S. Korea voices deep regret over Japan PM's offering, lawmakers' visit to war shrine

South Korea expressed deep regret Tuesday after Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba sent a ritual offering to a war shrine seen as symbolizing its militaristic past and its lawmakers paid their respects there. Ishiba sent the offering to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including 14 Class A criminals convicted by the Allies in international tribunals for their roles in World War II, on the occasion of the annual spring festival. A bipartisan group of Japanese lawmakers also vis

April 22, 2025

US expert foresees difficulty for Korea over possible measures targeting China in trade talks with US

A prominent US expert said Monday that South Korea could face difficulty in agreeing to trade measures against China when it holds high-level tariff talks with the United States this week, as China warned countries against striking deals unfavorable to Beijing's interests. Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, made the remarks as Seoul and Washington plan to hold "two-plus-two" talks involving their finance and trade ministers in Washington on Thursday to discuss tar

April 22, 2025

KHNP chief stresses Korea-US nonproliferation cooperation amid 'aggressive' nuclear exports by China, Russia

The head of South Korea's state-run nuclear energy firm underscored the need Monday for South Korea and the United States to work together to reinforce the global nonproliferation regime in the face of "aggressive" nuclear exports from China and Russia. Whang Joo-ho, president and CEO of the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., made the remarks, voicing hope that "Team Nuclear KORUS" can achieve the allies' common vision of "atoms for peace." KORUS is short for Korea and the United States. "In regio

April 22, 2025

[Herald Interview] Expert urges German, S. Korean support for ICC in Trump era

In an interview with The Korea Herald, Christoph Safferling, an expert in international criminal law, urged Germany and South Korea to continue supporting the International Criminal Court amid renewed US skepticism. “The US has been skeptical toward a permanent international criminal court from the very beginning,” Safferling noted. “Sometimes the US administration has been more cooperative, sometimes it has been openly hostile. We are now again in a phase in which the US administration imposes

April 21, 2025

Indonesia eyes Korean partnership in beauty, wellness

Indonesia is eyeing partnerships with Korea in the beauty and wellness sector, leveraging the upcoming Bali Wellness and Beauty Expo 2025, to be held in June. Speaking at a roadshow ahead of the expo, Zelda Wulan Kartika, charge d’affairs at the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul, noted that as of 2024, trade between the two countries reached $20.9 billion, with a 9.86 percent annual growth rate over five years. She noted that bilateral trade in goods, alongside technology transfers, extends to the bea

April 21, 2025

Kyrgyzstan Embassy holds concert to mark 33 years of diplomatic ties with S. Korea

The Kyrgyz Embassy in Seoul marked the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic ties with South Korea by holding a concert titled “Color of Asia” on Wednesday. “It is a great joy to be here with you today to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between our two countries through this meaningful cultural event,” said Kyrgyz Ambassador to Korea Aida Ismailova in her opening remarks. Recalling the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, she also said that Kyrgyzstan and South Korea have cu

April 21, 2025

US State Dept. says it continues to assess global posture amid report on possible South Korea consulate closure

The US State Department continues to assess America's global programs and posture, a spokesperson said Thursday, following a report that the Trump administration is looking at closing nearly 30 overseas embassies and consulates, including one in South Korea. "No embassy or consulate closures have been announced, and operations continue as normal," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. "The State Department continues to assess our global programs and posture to

April 18, 2025

US Embassy says consulate in Busan operating normally after reports of possible closure

The US Consulate in Busan is currently operating normally, the US Embassy in South Korea said Thursday, after media reports suggested it is being considered for closure. CNN reported Tuesday that the Donald Trump administration is looking at closing 10 embassies and 17 consulates, including the mission in Busan, about 320 kilometers southeast of Seoul, citing an internal State Department document. The US Embassy in Seoul said there has been no announcement of closures of embassies and consulates

April 17, 2025

S. Korea, Netherlands agree to boost cooperation in semiconductor supply chain

South Korea and the Netherlands have agreed to boost supply chain cooperation in semiconductors and critical minerals, including establishing an information-sharing system between their overseas missions, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The two countries reached the agreement during the bilateral economic dialogue, headed by Kim Hee-sang, deputy foreign minister for economic affairs, and Michiel Sweers, a Dutch vice minister, in The Hague on Wednesday, the ministry said. They agreed to p

April 17, 2025

Time to stimulate India-Korea links through Buddhism, traditional medicine

India and Korea must stimulate deeper academic, cultural and research engagement, Heero Hito, a Buddhist leader and adviser at India's Subharti School of Buddhist Studies, said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday. Buddhism, born in India and deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of Korea, has not grown significantly in either nation in recent times, according to Hito. "Through active international cooperation, cross-cultural events and collective action, we must revive the teachings o

April 16, 2025

Acting president says S. Korea, US seeking 'win-win' solution for tariffs

Acting President Han Duck-soo said Wednesday that South Korea and the United States are working to find a "win-win" solution to the issue of US "reciprocal" tariffs on imports from South Korea. Han made the remark during a breakfast meeting with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who was in South Korea with a trade delegation, according to Han's office. "He explained that the United States and (South Korea) are communicating, cooperating and negotiating at the ministerial and other levels to find a win-wi

April 16, 2025

Senior Pentagon official calls Trump's policy 'not recipe for isolation' but 'common sense' approach

A senior Pentagon official described President Donald Trump's defense policy Tuesday as "not a recipe for isolation" but a "common sense" approach amid lingering concerns about the potential impact of Trump's America First policy on US alliances and partnerships. New Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby made the remarks in a social media post on the day after he was sworn in by Vice President J.D. Vance last Wednesday to carry out a key role to flesh out America's defense strateg

April 16, 2025

Seoul official stresses norm setting, space economy, security as key areas for US space cooperation

A Seoul official on Tuesday pointed to setting norms, securing a reliable supply chain for space economy and ensuring national security as priority areas for space-domain cooperation between South Korea and the United States. Han Min-young, director general for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs at Seoul's Foreign Ministry, made the remarks during a forum hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. The forum took place after Seoul and Wa

April 16, 2025

Indian Embassy, Dongguk University team up for Buddha’s Birthday

The Indian Embassy and Dongguk University commemorated Buddha’s Birthday with a lantern lighting ceremony on Thursday. Buddha’s Birthday is celebrated in Korea on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month, which this year falls on May 5. More than 500 people attended the ceremony to see the lighting of 16,000 lanterns representing Buddhist compassion, wisdom and spiritual bonds, according to the embassy, underscoring India’s deep Buddhist heritage. “In India, there is deep reverence for the teach

April 15, 2025

S. Korea says 'actively' in talks with US over 'sensitive country' issue after list apparently takes effect

South Korea is continuing to "actively" engage in negotiations with the United States to resolve the issue of its placement on the US Department of Energy's Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry issued the statement as the SCL appears to have come into force Tuesday. The DOE's inclusion of South Korea in the list's lowest category has emerged as a hot button issue in bilateral relations. "We have been actively engaging in negotiations, inc

April 15, 2025