President Moon Jae-in on Thursday met top US and Chinese officials and called for close collaboration on the North Korean nuclear issue. In the meeting with US Vice President Mike Pence Thursday evening that went on longer than scheduled, Moon said that his presence is a reaffirmation of the strength of the South Korea-US alliance, and said that Washington’s unwavering position on North Korea contributed to inter-Korean talks.  President Moon Jae-in and US Vice President Mike Pence shake hands a

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday urged China to lend a hand in facilitating Washington-Pyongyang talks, saying that Seoul and Beijing share the goal of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. In his meeting with China’s Politburo Standing Committee member Han Zheng in Seoul, Moon called for China’s support in the matter.  President Moon Jae-in meets China’s Politburo Standing Committee member Han Zheng (left) at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday. Yonhap“North Korea is actively engaging in inter-Korea

President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday continued a long series of summit-level talks in the run-up to the opening of the PyeongChang Olympics on Friday.Moon kicked of the day on Wednesday with a meeting with Governor General of Canada Julie Payette, and later met with Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaite. President Moon Jae-in and Governor General of Canada Julie Payette hold summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday. YonhapIn the talks with Payette, Seoul-Ottawa relations were discussed, as well

Prospects of US-North Korea engagement on the sidelines of the PyeongChang Olympics remain uncertain, with top US officials sending mixed signals on the matter. Before arriving in Japan on Tuesday, US Vice President Mike Pence said that he is open to the possibility of talking with North Korean officials on the sidelines of the PyeongChang Olympics. “President Trump has said he always believes in talking, but I haven’t requested any meetings. But we’ll see what happens,” Pence was quoted as sayi

The North Korean sports and media delegation will arrive in South Korea on Wednesday, Seoul’s Ministry of Unification said Tuesday. According to the Unification Ministry, the North Korean delegation comprising 280 individuals will take a western land-route to arrive at the inter-Korean checkpoint in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, at 9:30 a.m. North Korean Sports Minister Kim Il-guk photographed at an airport in Beijing on Jan. 23. YonhapThe delegation will consist of four North Korean National Olympic

A local defense contractor and government defense officials have been involved in extensive corrupt dealings, incurring billions of won in additional costs in an anti-aircraft missile program, a state watchdog revealed Thursday. According to the Board of Audit and Inspection, three former and incumbent Defense Acquisition Program Administration officials gave favorable contract conditions to LIG Nex1 in return for a range of kickbacks and favors.  Defense Acquisition Program Administration in Se

US President Donald Trump reiterated his administration’s “campaign of maximum pressure” on North Korea, casting doubt on the prospects of further talks after the PyeongChang Olympics. On matters regarding North Korea, Trump used his first State of the Union address Wednesday to highlight the growing threat posed by North Korea and highlighted the brutal nature of the regime. “No regime has oppressed its own citizens more totally or brutally than the cruel dictatorship of North Korea,” Trump sai

South Korean skiers and officials will leave for North Korea on Wednesday by chartered airplane to take part in the inter-Korean training session in the North’s Masikryong Ski Resort, Seoul’s Ministry of Unification said. Although the ministry initially said that the 45-strong South Korean delegation will leave from Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province at 10 a.m., the plane took off a about 10:43 a.m. The ministry did not elaborate on the causes of the delay. The delegation is sche

A top South Korean presidential adviser on Monday said that any political plots North Korea has for the PyeongChang Olympics should be allowed to play out, adding fuel to the rising criticism against Seoul’s handling of Pyongyang’s participation in the games. President Moon Jae-in’s special adviser on unification and security Moon Chung-in said at a special lecture at the Paris School of International Affairs that Seoul stands to gain more than Pyongyang, even if the regime has ulterior motives

The PyeongChang Olympics will open in 10 days, but South Korea and the US remain far apart on North Korea’s participation in the games. Since Pyongyang announced its interest in taking part in the games earlier this month, inter-Korean talks have panned out at an unusually rapid pace. Since the two sides met for the first time in about two years on Jan. 9, the two Koreas have agreed on a number of items, including hosting joint cultural events and fielding a unified women’s ice hockey team.  Veh

Moon taps ex-journalist as new spokesmanBy Choi He-suk President Moon Jae-in on Monday tapped Kim Eui-kyeom as the next spokesman for the presidential office. Kim is a former journalist who built his career in the left-leaning newspaper Hankyoreh. Kim is reported to have been tapped for the post last year after Moon’s election on May. 9. At the time, however, Kim reportedly declined the offer. Kim will replace Park Soo-hyun, who submitted his resignation of Jan. 22 to run for South Chungcheong P

North Korea is expected to hold an “intimidating” military parade on Feb. 8, a day before the opening of the PyeongChang Olympic Games, Seoul’s Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Friday.Preparations for the parade are being made at the Mirim Airfield in Pyongyang to commemorate the founding anniversary of the North’s Korean People’s Army, according to Cho. Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon attends a forum in Seoul on Friday. Yonhap“There is a high possibility that it will be a very int

At least 37 people have died in a fire that broke out at a hospital in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province, on Friday. According to authorities, the fire began at about 7:30 a.m. at Sejong Hospital in the southern city. Eyewitnesses have since said that the fire broke out in the emergency room at about 7:30 a.m. and quickly spread to other parts of the hospital. (Yonhap)As of 5:00 p.m., at least 37 people had died, with several others being treated for injuries. At the time of the fire, 100 patie

At least 31 people have died in a fire that broke out at a hospital in Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province on Friday.According to the authorities, the fire began at about 7:30 a.m. at Sejong Hospital in the southern city. (Yonhap)As of 9:10 a.m., more than 40 people have been taken to nearby hospitals, three of whom have died. At the time of the fire, 100 patients were in the wards. All patients of the nursing home adjacent to the hospital – 78 individuals – are said to have been evacuated safely

Four workers died of suffocation after a gas leak at steelmaker Posco’s plant in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday. According to the authorities, the workers inhaled nitrogen while working on a facility that supplies oxygen to a furnace at the Pohang steelworks at about 4 p.m. The workers are said to be employees of a Posco subcontractor. (Yonhap)The accident is thought to have occurred while the workers were replacing materials used at the facility. The authorities are investigating t

The Supreme Court is facing increasing heat over allegedly surveilling judges and accusations of bending to political pressure.It had been alleged that the National Court Administration surveilled judges, and compiled a list detailing their character and actions. The allegations have sparked speculations that a blacklist -- much like that of cultural figures drawn up by the Culture Ministry during the Park Geun-hye administration -- had been compiled.Supreme Court in southern Seoul. YonhapIn con

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Wednesday he intends to hold a summit with President Moon Jae-in next month and convey his government’s position on the 2015 “comfort women” agreement. Speaking to reporters, Abe said he intends to visit South Korea next month to attend the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics, as well as to hold the meeting with Moon. It had previously been reported that Abe was unlikely to attend the event due to dispute over the agreement. Japanese Prime Ministe

While Seoul continues to tout the PyeongChang Olympics as a rare opportunity for engaging North Korea, experts paint bleaker prospects. South Korea’s presidential office on Tuesday once again urged cooperation from all sides, and reiterated the Moon Jae-in administration’s hope to open a route to resolving security issues on the peninsula.A bus carrying the South Korean inspection team heads into North Korea across the inter-Korean border in Gangwon Province on Tuesday. Yonhap“The administration

Faced with mounting criticism over the government’s handling of North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympics, President Moon Jae-in on Monday urged the media and political parties to support the government in related matters. “(North Korea’s participation) in itself, and the inter-Korean talks for this end, have great significance,” Moon said at Monday’s meeting with senior aides, adding the talks have come at a time when inter-Korean relations “have deteriorated to the worst state si

Criticism and concerns about Seoul’s actions in dealing with North Korea continue despite Cheong Wa Dae’s attempts to allay concerns. In a statement that began with the words “Pyongyang, PyeongChang, pyeongwha (peace in Korean)” senior presidential press secretary Yoon Young-chan on Sunday attempted to appease critics and highlight the Moon Jae-in administration’s plans. “Voices of concern over North Korea’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympics and forming a unified women’s ice hockey team