The Korea Herald

Korean ambassador to U.S. offers to resign

Feb 16, 2012

Han Duk-soo, South Korea’s ambassador to the U.S., has offered to resign on the third anniversary of his term, the government said Thursday.Han, who took office on Feb. 16, 2009, expressed his intent to step down, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson Cho Byung-jae said. He did not give specific reasons for Han’s resignation.“His resignation is likely to be accepted,” Cho said.Han was supposed to attend the week-long meeting of Korean ambassadors working overseas next week, but
S. Korea completes building hospital, training centers at Afghan base

Feb 15, 2012

South Korea has completed building a hospital and two training centers for police and job-seekers inside its base in northern Afghanistan, as part of efforts to help rebuild the war-torn nation, an official said Wednesday.The nation‘s provincial reconstruction team (PRT), comprised of some 90 aid workers and police officers, have facilitated reconstruction and development projects in the city of Charikar since mid-2010. Some 350 Korean troops are stationed at the Charikar base to guard the PRT w
EU backs Arab-UN peacekeeping mission in Syria

Feb 13, 2012

BRUSSELS (AFP) -- The European Union backed on Monday an Arab League call for a UN peacekeeping mission in Syria and urged the UN Security Council to act in order to stop the violence there."We welcome these bold decisions and the strong and clear commitment and leadership that the Arab League
Taliban announce death of ex-defense minister

Feb 13, 2012

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) _ The Taliban's former defense minister died in a Pakistani jail in 2010, a spokesman for the insurgent group said Monday.Little had been heard of Obaidullah Akhund since he was arrested by Pakistani authorities in 2007.Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said Monday that rel
Foreign Ministry criticized for belated Egypt travel alert

Feb 13, 2012

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is facing public criticism over its decision to belatedly raise the travel alert for the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt after three Koreans were abducted and later freed by armed tribesmen.However, a ministry official said the government had already released travel warnings for the region through the ministry before the kidnapping occurred.The ministry raised their alert from level two to three, advising Korean nationals not to travel there, after two Korean C
Obama ‘negligent’ in embracing S. Korea’s opposition

Feb 13, 2012

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― President Barack Obama should step up efforts to reach out to South Korea’s opposition forces, especially amid the possibility of a power shift there in the year of parliamentary and presidential elections, an American expert said Sunday.David Straub, associate director of the Korean Studies Program at Stanford University’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, said Obama has been “negligent” in trying to broaden support from South Korea’s opposition for
Chung to head ASEAN-Korea Center

Feb 12, 2012

Chung Hae-moon, former Korean ambassador to Thailand, has been appointed as Secretary-General of the ASEAN-Korea Center on Thursday, the government said.Established in March 2009 to boost ties between Korea and 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the center held its fourth annual council meeting in Seoul and appointed Chung, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Chung, replacing Cho Young-jai, will take office on March 13, the ministry said.Chung, 60
Kashmir Day marked in Seoul

Feb 12, 2012

A Kashmir solidarity event has been attended by the Pakistani ambassador and members of the Pakistani community in Korea. The Friends of Kashmir Association issued a statement saying that the event in Seoul was held to “express solidarity with the people of Kashmir in their valiant struggle against the repressive occupation of India.” But the Indian ambassador to Korea called the event hostile propaganda against India.The Friends of Kashmir Association advocates that the area of Kashmir, on the
Korean students get math medals from Oz

Feb 12, 2012

Two Korean high school students have received medals at the Australian Embassy this week for their performance in an international math contest.Lee Da-yeon of Cheongshim International Academy and Ryoo Sang-woo of the Chungbuk Science High School were presented their medals by Australian ambassador Sam Gerovich on Wednesday for their high performance in the challenging competition.The 34th Australian Mathematics Competition, held last August, saw 600,000 students from more than 40 different count
Korea, Denmark look to further Arctic collaboration

Feb 12, 2012

Korea and Denmark could collaborate on projects to unlock the Arctic’s full potential, the Danish ambassador to Seoul has said. The Scandinavian country ― along with its autonomous regions of Greenland and the Faroe Islands ― last year published an Arctic Strategy up to 2020.The region is thought to contain 30 percent of the world’s unproven gas reserves and 10 percent of the world’s untapped oil reserves, as well as minerals and rare earth elements. And Denmark’s Ambassador to Korea Peter Lysho
Swiss ‘house’ builds up diplomatic celebrations in Seoul

Feb 12, 2012

A little more than 200 Swiss people living here have chosen to make Korea their home, but none have set up house in as unique a way as Swiss artist Gregory Chapuisat. The visiting artist has spent the last few weeks building a “house” from rough-hewn pine planks in the pristine white interior of a gallery in Seoul’s plush Apgujeong. The three-story high instillation is itself housed in the SongEun ArtSpace ― where an exhibition supported by the Swiss Embassy is bringing its country’s young artis
Iran talks nuclear on national day

Feb 12, 2012

The Iranian ambassador to Korea defended his country’s right to pursue nuclear power at Iran’s national day celebration in Seoul on Friday. Ambassador Ahmad Masoumifar told diplomats gathered for the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution that his country was pursuing “peaceful nuclear technology.”Suspicions have grown that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons technology ― causing the U.S. and European Union to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic. “Despite political and economic
New book is first to bring Korea to Iran

Feb 12, 2012

Travelogue explains kimchi, ceremonies and big Korean breakfasts to Iranian peopleAs Korea seeks to slacken trade ties with Iran in line with U.S. sanctions, a Persian author has written a book to bring the countries closer together. Pooneh Nedai has published the first book about Korea in Iran to tell her country folk about the “dynamic dreamland” of Korea that she grew to love by traveling here.The new release titled “Land of the Phoenix” is the first travelogue ever to be written in Persian a
S. Korea, Qatar agree to form top-level cooperation mechanism

Feb 10, 2012

DOHA (Yonhap News) -- Leaders of South Korea and Qatar agreed Thursday to form a top-level cooperation mechanism handling all issues of cooperation between the two countries from oil and energy to science and technology, military and security, and green growth, officials said.South Korean President Lee Myung-bak agreed to the establishment of a “High-level Strategic Cooperation Committee” after Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani suggested the mechanism to expand the scope of bilateral
Swiss ‘house’ builds up diplomatic celebrations in Seoul

Feb 10, 2012

A little more than 200 Swiss people living here have chosen to make Korea their home, but none have set up house in as unique a way as Swiss artist Gregory Chapuisat. The visiting artist has spent the last few weeks building a “house” from rough-hewn pine planks in the pristine white interior of a gallery in Seoul’s plush Apgujeong. The three-story high instillation is itself housed in the SongEun ArtSpace -- where an exhibition supported by the Swiss Embassy is bringing its country’s young arti