A bilateral economic cooperation agreement between Korea and Bosnia and Herzegovina took effect Friday, providing an institutional framework for expanding ties in investment, tourism, agriculture and various other sectors, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The agreement was signed in Sarajevo in March and is taking effect 30 days after the two countries notified each other that they have completed their respective domestic procedures for its entry into force, according to the ministry. "The agreement is expected to consolidate economic ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina and provide an institutional basis for Korean companies seeking to expand into the Balkan region," the ministry said in a release. It also allows the two countries to set up meetings of economic and technical experts to review its implementation and discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation, which is expected to further deepen bilateral practical cooperation, the ministry added. Bilateral trade reached $41.59 million in 2025, with Korea exporting mainly steel, electronic equipment and auto parts, while importing mostly l

Science ministries from Korea and the Netherlands held the first joint committee meeting on science and technology in the central city of Sejong on Friday and discussed a range of topics from investment plans to policy discussions on artificial intelligence and scientific research. The event came after a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on research and science cooperation was signed between the two countries in 2024, the Ministry of Science and ICT said. Research management agencies from the two countries agreed to build joint research models in areas of mutual interest, while the Korean side proposed strengthening ties in the field of quantum technology and synthetic biology, according to the ministry. "Building on the foundation of cooperation the two countries established in semiconductors, we were able to broaden the horizon to various advanced science technologies," the science ministry said, vowing to support future research collaboration between the two countries.

For Kyrgyzstan, strengthening ties with Korea is no longer simply about building closer diplomatic relations. The bigger question now is how to turn that growing political goodwill into investment, technology and projects that can deliver tangible benefits to both countries. For the newly appointed Kyrgyz ambassador to Korea, Melis Mamadaliev, the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit in September marked an important turning point in that effort, elevating multilateral dialogue from the foreign minister level to the level of heads of state. “The first summit bringing together the leaders of six countries represents a transition toward a deeper and more strategically oriented partnership,” the ambassador said. “It also reflects the growing importance of Central Asia on the international stage and the Republic of Korea’s increasing interest in our region.” Within the multilateral framework, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov and President Lee Jae Myung held a bilateral summit. Having elevated ties to the level of Comprehensive Partnership in 2024, the two countries signed 18 agreemen

North Korea's parliament has held a presidium meeting to dismiss an assembly vice chairman and revise two laws, state media said Friday. The Standing Committee of North Korea's 15th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) held its second plenary meeting Thursday, presided over by Vice Chairman Kim Hyong-sik, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. The meeting decided to recall one of the assembly's vice chairmen and a committee member. The report did not say who were recalled or explain why. The assembly has two vice chairmen — Kim and Ri Son-gwon — and since Kim chaired the meeting, Ri may be the one who was removed. Ri has held some of the regime's most prominent posts on inter-Korean and foreign affairs. In March, he was appointed vice chairman of the SPA Standing Committee. Ri served as chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, foreign minister from 2020 to 2022 and head of the United Front Department, which handles relations with the South. The committee also adopted decrees amending the construction and the precious metal management laws, though the det

North Korea on Friday criticized Japan's push to increase defense spending, saying it will darken prospects of Japan's economic recovery and impose "heavy hardships" on its people. In an article carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), a researcher at the Institute for Japan Studies under the North's foreign ministry, issued the criticism, following reports that Tokyo is considering nearly doubling its defense expenditures over the next five years. The North has long responded sensitively to Japan's military reinforcement plans, arguing they could worsen a regional arms race, heighten military tensions and bring back memories of Tokyo's past militarism. Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945. "What is clear is that the increase in military expenditure will not only darken the prospect of the recovery of the Japanese economy but also impose heavy hardships on the people, far from improving Japan's security environment," the KCNA said. The researcher decried Japan's move to bolster defense spending as an "anachronistic calculation," saying it would only worse

Deputy Foreign Minister Chung Eui-hae has met with a delegation of British lawmakers to discuss bilateral relations and major regional issues, including the Korean Peninsula and the war in Ukraine, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday. Chung met with a six-member delegation, led by Alicia Kearns of the House of Commons and including two members of the House of Lords, Godfrey Bewicke-Copley and Tessa Blackstone, in Seoul the previous day, according to the ministry. The two sides exchanged views on regional developments, including the Korean Peninsula, Ukraine and the Strait of Hormuz, and agreed to strengthen coordination at international forums, such as the Group of 20 (G20). Kearns wished a speedy recovery for South Korean soldiers injured in September's land mine explosion in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) while expressing hope that an improved free trade agreement between Seoul and London would be signed soon, the ministry said. The lawmaker also pledged to work for cooperation with South Korea in the British Parliament. Chung stressed the need for stronger bilateral cooperation amid gro

South Korea and East Timor agreed Friday to strengthen development cooperation to facilitate Seoul's assistance to the Southeast Asian country's economic and social development while working closely together in intellectual property and climate change responses. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta reached the agreements during their summit at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, marking the first official visit by an East Timorese leader to South Korea since they established diplomatic relations in 2002. The summit came ahead of the 25th anniversary next year of the two countries' diplomatic relations. During Friday's summit, the two countries agreed to strengthen development cooperation to help East Timor achieve sustainable economic and social development, Lee announced during a joint press announcement with Horta. "We agreed to actively share our experience of achieving national development with Timor-Leste and work together to translate that experience into tangible improvements in the lives of Timor-Leste's people," Lee said, referring to East Timor

North Korea on Friday denounced the intergovernmental anti-money laundering body for keeping Pyongyang on its blacklist, claiming the agency serves the United States' hostile policy toward it. At a meeting in Paris in late October, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to keep the North on its list of a "high-risk jurisdiction subject to a call for action." The designation applies to countries with serious failings in preventing money laundering, terrorist financing and weapons proliferation. "The Foreign Ministry of the DPRK expresses strong displeasure" over the FATF's practice of "encroaching upon the dignity, rights and interests of a sovereign state," a ministry spokesperson said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name. "'Money laundering,' 'financing of terrorism,' 'drug trafficking' and 'counterfeiting' have nothing to do with the DPRK," the official said. "The FATF has turned into a conspiracy group and an extremely politicized organization serving the U.S. hostile

WASHINGTON — A U.S. cryptocurrency expert on Thursday called for South Korea to strengthen cooperation with the United States and Japan through unilateral and multilateral sanctions to counter North Korean cryptocurrency theft, including a recent major incident involving Binance. "South Korea should also deepen joint work with the United States and Japan to put additional pressure on North Korea," said Ari Redbord, global head of policy at U.S. blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, in a written response to Yonhap News Agency's inquiry on South Korea's response to last week's major theft at Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation said North Korea was responsible for the theft of more than US$6 billion in cryptocurrency from Binance. Pyongyang, however, rejected the accusation, calling it a "grave political provocation" against the North. "Pressure means multilateral and unilateral sanctions, diplomatic pressure on North Korea and its Chinese enablers, and action against the Chinese money laundering networks Pyongyang depends on," R

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Key Takeaways: Dhankuta's traditional weekly markets continue despite urban growth Markets that began about 140 years ago remain important trading centres Farmers still us...