Turkish, East Timorese presidents to visit S. Korea this week for talks with Lee

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta will separately visit South Korea this week to hold summits with President Lee Jae Myung, a presidential spokesperson said Sunday. Erdogan is set to visit to South Korea from Monday through Wednesday on a state visit that will include a summit with Lee on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said. It marks Erdogan's first trip to South Korea since 2018, as well as the second meeting between the South K

Nov. 1, 2026

Seoul's foreign minister explains DMZ mine blast at G20

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun underscored the importance of communication with North Korea at a Group of 20 meeting in the United States, explaining Seoul's position on a recent land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone that injured three South Korean troops, according to the Foreign Ministry on Sunday. Cho made the remarks during the first session of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday, which focused on geopolitical tensions and their impact on the global e

Nov. 1, 2026

FM Cho holds talks with EU, Britain, others at G20 meeting

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has held a series of bilateral talks with his counterparts from the European Union, Britain, India and Mexico on the sidelines of a Group of 20 meeting in the United States, his office said Sunday. Cho met Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta on Saturday, and called for strengthening their security partnership in cyber and space. The two sides also exchanged views on the sec

Nov. 1, 2026

FM outlines S. Korea's position on DMZ mine blast at G20, calls for inter-Korean talks

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun has explained Seoul's position on a recent land mine blast in the Demilitarized Zone at a Group of 20 meeting and highlighted the need for inter-Korean dialogue, his office said Sunday. South Korea has blamed the North for the Sept. 21 mine blast inside the DMZ separating the two Koreas that injured three South Korean soldiers, and has called for military talks to ease tensions. Pyongyang, however, has denied responsibility, vowing to take military action along the bord

Nov. 1, 2026

Trump open to talks with N. Korean leader but no meeting scheduled: Rubio

US President Donald Trump remains open to talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un if Pyongyang is willing to discuss issues of concern to Washington and its allies, but no meeting has been scheduled, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday. Rubio made the remarks during a press conference following a Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting in Atlanta. "I think the president's perspective is, if North Korea and Kim Jong-un is prepared to talk with the United States about issues that are

Nov. 1, 2026

S. Korea, US, Japan reaffirm NK denuclearization goal, bolster economic ties

The top diplomats of South Korea, the US and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolutions during trilateral talks on Friday. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on the sidelines of the Group of 20 meeting in Atlanta, US, according to the countries’ foreign ministries. The talks marked their first trilater

Oct. 31, 2026

S. Korea, US, Japan foreign ministers to meet amid signs of strain in Seoul-Washington ties

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in Atlanta on Friday, as Seoul seeks to manage a series of sensitive issues in its alliance with Washington. The three-way meeting, to be held on the sidelines of the Group of 20 foreign ministers’ gathering, comes a little more than a month after the ministers met during the UN General Assembly in New York. They are expected to discuss North Korea’s recent ballistic

Oct. 30, 2026

Korea, US near deal on military facility relocations, including Gwangju: Cheong Wa Dae

South Korea and the United States are close to finalizing a comprehensive agreement on relocating US military facilities at several air bases, including Gwangju, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said Friday. The agreement could help pave the way for the relocation of US military facilities at Gwangju Air Base, a key issue in plans to develop a semiconductor manufacturing cluster in the southwestern Honam region, one of three "megaprojects" pursued by the Lee Jae Myung administration. Wi str

Oct. 30, 2026

Seoul seeks ‘way out’ of Ukraine dispute, denies tilt toward Russia

Seoul is seeking a way out of its diplomatic dispute with Kyiv over the disclosure of the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war, stressing that its engagement with Russia remains within the international sanctions framework. A senior presidential official said discussions were continuing with Ukraine, signaling Seoul's desire to resolve a dispute that has strained relations between the two countries. "We do not believe it is desirable for this issue to drag on. We are holding discussions

Oct. 30, 2026

Seoul weighs expanding overseas naval unit’s mission toward Hormuz

South Korea is weighing an expanded role for its Cheonghae naval unit, currently deployed overseas, to contribute to international efforts to restore freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Cheong Wa Dae. National security adviser Wi Sung-lac said the government was “continuing to explore ways to play a necessary role and make contributions to protect our citizens and safeguard our economic interests.” “Specifically, we are carefully considering ways to expand and streng

Oct. 30, 2026

US bill seeks to ease transfer of American munitions to Ukraine via S. Korea, allies

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has introduced legislation that would streamline the transfer of certain US-origin munitions to Ukraine through South Korea and other American allies, congressional records showed Thursday. The House bill, introduced Monday by Rep. William Keating and five other lawmakers, would amend the Arms Export Control Act to establish a preapproval mechanism for third-party transfers of specified defense articles originally sold by the United States. Under the proposed l

Oct. 30, 2026

Korea, Germany forge ‘enhanced strategic partnership’ as global risks mount

South Korea and Germany agreed to elevate their ties to an "enhanced strategic partnership," pledging to expand the scope of cooperation to advanced industries and future growth sectors while strengthening defense and security ties. President Lee Jae Myung and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined the expanded partnership in a joint statement issued after their summit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday. The two leaders noted that their meeting came "at a time of increased strategic conver

Oct. 29, 2026

Seoul, US making progress on OPCON transfer talks despite concerns over delay: security chief

South Korea and the United States are making progress in discussions of wartime operational control, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Thursday, amid concerns the postponement of a bilateral defense meeting and revised US military requirements could delay the transition. Speaking during a parliamentary audit of the presidential office by the National Assembly Steering Committee, Wi said Seoul had been consulting with Washington with the goal of completing the OPCON transfer within Presi

Oct. 29, 2026

S. Korea-US defense chiefs to meet in December as SCM delayed to 2027

South Korea-US defense talks will be held in Washington next month, but the annual Security Consultative Meeting, where the allies were expected to discuss key issues, has been postponed. The agreement came as Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul met US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time on the sidelines of the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in the Philippines on Wednesday, according to Seoul’s Defense Ministry. At the meeting, Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to

Oct. 29, 2026

Lee, Merz seek stronger supply chain, high-tech ties amid global volatility

Securing critical supply chains in key industries and expanding high-tech cooperation sit high on the agenda as President Lee Jae Myung and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pursue stronger South Korea-Germany relations, according to Seoul. Lee is scheduled to host Merz at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul on Thursday afternoon, with renewable energy, power grids and defense also among the areas of potential cooperation. The two manufacturing powerhouses face growing pressure to diversify supply chains and

Oct. 29, 2026