Conservative candidate elected South Korean president with razor-thin majority
The results show that election was effectively polarized between ruling Democratic Party’s Lee Jae-myung and opposition People Power Party’s Yoon Seok-yeol
Two polarizing choices in South Korea’s presidential election
As the mainstream parties offer competing visions for South Korea’s future, the fractured progressive left finds itself without real influence.
South Korea declares multilateral agreement to end Korean War
South Korean president Moon Jae-in announced that the four parties in the Korean War, which ended in a stalemate in 1953, have agreed “in-principle” to formally declare its end, indicating a major step towards peace
South Korean court orders Japan to compensate survivors of sexual violence during World War II
A lower court in Seoul ordered Japan to compensate 12 Korean women, who were forced to serve as “comfort women” for its military during the Second World War. The verdict is expected to pave the way for more such judgments
Talks with North Korea figure prominently in US envoy’s visit to Seoul
While the US has repeatedly attempted to downplay the significance of talks with North Korea, US envoy Stephen Biegun said on the day of his arrival to Seoul that the Trump administration is “open” to talks with the North
Liberal-Progressive alliance wins by a landslide in South Korean parliamentary polls
The massive victory of the coalition backing incumbent president Moon Jae-in is being viewed as a verdict on the government’s efforts to contain and deal with the COVID-19 outbreak in the country
Kim-Trump meeting sparks fresh hopes of peace in Korean peninsula
Donald Trump became the first US president to cross the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea. Following a meeting, he and Kim Jong-un decided to resume negotiations between the countries
An End of War Declaration may be reached in the US – N. Korea summit, says S. Korea
Unless the contents of the declaration provide an assurance that US will not pose a security threat to North Korea, it is unlikely to mark a real beginning of the process of complete denuclearization
Do not let US stall reunification, North Korea urges South Korea
The message from the North’s ruling party comes days after the two countries struggled to even lay a foundation stone for a proposed railway project due to international sanctions and US interference
Denuclearization is for the entire peninsula, North Korea points out
A recent commentary in the North Korean news agency, KCNA, noted that unilateral denuclearization would lead to the “creation of a defenseless state where the balance in nuclear strategic strength is destroyed and the crisis of a nuclear war is brought forth”
Pompeo’s visit to North Korea, China show limits of US influence
The tense exchanges between secretary of state Pompeo and Chinese officials, as well as stronger relations between China, the Koreas and Russia all indicate declining US influence in the region
Is the US moving towards an ‘end of war’ declaration in Korea?
South Korea has been trying to convince the US to declare a formal end to the war. This may be followed by Kim taking further steps towards denuclearization
