MADRID -- President Yoon Suk-yeol, who attended the NATO summit in Madrid, said Wednesday that security cooperation with the US and Japan would become more robust the more North Korea develops its nuclear program. “There is a consensus that Korea, the US and Japan should strengthen security cooperation related to the North Korean nuclear crisis,” Yoon told reporters ahead of the NATO allies-partner summit when asked what kind of proposal he would make at the Korea-US-Japan summit.

National June 29, 2022

MADRID -- President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met again at the four-way meeting with Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday, following surprise talks at a gala dinner a day earlier, sharing ways to cooperate related to the recent international situation and common interests in the Indo-Pacific region. South Korea and the three other Asia-Pacific nations, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, were invited to the NATO summit as partner countries. They met on the day on

National June 29, 2022

MADRID -- South Korea‘s senior presidential secretary for economic affairs said the export boom era through China that South Korea has enjoyed over the past 20 years is coming to an end, adding South Korea needs to diversify its markets to Europe. “As you know, China’s growth is slowing and is shifting to a domestic-oriented strategy,” Choi Sang-mok, senior economic secretary, told reporters at Madrid, where the NATO summit is being held. There, member nations seek to

Foreign Affairs June 29, 2022

MADRID -- President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed hope of improving South Korea-Japan relations to his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, during a brief encounter at the NATO summit, Seoul’s presidential office said Wednesday. According to the presidential office, Yoon and Kishida had a short conversation at the dinner party hosted by Spain’s King Felipe VI on Tuesday. Yoon and Kishida, along with leaders of Australia and New Zealand, are in Madrid to attend the NATO summit as Asia-Pa

Foreign Affairs June 29, 2022

MADRID -- A high-ranking official from the presidential office said that South Korea would have faced “much more criticism and doubts” if it had not attended the NATO summit, as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The remarks came amid escalating tensions between Western allies and Russia alongside China over the NATO summit in Madrid held on Wednesday and Thursday. There, NATO members will approve a new “strategic concept” that de

Foreign Affairs June 28, 2022

MADRID -- President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived in Madrid late Monday night to attend the NATO summit. Despite being his first overseas trip, Yoon remained casual and calm with reporters on the presidential plane. Before touching down in the Spanish capital, Yoon and first lady Kim Keon-hee surprised the press pool of about 100 journalists and video crew by meeting them in their section during the flight. He took turns shaking hands and talking with them for about 10 minutes. Kim later also greete

Foreign Affairs June 28, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol left for Madrid on Monday to attend the NATO summit and will be the first Korean president to participate in the Western military alliance gathering. He seeks to strengthen security ties with Western countries and to rally the international community’s support for North Korea’s denuclearization. South Korea was for the first time invited to the NATO summit, which takes place from Tuesday to Thursday as an Asia-Pacific partner along with Japan, Australia and N

Foreign Affairs June 27, 2022

South Korea and the US’ deterrence against North Korea’s missile and nuclear threats have been too weak, and the allies should impose stronger penalties that specifically affect Kim Jong-un to deter provocations, says US defense expert Bruce Bennett. This year alone, North Korea staged 19 arms demonstrations, and its seventh nuclear test is also seen to be imminent. South Korea and the US have repeatedly issued strong warnings to North Korea, but few experts think that there w

North Korea June 22, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol said Monday that the government was doing all it could to help overcome the economic difficulties faced by the public, calling for bipartisan efforts from lawmakers who are bogged down in wrangling over committee chairmanships. “There is no fundamental way to deal with the problems that arise because money supply is high, and because high interest rates are being used around the world to curb high inflation and high prices,” Yoon replied when asked by report

Politics June 20, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s wife, Kim Keon-hee, has begun official activities, and so have the controversies. Kim, who has been targeted by the opposition since Yoon first entered politics, came under renewed attack after paying tribute to late President Roh Moo-hyun while being accompanied by acquaintances, prompting speculations that Yoon may revive the office in charge of first lady affairs that he removed. When Kim visited Roh’s grave in Bongha Village, South Gyeongsang Province

Politics June 15, 2022

US President Joe Biden on Monday continued to declare a national emergency concerning North Korea on the grounds of its nuclear and missile threats, extending sanctions against the regime. Separately the same day, the United Nations called for relaxing sanctions on Pyongyang to enable COVID-related assistance. In a message sent to Congress, Biden said the risk posed by North Korea of proliferation of weapons-usable fissile material on the Korean Peninsula “continue to constitute an unusu

North Korea June 14, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol’s spouse Kim Keon-hee could be starting her public activities in earnest, recently visiting the late President Roh Moo-hyun’s grave and speaking on animal rights in an interview. In a scheduled event announced by the presidential office, Kim visited Roh’s grave in the village of Bongha in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, on Monday and met with his wife Kwon Yang-sook, in her first official activity without accompanying Yoon. Yoon told reporters in

Politics June 13, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol and the ruling People Power Party are set on a collision course with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea over the Democratic Party’s push to revise the National Assembly Act, which would give lawmakers the right to amend presidential and prime ministerial decrees. When asked by reporters on his way to work on Monday about how he sees the opposition party’s push to amend the act, he said, “It is highly unconstitutional (for the National Assembl

Politics June 13, 2022

President Yoon Suk-yeol faces his first test in multilateral diplomacy if his visit to an upcoming NATO summit is confirmed. It would also provide an opportunity for him to deepen South Korea’s relationship with the US and its allies amid diplomatic pressures with China and Russia. If Yoon participates in the NATO summit held in Madrid in late June, he would be the first Korean president to attend the meeting. NATO has invited leaders from four Asia-Pacific countries -- nonmembers So

Foreign Affairs June 9, 2022

Korea and Vietnam will seek to elevate bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the two sides’ leaders agreed in a videoconference, Seoul officials said Wednesday. According to a press release from the presidential office, President Yoon Suk-yeol and Vietnam’s Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong held a video call in the morning to exchange views on ways to develop Korea-Vietnam relations, Korea-ASEAN cooperation and international issues. The two leaders ev

Foreign Affairs June 8, 2022