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☆ North Korea fires ballistic missiles as Blinken visits Seoul
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People are seen watching television at Seoul's Yongsan Railway Station showing North Korea's first test-firing of the new strategic cruise missile Pulhwasal-3-31. North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday for the first time in two months, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Seoul for a conference hosted by President Yoon Suk Yeol on advancing democracy. North Korea fired ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday for the first time in two months, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Seoul for a conference hosted by President Yoon Suk Yeol on advancing democracy. Japan later said that it had detected what appeared to be a second ballistic missile launch by the North, and that both fell outside its exclusive economic zone area. North Korea's military has been conducting exercises using conventional weapons in recent weeks, often personally overseen by the isolated state's leader, Kim Jong Un.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Yoon Suk, Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Kim Jong Un Locations: Yongsan, Korea, Seoul, North Korea, Pyongyang, United States, Japan, Japanese

☆ Want to avoid crowds while traveling? Here's the 'not hot' list for 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-28 | by ( Quek Jie Ann | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Adventure travel company Intrepid Travel's new "Not Hot" list is out — spotlighting overlooked travel spots around the world. The 2024 list calls attention to two destinations in Asia, two in Europe and one in Central America. Source: Intrepid TravelUnlike Italy's tourist-saturated Positano, travelers visiting Corsica can "enjoy a more authentic, tranquil, and immersive experience ... without the overwhelming crowds," according to a press release by Intrepid Travel. Intrepid Travel recommends Panama for those who wish to "immerse themselves in local traditions, folklore, and contemporary arts ... that differs from the more European-centric cultural landscape," the press release stated. Source: Intrepid Travel

Persons: Matt Berna, Nick Lim, Lim, Gonzalo Azumendi, Emberá, David C Tomlinson Organizations: Intrepid, Americas, Intrepid Travel, CNBC Travel, UNESCO, Heritage, Euromonitor International, Japan National Tourism Organization, Korea Tourism Organization, The Travel Corporation, CNBC, Trip.com, La Amistad, Bank, Getty Locations: Asia, Europe, Central America, Corsica Corsica, France, Corsica, Seoul Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Korea, Intrepid Travel Tokyo, Tokyo, Panama Panama, Central American, Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama, Panama Viejo, Casco, Darien, La, Guna, Corfu Greece, Santorini, Mykonos, Kefalonia, Corfu, Greece, Split, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Borneo Borneo, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Kalimantan, Indonesian, Sarawak, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysian, Indonesian's Kalimantan

☆ An American tourist in Seoul said he sprayed graffiti in 155 places to raise awareness about teeth grinding
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A US tourist in South Korea was accused of vandalizing 155 places in Seoul. The unnamed American told police he was trying to raise awareness of the condition, bruxism. AdvertisementAn American tourist has been accused of spraying graffiti at 155 locations in Seoul's central Yongsan district, police said on Monday. The Yongsan police department said it arrested an unnamed American man in his 30s who arrived in October as a tourist, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported. The unnamed American told police that he suffers from severe bruxism, and wanted to let others know it can be a serious condition, the Seoul Shinmun Daily reported.

Persons: He's, —, Yonhap Organizations: Service, Chosun Ilbo, Police, Seoul Shinmun Locations: South Korea, Seoul, Yongsan district, Yongsan, Korean, Yonhap

☆ South Korea, China, Japan top diplomats seek to boost trilateral cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, right, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi prior to a meeting in Busan, South Korea, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023. Ahn Young-joon/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Nov 26 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan meet in South Korea on Sunday, seeking to restart cooperation among the Asian neighbours and pave the way for a trilateral summit. In September, senior officials from the three countries agreed to arrange a trilateral summit at the "earliest convenient time". South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met separately on Sunday morning with his Japanese counterparts Yoko Kamikawa and China's Wang Yi. Marring the cooperative tone, Kamikawa called an order by a South Korean court for Japan to compensate a group of women forced to work in Japanese wartime brothels "extremely regrettable" and requested the South Korean government take appropriate measures, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

Persons: Park Jin, Wang Yi, Ahn Young, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Yoko Kamikawa, China's Wang Yi, Kamikawa, Wang, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Biden, Hyonhee Shin, Sam Nussey, William Mallard Organizations: South Korean Foreign, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Sunday, South, Kyodo, Thomson Locations: Busan, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, China, Japan, United States, Beijing, Washington, Tokyo, Seoul, North, Pyongyang, Moscow

☆ South Korea, China, Japan Top Diplomats Seek to Boost Trilateral Cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan meet in South Korea on Sunday, seeking to restart cooperation among the Asian neighbours and pave the way for a trilateral summit. In September, senior officials from the three countries agreed to arrange a trilateral summit at the "earliest convenient time". South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin met separately on Sunday morning with his Japanese counterparts Yoko Kamikawa and China's Wang Yi. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have taken steps to mend ties frayed by history and trade feuds, and held a historic trilateral summit in August with Biden. Wang warned in July that U.S. efforts to strengthen relations with Seoul and Tokyo could raise regional tension and confrontation.

Persons: Shin, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Park Jin, Yoko Kamikawa, China's Wang Yi, Kamikawa, Wang, Yoon Suk Yeol, Fumio Kishida, Biden, Hyonhee Shin, Sam Nussey, William Mallard Organizations: Sunday, South Korean Foreign, South, Kyodo Locations: Shin SEOUL, South Korea, China, Japan, United States, Beijing, Washington, Tokyo, Seoul, Busan, North, Pyongyang, Moscow

[1/6] A rocket carrying a spy satellite Malligyong-1 is launched, as North Korean government claims, in a location given as North Gyeongsang Province, North Korea in this handout picture obtained by Reuters on November 21, 2023. North Korea said it placed its first spy satellite in orbit on Tuesday and vowed to launch more in the near future. Officials in South Korea and Japan, which first reported the launch, could not immediately verify whether a satellite was in orbit. Russia and North Korea have denied conducting arms deals, but are publicly promising deeper cooperation. South Korea's military said it believed the latest rocket carried a reconnaissance satellite and was launched toward the south.

Persons: Kim Jong Un, Sabrina Singh, Han Duck, Yoon Suk Yeol, Moon Jae, Kim Jong, KCNA, Adrienne Watson, Vladimir Putin, Lee Choon, Hyunsu Yim, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, Ed Davies, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, KCNA, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, North, Pentagon, South Korean, Korean, National Security Council, South Korea's National Security Council, National Aerospace Technology Administration, . National Security, South Korea's Science, Technology Policy Institute, South, U.S ., Thomson Locations: North Gyeongsang Province, North Korea, Rights SEOUL, South Korea, Pyongyang, United States, North Korean, Japan, U.S, Britain, South, Korea, Russian, Moscow, Russia, Okinawa

☆ North Korea scraps military deal with South, vows to deploy new weapons at border
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, February 7, 2023. Russia and North Korea have denied arms deals but have promised deeper cooperation, including on satellites. South Korea resumed the use of crewed and uncrewed reconnaissance aircraft in the border area on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported. Critics have said that the pact weakened Seoul's ability to monitor North Korea, and that Pyongyang had violated the agreement. South Korea has said the North Korean satellite was believed to have entered orbit, but it would take time to assess whether it was operating normally.

Persons: Kim Hong, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Moon Jae, Moon Chung, Moon, Kim, Critics, Bruce Klingner, Klingner, Soo, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Sonali Paul, Ed Davies, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, North, ., U.S . Department of State, CMA, ROK, South Korean, Yonsei University, CIA, U.S, Heritage Foundation, North Korean, Thomson Locations: Gijungdong, North Korea, Panmunjom, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Seoul, Russia, Pyongyang, . North Korea, Korea, Washington

☆ North Korea vows more offensive response to US 'threats' -KCNA
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Song Kyung-Seok/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Nov 16 (Reuters) - North Korea on Thursday criticised a recent visit to South Korea by top U.S. defence officials and vowed more "offensive" responses to what it called military threats from the United States and its allies, state media reported. During Austin's visit, South Korea and the United States revised a bilateral security agreement aimed at deterring North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats. South Korea's defence ministry said the revision was necessary because the existing strategy did not adequately address rapid advancements in North Korea's missile and nuclear programs. Austin's visit followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to South Korea last week. North Korea and Russia have denied any arms deals, though their leaders pledged closer military cooperation at their September summit.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, South Korean Defense Minister Shin Won, sik, Kyung, Defense Lloyd Austin's, Austin's, Antony Blinken's, Jin, Yoko Kamikawa, Soo, hyang Choi, Chris Reese, Cynthia Osterman, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Defense, South Korean Defense Minister, United Nations Command, UNC, Defense Ministry, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, DPRK, Democratic People's, United, Pentagon, U.S . State Department, U.S . Defense Security Cooperation Agency, South Korean Foreign, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Seoul, Rights SEOUL, North Korea, United States, Defense Lloyd Austin's Seoul, DPRK, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Korea, Republic of, Russia, San Francisco

☆ South Korea's Yoon to warn APEC about risks from North Korea-Russia ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gives a speech on the government budget at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, 31 October 2023. Washington has said North Korea is supplying military equipment to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine, while Moscow is providing technical support to help North Korea advance its military capabilities. North Korea and Russia have denied any arms deals, though their leaders pledged closer military cooperation at their September summit. In San Francisco, Blinken held talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Tuesday and vowed a coordinated response to the North Korea-Russia cooperation. South Korea and China are also in talks for a possible meeting between their leaders, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Persons: Yoon Suk, JEON HEON, Yoon, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Washington, Alexander Kozlov, Blinken, Fumio Kishida, Soo, hyang Choi, Ed Davies, Stephen Coates Organizations: South, National Assembly, Rights, APEC, Economic Cooperation, Associated Press, U.S, Defense, China, Economic, Japanese, Stanford University, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, United States, North Korea, Russia, San Francisco, Gaza, Ukraine, Moscow, Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, China

☆ South Korea's Yoon to Warn APEC About Risks From North Korea-Russia Ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Yoon has criticised what he called illegal cooperation between North Korea and Russia, describing it as a "serious threat" to regional security in an interview with the Associated Press this week. Washington has said North Korea is supplying military equipment to Russia for use in its war with Ukraine, while Moscow is providing technical support to help North Korea advance its military capabilities. North Korea and Russia have denied any arms deals, though their leaders pledged closer military cooperation at their September summit. In San Francisco, Blinken held talks with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts on Tuesday and vowed a coordinated response to the North Korea-Russia cooperation. South Korea and China are also in talks for a possible meeting between their leaders, Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Persons: hyang Choi SEOUL, Yoon Suk, Yoon, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Washington, Alexander Kozlov, Blinken, Fumio Kishida, Soo, hyang Choi, Ed Davies, Stephen Coates Organizations: APEC, Economic Cooperation, Associated Press, U.S, Defense, China, South, Economic, Japanese, Stanford University Locations: United States, North Korea, Russia, San Francisco, Gaza, Ukraine, Seoul, Moscow, Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, South Korea, China

☆ North Korea lashes out at U.N. Command over meeting in Seoul
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/Pool/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Nov 13 (Reuters) - North Korea on Monday called for the United Nations Command to be dissolved calling it an "illegal war organization" over a meeting which is scheduled to take place between the member states in South Korea later this week, state media KCNA reported. The DPRK stands for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. North Korea's criticism comes a day after U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin met his South Korean counterpart Shin Won-sik in Seoul on Sunday with Japanese Defence Minister Minoru Kihara for a trilateral meeting. They agreed to start as planned a real-time data sharing scheme on North Korean missiles in December and condemned growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia as a violation of U.N. resolutions during the meeting.

Persons: Kim Hong, Lloyd Austin, Shin Won, Minoru Kihara, Hyunsu Yim, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations Command, UNC, Command, Institute for Disarmament, Peace, DPRK Foreign Ministry, DPRK, North, Democratic People's, U.S . Defence, South Korean, Japanese, Korean, Thomson Locations: Gijungdong, North Korea, Panmunjom, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, U.S, Seoul, Pyongyang, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Russia

☆ South Korea Metro Workers Launch Strike; Disruption Limited
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee ShinSEOUL (Reuters) - More than 10,000 unionised South Korean metro workers launched a two-day strike on Thursday in protest against the subway operator's push for job cuts to stem snowballing debt, causing disruptions for some commuters in the greater Seoul area. The strike came hours after negotiations between Seoul Metro and its two major unions fell apart due to differences over the operator's plan to scale back its workforce by some 13%, or more than 2,200, by 2026. Seoul's metro operators have grappled for years with debt, partly from free rides for senior citizens, as Asia's fourth-largest economy faces a rapidly aging population and surging welfare costs. But city authorities warned of some delays in the evening, and pledged to mobilise emergency trains, buses and substitute workers. Lee called for efforts to curb the metro operator's debt, which topped 1.7 trillion won ($1.3 billion) last year.

Persons: Shin, Lee Jung, sik, Lee, 1,307.2600, Hyonhee Shin, Stephen Coates Organizations: Korean, Seoul Metro, Employment, Labour, Facebook Locations: Shin SEOUL, Seoul, Seoul's

☆ Morning Bid: Rates buzz sustained before Fed loan data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A street sign for Wall Street is seen in the financial district in New York, U.S., November 8, 2021. Ten-year U.S. Treasury yields have fallen about 50bps from October's peaks and the drop last week was the biggest recoil since March. For now, S&P500 futures are pointing to further slight gains on Monday - which if realized on the cash market later would make for the sixth straight gain and the longest daily run since June. Undermined by the retreat in Treasury yields, the dollar (.DXY) slipped back to the lowest since Sept 20. The backdrop of an easier dollar and Treasury yields provides significant relief for emerging markets, with MSCI's emerging market stock index (.MSCIEF) hitting its highest since Sept 20 too.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Mike Dolan, Jerome Powell, underscoring, Janet Yellen, Lisa Cook, Huw Pill, Bernadette Organizations: Wall, REUTERS, Federal Reserve, Treasury, U.S, Pacific Rim, South, Ryanair, Europe's, Goodyear Tire &, Aspen, Conterra Energy, Constellation Energy, Diamondback Energy, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, NXP Semiconductors, Bank of England, Reuters, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Gaza, China, Western, San Francisco, South Korean, Asia, Europe, Telesat

Two officials from a Korean defence company confirmed the syndicated loan plan. Two officials at South Korean banks said there would be loans, but did not specify the type. That deal was worth $13.7 billion, South Korea's largest to date. The South Korean government didn't immediately provide a comment when asked for one. The South Korean government official did not elaborate on the size of the potential syndicated loan.

Persons: Kacper, didn't, 1,320.4500, Cynthia Kim, Seunggyu Lim, Jihoon Lee, Josh Smith, Gerry Doyle Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, South Korean, South, Korea's, Hyundai Rotem Co, Hanwha Aerospace, Hyundai Rotem, U.S, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Wierzbiny, Orzysz, Poland, Rights SEOUL, South Korean, South, Seoul, Ukraine, Russia, Europe

☆ North Korea's closure of Africa embassies a sign of economic hardships - South's ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The North Korean flag flutters at the North Korea consular office in Dandong, Liaoning province, China April 20, 2021. Both Angola and Uganda have forged friendly ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and providing rare sources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects. Seoul's unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the pullout reflected the impact of international sanctions aimed at curbing funding for the North's nuclear and missile programs. "This can be a sign of North Korea's difficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries." Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported last week, citing unnamed sources, that North Korea was planning to shut down at least 10 diplomatic missions, including a consulate in Hong Kong, largely because of economic difficulties.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, Hyonhee Shin, Hyunsu Yim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: North, REUTERS, Rights, Yomiuri Shimbun, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Dandong, Liaoning province, China, Rights SEOUL, Angola, Uganda, Korea, Hong Kong

☆ North Korea closes multiple embassies around the world
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The North Korean flag flutters at the North Korea consular office in Dandong, Liaoning province, China April 20, 2021. Both Angola and Uganda have forged friendly ties with North Korea since the 1970s, maintaining military cooperation and providing rare sources of foreign currency such as statue-building projects. "This can be a sign of North Korea's difficult economic situation, where it is difficult to maintain even minimal diplomatic relations with traditionally friendly countries." North Korea has formal relations with 159 countries, but had 53 diplomatic missions overseas, including three consulates and three representative offices, until it pulled out of Angola and Uganda, according to the ministry. Correspondence with the Spanish Communist Party released on the party's website showed the North Korean embassy announcing the closing in a letter dated Oct. 26.

Persons: Tingshu Wang, KCNA, Chad O'Carroll, Kim Jong, Hyonhee Shin, Hyunsu Yim, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, Gerry Doyle, Ed Davies Organizations: North, REUTERS, Rights, NK Pro, Spanish Communist Party, North Korean, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Dandong, Liaoning province, China, Rights SEOUL, Spain, Hong Kong, Africa, Korean, Angola, Uganda, Korea, Italy, Madrid, Pyongyang, United States

The South Korean and American flags fly next to each other at Yongin, South Korea, August 23, 2016. Army/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsINJE, South Korea, Oct 28 (Reuters) - South Korean and U.S. troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an unmanned vehicle and wearable laser sensors this week as part of efforts to modernise their militaries, Seoul's army said on Saturday. The training came as South Korea's military conducts a series of annual Hoguk autumn exercises aimed at improving responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The drills also mobilised various high-tech weapons systems aimed at beefing up future combat capabilities, with the troops wearing multiple integrated laser engagement systems (MILES), which uses lasers to simulate actual battle. Several drones were flown for reconnaissance purposes, some also firing an assault rifle, while South Korea dispatched a multipurpose unmanned vehicle to carry wounded personnel.

Persons: Ken Scar, Choi Jeong, Derek Chen, Hyonhee Shin, Daewoung Kim, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: . Army, REUTERS, Korean, Korea Combat Training, South, Korean army's 25th Infantry Division, TIGER, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, U.S . 4th Infantry Division, Thomson Locations: Yongin, South Korea, U.S, Korean, Pyongyang, Inje, South, Britain, Uzbekistan, Cambodia

☆ South Korea, US Troops Hold Drills With Drones, Laser Sensors
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Hyonhee Shin and Daewoung KimINJE, South Korea (Reuters) - South Korean and U.S. troops held joint future combat drills involving drones, an unmanned vehicle and wearable laser sensors this week as part of efforts to modernise their militaries, Seoul's army said on Saturday. The training came as South Korea's military conducts a series of annual Hoguk autumn exercises aimed at improving responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. The drills also mobilised various high-tech weapons systems aimed at beefing up future combat capabilities, with the troops wearing multiple integrated laser engagement systems (MILES), which uses lasers to simulate actual battle. Several drones were flown for reconnaissance purposes, some also firing an assault rifle, while South Korea dispatched a multipurpose unmanned vehicle to carry wounded personnel. South Korea's army launched the TIGER brigade last year as a pilot unit for future warfare operations using artificial intelligence-powered drones and highly mobile fighting vehicles.

Persons: Hyonhee Shin, Daewoung Kim INJE, Choi Jeong, Derek Chen, Daewoung Kim, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Korean, Korea Combat Training, South, Korean army's 25th Infantry Division, TIGER, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, U.S . 4th Infantry Division Locations: South Korea, U.S, Korean, Pyongyang, Inje, South, Britain, Uzbekistan, Cambodia

[1/6] Park Young-soo, whose son died in the Halloween crowd crush a year ago, visits the memorial park where her son's ashes were buried in Pocheon, South Korea, October 24, 2023. She says she may not be able to move on with her life until she sees some kind of accountability from the government. Park is one of more than 100 family members who say the authorities have done little to hold those responsible to account. Relatives of the victims want a special law that would allow an independent and comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crush. "Nothing is reported to us nor communicated to us," said Nari Kim from Austria, who lost her younger brother in the crush.

Persons: Kim Soo, soo, Lee Nam, Lee, Yoon Suk, Lee Sang, Kim Young, Kim, Nari Kim, Jong, Woo Paik, Hyunsu Yim, Daewoung Kim, Heejung Jung, Jimin Jung, Josh Smith, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Interior, National Assembly, Power Party, Korean Society, Thomson Locations: Pocheon, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Itaewon, Hamilton, Seoul, North Korea, Seoul's, U.S, Japan, Iran, Austria, Korea

☆ South Korea's Hyundai, Saudi Aramco clinch $2.4 bln gas plant deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Hyonhee Shin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] General view of the summit between President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-Yeol and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman in al Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 22, 2023. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Oct 24 (Reuters) - South Korea's Hyundai Engineering & Construction (000720.KS) and Hyundai Engineering have signed a $2.4 billion contract with oil giant Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) to build a gas processing plant, Seoul's presidential office said on Tuesday. Jafurah is Saudi's largest unconventional non-oil associated gas field, with reserves estimated at 200 trillion cubic feet (5.7 trillion cubic metres) of raw gas. State-run Korea National Oil Corp also clinched a storage deal with Aramco during Yoon's visit that allows the Saudi company to store 5.3 million barrels of oil in South Korea's reserve facilities in the port of Ulsan for five years. After a four-day stay in Riyadh, Yoon left for Doha on Monday where he will attend an international horticultural expo before holding a summit on Tuesday with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, his office said.

Persons: Yoon Suk, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Hyonhee Shin, Tom Hogue Organizations: Saudi Arabia's Crown, Saudi Press Agency, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Hyundai Engineering, Construction, Saudi Aramco, South Korean, Hyundai Motor Group, Hyundai, Aramco, Saudi Crown, Saudi, Hamas, Korea National Oil Corp, Doha, Thomson Locations: South Korea, al Yamamah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Rights SEOUL, Saudi, Israel, South Korea's, Ulsan, Thani

His release by North Korea in September followed weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations that led the Swedish government to retrieve King in North Korea and bring him across the border into China for a handoff to the U.S. ambassador. King, who joined the Army in January 2021, had faced two allegations of assault in South Korea. King had already been due to face disciplinary action in the United States after his release from South Korean detention. Then King sprinted across the border into North Korea. The Army said King left the Army in South Korea with the intention of staying away permanently "and did remain so absent in desertion until on or about 27 September 2023."

Persons: Travis King, King, King's, Claudine Gates, Gates, Camp Humphreys, Franklin Rosenblatt, Bowe Bergdahl, Jonathan Franks, Bergdahl, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . Army, Reuters, Military Justice, Army, Thomson Locations: North Korea, Camp, Swedish, China, U.S, Texas, North, Afghanistan, South Korea, South, United States

☆ Fearing China, South Korea targets firms building Taiwan navy submarines
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Ju-Min Park | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

SI Innotec, which was fined in August 2022, and Park, who received a suspended prison sentence, deny wrongdoing and have appealed. The equipment was not designed solely for military purposes and did not involve sensitive technology, SI Innotec told Reuters. SI Innotec said the contract, at CSBC's request, listed the equipment's primary use as for wind power generation. "The accused were fully aware that the subject equipment would be used to manufacture a military submarine", the court ruled. It was at this point that Seoul's foreign ministry told DAPA it disapproved of the deal, one of them said.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Narwhal, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Park Mal, sik, China's, DAPA, Moon Jae, Taiwan's, Innotec, SI Innotec, Moo, sik —, —, Yang Hyang, Yang, KHNT's, KHNT, Cho Hyeon Gyu, 1,343.1000, Ben Blanchard, Faith Hung, Tian, Katerina Ang, Josh Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Administration, Keumha Naval Technology, South, Police, Foreign Ministry, Democratic Progressive Party, Indigenous Defense, South Korean, Foreign Trade, SI, Thomson Locations: Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Rights SEOUL, Beijing, Seoul, U.S, China, South Korea, Park, Taipei, Netherlands, Pacific, Beijing . U.S, Changwon, Korea

☆ Samsung, SK Hynix get indefinite waivers to ship U.S. chip equipment to their China factories
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Sheila Chiang | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Samsung Electronics Co. 4GB Double-Data-Rate (DDR) 3 memory module, top, and 8GB DDR 3 memory modules are arranged for a photograph in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday, July 9, 2019. South Korean chip giants Samsung and SK Hynix will be allowed to ship U.S. semiconductor manufacturing equipment to their China factories indefinitely without separate U.S. approvals, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Monday. Previously, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix obtained one-year waivers from the U.S. to continue importing advanced tools for their China plants. "The U.S. government's decision means that the most significant trade issue of our semiconductor companies has been resolved," said Choi. The latest development quells concerns Samsung and SK Hynix have about their chip production in China, which partly relies on U.S. equipment.

Persons: Choi Sang, Seoul's, Choi Organizations: Samsung Electronics Co, Samsung, SK Hynix, Yonhap News Agency, Samsung Electronics Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korean, China, U.S

☆ South Korea holds rare military parade, warns North over nuclear threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Soo-Hyang Choi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SEOUL, Sept 26 (Reuters) - South Korea kicked off its first large-scale military parade in a decade on Tuesday, with weapons ranging from ballistic missiles to attack helicopters due to roll through Seoul in a show of force as it takes a tougher stance against North Korea. "If North Korea uses nuclear weapons, its regime will be brought to an end by an overwhelming response from the ROK-U.S. alliance," Yoon said while addressing troops in the rain. South Korea last held a military street parade in 2013. The event will also feature a joint flyover by South Korean and U.S. military aircraft to demonstrate an "upgraded" combined defence posture, the ministry said. Yoon has said that if Russia helped North Korea enhance its weapons programs in return for assistance for its war in Ukraine, it would be "a direct provocation".

Persons: Kim Jong, Yoon Suk Yeol, Yoon, Hyunmoo, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, Soo, hyang Choi, Hyunsu Yim, Jack Kim, Gerry Doyle Organizations: North, country's Armed Forces, Seoul Air Base, ROK, Defence Ministry, The Armed Forces, SAM, KF, South Korean, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, Seoul, North Korea, Pyongyang, Korea, South, Seoul . South Korea, Washington, Tokyo, Seongnam, U.S, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Analysis-South Korea's Yoon Rails Against Domestic Critics as ‘Communists’
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

"He has decided to take an approach not of trying to convince people but to label the opposition as being somehow an anti-state, communist totalitarian force." In a speech earlier this month, Yoon said South Korea's freedom is "under constant threat" from "communist totalitarian and anti-state forces" who are critical of South Korea's deepening ties with the U.S. and Japan. "The president keeps emphasizing the threat from communist forces which don't exist," a spokesperson for the Democratic Party said at a briefing last week. The presidential office declined to comment on Yoon's description of critics of his policies as "communists". Given his low approval ratings, analysts say labelling his opponents as communists may still be useful for Yoon to hold onto his party's conservative base.

Persons: Hyunsu Yim, Yoon Suk, Yoon's, Yoon, Kevin Gray, Gray, Andrew Yeo, Yeo, Benjamin Engel, Engel, Rhee Jong, " Rhee, Rhee, Lincoln Organizations: U.S, University of Sussex, Liberation, Democratic Party, Gallup, Brookings Institution, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, National Security, Seoul National University Locations: Hyunsu Yim SEOUL, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Tokyo, Seoul

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