Politics

Poland has expressed interest in buying South Korean tanks. (South Korean Ministry of Defense via Kyodo)
International relations

South Korea to discuss arms sales to Poland on NATO sidelines

President Yoon eyes opportunity for arms industry with indirect aid to Ukraine

28 June 2022
The G-7 summit in Germany and NATO summit in Madrid are being held amid swirling global crises led by the war in Ukraine. (Source photos by AP)
International relations

G-7, NATO talks focus on Ukraine, with Indo-Pacific in mix

Japan's Kishida, South Korea's Yoon among leaders discussing swirling crises

26 June 2022
Japanese, Australian and U.S. destroyers participate in last December's Annualex joint exercise. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Pacific Fleet)
Indo-Pacific

Japan PM to flex muscles for Indo-Pacific security at NATO summit

Kishida plans 4-way meeting on sidelines with South Korea, Australia, New Zealand

25 June 2022
An LNG carrier built by Samsung Heavy. (Photo courtesy of Samsung Heavy Industries)
Companies

Samsung Heavy snags $3bn in orders for 14 LNG carriers

South Korean shipbuilders benefit as Europe seeks alternatives to pipeline gas

22 June 2022
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, left, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup pose in Singapore on June 11. (Photo courtesy of the Japanese Ministry of Defense)
Japan-South Korea rift

Yoon's push for South Korea-Japan thaw meets hesitancy in Tokyo

History looms large over bilateral ties even as Seoul's new leader focuses on future

18 June 2022
"The party is dead, and he is the only survivor." Those words were directed at Lee Jae-myung, right, a former presidential candidate who led the Democrats' abysmal election campaign. He sits here with party co-chair Park Ji-hyun.
Politics

South Korea opposition wars with itself after local elections

Democratic Party's dismal performance provokes hope for political realignment

16 June 2022
Members of the Public Service and Transport Workers Union stage a rally to support a truckers strike outside the presidential office in Seoul on June 14.
Transportation

Hyundai Motor, Posco restart shipments as trucker strike ends

Deal between union, South Korean government forestalls long walkout

15 June 2022
Trucks are parked next to containers at the Inland Container Depot in Uiwang, South Korea on Monday. A trucker strike is in its eighth day, and is hurting the nation's economy.
Inflation

Inflation, trucker strike pose first test for South Korea's Yoon

Nation's CPI hit 14-year high of 5.4% in May; BOK set to hike rates further

14 June 2022
Plans for new reactors at the Shin-Hanul nuclear plant are moving forward under new South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. (Photo courtesy of Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power)
Energy

South Korea bets big on small reactors in return to nuclear

SK, Samsung see opportunities in President Yoon's pro-nuclear pivot

12 June 2022
The defense chiefs from Japan, U.S. and South Korea met for the first time in two and a half years.  (Photo courtesy of Japan's Ministry of Defense)
Indo-Pacific

Japan, South Korea, U.S. to resume joint defense drills

Move comes after a flurry of North Korea missile launches

12 June 2022
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol had considered the June 1 elections as his top priority since taking office roughly a month ago. (Photo courtesy of South Korea Presidential Blue House)
Japan-South Korea rift

South Korea's Yoon kick-starts diplomacy for reboot with Japan

Foreign Minister Park plans visit in June, after ruling party electoral victory

9 June 2022
Yun Duk-min, known for his knowledge of Japan, will be South Korea's next ambassador in Tokyo.
Japan-South Korea rift

South Korea says Yun Duk-min to be next ambassador to Japan

Appointee is fluent in Japanese and a foreign policy expert

7 June 2022
Lee Jun Seok, center, chairman of South Korea's ruling People Power Party, and others celebrate in Seoul on Wednesday.
Politics

Yoon's conservatives sweep South Korea local elections

New president now has mandate to carry out planned reforms

2 June 2022
Hundreds of people line up to apply for tourist visas at the South Korean consulate in Tokyo in Wednesday.
Coronavirus

South Korea reopens to overseas tourists after two years

Foreign travelers can apply for a 90-day visa for group or individual tours

1 June 2022
South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol signs a document at the new presidential office in Seoul on May 10.
Politics

Yoon seeks to reform South Korea's power structure

Ruling party has momentum going into local elections on Wednesday

1 June 2022
Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighters train with an American B-52 bomber in July 2018. B-52s play a role in extending the U.S. nuclear deterrent. (Photo courtesy of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force)
1 June 2022
The rocky outcrops controlled by Seoul under the name Dokdo and claimed by Tokyo have long been a source of tension between the two East Asian neighbors. 
Japan-South Korea rift

South Korean ship conducted survey near disputed isles, Japan says

Tokyo lodges protests with top diplomats for first time since 2017 over a marine survey

30 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden, center, used his recent trip to Asia to show that the Indo-Pacific region is a top priority for his administration. He met South Korea's Yoon Suk-yeol, Australia's Anthony Albanese, Japan's Fumio Kishida and India's Narendra Modi. (Nikkei montage/Reuters)
Biden's Asia policy

Was Biden's Taiwan statement scripted? 5 takeaways from his Asia trip

Quad summit, new trade framework underscore region's importance to U.S.

25 May 2022
Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the World Gas Conference in Daegu, South Korea on May 24. (Screenshot from World Gas Conference Twitter account)
Energy

Ex-U. N. chief Ban Ki-moon urges no wavering on Russia sanctions

Tells global gas industry leaders curbs must stay despite higher energy prices

24 May 2022
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chairman Chung Eui-sun and U.S. President Joe Biden greet each other in Seoul.
Supply Chain

Taking cue from new president, South Korean companies pivot to U.S.

Hyundai, Samsung step up American investments as Chinese sales slump

23 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he leaves the Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea on May 22. 
Biden's Asia policy

Biden arrives in Japan; Australia election winner Albanese to join

Prime minister-designate will fly to Tokyo hours after being sworn in

22 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart, Yoon Suk-yeol, hold a joint news conference in Seoul on May 21.
Indo-Pacific

Biden and Yoon discuss bombers, missiles and bigger deterrence

New South Korean leader vows to play active role toward rules-based Indo-Pacific

21 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol visit the Samsung Electronics Pyeongtaek campus on May 20.
Supply Chain

Biden visits Samsung's chip plant to highlight economic security

President calls for supply-chain coordination among value-sharing partners

20 May 2022
U.S. President Joe Biden gestures as he boards Air Force One for a trip to South Korea and Japan on May 19 at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland.
Indo-Pacific

Biden shifts focus back to Indo-Pacific with first trip to region

U.S. president visits South Korea before moving to Japan for Quad summit

20 May 2022
Like the Trump administration before it, the Biden administration takes the position that unfettered trade liberalization hurts American workers. (Source photo by Reuters) 
Biden's Asia policy

Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is not an FTA: 5 things to know

Tailored pact seeks to counter China's clout while protecting U.S. workers

19 May 2022