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Seoul official stresses norm setting, space economy, security as key areas for US space cooperation
A Seoul official on Tuesday pointed to setting norms, securing a reliable supply chain for space economy and ensuring national security as priority areas for space-domain cooperation between South Korea and the United States. Han Min-young, director general for climate change, energy, environment and scientific affairs at Seoul's Foreign Ministry, made the remarks during a forum hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. The forum took place after Seoul and Wa
April 16, 2025 -
S. Korea says 'actively' in talks with US over 'sensitive country' issue after list apparently takes effect
South Korea is continuing to "actively" engage in negotiations with the United States to resolve the issue of its placement on the US Department of Energy's Sensitive and Other Designated Countries List, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. The ministry issued the statement as the SCL appears to have come into force Tuesday. The DOE's inclusion of South Korea in the list's lowest category has emerged as a hot button issue in bilateral relations. "We have been actively engaging in negotiations, inc
April 15, 2025 -
S. Korea, US discuss lunar exploration, satellite navigation at space talks
South Korea and the United States have discussed efforts to expand space cooperation, including lunar exploration, satellite navigation and maritime domain awareness, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday. The fourth Civil Space Dialogue took place in Washington on Monday, the first high-level talks on space cooperation since the launch of the Donald Trump administration's second term. The allies discussed expanding South Korea's participation in the US Artemis lunar exploration program and pote
April 15, 2025 -
Bessent says US will negotiate with S. Korea over trade next week, stresses 'first mover advantage'
The United States will engage in trade negotiations with South Korea next week, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday, stressing the "first mover advantage," as countries are striving to strike deals with the US to minimize the impact of President Donald Trump's tariff policy on their economies. In a Bloomberg interview, Bessent touched on plans for upcoming negotiations with South Korea and Japan. Earlier this month, Trump imposed steep "reciprocal" tariffs on the two allies and dozens o
April 15, 2025 -
Qatar Philharmonic makes resonant Korea debut with cultural fusion
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra made its long-anticipated Korean debut over the weekend with two performances in Goyang and Seoul, meeting Korean audiences for the first time since its founding in 2008. On Sunday evening, the orchestra -- comprising 96 musicians from more than 30 countries -- took the stage at the National Theater of Korea’s Haeoreum Grand Theater. Held in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Qatar and Korea, the concert was attended by notable gu
April 14, 2025 -
S. Korean biz lobbies donate W3b to public foundation for forced labor compensation
Two South Korean business lobbies have each donated 1.5 billion won ($1.05 million) to the public foundation responsible for compensating Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, people familiar with the matter said Monday. The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Korean Industries made the donations earlier this month to the Japanese Forced Mobilization Victims Support Foundation under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, people with knowledge of the matter sa
April 14, 2025 -
FM Cho to visit Vietnam for talks on green growth
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul will travel to Vietnam this week for an international meeting on sustainable development, officials said Sunday. The foreign ministry said Cho will be in Hanoi from Tuesday to Thursday for the P4G Summit. P4G stands for Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030, a multilateral initiative to promote efforts to build sustainable economies. At the fourth edition of the P4G meeting, Cho will emphasize the importance of the global alliance to respond to climat
April 13, 2025 -
US shows willingness to handle tariff talks smoothly with S. Korea: trade minister
The US has expressed a willingness to handle the tariff negotiations with South Korea and Japan as smoothly as possible, Seoul's Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said Friday, describing the US' openness as a key outcome of his visit to Washington. "We held various discussions aimed at ensuring smooth trade relations with the Trump administration," Cheong told reporters at Incheon International Airport upon returning from his two-day visit to Washington. Cheong's trip marked the first of its kind by
April 11, 2025 -
Trump says US may buy 'top-of-the-line' ships from 'close' countries
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States may purchase advanced ships from "close" countries, as he reaffirmed his commitment to rebuilding America's shipbuilding industry. Trump made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting as the shipbuilding industry has emerged as a key area of cooperation between South Korea and the US amid concerns that China's shipbuilding capacity has overwhelmingly grown compared with that of the US "We are going to be rebuilding our shipbuilding busine
April 11, 2025 -
Trump signals US will make defense cost-sharing part of talks for 'package' deal on trade, other issues
US President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that his administration will make a defense cost-sharing issue a part of negotiations for a "package" deal with US allies and others over trade and other bilateral matters. Trump made the remarks during a press availability amid concerns that he could demand a hefty rise in South Korea's share of the cost for stationing the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea, although a bilateral cost-sharing deal — valid for 2026-2030 — was already struck last year. "It
April 10, 2025 -
S. Korea's acting president says will not join hands with China, Japan to fight Trump tariffs: CNN
Acting President Han Duck-soo has said South Korea will not form a coalition with China and Japan to jointly respond to US tariff measures, but seeks to resolve related issues through negotiations with Washington, according to CNN. Han made the remark in a CNN interview released Tuesday, as the Trump administration has announced a 25 percent "reciprocal tariff" for South Korea set to take effect Wednesday -- a measure that is feared to hit hard the Asian country's export-driven economy. "I don't
April 9, 2025 -
'Heck of a lot of concessions on the table,' says Washington official after Han-Trump call
US President Donald Trump is prioritizing negotiations with two of America's "closest" allies, South Korea and Japan, a senior White House official said Tuesday, as dozens of countries are seeking to engage in talks with Washington over new US tariffs. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, made the remarks in a Fox News interview, as US trading partners are seeking to lower new tariffs that the Trump administration has announced to increase federal government revenue, reduce
April 9, 2025 -
Trump says he, Han discussed S. Korea's defense payments, 'tremendous' trade surplus in 1st call
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he and South Korea's acting President Han Duck-soo discussed Seoul's payment for the United States' "big time" military protection of the Asian ally as they held their first phone call since Trump took office in January. In a social media post, he said he had a "great" call with Han, during which they touched on a range of issues, including South Korea's "tremendous and unsustainable" trade surplus with the US, the purchase of US liquefied natural gas and b
April 9, 2025 -
S. Korea, US, Japan call for end to 'destabilizing' actions around Taiwan in veiled warning to China
The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan called for an end to actions that "destabilize" security around the Taiwan Strait, in what appears to be a veiled warning to China amid increasing military exercises in the area. The three countries made the call in a joint statement released following the trilateral meeting among Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, in Brussels on Thursday. The three-way talks to
April 4, 2025 -
Top diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan meet in Brussels after Trump's tariff announcement
The top diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan met for talks in Brussels on Thursday, a day after US President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs. The talks between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, and his US and Japanese counterparts, Marco Rubio and Takeshi Iwaya, respectively, took place on the margins of a foreign ministerial meeting of members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its partner countries. It marked their second trilateral meeting since Trump to
April 3, 2025