Seoul pushing U.S. Congress for visa allocation for Korean professionalsThe Korean government once set a U.S. visa quota for Korean professionals as a major goal of the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement.However, the bilateral trade deal, ratified by the Korean parliament last month, did not include the visa issue at all, disappointing many Korean professionals who hoped to find getting a job in the U.S. easier ― just like Australians who earned a quota of 10,500 a year through a bilateral trade de

South Korea and the United States resumed talks Tuesday on revising a bilateral pact that defines the boundaries of the Asian country’s use of nuclear energy, with Seoul aiming to gain concessions in the area, officials said.The discussions in Seoul were led by Park Ro-byug, South Korea’s envoy for the talks and a former ambassador to Ukraine, and Robert Einhorn, the U.S. State Department’s special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control.The two sides were holding their fourth round of tal

Some 1,200 Joseon Dynasty-era books looted by Japan during the colonial era will be returned to Korea on Tuesday afternoon, a government official said.According to the official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the books will be divided and delivered on two flights, each carrying 600 books. The books will arrive at the Incheon International Airport at 3:35 p.m. and 4:35 p.m., respectively, said the official.Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Park Suk-hwan and Japan’s ambassador to Seoul,

The United States called on South Korea Monday to add pressure on Iran over its alleged nuclear weapons program, indicating that the Seoul government could soon impose fresh sanctions on Tehran.The remarks by Robert Einhorn, the State Department‘s special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, came after the U.S. and several other nations recently announced additional economic sanctions against the Islamic state for its alleged pursuit of nuclear weapons. The measures, targeting Iran’s o

Young Korean musicians have been given the chance to perform with top-notch international artists at a Swiss concert in Seoul. So far, 180 talented Korean musicians have practiced for and performed in the annual Lindenbaum Festival Concerts under Swiss Maestro Charles Dutoit, who founded the event along with Hyung Joon-won in 2009.Dutoit started establishing contacts with North Korea this year with the aim of being able to also invite young North Korean musicians to join future Lindenbaum Festiv

The Korea Britain Society will hold its annual dinner at the Westin Chosun Hotel on Wednesday. The dinner in the hotel’s grand ballroom will start at 6:45 p.m. with a speech from Minister of Strategy and Finance Bahk Jae-wan and a performance from celebrated South Korean pianist Yiruma. Funds raised will go toward several Korean charities as well as scholarships funded by the KBS. The society funds students via the Duke of Edinburgh and Chevening scholarships as well as supporting Korean school