During a business roundtable in Tokyo on Friday, President Yoon Suk Yeol affirmed his commitment to provide full support for cooperation between South Korea and Japan, in order to facilitate free exchange and foster innovative business opportunities between the two nations. The meeting was held a day after President Yoon and his counterpart Fumio Kishida agreed to enhance economic cooperation between their respective nations. Noting that he met with Kishida to cooperate to normalize the bilatera

Politics March 17, 2023

First lady Kim Keon Hee made wagashi, Japanese sweets, with Japanese first lady Yuko Kishida as she visited the prime minister’s residence during President Yoon Suk Yeol's working trip to Tokyo. This was the first meeting between the two in four months since the G-20 summit held in November in Indonesia. Kim learned how to make Japanese sweets under the guidance of a Japanese artisan and drank matcha tea, according to the Korean presidential office in a written statement. The two firs

Foreign Affairs March 17, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had a sukiyaki dinner together at a restaurant in Ginza, downtown Tokyo, following their summit meeting on Thursday. According to a written briefing by presidential spokesman Lee Do-woon, President Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee arrived at Yoshizawa, which is famous for its sukiyaki, at around 7:40 pm. Prime Minister Kishida and his wife Yuko Kishida had already arrived and came out to greet the South Korean president and his

Foreign Affairs March 16, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to open up a new era of Korea-Japan ties during their summit in Tokyo on Thursday, stressing the need to bolster security and economic cooperation for future generations and to deter evolving threats from North Korea. Yoon said the summit, the first in 12 years, signified a fresh start of bilateral ties, calling Japan a partner with common values and goals. The two leaders also agreed to resume “shuttle diplomacy&rd

Foreign Affairs March 16, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol stressed the importance of solidarity and cooperation with Japan during his meeting with Korean compatriots in Tokyo, his first official event there prior to a summit with his Japanese counterpart on Thursday. “Japan is a partner who we cooperate with together in security, economy and the global agenda.” he said during the luncheon meeting with about 80 Koreans. “However, over the past few years, exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in all

Foreign Affairs March 16, 2023

South Korea will build the world's largest high-tech chip cluster in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, with Samsung Electronics, the world's largest memory chip maker taking the lead in the 300 trillion won ($230 billion) project. The plan, unveiled during a presidential meeting with Cabinet members on the economy held on Wednesday, is aimed at boosting the nation's competitiveness in the chip industry, particularly in the non-memory chip technology sector such as system chips. It is s

Politics March 15, 2023

Leaders representing Korean businesses will accompany President Yoon Suk Yeol on his visit to Japan on Thursday, as they expect to restore frayed trade ties with Tokyo which Seoul sees as disadvantageous for its export-driven, high tech-focused economy. Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun and Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin are among the chiefs in the business delegation, according to Yoon's senior economic secretar

Foreign Affairs March 15, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol’s upcoming visit to Japan is a significant step in improving Korea-Japan relations, providing an opportunity to break the long-standing vicious cycle of stagnation and move toward normalization, the nation’s national security adviser said on Tuesday. At the invitation of the Japanese government, Yoon, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee, will embark on a working trip to the neighboring country from March 16-17. This marks the first time in 12 years that a K

Foreign Affairs March 14, 2023

Kim, the 65-year-old owner of a construction business-related subcontractor in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, had to sell his business a few months ago, after years of struggling with a local labor union. The Yeosu branch of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions constantly intervened in the hiring process of workers at Kim's company and even told him to fire people they do not like, he said. Whenever the union had internal quarrels, Kim had to watch his workers leave their work behind a

Politics March 14, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida next week, as he is set to visit the neighboring country with first lady Kim Keon Hee, the presidential office said Thursday. This is the first visit by a Korean president to Japan in about four years since former President Moon Jae-in visited Osaka in June 2019 to attend the Group of 20 summit. It is also the first time in 11 years and 3 months that a Korean president participates in a bilateral summit in Ja

Foreign Affairs March 9, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Thursday the government will provide more incentives and ease regulatory hurdles for foreign-invested companies, as he attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the $7 billion Shaheen petrochemical project in Ulsan. Calling the Shaheen project a symbol of "special friendship and trust" shared between South Korea and Saudi Arabia, he also said the project’s success would result in job creation, stimulate the regional economy and further solidify the c

Politics March 9, 2023

A highly anticipated summit scheduled between the leaders of South Korea and the US in April is expected to mark a turning point in their 70-year-old alliance, which faces various challenges from the Indo-Pacific region, including nuclear threats from North Korea. President Yoon Suk Yeol has been invited by US President Joe Biden to make a state visit to the US with the aim of further strengthening the already strong economic and security ties between the two countries. This invitation follows S

Politics March 8, 2023

  President Yoon Suk Yeol is scheduled to pay a state visit to the US at the end of April at the invitation of US President Joe Biden, officials said on Tuesday night. President Yoon's state visit to the US will be made this year to mark the historic year of the 70th anniversary of the alliance of the two nations and it will be the first state visit to the US by a South Korea leader in 12 years since 2011 and the second since the launch of the Biden administration, according to a written st

Foreign Affairs March 8, 2023

President Yoon Suk Yeol has invited the Korean rescue team who returned from the earthquake site in Turkey to a Cheong Wa Dae luncheon to convey his gratitude, officials said on Tuesday. He thanked the 135-member team on behalf of the public and acknowledged the challenging conditions they faced with aftershocks and cold weather. “Your solidarity shown at the Turkey relief site reminds us once again that Korea and Turkey are true friends who help each other in difficult times,” he sa

Social Affairs March 7, 2023

Two days after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit southeastern Turkey and northwestern Syria on Feb. 6, South Korea dispatched a relief team of 118 people to Turkey. For 10 days, the team -- fighting cold, insecurity and human tragedy -- rescued eight people and recovered 19 bodies from the ravaged buildings that collapsed in one of the deadliest quakes in modern history. Korea was the first Asian country to dispatch a relief team to Turkey, and fifth in the world. The Korean team, which mainly co

Social Affairs March 7, 2023