North Korean leader's sister says unaware of Trump-Kim communication

Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, said Wednesday that she was unaware of any recent communication between Kim and US President Donald Trump. The senior Workers' Party official cast doubt on Trump's claim that the North Korean leader had responded to his overture for dialogue, while maintaining a measured tone toward the prospect of renewed engagement. In a Korean-language statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday evening, Kim Yo-jong a

2026-08-19 23:27:18:00

Some 3,000 evacuate after smoke detected at Incheon warehouse used by Coupang

Some 3,000 workers and others were evacuated from a large warehouse in Incheon on Wednesday after smoke was detected in a basement mechanical room, with no injuries reported. According to the Incheon Fire Department, the fire broke out at around 5:28 p.m. in an electrical distribution panel inside a mechanical room on the first basement level of a 10-story logistics warehouse in Wonchang-dong, Seohae District, Incheon. The fire was extinguished internally at around 5:42 p.m., before firefighters

2026-08-19 21:44:22:00

Wang Yi vows 'constructive role' on Korean Peninsula, says US has to change 'hostile policy'

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged Wednesday that Beijing would continue to play a “constructive role” in promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, while taking a cautious stance on mediating renewed US-North Korea dialogue and calling on Washington to change what he described as its longstanding “hostile policy” toward Pyongyang. Wang made the remarks during the first day of a two-day visit to Seoul, where he held talks with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun amid renewed diplomatic m

2026-08-19 21:11:55:00

Chinese FM Wang Yi visits Seoul as Korea seeks momentum for multiparty Korean War end talks

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi began a two-day visit to South Korea on Wednesday for a series of meetings with President Lee Jae Myung and Seoul’s top foreign policy officials, with attention focused on whether Seoul can draw Beijing into its newly proposed multiparty discussions on formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War. Wang is set to meet Foreign Minister Cho Hyun on Wednesday evening, and with Lee and National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac on Thursday, putting him in talks with all three of

2026-08-19 17:12:36:00

Lee to meet Wang Yi Thursday with Korean Peninsula peace initiative in focus

President Lee Jae Myung will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday. The meeting has fanned speculation over whether Seoul will seek Beijing’s support for Lee’s newly proposed multiparty discussions on formally ending the 1950-53 Korean War. Diplomatic developments surrounding North Korea have accelerated in recent days, with Lee unveiling a renewed peace initiative and US President Donald Trump signaling his desire to revive dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong

2026-08-19 14:07:16:00

Chinese FM Wang Yi to visit Seoul as Lee floats multiparty talks on ending Korean War

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit South Korea this week for discussions centered on Seoul’s renewed push for dialogue on the Korean Peninsula and the broader direction of South Korea-China relations. According to Seoul's Foreign Ministry, Wang will make a two-day visit from Wednesday at the invitation of Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and the two will hold talks Wednesday, followed by an official dinner. South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said Wang’s visit would provide an opportunity for the

2026-08-18 17:46:38:00

Trump’s new North Korea overture revives questions over what comes next

US President Donald Trump’s recent moves toward North Korea — from ordering a reduction in South Korea-US military exercises to publicly claiming that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has responded to his outreach — appear aimed at reopening a channel with Pyongyang. But analysts say the moves may be about more than North Korea. His latest remarks point to a broader reassessment of what Washington expects from its allies, experts say. That could place growing pressure on Seoul to contribute beyon

2026-08-18 15:34:34:00

A decade after brutal killing, Manila steps up protection for Koreans

MANILA — Hours before a group of South Korean reporters was due to visit the Korean Help Desk on Aug. 10, a typhoon swept through the Philippine capital, prompting authorities to order government employees to work from home. By the time the scheduled visit began, the downpour had eased. In Malate, one of Manila's busiest commercial and nightlife districts, Philippine police maintain a visible presence around the neighborhood frequented by hundreds of Koreans each day. The patrols are part of bro

2026-08-18 14:32:38:00

Trump's order on S. Korea-US drills raises alliance concerns

US President Donald Trump’s call to “substantially” reduce joint South Korea-US military exercises has raised questions over whether the allies can again scale back major drills as they did in his first term, while triggering sharp criticism from South Korea’s main opposition party over the Lee Jae Myung administration’s handling of the alliance. Trump said Sunday that he had instructed the Pentagon to reduce the exercises, calling them costly and saying they send a “totally inappropriate and ho

2026-08-17 13:48:11:00

N. Korea considering expanding troop deployment to Russia: report

North Korea and Russia are considering a plan to increase Pyongyang's troop deployment to 50,000 by the end of November, according to a report by Kyodo News on Wednesday citing Ukraine's Defence Intelligence. North Korean forces will likely take on a larger role in Russia's western border regions to free up Russian troops for the front lines in Ukraine. If implemented, the plan would mark a significant expansion of North Korea's military involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine. Observers spe

2026-08-13 15:06:21:00