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In this March 29, 2014 file photo, a Chinese Coast Guard ship attempts to block a Philippine government vessel as the latter tries to enter the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea to relieve Philippine troops and resupply provisions. China’s simmering feud with South Korea over the deployment of an American missile defense system is just the latest in a string of foreign policy challenges piling up on President Xi Jinping’s desk as he prepares to host the annual summit of the G20 nations next month. North Korea, Taiwan, the South China Sea and the United States all pose difficult challenges and pose the risk of exhausting China’s crisis management capacity and the ruling Communist Party’s aura of total control. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

U.S. voices concerns on new China maritime law

By Bill Gertz - The Washington Times

Lee Yong-soo, a South Korean woman who was sexually enslaved by Japan's World War II military, weeps during a press conference at the Press Center in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. Lee called for the leaders of both countries to settle an impasse over the issue by seeking judgment from the International Court of Justice. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

S. Korean sexual slavery survivor wants UN court judgment

By KIM TONG-HYUNG - Associated Press

In this March 30, 2015, photo, marines of South Korea, right, and the U.S aim their weapons near amphibious assault vehicles during U.S.-South Korea joint landing military exercises as part of the annual joint military exercise Foal Eagle between the two countries in Pohang, South Korea. As Americans celebrate or fume over the new president-elect, many in Asia are waking up to the reality of a Joe Biden administration with decidedly mixed feelings. Relief and hopes of economic and environmental revival jostle with needling anxiety and fears of inattention. For South Korea, the new president will likely demonstrate more respect toward its treaty ally than Trump, who unilaterally downsized joint military training and constantly complained about the cost of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in the South to defend against North Korea. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) **FILE**

U.S., South Korea close to cost-sharing deal for U.S. troops: Report

By Mike Glenn - The Washington Times

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, people wave the national flags as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center top, attends a military parade, at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. North Korea rolled out developmental ballistic missiles designed to be launched from submarines and other military hardware in a parade that punctuated leader Kim Jong Un’s defiant calls to expand his nuclear weapons program. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: &quot;KCNA&quot; which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Ryu Hyun-woo, high-level North Korean diplomat, defects to South Korea

By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times

Secretary of Defense nominee Lloyd Austin, a recently retired Army general, speaks during his conformation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021, in Washington. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP)

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin speaks with counterparts in South Korea, Japan

By David R. Sands - The Washington Times

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, center, is questioned by reporters upon his arrival at the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. Samsung scion Lee Jae-yong will not appeal a court ruling that sentenced him to two and a half years in prison for bribing South Korea's then-president for business favors. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Samsung scion Lee won’t appeal prison sentence for bribery

By KIM TONG-HYUNG - Associated Press

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi delivers a speech during an upper house plenary session at the parliament in Tokyo Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. Motegi blamed South Korea for further deteriorating their already strained relations by allegedly making illegal compensation demands over wartime sexual abuse of Korean women and use of forced laborers, urging Seoul to drop the case and fix the “abnormal development.” (Kyodo News via AP)

Japan urges South Korea to drop wartime compensation demands

By MARI YAMAGUCHI - Associated Press

Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. South Korean court sentences Lee to 2 and a half years in prison over corruption case. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

SKorean court gives Samsung scion prison term over bribery

By Kim Tong-hyung - Associated Press

In this Feb. 9, 2018, file photo, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, arrives for the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool, File)

Demoted? Pushed aside? Fate of Kim Jong Un’s sister unclear

By Hyung-jin Kim - Associated Press

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un claps his hands at the ruling party congress in Pyongyang, North Korean, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. Kim was given a new title, “general secretary” of the ruling Workers’ Party, formerly held by his late father and grandfather, state media reported Monday, Jan. 11, in what appears to a symbolic move aimed at bolstering his authority amid growing economic challenges. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: &quot;KCNA&quot; which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korea ends party meeting with calls for nuclear might

By KIM TONG-HYUNG - Associated Press

Seoul city criticized for sexist tips to pregnant women

By JUWON PARK - Associated Press

FILE - In this Monday, Jan. 4, 2021 file photo released by Tasnim News Agency, a seized South Korean-flagged tanker is escorted by Iranian Revolutionary Guard boats on the Persian Gulf. Iranian state television acknowledged that Tehran seized the oil tanker, MT Hankuk Chemi, in the Strait of Hormuz. A South Korean diplomatic delegation arrived in Iran on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, to negotiate the release of the vessel seized amid an escalating financial dispute between the countries, Iranian state-run media reported. (Tasnim News Agency via AP, File)

South Korean diplomat in Iran over seized ship, frozen funds

By AMIR VAHDAT - Associated Press

South Korean ambassador to Japan Nam Gwan-pyo, center, is surrounded by journalists at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. A South Korean court on Friday ordered Japan to financially compensate South Korean women forced to work as sex slaves for Japanese troops during World War II, the first such ruling expected to rekindle animosities between the Asian neighbors. Japan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that its vice Foreign Minister Takeo Akiba summoned Nam to register its protest against the ruling. (Yuki Sato/Kyodo News via AP)

Seoul court orders Japan to compensate 12 Korean sex slaves

By HYUNG-JIN KIM - Associated Press

In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends a ruling party congress in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021. Kim has reviewed relations with rival South Korea and underscored the need to drastically improve its ties with the outside world as he addressed a major political conference for the third consecutive day, state media reported Friday. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: &quot;KCNA&quot; which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

Kim vows to improve ties with outside world at party meeting

By HYUNG-JIN KIM - Associated Press

In this Nov. 15, 2020, file photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party Politburo in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim is facing the toughest challenges of his nine-year rule. His country’s fragile economy was battered this year by pandemic-related border closings and natural disasters. He’s also likely concerned about President-elect Joe Biden’s expected new approach to North Korea. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

Mired in crises, North Korea’s Kim to open big party meeting

By Hyung-jin Kim and Kim Tong-hyung - Associated Press

People wearing face makes to protect against the COVIS-19 walk at Trocadero plaza near Eiffel Tower in Paris, Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. French health authorities have confirmed the country's first case of the virus variant that prompted strict new lockdown measures in Britain and global travel restrictions.(AP Photo/Michel Euler)

The Latest: Japan’s PM seeks to enforce virus measures

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

A woman wears a protective face mask while holding a candle during an outdoor Christmas Eve Service of Lights at the Granada Presbyterian Church, Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, in Coral Gables, Fla. The service was held outdoors for safety reasons to protect against the spread of the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

The Latest: South Korea sees surge in coronavirus cases

By The Associated Press - Associated Press

People queue in line to wait for coronavirus testing while maintaining social distancing near a Christmas decoration at Seoul Plaza in Seoul, South Korea on Dec. 18, 2020. South Korea had seemed to be winning the fight against the coronavirus: Quickly ramping up its testing, contact-tracing and quarantine efforts paid off when it weathered an early outbreak without the economic pain of a lockdown. But a deadly resurgence has reached new heights during Christmas week, prompting soul-searching on how the nation sleepwalked into a crisis. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

After early success, S. Korea sleepwalks into virus crisis

By KIM TONG-HYUNG - Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2018, file photo, local tourists walk on the trail at Mount Kumgang, known as Diamond Mountain, in North Korea. A top North Korea official has visited the mountain resort that had been jointly run with rival South Korea and discussed efforts to unilaterally rebuild it into “a cultural resort envied by the whole world,” state media reported Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)

NKorea vows to redevelop mountain tour site despite pandemic

By HYUNG-JIN KIM - Associated Press

Police officers collect a ballon carrying a banner with images of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, the late leader Kim Il Sung and Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of Kim Jong Un, released by Fighters For Free North Korea, in Hongcheon, South Korea, Tuesday, June 23, 2020. A South Korean activist said Tuesday hundreds of thousands of leaflets had been launched by balloon across the border with North Korea overnight, after the North repeatedly warned it would retaliate against such actions. (Yang Ji-woong/Yonhap via AP)

S. Korea bans flying of leaflets toward N. Korea by balloon

By HYUNG-JIN KIM - Associated Press