Category: South Korea

South Korea Plans to Lift Ban on North Korea TV, Newspapers Despite Tensions

SEOUL, South Korea—South Korea plans to lift its decades-long ban on public access to North Korean television, newspapers, and other publications as part of its efforts to promote mutual understanding between the rivals, officials said Friday, despite animosities over the North’s recent missile tests. Divided along the world’s most heavily fortified border since 1948, the…


South Korea Given Deadline to Join US-Led Chip Alliance Amid Mounting Pressure from Beijing

South Korea once again faces a significant strategic dilemma amid growing calls to participate in the U.S.-led chip alliance designed to decouple countries from China. The semiconductor powerhouse was asked to make a decision by the end of August. The United States has reportedly asked South Korea to inform it whether it will join the…


US, South Korea to Expand Cooperation in Foreign Exchange, Price Cap on Russian Oil

The United States and South Korea have agreed to expand cooperation in stabilizing the foreign exchange market and capping the price of Russian oil to alleviate rising global inflation. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with South Korean Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho in Seoul on Tuesday to discuss economic security and measures for strengthening supply…


Japan, South Korea Seek Resolution to Colonial Labor Dispute

The South Korean and Japanese foreign ministers have agreed on the need to resolve the wartime forced labor dispute that has strained bilateral relations between the two nations for decades. South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Jin met with his Japanese counterpart, Yoshimasa Hayashi, in Tokyo on July 18 to discuss resolving the feud…


South Korea and UK Hold 1st Minister-Level Strategic Defense Dialogue

South Korea and the United Kingdom held their first vice ministerial-level defense strategy dialogue on July 18 to put into action the bilateral framework adopted by the two regimes last month. South Korean Vice Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul met with his British counterpart, Annabel Goldie, in London to discuss the framework for deeper cooperation, according…


South Korea Launches Probe Into 2019 Deportation of North Korean Fishermen

South Korea’s Presidential Office on Sunday denounced the repatriation of two North Korean fishermen in 2019 as an “act against humanity” by the previous government and pledged to investigate the case. “President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office will reveal the substantive truth behind the [previous government’s] act against humanity and take all measures to prevent its recurrence,”…


Yoon Vows to Uphold South Korea’s Values of Democratic Freedom on Constitution Day

South Korea’s president said on Sunday that his administration will work to uphold the constitutional values of freedom to democracy, as he recalled the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju where hundreds of civilians were killed by the military government. President Yoon Suk-yeol made the remarks on the national Constitution Day, citing his visit to the southwestern…


South Korea to Restart Nuclear Power Plant Exports Under Yoon’s Leadership

South Korea has been actively pursuing talks with some nations for nuclear energy projects, as its president aimed to revive the country’s nuclear energy industry and boost nuclear power’s contribution to 30 percent by 2030. Trade, Industry, and Energy Minister Lee Chang-yang visited the Czech Republic and Poland last month to promote South Korean nuclear…


South Korea Detects Shots Apparently Launched by North Korea

SEOUL—South Korea’s military said on Sunday it had detected the trajectories of what appeared to be shots fired by North Korea, possibly from multiple rocket launchers (MLRs). South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff announced that the shots were detected after 6 p.m. and that the military had strengthened surveillance and alert levels, without mentioning any…


South Korea Drops Some Food Tariffs in Response to Worsening Economic Crisis

South Korea’s government said on Friday that it would remove tariffs on seven additional food items and roll out financial aid to low-income households to counter rising inflation. Tariffs will be removed on 100,000 tonnes of imported beef, 82,500 tonnes of imported chicken, powdered milk, coffee beans, green onions, and ethanol materials. The government will…