Russia's state-run railway company announced Monday it will suspend its passenger traffic with North Korea in order to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus.In a statement, Russian Railways said passenger train services between the two countries will remain grounded "until further notice."

New Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming will hold a press briefing this week to explain Beijing's efforts to contain the spread of a deadly new coronavirus, his aide said Monday.Xing's meeting with the local press on Tuesday morning comes after Seoul's recent decision to bar all foreigner

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Republicans in Iowa to vote in the caucus Monday, citing as one of his accomplishments a revised trade deal with South Korea.Trump's message on Twitter came hours before the Iowa caucuses for the Republican and Democratic parties, the first major balloting for the N

South Korea said Sunday it will attend a high-level meeting on a mega Asia-Pacific trade pact this week as part of its efforts to expand its trade network around the globe.During the two-day meeting that kicks off in Bali, Indonesia, on Monday, the participants will set a detailed timeline of the Re

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Lee Do-hoon, embarked on a trip to Europe on Wednesday for talks with senior officials there over ongoing efforts for denuclearization and a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, Seoul officials said.Lee's trip to Belgium and Germany came as Seoul has been strivin

Increasing cases of infection from a new pneumonia-causing coronavirus in China has compelled the provincial government on South Korea's largest island of Jeju to reconsider its implementation of a visa-free program for foreign visitors, including those from China, provincial officials said Wednesda

Chartered flights for the planned evacuation of South Korean nationals from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of Wuhan have been put off till at least later in the evening, a foreign ministry official said Thursday.Two Korean Air planes were scheduled to take off at 10 a.m. and at noon, respectively,

The top diplomats of South Korea and China discussed over the phone ways to cooperate in dealing with the new strain of coronavirus on Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had a 30-minute telephone call late Tuesday to disc

Chinese communities in South Korea are on high alert amid growing fears of a new coronavirus that originated in China.As of Tuesday, four people in South Korea -- one Chinese and three Korean nationals -- have tested positive for the virus that has killed more than 100 in China."I am very nervous, b

Britain's separation from the European Union slated for later this week is unlikely to have a direct impact on its bilateral trade ties with South Korea, as the two have already signed a back-up agreement, industry watchers said Wednesday.London is widely expected to depart from the EU, the world's

A senior U.S. defense official on Tuesday voiced support for a peace declaration between the United States and North Korea, saying such an agreement would be beneficial to Washington if it can be negotiated.John Rood, under secretary of defense for policy, was commenting on the possibility the admin

Two influential U.S. senators have written a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper, urging the administration to reconsider its demands for a hefty increase in South Korea's contributions to shared defense costs.The letter, penned by Sen. Bob Menendez (D

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha is considering traveling to Germany next month for an international security conference, officials said Monday, raising the possibility she could meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss Seoul's push for greater exchanges with North Korea.Kang's attend

More than 8,000 foreigners staying illegally in South Korea left the country voluntarily for a month after the government began to offer various incentives, including an opportunity for reentry, last month, the Ministry of Justice said Sunday.The ministry said 8,093 overstayers went abroad voluntari

The United States will continue "patient" diplomacy with North Korea to make clear that the regime needs to return to denuclearization talks, a senior State Department official said Wednesday.The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss last week's meetings involving the top

The Chinese Embassy in Washington said Wednesday that Chinese authorities are in close communication with South Korea, the United States and other nations to help fight the spread of a deadly new virus.The embassy wrote on Twitter that China's National Health Commission is "maintaining close communi

South Korea's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday called for the swift resumption of an inter-Korean railway project amid stalled nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.President Moon Jae-in last week called for expanding inter-Korean cooperation to facilitate denuclearization negotia

The United States said Tuesday it welcomes South Korea's decision to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz to safeguard its citizens and vessels passing through the strategic waterway.South Korea's defense ministry announced earlier that it will expand the operational area of its anti-piracy mission i

The United States flew a surveillance aircraft over South Korea on Tuesday, an aviation tracker said, amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula over possible provocations by North Korea.An RC-135W Rivet Joint of the U.S. Air Force was spotted in the skies above South Korea at 31,000 feet, Aircraft Spots

South Korea's decision to send troops to the tense Strait of Hormuz for "independent" naval operations drove home its desire to cement alliance cooperation with the United States and avoid straining ties with its trade partner, Iran, analysts said Tuesday.Capping monthslong deliberations that pitted