The Korea Herald

Korea no drama for exiting envoy

Jan 29, 2012

Exiting New Zealand ambassador Richard Mann has had a busy three years in Korea -― the two country’s leaders made reciprocal visits and talks started on the Korea-New Zealand FTA. But Mann, who is leaving the country on Jan. 30, also found it easy to fill his down-time while in Seoul ― he became an avid viewer of Korean TV. The 54-year-old diplomat said he had enjoyed Seoul and traveling around Korea, but had also “fallen in love” with Korean dramas, watching over 30 of them during his time here
Mexico’s artistic greats shown for the first time in Seoul

Jan 29, 2012

Some of Mexico’s greatest artists of the 20th century are to have their work displayed in Korea for the first time.The works of internationally renowned painters such as Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo are being displayed in Seoul as part of a new exhibition to showcase the works of 47 Mexican artists. The Central American country is bringing the collection representing some of its most renowned modern artists to Korea for the “Visual Anthology of Mexico” at Sookmyung Women’s University Museum.Th
Foreign minister parries attack over stock manipulation scandal

Jan 27, 2012

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan defended against an attack on him Friday, saying he would not have requested an audit into a stock manipulation scandal involving members of his ministry had he tried to cover it up.Independent lawmaker Jeong Tae-keun attacked the minister and the ministry’s vice ministers for allegedly hiding and delaying the truth behind the scandal related to a diamond mining project in Cameroon.The Board of Audit and Inspection on Thursday recommended the dismissal of Kim Eun-s
FM parries attack over stock manipulation scandal

Jan 27, 2012

SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan defended against an attack on him Friday, saying he would not have requested an audit into a stock manipulation scandal involving members of his ministry had he tried to cover it up.Independent lawmaker Jeong Tae-keun attacked the minister an
Comfort women blast Foreign Ministry

Jan 25, 2012

Two former “comfort women” visited Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan Wednesday and criticized the government’s inability to resolve the unsettled issues pertaining to women forced into sex slavery by Japan during World War II.“As I see you in person, my emotions are suddenly overwhelming. What has the Foreign Ministry done for the past 20 years?” 83-year-old Lee Yong-su asked Kim at the ministry in Seoul.“Is the Foreign Ministry owned by Japan or Korea? Do you feel thrilled to see elderly women dyi
Foreign minister expresses dismay over stock manipulation scandal

Jan 22, 2012

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan expressed distress Saturday over allegations that some ministry officials were involved in a snowballing stock manipulation scandal related to a diamond mining project in Cameroon.Kim Eun-seok, the foreign ministry's ambassador for energy and resources, is under invest
Israeli experts urge Korea to sanction Iranian oil imports

Jan 19, 2012

Israeli security experts urged Korea to join oil sanctions against Iran on a visit to Seoul, calling the country part of an axis of “bad guys” that they said also includes China, Russia and North Korea. The U.S. this week pressed Korea to adopt tough sanctions on Iranian oil imports, in a bid to stem the Islamic nation’s nuclear development, which Washington says aims to produce nuclear weapons. Three academics from Israel’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies told media at a meeting Thursd
Israeli academics urge Korea to sanction Iranian oil imports

Jan 19, 2012

Israeli security experts urged Korea to join oil sanctions against Iran on a visit to Seoul, calling the country part of an alliance of “bad guys” that they said also includes China, Russia and North Korea. The U.S. this week pressed Korea to adopt tough sanctions on Iranian oil imports, in a bid to weaken the Islamic nation’s nuclear development, which Washington says aims to develop nuclear weapons. Three academics from Israel’s Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies told press at a meeting
Thai attorney general asks Korean prosecutors to probe death of ambassador’s wife

Jan 18, 2012

The Thai Attorney General has requested the Korean Prosecutor General’s cooperation in investigating the death of the Thai ambassador’s wife in a Korean hospital, the Thai Embassy in Seoul said Tuesday. Dean of the diplomatic corps in Korea Vitali V. Fen has requested an independent enquiry into the death of Thitinart Satjipanon, the wife of Thai ambassador Chaiyong Satjipanon. She died at Soonchunhyang Hospital in Seoul on Sept. 19 last year, after being admitted on Sept. 16 with abdominal pain
Negotiators agree to minimize civilian use of HEU ahead of nuclear summit

Jan 18, 2012

Negotiators from about 50 nations scheduled to participate in March‘s nuclear security summit in South Korea have reached an agreement “in principle” to minimize the civilian use of highly-enrichment uranium (HEU), Seoul officials said Wednesday. The agreement was reached at a two-day meeting of “sherpas” in New Delhi this week and it will be included in a so-called “Seoul Communique” that will be announced at the end of the second Nuclear Security Summit slated for March 26-27, officials said.“
Foreign Ministry to deal sternly with its diplomat involved in stock-rigging scandal

Jan 17, 2012

Resource diplomacy diplomat denies allegations; audit result due later this month The Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it would deal sternly with a senior diplomat who was investigated late last year for his alleged involvement in a high-profile stock price manipulation scandal.The ministry s
S. Korean FM embarks on 4-day tour of Denmark, Turkey

Jan 17, 2012

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan left for Denmark Tuesday, embarking on a four-day tour that will also include Turkey, for talks aimed at strengthening economic and political ties with the two nations, officials said. Kim is scheduled to arrive in Copenhagen later in the day to meet Danish Foreign Minister Villy Soevndal, who extended the invitation to the South Korean minister, the ministry said in a statement. Kim and Soevndal plan to discuss a wide range of economic and trade issue
‘Latin American students wanted’

Jan 15, 2012

Korean institutions vie for students from Central, South AmericaSix years ago, no Guatemalan had ever studied for a full degree in Korea. But now, almost 50 scholars from the Central American country have graduated from universities here and returned to use their Korean degrees to influence politics and business back home.With some new arrivals in February, more than 50 Guatemalans will be studying at Korean universities, and elite colleges are striving to attract more Latin Americans to create
Competition to showcase wetlands

Jan 15, 2012

The U.S. Embassy is inviting photographers here to submit their best work to a World Wetlands Day photo celebration.The event, under the theme of “Wetlands Tourism: A Great Experience,” is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and is running from Jan. 3-20. Photography enthusiasts are invited to upload images to a Flickr site under the categories of wildlife, landscapes, plants and tourists. People a
Hindi Day celebrated with poetry in Seoul

Jan 15, 2012

People in Korea celebrated World Hindi Day with a Kavi Sammelan. The custom of a gathering of poets to recite verse carried out in Hindi-speaking areas of Northern India was recreated in Seoul ― by 15 native Koreans. The Korean Hindi enthusiasts joined Indians living here and representatives from various Indian associations at the event at the Indian Cultural Centre on Jan. 10. The celebrations also included an address by the Indian Embassy’s charge de affaires Jeeva K Sagar and reading of a mes