Seoul/Washington May 11 (IANS) The top defence chiefs of South Korea and the United States held talks in Washington on Monday, focusing on advancing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back met one-on-one with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss follow-up steps on the OPCON transition and nuclear-powered submarines, in line with the agreements reached between the lead…
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Washington, May 11 (IANS) The top defence chiefs of South Korea and the United States are set to hold talks in Washington on Monday, focusing on advancing the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul and Korea’s push to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back will meet US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to discuss follow-up steps on the OPCON transition and nuclear-powered submarines, in line with the agreements reached between the leaders…
Seoul/Tokyo, May 9 (IANS) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering visiting South Korea later this month and holding summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung in his hometown of Andong, Japanese media outlets said Saturday, citing diplomatic sources. Japan’s Kyodo News and other media outlets reported that Takaichi is expected to visit South Korea on May 19 for a two-day trip and hold summit talks with Lee in Andong, about 190 kilometres southeast of Seoul, about economic security c…
Seoul, May 9 (IANS) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said on Saturday he survived a 2024 knife attack thanks to people’s support and will devote himself wholly to the country, a day after the state civil rights commission overturned an earlier decision with regard to his airlift to Seoul from Busan at the time of the attack. Lee was stabbed in the neck by a 67-year-old man posing as a supporter during a visit to the southeastern city of Busan on January 2, 2024, and was transported by helico…
Seoul, May 8 (IANS) North Korea plans to deploy a new self-propelled howitzer along its border with South Korea by the end of this year, state media said Friday, as it seeks to bolster its defence capabilities.According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a munitions factory Wednesday to review production of a “new-type 155 mm self-propelled gun-howitzer” destined for three battalions to be stationed at a long-range artillery unit along the “southern…
Seoul, May 7 (IANS) South Korea has called on the international community to jointly respond to the recent spread of trade restrictive measures by major economies in a high-level meeting of World Trade Organization (WTO) member nations, the trade ministry said on Thursday.Kwon Hye-jin, director general for trade negotiations at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, attended the WTO’s General Council meeting held for two days beginning Wednesday (local time) in Geneva, as the chief repre…
Seoul, May 5 (IANS) Unionised workers at Samsung Biologics, the biotech arm of Samsung Group, continued their first general strike for a fifth day on Tuesday, demanding higher wages and expanded performance-based compensation.The walkout began on Friday, with about 2,800 members out of the union’s 4,000 members taking part, according to the union.It marks the first strike since the company’s establishment in 2011, reports Yonhap news agency.After wrapping up the five-day strike, the union plans …
Seoul, May 2 (IANS) A progressive civic group held a protest rally outside the US Embassy in Seoul on Saturday, chanting slogans accusing the United States of interfering in South Korea’s domestic affairs.An estimated 500 protesters, according to police, gathered outside the US Embassy compound in central Gwanghwamun, holding placards condemning the US for undermining South Korea’s sovereignty and interfering in its domestic affairs by requesting that Seoul lift an exit ban on Bang Si-hyuk, chai…
Seoul, May 1 (IANS) Highways across South Korea were congested Friday, as outbound traffic built up on the first day of an extended holiday that began with Labour Day. Earlier this year, the government designated Labour Day as a national holiday, allowing all workers to take the day off. If people take Monday off, they can enjoy up to five days of holiday including the weekend as Children’s Day, another national holiday, falls on Tuesday this year.More than six million vehicles were estimated to…
Washington, April 30 (IANS) A Pentagon official on Thursday declined to comment on a potential U.S. force posture change in South Korea, but highlighted the United States’ “unwavering” defence commitment to the Asian ally, amid reemerging concerns over the possibility of a troop drawdown in Korea.The official’s remarks came as questions resurfaced over whether the U.S. might consider reducing its 28,500-strong United States Forces Korea (USFK) after US President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U…