South Korea

After four-year gap, China's top diplomat visits South Korea to mend ties

SEOUL (Reuters) - China’s top diplomat arrived in Seoul on Wednesday, visiting South Korea for the first time in more than four years as the two countries seek to repair ties that soured over the deployment of U.S. anti-missile systems in South Korea.

During his two-day stay the State Councillor Wang Yi will meet South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and President Moon Jae-in, officials in Seoul said.

Yi last visited the South Korean capital for a trilateral meeting, also attended by Japan, in 2015.

S.Korea sees need to repair S.Korea-built lodging facilities in DPRK's Mount Kumgang

SEOUL, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said Monday that the South Korea-built lodging facilities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s Mount Kumgang resort were required to be repaired as the facilities were left unattended for long.

Kim told a discussion with a local journalists' association in Seoul that there were about 340 containers in the Mount Kumgang area, which were built by the South Korean side as temporary lodging facilities in the process of pushing for the Mount Kumgang tour program.

S Korea cuts growth forecast to lowest in decade

Seoul, Nov 29 (AFP) South Korea's central bank on Friday cut its growth forecast for this year to two percent, which would be the weakest rate in a decade as the economy is battered by trade disputes.

The world's 11th-largest economy is highly dependent on international commerce but is grappling with the fallout of a prolonged China-US trade dispute and embroiled in a spat of its own with neighbouring Japan.

North Korea's Thanksgiving Day test shows improving speed for missile crews

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed “great satisfaction” over the latest test of a large multiple-rocket launcher, state media said on Friday, a launch that experts said showcased improving performance by the system and its crews.

North Korea fired two short-range projectiles into the sea off its east coast on Thursday in a fourth test of its new “super-large multiple-rocket launcher”, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said told a briefing.

S.Korea, Japan to hold trade talks after suspending GSOMIA termination

SEOUL, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and Japan agreed to hold director general-level trade talks next month in Tokyo after South Korea's decision last week to suspend the termination of its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan, Seoul's trade ministry said Friday.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a statement that working-level talks between the two sides were held in Seoul on Thursday to prepare for the director general-level dialogue.

North Korea may deploy ‘super-large’ rocket launcher soon

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Friday the latest test-firing of its “super-large” multiple rocket launcher was a final review of the weapon’s combat application, a suggestion that the country is preparing to deploy the new weapons system soon.

South Korea’s military earlier said North Korea fired two projectiles, likely from the same “super-large” rocket launcher, on Thursday. It expressed “strong regret” over the launches and urged North Korea to stop escalating tensions.

Seoul says North Korea has fired 2 unidentified projectiles

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Thursday fired two unidentified projectiles into the sea, South Korea’s military said, three days after the North said its troops conducted artillery drills near its disputed sea boundary with South Korea.

The launches were an apparent attempt by North Korea to pressure the United States to make concessions in their stalemated nuclear diplomacy.

S.Korea, ASEAN clamor for free trade, anti-protectionism for regional prosperity

BUSAN, South Korea, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) clamored for free trade and anti-protectionism during their special summit that ran for two days through Tuesday in the South Korean southern port city of Busan.

Malaysia keen on South Korea’s fighter jet programme

SACHEON (South Korea) Nov 25 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Malaysia is interested with the progress achieved by South Korea in the aerospace industry,  Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

Speaking during his visit to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) facility here,  the prime minister expressed his particular interest in the country’s fighter jet programme.

“I have always been interested in fighter planes and indigenous planes. I want to see how it perform and advancement of your aircraft industry, ” he told KAI’s CEO Ahn Hyun-ho who received him at the facility earlier.

S.Korea expresses regret over DPRK's artillery firing drills in border island

SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- South Korea expressed regret Monday over the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s artillery firing drills in an inter-Korean border island.

Defense ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a press briefing that the artillery firing drills were in violation of the comprehensive military agreement, which the military authorities of the two Koreas agreed to and had been fully implemented.

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