As many as 10,000 N. Korean troops are in Kursk, could join combat in 'coming days': State Dept.

As many as 10,000 North Korean troops are in Russia's western front-line Kursk region and could engage in combat in the "coming days," a State Department spokesperson said Monday, amid growing concerns that their involvement could expand Moscow's war in Ukraine. Matthew Miller, the spokesperson, made the remarks as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video message earlier that there are already 11,000 North Korean troops in the Kursk region. "We now assess

Nov. 5, 2024

S. Korean delegation to Ukraine returns home after discussion on N. Korean troop dispatch to Russia

A South Korean government delegation to Ukraine returned home Monday after visiting Kyiv to discuss possible cooperation measures in response to North Korea's troop deployment to Russia, officials said. The delegation, consisting of senior intelligence and military officials, visited Ukraine after briefing the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Brussels last week over the North's troop dispatch. The visit came as South Korea has signaled a potential shift in its Ukraine support poli

Nov. 4, 2024

S. Korea, US sign defense cost-sharing deal ahead of US elections

South Korea and the United States formally signed a defense cost-sharing agreement Monday, as Seoul seeks to speed up its domestic ratification procedure to ensure the stable stationing of American troops here ahead of the US elections. The signing came a month after the allies reached a new five-year deal on determining Seoul's share of its cost for the upkeep of the 28,500-strong US Forces Korea. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and US Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg signed the deal

Nov. 4, 2024

Zambia marks 60th Independence Day

Zambia celebrated its 60th Independence Day in Seoul on Oct. 23. The day commemorates a historic occasion when the country gained independence from British colonial rule on Oct. 24, 1964, and is remembered as the moment when Zambia's first president, Kenneth Kaunda, raised the new Zambian flag and declared the nation’s sovereignty. Delivering remarks at the event, Zambian Ambassador to Korea Andrew Bwezani Banda highlighted the immense potential for increased trade and investment betw

Nov. 4, 2024

South Korea and Central Asia set stage for first summit

South Korea and five Central Asian countries -- all former Soviet republics -- are gearing up for their first-ever summit, aiming to forge a synergistic partnership that leverages shared strengths and foster regional peace amid escalating tensions fueled by illicit military cooperation between Russia and North Korea. South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul convened the 17th Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in Seoul on Monday, bringing together foreign ministers, vice foreign ministe

Nov. 4, 2024

Czech Republic applauds South Korean support for Ukraine

The Czech Republic applauded South Korean support for Ukraine, as it celebrated its Independence Day on Oct. 28. Czechoslovak Independence Day commemorates the founding of Czechoslovakia in 1918 and continues to serve as a significant symbol of national identity for Czechs, despite the 1993 division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In his remarks at the event, Czech Ambassador to Korea Ivan Jancarek used the occasion to praise South Korea’s support for Ukraine and the strengthening Cz

Nov. 4, 2024

Turkmenistan, S. Korea tout bilateral initiatives

Turkmenistan and Korea highlighted bilateral initiatives at an event marking Turkmenistan's 33rd Independence Day on Wednesday. The Central Asian country celebrates its independence from the Soviet Union, declared on Oct. 27, 1991, after the Cold War and the Soviet Union's breakup. Speaking at the event at a Seoul hotel, Turkmen Ambassador to Korea Begench Durdyyev highlighted Turkmenistan's development journey, and the milestones in bilateral relations with South Korea, and honor

Nov. 4, 2024

Harris, Trump gird for Tuesday's election showdown; polls show them in dead heat

US Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump are bracing for this week's high-stakes election showdown, with various polls showing them in a tight margin-of-error race. Voters will go to polling stations nationwide on Tuesday to pick a new president. More than 75 million Americans had already cast an early ballot, data from the University of Florida showed. The number of eligible voters is estimated at about 244 million, according to the Bipartisa

Nov. 4, 2024

S. Korea, UN host joint disarmament conference for foreign diplomats

The foreign ministry will host a group of foreign diplomats this week for a joint conference and other programs with the UN to brief them on South Korea's disarmament efforts and its North Korea policy, the ministry said Monday. The two-day South Korea-UN disarmament conference, running through Tuesday, will bring together 25 diplomats from Europe, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East who are currently engaged in disarmament diplomacy, the ministry said in a release.

Nov. 4, 2024

US flies long-range bomber in drill with S. Korea, Japan in reaction to the North's missile test

The United States flew a long-range bomber in a trilateral drill with South Korea and Japan on Sunday in response to North Korea’s recent test-firing of a new intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the US mainland, South Korea’s military said. North Korea on Thursday tested the newly developed Hwasong-19 ICBM, which flew higher and stayed in the air longer than any other missile it has fired. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called it “an appropriate military acti

Nov. 3, 2024

Korea Herald to co-host forum on impact of Trump’s return through Seoul’s lens

The Korea Herald will co-host a forum on Nov. 13 to unpack the foreign policy, security, economic and trade implications of Donald Trump’s return to the White House for Seoul and the Korea-US alliance, while exploring strategic responses to tackle emerging challenges and seize new opportunities. The timely forum, titled "Alliance after US Election 2024: A Seoul Perspective," will be held at the National Assembly Museum in partnership with the Bipartisan Forum for Advanced Diplo

Nov. 3, 2024

S. Korea, Canada demand withdrawal of N. Korean troops from Russia

SEOUL, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and Canada have called for the withdrawal of North Korean troops dispatched to aid Russia in its war against Ukraine, labeling the deployment "a grave escalation" of tension that threatens security in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The call was made in a joint statement adopted during a "two plus two" meeting of the two countries' foreign and defense ministers in Ottawa on Friday (Canada time), Seoul's foreign minist

Nov. 2, 2024

At UN, allies warn NK troops risk becoming 'cannon fodder'

South Korean and US envoys delivered a stark rebuke to Kim Jong-un’s regime in an unusually tense meeting at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, warning that North Korean soldiers deployed against Ukraine could "return in body bags." The sharp, intentionally undiplomatic rhetoric underscored the allies' deepening alarm over Pyongyang’s expanding military alliance with Moscow, which has escalated from arms transfers to the actual deployment of North Korean forces -- a

Oct. 31, 2024

China confirms detention of S. Korean national on suspected espionage charges

China confirmed Tuesday that it has detained a South Korean citizen on suspicion of violating the country's anti-espionage law, marking the first case where a South Korean national has been arrested in China since the revised law took effect last year. "A South Korean national was arrested by Chinese authorities on charges of espionage," Lin Jian, a spokesperson at China's foreign ministry, told a press briefing, without disclosing other details. He said China has notified th

Oct. 29, 2024

Top diplomats of S. Korea, EU to hold talks next week amid NK troop deployment

Top diplomats of South Korea and the European Union will hold talks next week, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday, with discussions likely to cover North Korea's dispatch of troops to Russia. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, will meet in Seoul next Monday at the inaugural South Korea-EU strategic dialogue. The strategic dialogue platform was established following a bilateral summit held in May

Oct. 29, 2024

Yoon's foreign policy adviser visits Australia to discuss security, frigate project

Chang Ho-jin, foreign policy adviser to President Yoon Suk Yeol, has visited Australia to discuss cooperation in the security and defense industry, including Canberra's frigate project, the presidential office said Tuesday. Chang visited Australia from Monday to Tuesday for meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Vice Minister of Defense Greg Moriarty to exchange opinions on regional security issues and Australia's military acquisition program. During the meetings, Cha

Oct. 29, 2024

Selected NK troops, generals may be deployed to front lines: NIS

A contingent of North Korean troops, including high-ranking generals, deployed to Russia may now be positioned on the front lines of the Ukraine war, South Korea’s spy agency reported Tuesday, adding that the Kim Jong-un regime appears to be clamping down on information about the troop dispatch internationally. "Troop movements between Russia and North Korea have been assessed as underway, with the agency examining the potential relocation of certain personnel, including high-ranking

Oct. 29, 2024

Chinese provincial govt. officials in S. Korea amid push for improvement in bilateral ties

A Chinese delegation of mid-level provincial government officials is visiting South Korea this week as part of efforts to boost cooperation and exchanges between the two neighboring countries, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday. The delegation, made up of foreign affairs officials representing 16 provincial governments, including the Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Liaoning and Jiangsu provinces, will begin a five-day visit to Seoul and other regions Monday, the ministry said in a release.

Oct. 28, 2024

S. Korea to hold talks with NATO allies amid NK troops in Russia

South Korea is set to convene its first 2+2 foreign and defense ministerial meeting with the United States in more than three years, paired with inaugural 2+2 talks with Canada, at a critical juncture marked by concerns of possible North Korean troop deployment to the Ukraine-Russia combat zone. The high-stakes meetings will take place in a pivotal week of diplomacy and include top diplomats and defense leaders from founding NATO members -- staunch allies of Ukraine since Russia's invasion.

Oct. 28, 2024

Russia sending 'mercenaries' from N. Korea to frontline in trucks with civilian license plates: Ukraine

Russia is using civilian-plated trucks to transport "mercenaries" from North Korea to frontline areas, Ukraine's military intelligence service reported, amid concerns that North Korean troops might join combat in Russia's war on Ukraine. On Sunday, Russian police reportedly stopped a truck with civilian license plates carrying North Korean military personnel on the Kursk-Voronezh highway, noting that the driver lacked a combat order, according to Ukraine's Defense Intell

Oct. 28, 2024