Unification Minister calls on Pyongyang to meet to discuss MDL

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday called on Pyongyang to come to dialogue and clearly define the Military Demarcation Line, saying that disparity in the two Koreas’ views on its location was the fundamental cause of the Sept. 21 incident in the Demilitarized Zone. On Sept. 21, three South Korean soldiers were injured during a scheduled search operation in the DMZ. The South Korean military has since said that the explosions were caused by North Korean mines, while the United Nation

2026-10-02 11:47:18:00

Taebong: The forgotten kingdom inside the DMZ

Gung Ye began a new Goryeo in 901. Wang Kon (also known as Taejo of Goryeo) inherited its reunification project and built a political order that helped forge an enduring Korean identity. Inside the Demilitarized Zone at Chorwon lie the remains of a royal capital that most Koreans have nearly forgotten. The walls and palace site belonged to Taebong, the kingdom founded by Gung Ye amid the political upheaval that accompanied Unified Silla’s decline. Today, military fences, guard posts and the Mili

2026-09-30 16:51:37:00

Lee vows to protect farmers amid CPTPP concerns

President Lee Jae Myung pledged to protect South Korea’s agriculture, fisheries and livestock industries as concerns grow over the potential impact of the country joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. “Agriculture, fisheries and livestock are strategic industries tied to national security. Please do not worry,” Lee wrote on X, stressing that the government would fully consult affected industries before moving forward with CPTPP accession. His remarks

2026-09-29 16:53:11:00

Korea and Europe look to expand investment, business ties

South Korea is committed to strengthening economic cooperation with Europe, Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said Tuesday, stressing the strong foundations of the relationship. Speaking at a special reception hosted by the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Han reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting greater investment and business collaboration. “Germany, France and other EU countries have long been steadfast partners

2026-09-23 12:33:23:00

Lee appoints finance, defense and land ministers

President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday approved the appointments of three Cabinet ministers, Cheong Wa Dae said. The appointees are Lee Hyoung-il, deputy prime minister and minister of finance and economy; Kang Shin-chul, minister of national defense; and Hong Jee-sun, minister of land, infrastructure and transport. The National Assembly’s Finance and Economy Planning Committee adopted Lee Hyung-il’s confirmation hearing report Thursday with bipartisan agreement. The report included a favorable asse

2026-09-22 14:13:26:00

Seoul selects first US investment project under $200b agreement

South Korea has selected the construction of a gas-fired combined-cycle power plant in Encinal, Texas, as the first project under its $200 billion strategic investment initiative in the United States. Minister of Trade, Industry and Resources Kim Jung-kwan reported the decision to the National Assembly on Tuesday. According to officials, the Encinal project is designed to respond to rapidly growing electricity demand in Texas, where semiconductor factories and artificial intelligence data center

2026-09-22 11:50:51:00

Lee rules out involvement in US-Iran conflict, says Seoul weighing possible moves

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday ruled out the possibility of South Korea's direct or indirect involvement in the war in the Middle East, saying any part the country plays will have no connection to combat. “There will not be a dispatching of troops for involvement or intervention in the war. This I can state clearly,” Lee said at Friday’s press conference, stressing that South Korea has maintained the principle of not becoming directly involved in combat and will continue to do so. Lee was res

2026-09-18 11:46:53:00

Seoul readies for first Korea-Central Asia Summit

The first Korea-Central Asia Summit will be held in Seoul on Wednesday, with separate one-on-one summit meetings between President Lee Jae Myung and the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan ahead of the six-way summit, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday. According to Seoul’s presidential office, the Korea-Central Asia Summit, the first of its kind, will provide a platform for elevating cooperation, which has continued at the ministerial level since the Korea-Central

2026-09-11 17:05:19:00

South Korea, Iran foreign ministers discuss conflict in Middle East

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, bilateral relations, and the protection of South Korean nationals, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said. The call was held at Araghchi’s request. Cho expressed concern over recent developments in the Middle East and said South Korea hoped for the restoration of sustainable peace and stability in the region. He also reiterated Seoul’s position th

2026-09-11 16:33:21:00

Seoul calls for closer cooperation in Nepal disaster response

South Korea has asked Nepal to provide full support for the search for nine Koreans who remain missing after devastating floods, as the two countries discussed rescue operations, humanitarian assistance and longer-term cooperation on disaster recovery. On Sunday, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met Nepalese Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and voiced serious concern that the whereabouts of the nine South Koreans remain unknown. He asked the Nepalese government to give special attention and

2026-09-06 17:56:40:00