South Korea’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong is to arrive back in Seoul on Thursday, wrapping up a series of meetings with top officials of neighboring powers over recent North Korean developments. In the last leg of his trip, Chung on Tuesday met with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, where he discussed details of his meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump, as he had done with Chinese President Xi Jinping a day earlier in Beij

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday emphasized the need to proceed with revising the Constitution on schedule, highlighting the benefits of the timeline proposed by his administration.Speaking at a meeting with the special committee on constitutional revision, Moon also stressed that he stands to gain no political benefits from the proposed changes.“If a four-year consecutive term system is adopted, it takes effect from the next president. I want that made clear, as there are misunderstandings that

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Tuesday promised his government’s cooperation in efforts to bring about the denuclearization of North Korea. Speaking at a meeting with Seoul’s National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, Abe positively assessed recent developments, while reiterating that Pyongyang must take verifiable actions for further progress. Suh had traveled to Tokyo on Monday to discuss the results of his meetings with US President Donald Trump, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-

Seoul’s top national security officials on Monday left for China and Japan to brief the two countries’ leaders on the recent developments surrounding North Korea. National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, headed to Beijing and Tokyo, respectively, tasked with explaining their meetings with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and US President Donald Trump. Chinese President Xi Jinping greets Seoul's National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong

US President Donald Trump on Friday agreed to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un “by May,” as Seoul scrambles to make preparations for the inter-Korean summit slated for the end of April. South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in plans to meet Kim on the South’s side of the Panmunjeom truce village as part of the recently reached inter-Korean agreement. The announcement regarding Trump’s decision was made by Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong at the White House following his meeti

US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have agreed to meet by May, according to a South Korean envoy in Washington  Friday (Korean time).South Korea's national security adviser, Chung Eui-yong, told reporters at the White House on Frinday morning (Korean time) that Trump told him he would accept Kim's invitation to meet with him as soon as possible.The announcement is expected to greatly change the security condition on the Korean Peninsula gripped by a year of tensions ov

Seoul’s top national security officials on Thursday headed to the US, their first stop in President Moon Jae-in’s campaign to rally international support in engaging North Korea. Early Thursday, National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon headed to Washington on a four-day trip to win US support for the recent inter-Korean agreement. National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong (left) and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon speak

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday stressed close cooperation with the US and the need to achieve denuclearization in dialogue with North Korea. Speaking at a meeting with the leaders of five political parties held at Cheong Wa Dae, Moon emphasized that denuclearization is the goal, and that no concessions have been given to Pyongyang. President Moon Jae-in (center) meets political leaders at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. (Yonhap)“We are at a very important juncture in (establishing) peace on the Ko

Top South Korean national security officials are set to head to the US on Thursday, as Seoul seeks to rally support from its allies in its efforts to engage North Korea ahead of the inter-Korean summit slated for end of April. The trip will be undertaken by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, who returned from Pyongyang on Tuesday with an agreement for the inter-Korean summit. Chung and Suh will also travel to China, Japan and Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreeing to hold the inter-Korean summit in the South Korean side of the border hints at Kim’s personality, and Pyongyang’s desire to be seen as a “normal country,” experts say. According to Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, North Korea agreed to hold an inter-Korean summit at the Peace House, a facility located on the South’s side of the Panmunjeom truce village at the end of April. Natoinal Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong announces the

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump greeted North Korea's reported willingness to negotiate away its atomic weapons with both hope and skepticism Tuesday, insisting a potential diplomatic breakthrough be tested against the North's long history of deception and threats to target US cities with nuclear missiles.``I really believe they are sincere,'' Trump said at a White House news conference, sounding more optimistic than his intelligence chief, Dan Coats, who told a Senate hearing he has ``

The two Koreas will hold a summit at the border village of Panmunjeom at the end of April, and North Korea is willing to engage the US, National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong revealed Tuesday. The summit will be held at the Peace House, which is located on South Korean side of Panmunjeom. Chung, who led the five-member special envoy delegation to the North, said the two Koreas came to the conclusion during his meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday.   North Korean leader K

As President Moon Jae-in’s special envoys to the North wrap up their visit, speculations are rising over the words exchanged with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. South Korean officials have remained quiet on the matter, providing only cryptic comments. A high-level Cheong Wa Dae official told reporters early Tuesday that the envoys’ meeting with Kim “produced results,” and that as far as he is aware the results are “not disappointing.” Asked whether the South Korean raised the topic of the proc

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reached a “satisfactory agreement” with Seoul’s special envoys, North Korean media reported Tuesday, without any comments by Kim. Kim on Monday met with Seoul’s envoys led by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, and hosted a welcome dinner in Pyongyang. “The supreme leader received President Moon Jae-in’s intentions on (an inter-Korean) leaders’ meeting and reached a satisfactory agreement,” the Korean Central News Agency reported Tuesday. (Korean Centra

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s decision to include his wife Ri Sol-ju in welcoming Seoul’s special envoys on Monday hints at his willingness to engage the South, experts say. On Monday, Seoul’s National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong and other special envoys arrived in Pyongyang for a two-day visit. In an unusual move, Kim met the delegation on the first day of the visit, and later hosted a welcome dinner. The dinner event, which lasted over four hours, was also attended by Ri and Kim’s

Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, once again made public appearances in dealing with the South, raising speculations about her role in the regime. On Monday, Kim Yo-jong, who serves as the first vice director of the Workers’ Party Central Committee, accompanied her brother to a meeting with Seoul’s special envoys, and later a welcome dinner in Pyongyang. The special envoys, led by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, arrived in Pyongyang on Monday for

South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s special envoys to the North returned Tuesday, having obtained “results” in their meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The special envoys, led by National Security Office chief Chung Eui-yong, visited Pyongyang on a two-day schedule, where they met with Kim and his top aides. National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and Vice Minister of Unification Chun Hae-sung were also among the five-member delegation. The envoys arrived at the Seoul Air Bas

President Moon Jae-in on Monday praised the revision of the Labor Standards Act limiting maximum weekly working hours to 52-hours, saying that the country is taking its first steps towards dignified lives. Speaking at the weekly meeting with his senior aides, Moon said that the revision approved by the National Assembly last week was an important step in improving the quality of life, and creating jobs. “The lives of the people will change due to the reduction in the working hours,” Moon said, a

South Korean envoy Chung Eui-yong (left) delivers President Moon Jae-in's letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on Monday. (Cheong Wa Dae)President Moon Jae-in’s special envoys to North Korea on Monday met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, feeding speculations about possible dialogue with the US. According to Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom, the South Korean delegation was received by Kim at a dinner reception that began at 6 p.m., South Korea time. North Korean time i

The deaths of four newborns at a Seoul hospital on Dec. 16 are likely to have been caused by staff failing to follow procedures, the police announced Sunday. The investigators will also book two more doctors of Ewha Womans University Medical Center in connection with the case on charges of involuntary manslaughter. On Dec. 16, four newborns died in the span of about 80 minutes at the Ewha Womans University Medical Center. The National Forensic Service had announced in January that the cause of d