WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The South Korean ambassador to the U.S., Han Duck-soo, plans to visit four U.S. states later this month as part of efforts to reach out to ordinary people under an annual “Ambassadors’ Dialogue on Korea” program, the Korea Economic Institute said Wednesday.Han will be accompanied by former U.S. ambassador to Seoul Kathleen Stephens and Jack Pritchard, president of the KEI, on the five-day tour of Missouri, Utah, Nevada and Arizona to start on Nov. 29, according to the

Less than stellar year for charity bazaarBy Yoav CerralboThis year’s SIWA and Diplomatic Community Bazaar received mixed reactions from participants.For some embassies, it was a good year selling most or all of their products with the profits going to charities in Korea.For others, it was a year that did not bear much fruit despite the amount of labor they put into making it a success.Dressed in traditional dress, the women of the Nordic Club sold out of all their homemade bread, chocolates, Chr

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The United States is willing to discuss the controversial issue of investor-state dispute settlement with South Korea once their free trade agreement takes effect, a U.S. trade official said Tuesday.“We are prepared to consult with Korea on any issue they may raise pertaining to KORUS after entry into force of the agreement,” the official told Yonhap News Agency on the condition of anonymity. The official said South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and his American

A Korean tourist was killed this week in a boat crash off the eastern coast of the Philippine island of Cebu, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Monday.A banana boat carrying three South Korean tourists, including a 50-year-old woman identified only by her surname Ji, collided with an outrigger canoe on Sunday morning, causing all three to fall into the water, the ministry said in a statement.The tourists were soon rescued and taken to a nearby hospital, where Ji died and the other two are receiving

South Korea and Australia will seek joint measures to crack down on prostitution by South Korean women in the latter country, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Monday.Moon Ha-yong, ambassador for overseas Koreans and consular affairs, will meet with his Australian counterparts in Canberra later in the day to discuss the issue, the ministry said.“About 1,000 South Korean women in Australia are engaged in the sex trade, and most of them are abusing their working-holiday visas,” the ambassador told Yon

HONOLULU (Yonhap News) ― South Korean President Lee Myung-bak called Sunday for leaders of Pacific Rim economies to encourage corporate creativity and innovation through deregulation, saying it will make companies more competitive, help spur economic growth and create jobs.Lee made the remarks during a working lunch session with other leaders attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Hawaii. The host U.S. asked Lee to deliver the lead speech at the session on deregulation after fi

Seoul and Washington have agreed to accelerate moves to allow automatic immigration checks in both countries from next year.On the sidelines of the 19th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Hawaii, the Korean and the U.S. governments agreed to allow fast-tracked immigration procedures for “trusted travelers” of the two countries, without a face-to-face interview with an immigration officer.The trusted travelers need to submit personal data, including fingerprints and photographs, to the a

HONG KONG (Yonhap News) ― Joint efforts by South Korea and China to stop desertification in the Inner Mongolian desert have made headway, creating a large artificial forest, a local government said Monday. The Forestry Department at China’s autonomous region of Inner Mongolia said an 8.7-square-kilometer forest in the Ulan Buh Desert was completed by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, a central development aid agency under the authority of the South Korean foreign ministry, and the Baya

The Korean government said it has established an eminent persons’ group to provide advice to President Lee Myung-bak when South Korea hosts the Nuclear Security Summit in March.The 15-member group will include India’s former President Abdul Kalam, Singapore’s Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry, former Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and former South Korean Foreign Minister Han Seung-soo, according to

BRIEFIndian visa center reopens Applying for a visa to visit India has been made easier with the reopening of the Indian Visa Application Center.From now on, the center will handle all visa related matters, types and categories for Korean and foreign nationals wishing to visit India.The Center is located at the Hyundai Liberty House, 258 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu. The office of the Indian Visa Application Center will operate from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on all working days with a lunch break from 1-2

Foodies craving a taste from the Great White North in Korea have received a helping hand. The Canadian Embassy published a list of Canadian products available in Korea and where to purchase those products.A vast amount of Canadian products can be found at various supermarkets and discount chains across the country. “You may have to go to more than one outlet to fill your pantry, but discovering new shopping opportunities is half the fun of shopping for quality Canadian products,” said the embass

Next year, French citizens living in Korea will be invited to vote for the presidential elections, and for the first time in the history of the Fifth Republic, the parliamentary elections.To participate in these elections, French citizens must be registered on the electoral roll in Seoul before Dec. 31. Registration can only be made at the embassy’s consular section. For more information on the elections, visit www.ambafrance-kr.org.

The Norwegian Embassy is keeping its Samgakji Subway Station project fresh by revamping the pictures laid out on the platform and escalators.Recently, new pictures appeared on the platform and escalators, slowly changing the focus from nature to architecture.The new exhibition starts with one of the oldest examples of Norwegian architecture: Stave churches. Built in the 11th century, 28 stave churches still exist in Norway. As passengers at Samgakji station continue down the escalator, they will