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S. Korea to host APEC 2025 with focus on AI, demographic shifts
APEC’s 1st Senior Officials' Meeting brings 2,000 participants, including US, China, Russia, Taiwan GYEONGJU, North Gyeongsang Province — This year’s APEC summit, hosted by South Korea, will place artificial intelligence and demographic shifts at the forefront of the agenda for discussion — topics that have never before taken the spotlight at the regional economic forum. South Korea's Ambassador Yoon Seong-mee, chair of the 2025 APEC Senior Officials' Meeting, on Sunday emphasized the urgency an
March 9, 2025 -
Japan to send trade minister Muto to US amid tariff tensions
Japan’s Trade Minister Yoji Muto will visit the US next week as Tokyo steps up efforts to seek a reprieve from President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign. The visit is set to take place from March 9 to March 11, just before the president’s extra levies on steel and aluminum are expected to kick in on March 12, Japan’s Trade Ministry said Friday. Muto is expected to meet his counterpart, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, according to the ministry. Japan is seeking an exemption from Trump’s blan
March 7, 2025 -
S. Korea launches first bid for ICJ seat
South Korea has launched its first-ever bid to nominate a judge to the International Court of Justice, colloquially known as the world court, which is the only body that settles disputes between the 193 UN member states. Paik Jin-hyun, a former president and judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and a highly respected jurist, will run as a candidate in the ICJ election set for late 2026 for the 2027–2036 term, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul announced Thursday. The Foreign Min
March 6, 2025 -
South Korean FM says no rewards for North Korea in peace talks, pledges aid for Ukraine
South Korea, Poland vow united stance on North Korea, Ukraine war, defense cooperation South Korea’s top diplomat stressed that North Korea must not be compensated for its illicit support of Russia’s war efforts in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, while also pledging Seoul’s continued humanitarian and financial assistance to Kyiv. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul reaffirmed this stance during his meeting with his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski, on Wednesday in Polish capit
March 6, 2025 -
Trump administration announces one-month tariff exemption on cars coming through USMCA
US President Donald Trump has decided to give a one-month tariff exemption on vehicles coming into the United States through a trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada, the White House spokesperson said Wednesday, a decision meant to support US automakers. Karoline Leavitt, the spokesperson, made the announcement, after Trump held a call with the leaders of the big three automakers -- General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. The exemption decision came after 25 percent tariffs on Canadian
March 6, 2025 -
Why N. Korea’s denuclearization is fading from Trump’s agenda
Key foreign, security policy officials hint at shift to risk reduction, positioning dialogue as a crucial tactical tool US President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has reignited a lingering question over his North Korea strategy: Will he once again pursue high-stakes summitry with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in pursuit of denuclearization, or will he take a fundamentally different course in a vastly changed strategic landscape? Early signals from Trump's key foreign and security ad
March 4, 2025 -
Trump says 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico take effect Tuesday, reciprocal tariffs will come April 2
US President Donald Trump said Monday his administration will start imposing 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods Tuesday, as he pointed out there is no room for the two countries to delay the planned duties. During a press availability, Trump also reiterated "reciprocal" tariffs will start taking effect April 2, as he has been pushing to roll out new country-by-country tariff rates that will be pegged to trading partners' tariffs and non-tariff barriers in pursuit of "reciprocity."
March 4, 2025 -
FMs of S. Korea, China expected to hold talks on sidelines of trilateral meeting in Tokyo
The top diplomats of South Korea and China are expected to hold talks later this month on the sidelines of their trilateral meeting with the Japanese foreign minister, according to sources Sunday. The three neighbors are in the final stages of arranging talks among their foreign ministers on March 22 in Tokyo, the first such meeting in 16 months, according to the diplomatic sources. On the sidelines of the trilateral talks, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his Chinese counterpart, W
March 2, 2025 -
Trump orders national security impact probe on lumber imports, could target Korean kitchen cabinets
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday to launch an investigation into the impact of lumber and timber imports on America's national security, a move that could lead to a new tariff imposition. Trump directed Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to initiate the probe, saying the United States faces "significant" vulnerabilities in the wood supply chain from imported timber, lumber and their derivative products being dumped onto the US market. A White House official mentioned S
March 2, 2025 -
Azerbaijan commemorates Khojaly massacre
The Azerbaijani Embassy in Seoul marked the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly massacre, hosting a symposium on Wednesday. Remembering the victims, the embassy reiterated that massacre was carried out by Armenian forces, killing 613 Azerbaijani civilians, including 106 women and 63 children, in the tragic event of 1992. Azerbaijan views the attack as a deliberate act of genocide, referencing the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide. The massacre occurred during the 1990s Azerbaijan-Armenia war, with Arme
Feb. 28, 2025 -
S. Korea, Montenegro to enforce economic cooperation pact next month
South Korea and Montenegro will seek to boost their economic cooperation, with a bilateral pact on such cooperation set to take effect in March, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday. The ministry said the pact, set to go into effect Saturday, will provide the legal foundation for the two nations to bolster practical cooperation in areas including energy, tourism and investment. "Both nations will establish a joint committee for the effective implementation of the agreement and seek ways to boo
Feb. 27, 2025 -
Defense ministry: ‘Nothing confirmed’ on Hegseth’s possible visit to S. Korea
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that “nothing is confirmed” about US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s potential March visit to South Korea. “Nothing is confirmed about the related matters,” the ministry’s spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou replied when asked whether South Korea’s government was informed of the potential visit, in a regular briefing. “It will be the US government who would be reviewing such itinerary. … So we cannot confirm any information yet.” The ministry spokesperson’s re
Feb. 27, 2025 -
Captured NK soldiers' intention 'most important factor' for their defection to S. Korea: FM Cho
South Korea's top diplomat said Wednesday that confirming the captured North Korean soldiers' intentions is the key factor before allowing them to defect to the South, reaffirming Seoul's willingness to bring them here. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the remarks after a North Korean soldier held by Ukraine said in an interview with a South Korean daily last week that he wants to go to South Korea and that he was about "80 percent sure" of it. He was one of the two wounded North Korean soldier
Feb. 26, 2025 -
AmCham launches ‘Buy America’ campaign to bolster US-Korea ties
The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea has launched its “Buy America” campaign to encourage Korean companies to purchase more US products. By leveraging its extensive business network, AmCham aims to expand the procurement of US energy, automobiles, agricultural products and other key goods, further strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two nations. The campaign follows AmCham Chairman and CEO James Kim’s commitment at the “Korea-US Business Night” in Washington, DC, on Feb
Feb. 26, 2025 -
Anti-China faction in Korea risks 'serious harm' to ties: Beijing's top envoy
China acknowledges S. Korea’s hopes for Xi’s visit, but Dai sidesteps direct answer Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing sounded the alarm over a small but “destructive” anti-China faction that is fueling election interference claims and leading protests, warning that their actions could “seriously harm” China-Korea relations. Dai raised concerns about the diplomatic fallout at a critical juncture, as Seoul-Beijing ties have been on an upward trajectory since the latter half of 2024, drive
Feb. 26, 2025