South Korean and US officials on Wednesday expressed strong confidence over the present and future of the two countries' evolving alliance, calling it "ironclad" and "unwavering," as they celebrated the Korean National Day and Armed Forces Day in Washington on Wednesday. Their paean for the decadesold alliance came as Seoul and Washington have been stepping up security cooperation amid a series of regional and global security challenges, including North Korea's evol

Politics Oct. 3, 2024

FIFA has warned the Korea Football Association (KFA) of possible sanctions for violating its obligation to operate independently, in light of an ongoing probe by the sports ministry. A FIFA official confirmed to Yonhap News Agency on Thursday that the global football body had sent a letter to the KFA, referring the South Korean member association to "its statutory obligation to manage its affairs independently and to ensure that its own affairs are not unduly influenced by any third parties

Soccer Oct. 3, 2024

New Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba plans to have his first summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on the margins of annual regional gatherings in Laos next week, Japan's broadcaster NHK reported Thursday. The two leaders will have their first in-person meeting since Ishiba took office on Tuesday, the Japanese public broadcaster said, as both plan to participate in a series of meetings involving the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos. The plann

Politics Oct. 3, 2024

Two senior US diplomats will travel to South Korea next week to attend a workshop on human rights violations in North Korea and other events, the State Department said Wednesday. During their trip from Monday to Oct. 11, Special Envoy for North Korean human rights Julie Turner and Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice Beth Van Schaack plan to co-host a high-level strategic workshop centering on accountability for human rights violations in the North, according to the department. Organi

Diplomatic Circuit Oct. 3, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japan's new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held their first phone conversation Wednesday to discuss bilateral ties and cooperation on countering threats posed by North Korea, Yoon's office said. During the call, Yoon and Ishiba agreed to work on enhancing both bilateral cooperation and trilateral collaboration involving the United States to address North Korean issues. "The leaders agreed on the need for South Korea, Japan and the United States to make

Foreign Affairs Oct. 2, 2024

Seoul shares closed lower for the third consecutive day Wednesday as investors sat on the sidelines amid the escalating tension in the Middle East following Iran's massive missile attack against Israel. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 1.22 percent, or 31.58 points, to 2,561.69. Trading volume was moderate at 341.9 million shares worth 9.38 trillion won ($7.1 billion), with losers far outnumbering winners at 705 to 177. F

Market Oct. 2, 2024

President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday endorsed Cabinet motions demanding parliamentary reconsideration of three opposition-led bills, including one calling for a special counsel probe into first lady Kim Keon Hee's allegations. It marked the 11th time that Yoon has exercised his veto power since taking office in May 2022, and a total of 24 bills have been rejected amid ongoing tensions between the opposition-controlled National Assembly and Yoon. The most disputed bill calls for an independe

Politics Oct. 2, 2024

Seoul shares opened lower Wednesday tracking overnight losses on Wall Street amid growing concerns over an all-out war in the Middle East after Iran attacked Israel with missiles. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.89 percent, or 23.04 points, to 2,570.23 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US shares tumbled after Iran fired missiles directly at Israel, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average losing 0.41 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite plunging 1.53 perce

Market Oct. 2, 2024

South Korea's consumer prices slowed to the lowest level in 3 1/2 years in September, falling below 2 percent for the first time since early 2021, data showed Wednesday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 1.6 percent on-year last month, compared with a 2 percent increase a month earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea. September's figure marked the lowest level since February 2021, when consumer prices grew 1.4 percent. The figure last came to the 1 percent ra

Economy Oct. 2, 2024

Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok said Wednesday the South Korean government will stay vigilant against heightened tensions in the Middle East following Iran's massive missile attack on Israel, vowing to enhance market monitoring and devise responses. Iran fired a barrage of around 180 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday (local time), in what Tehran said was retaliation for the recent killings of top Hezbollah and Hamas officials, according to foreign media reports. Israeli Prime Minister

Politics Oct. 2, 2024

North Korea sent what appeared to be trash-filled balloons toward South Korea on Wednesday, the South's military said, in the first such launch in 10 days. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North launched the balloons, warning they may float toward Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Since late May, the North has launched more than 5,000 balloons carrying trash on over 22 occasions in retaliation against anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent to the North by North Korean defectors and activ

North Korea Oct. 2, 2024

The San Francisco Giants' outfielder Lee Jung-hoo returned home Tuesday following a rookie season cut short by a shoulder injury in May. Lee signed a six-year, $113 million contract with the Giants in December but only played in 37 games in 2024, after suffering a left shoulder injury on May 12. He crashed into the outfield wall at Oracle Park in San Francisco while trying to make a leaping catch in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. He was initially diagnosed with a left shoulder dislocat

Baseball Oct. 1, 2024

BRUSSELS (Yonhap) -- South Korea and three other Indo-Pacific partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will attend the upcoming defense ministerial meeting for the first time later this month, NATO's chief said Tuesday. New NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the defense ministers of South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, collectively known as IP4, were invited to the meeting scheduled for Oct. 16-17 in Brussels. "I look forward to welcoming them and forging a sh

Foreign Affairs Oct. 1, 2024

South Korea's exports extended on-year gains to the 12th straight month in September, data showed Tuesday, on the back of robust shipments of chips. Outbound shipments rose 7.5 percent on-year to $58.7 billion last month, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Imports added 2.2 percent on-year to $52.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $6.66 billion. South Korea has maintained a trade surplus for 16 consecutive months. By sector, exports of semicond

Economy Oct. 1, 2024

North Korea will never bargain over its "national prestige," Pyongyang's envoy to the UN said Monday, reaffirming the regime's adherence to its nuclear weapons program despite criticism over its growing security threats. Ambassador Kim Song made the remarks during a general debate at the UN General Assembly, repeating accusations of America's "hostility" toward Pyongyang and claiming that its nuclear weapons were "just made and exist to defend ourselves.&q

North Korea Oct. 1, 2024