The Korea Herald

Yang wins Juilliard’s William Petschek award

PeopleMar 6, 2011

Pianist Joyce Yang has won Julliard’s 30th annual William Petschek Piano Recital award.The Juilliard School in New York said on its website that Yang would be presented with the award in her Alice Tully Hall debut in New York on May 5.Yang came to international attention as silver medalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005. She was the youngest contestant at age 19. Last y
A parent revolution for U.S. school reform

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page told a riveting story Wednesday about parents in Compton, California, who are trying to stage a revolution in their local school, one of the worst in the city. They’re wielding a new “parent trigger” law in the state to force out the administrators and bring in a charter school operator. They’re learning that parents who put their children first are seen as
Reforming American health care reform

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

President Obama has thrown his support behind a bill to let states opt out of key features of the healthcare reform law before they take effect, including the controversial requirement that virtually all adult Americans buy insurance. The caveat, though, is that states must offer alternatives that provide comparable coverage to at least as many of the uninsured as the new law would, at no greater
[Imtiyaz Yusuf] Overcoming tyranny in Muslim world

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

The intellectual roots of the current democracy movement in the Middle East lie with those Muslim thinkers who hold that there is conceptual compatibility between Islam, modernity and democracy. They put stress on concepts such as liberty, human rights and human dignity, freedom of thought, scientific inquiry, contextual interpretation of sharia, the legal principles of the Koran, support for demo
[David Ignatius] High stakes, ‘blood money’ in Lahore

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

WASHINGTON ― One way out of the mess surrounding the Jan. 27 arrest in Lahore of CIA contractor Raymond Davis, say senior U.S. and Pakistani officials, is a Muslim ritual for resolving disputes known as “blood money.” This approach would require a prominent Islamic intermediary ― perhaps from Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates ― who would invite relatives of the two men Davis killed to the G
[Editorial] Throwing tantrums?

EditorialMar 6, 2011

Twenty-seven of the 31 North Koreans who strayed into the South Korean waters aboard a fishing boat a month ago, are stuck in limbo ― Pyongyang refuses to take them back unless Seoul sends them all. The other four desire to remain in the South. Is Pyongyang throwing tantrums when it says the South is holding them against their will?When South Korean officials took the 27 North Koreans to the truce
[Editorial] No to airport plan

EditorialMar 6, 2011

Until recently, the nation had 19 airports in operation. But the government had to close four of them during the 2002-07 period because they did not handle enough flights. Only a few others are faring any better than those four. But they are somehow in operation, wasting tens of billions of won in taxpayers’ money each year.A case in point is Muan international airport that opened in South Jeolla
[Jiang Liping] How to combat water scarcity in China

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

Water resources management, highlighted in the No 1 central document issued in January, will in all probability be discussed at the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Water resources management is very important for China because the per capita availability of water in the country is about one-third of the world average. Pe
[Gregory Rodriguez] A conglomeration of U.S. tax incentives

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what your country has done for you lately.With apologies to John F. Kennedy, that’s what concerned citizens should be doing to get their heads around the debate in Washington about the appropriate size and role of government.Despite how riveted we are by Washington blood sports, average citizens don’t always understand what “government” means. That’s n
[Yuriko Koike] Asia’s chains that bind manufacturing

ViewpointsMar 6, 2011

TOKYO ― Asian manufacturers have always migrated in search of cheaper labor. Until recently, China seemed their ultimate destination, claiming an ever larger share of investment by Asia’s huge production networks. But three developments in China ― rising wage inflation, the coming of a new five-year plan that will seek to shift dramatically the Chinese economy’s focus from exports to domestic cons
Natalia Gantimurova wins Miss Russia 2011 beauty pageant

Mar 6, 2011

Natalia Gantimurova is crowned Miss Russia 2011. The 2011 Miss Russia beauty pageant was held in March 5, 2011 in Moscow, Russia. (Photos by Xinhua-Yonhap News) Crowned Natalia Gantimurova poses for photos during the final of Miss Russia pageant in Moscow, Russia, March 5, 2011.Natalia Gantimurova, winner of Miss Russia 2011, is crowned during the final of Miss Russia pageant in Moscow, Russia, Ma
Danish design in focus at Yeosu EXPO

Foreign affairsMar 6, 2011

From now until June, preparations for the Danish Pavilion at EXPO 2012 in Yeosu will focus on pavilion design, content and business partnerships. Danish EXPO Commissioner Steen Christensen visited Korea on Feb. 17-18 to hold consultations with the Korean EXPO Commissioner and organizing committee as well visit the Yeosu site.During his visit, the Danish commissioner also briefed members of the Kor
Information on NZ earthquake relief, donations

Foreign affairsMar 6, 2011

The New Zealand government has launched an appeal to help the people of Christchurch and the Canterbury region affected by the Feb. 22 earthquake.The embassy has set up links at its website to assist those who want to donate to the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.Launched by New Zealand Prime Minister John Key, the appeal complements other fundraising activities by the Red Cross and the Salvation A
Mexico holds first electronics seminar

Foreign affairsMar 6, 2011

The electronics sector is one of the fastest growing industries in Mexico in terms of export potential and employment generation. Mexico manufactures a wide range of electronic products from audio and video, telecommunications, computer equipment and equipment parts to medical and commercial products.To highlight the many different avenues in which Korean firms can take part in the Mexican electro
India-Korea forum set to explore IT options

Foreign affairsMar 6, 2011

The Embassy of India and the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea are jointly organizing the “Forum on India-Korea IT Partnership for Global Success” on March 14.The forum, which will be held at the Seoul Millennium Hilton, will start at 2 p.m., and invitations are required. India is a global leader in Information Technology and is the world’s 4th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity