Korea Joongang Daily
Korea JoongAng Daily

Seoul navigates dual blockade in Strait of Hormuz as special envoy returns from rare Tehran mission

Korea’s special envoy to Tehran secured a direct line to the Iranian leadership but left without a deal to free 26 Korean-linked vessels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, officials said Thursday.

2026-04-30

Seoul envoy urges Pyongyang nukes 'most urgent' nonproliferation challenge

South Korea's top nuclear envoy has stressed the need to swiftly resolve the North Korean nuclear issue, calling it the "most urgent" challenge to the nonproliferation regime, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.

2026-04-28

Korean special envoy, Iranian foreign minister discuss safety of vessels stranded in Strait of Hormuz

Chung Byung-ha, special envoy to Korea's foreign minister, met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East and bilateral issues.

2026-04-23

Staff at Korean embassy in Iran given bonuses for efforts during war

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday awarded bonuses totaling about 100 million won to staff at the Korean embassy in Iran for their efforts in supporting the evacuation of Korean nationals and maintaining operations amid the Iran war.

2026-04-22

Seoul, Beijing reaffirm cooperation despite speculated rift over Taiwan's e-arrival label

South Korea and China reaffirmed cooperation in economic and veterans' affairs on Tuesday, even as speculation persists over a possible strain in their relationship.

2026-04-21

Korea calls for Asia-Pacific cooperation in energy, supply chains amid Middle East conflict

Korea has called for greater cooperation in energy markets and global supply chains among the stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific as a way to address challenges arising from the Iran war, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Tuesday.

2026-04-21

Korea holds interagency meeting on defense industry cooperation amid Canada's submarine bid

The government held an interagency meeting Tuesday to assess defense industry partnerships in North America and discuss efforts to help Korean defense companies expand their presence in the region, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

2026-04-21

She criticized Korean aid to Iran. Then a Foreign Ministry official DM'd her.

Hoda Niku had criticized Seoul’s decision to provide $500,000 in humanitarian assistance to Tehran in a social media post. In response, an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs logged into his personal account and sent her a message.

2026-04-19

Foreign minister frames Lee's criticism of Israel as appeal to human rights

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun downplayed controversy over President Lee Jae Myung's recent criticism of Israel, framing his remarks as a principled appeal to universal values in comments to Korean lawmakers on Wednesday.

2026-04-15

Lee asks Israel to 'reflect' on global criticism following foreign ministry's 'disappointing' response

President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday rebuffed criticism from Israel’s foreign ministry over his recent remarks on anti-human rights, calling the response “disappointing.”

2026-04-11