sohn allegedly engaged in real estate speculation in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, by purchasing or aiding the purchase of several properties in an area that was later designated as a cultural asset. It is alleged that Sohn used the names of relatives and an aide to hide her involvement in the transactions.Re