The Korea Herald

NATIONAL

LATEST NEWS

Today Foreign Affairs

Seoul and Tokyo should contain dispute within political sphere

Cultural exchanges must continue despite differences, KOCIS leader says

Japan must show ‘sincere, consistent contrition’ toward Koreans: US scholar

An op-ed piece on the trade row between Korea and Japan, published Aug. 11 by the Washington Post, has grabbed the spotlight in both nations. Written by Gregg A. Brazinsky, a professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University in the US, the piece blamed the bilateral spat on Japan’s lack of apology for past wrongdoings. Specializing in East Asian history and diplomacy, the scholar is an expert on Korea’s international relations and has written two bo

Today
Foreign Affairs
S. Korea officially notifies Japan of intent to end military pact

South Korea's foreign ministry called in Japan's top envoy in Seoul on Friday to officially notify Tokyo of its intent to end a bilateral military intelligence-sharing pact. First Vice Foreign Minister Cho Sei-young gave Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine a note verbale, a diplomatic document, to formally express Seoul's intent to terminate the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).But the two sides shared the view that it is important to continue diplomat

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Esper raises concerns over S. Korea's decision to end intel-sharing pact with Japan: ministry

US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper voiced concerns Friday over South Korea's decision to terminate the intelligence-sharing pact with Japan when he spoke by phone with Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo, a ministry official said."Our minister explained to Esper detailed backgrounds that caused South Korea to make such a decision, including Japan's insincere responses to South Korea's diverse efforts (to resolve pending issues)," the official told reporters."While expressing concern

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Biegun departs for US amid tensions over Seoul's termination of military pact with Tokyo

US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun headed home from South Korea on Friday, a day after South Korea decided to end a military intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo seen as a symbolic element of trilateral security cooperation.Biegun came to Seoul on Tuesday for talks with senior Seoul officials over joint efforts to resume working-level nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. He apparently extended his stay here by one day for an unspecified reason. Biegun refu

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Govt. to strengthen radiation checks on Japanese food products

The South Korean government said Friday that it will strengthen safety checks on imported food from Japan for possible radiation.The scale of radiation contamination checks on foods will be doubled starting later in the day, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The products that will be subject to closer scrutiny by inspectors are those that have a record of being returned to sellers in the past five years after minute amounts of radiation were detected, the ministry said.Products

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
US expresses 'strong concern,' 'disappointment' at termination of Seoul-Tokyo intel pact

The United States expressed "strong concern" and "disappointment" Thursday after South Korea withdrew from a military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan.Earlier, Seoul announced its decision to end the General Security of Military Information Agreement amid a bilateral dispute over trade and history.In a rare public rebuke of its South Korean ally, the US State Department and the Pentagon expressed their displeasure with the move."We're disappointed to see the decision

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
S. Korea vows staunch combined posture with US regardless of intel-sharing pact decision

South Korea will maintain a watertight combined readiness posture with the United States based on their strong alliance regardless of its decision to end the military information-sharing pact with Japan, the defense ministry said Thursday.Earlier in the day, the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae announced its decision not to renew the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) amid deteriorating bilateral ties following Japan's export restrictions on South Korea."The defens

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs
First military pact between S. Korea, Japan set to become history

The military information-sharing accord between South Korea and Japan, which Seoul decided Thursday to terminate, represented the first military agreement between the two sides since Korea was liberated from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.The pact, titled the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA), was signed on November 23, 2016, between then-South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo and then-Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Yasumasa Nagamine in Seoul, effective immediatel

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Kang says decision to end military pact with Japan separate from S. Korea-US alliance

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said Thursday that South Korea's decision to terminate a military pact with Japan is separate from the Seoul-Washington alliance, amid concerns that it could erode cooperation among the three countries for regional security."(The decision) is a separate issue from the South Korea-US alliance, and the alliance will incessantly strengthen cooperation," Kang told reporters at Incheon International Airport upon arriving from Beijing.The minister added that t

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Key developments leading to S. Korea's decision to end information-sharing pact with Japan

The following is a chronology of major developments leading to South Korea's decision to end a military information-sharing pact with Japan amid a row over wartime history and trade.2018Oct. 30 -- South Korea's Supreme Court orders a Japanese company, Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp., to compensate South Korean victims for forced labor and unpaid work during World War II. Nov. 29 -- South Korea's top court orders a Japanese company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., to compensate South K

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs
South Korea pulls out of intel-sharing pact amid spat with Japan

Seoul cites 'grave change' in security cooperation conditions attributable to Japan's export restrictions for abolishing GSOMIA

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
S. Korea signs FTA with Britain, bracing for post-Brexit

South Korea signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with Britain on Thursday, a step to help maintain the continuity of their trade and economic ties even after London's departure from the European Union (EU).There have been concerns that South Korean exporters may no longer enjoy the benefits under the existing South Korea-EU FTA when Britain leaves the world's single largest economic bloc without agreeing on post-Brexit conditions.In London, South Korean Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee and her Britis

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs
South Korea-US defense cost-sharing deal may begin mid-Sept.

South Korea and the US are expected to launch defense cost-sharing talks in mid-September, according to a Foreign Ministry official, amid a growing concern here over US President Donald Trump’s push for the Asian ally’s substantial hike in contribution. The negotiation for the Special Measures Agreement is for deciding South Korea’s share of the cost for the upkeep of the 28,500 US troops. “I predict that SMA talks could open in mid-September at the earliest, after t

Aug 23, 2019
Foreign Affairs
Vice foreign minister discusses Korea-Japan row with US officials

South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Lee Tae-ho met with US officials in Washington on Wednesday to discuss ongoing trade tensions between Seoul and Tokyo, as well as other mutual interests.Lee met with US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell and then with US Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth Keith Krach. His visit came days ahead of a Group of 7 summit in France, where Japan is expected to rally support for its position in the row. South Korea

Aug 22, 2019
Foreign Affairs

The Korea Herald by Herald Corporation

Address : Huam-ro 4-gil 10, Yongsan-gu,Seoul, Korea
Online newspaper registration No : Seoul 아03711
Date of registration : 2015.04.28
Publisher. Editor : Kwon Chung-won
Juvenile Protection Manager : Yang Sung-jin
Tel : 02.727.0114