The Korea Herald

New Zealand opens consulate in Busan

May 1, 2011

The New Zealand Embassy hosted a celebratory reception at Lotte Hotel Busan to mark the opening of the New Zealand Consulate in the city.“Our linkages with Busan have expanded, and we want to intensify these further,” said New Zealand Ambassador Richard Mann.The consulate is located on the third floor of the Wonyang Plaza in Amnam-dong, Seo-gu. New Zealand Ambassador Richard Mann (left) and New Ze
ASEAN Center opens multimedia contest

May 1, 2011

The ASEAN-Korea Center launched this year’s multimedia competition for university students and young artists in ASEAN member states and Korea.Entering its third year, the competition aims to promote mutual understanding and create avenues of exchange between the young generation of Southeast Asia and Korea through multimedia including photography and video artworks. The 2011 ASEAN-Korea Multimedia
Portugal marks 50 years with festivals

May 1, 2011

Celebrates Korea ties and past with a modern twist and look toward futureKorea and Portugal established formal ties half a century ago, but the European country still has a low profile here.To showcase Portugal while also celebrating the golden anniversary, the embassy has organized a slew of cultural performances that will entertain, enlighten and hopefully attract a certain curiosity to a countr
S. Korea offers simultaneous use of 'East Sea', 'Sea of Japan'

May 1, 2011

South Korea has offered to simultaneously use the "East Sea" and the "Sea of Japan" as the official name of the body of water between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, a government official said Saturday. South Korea in 1992 officially named the body of water as the "East Sea," and it has been promoting the simultaneous use of the East Sea and the Sea of Japan in the international community."We can
Clinton urges N. Korea to mend ties with S. Korea ahead of six-way talks

Apr 30, 2011

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday urged North Korea to improve ties with South Korea through inter-Korean dialogue before any resumption of the six-party nuclear talks."And with respect to North Korea, we have made consistently clear what we expect from North Korea in its actions in the future," Clinton told reporters after meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto at t
N. Korea's Kim Jong-il proposes summit with S. Korea: Carter

Apr 28, 2011

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il on Thursday proposed holding a summit meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said in Seoul following a three-day trip to the communist state."He specifically told us that he is prepared for a summit meeting directly with President Lee Myung-bak at any time to discuss any subject directly between the two heads of state,"
N.K.’s Kim ready to meet Lee at any time: Carter

Apr 28, 2011

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il wants to hold a summit meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak at any time, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter said in Seoul Thursday.“Although we did not meet with the leader of North Korea, when we had already departed from our guest home, we were asked to come back to receive a personal message,” Carter said in a press conference. He added Kim “specific
Obama soon to nominate Panetta as defense chief to replace outgoing Gates: official

Apr 28, 2011

U.S. President Barack Obama will soon nominate CIA Director Leon Panetta as secretary of defense to replace outgoing Robert Gates, a senior Obama administration official said Wednesday.Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, will be appointed to Panetta's replacement, the official told a conference call, asking anonymity.Obama will announce his national security personnel res
White House urges Congress to ratify Korea free trade pact

Apr 27, 2011

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― The Obama administration Tuesday urged Congress to quickly approve a free trade deal with South Korea despite demands that the deal be deliberated along with similar pacts with Panama and Colombia.“We believe that Congress needs to move on these because they are job creators here in America,” White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters.U.S. President Barack Obama has
Resumption of N.K. peace talks imminent: analysts

Apr 27, 2011

Experts say China moving from stance that inter-Korean talks should precede multilateral discussionNegotiations among regional powers over denuclearizing North Korea are likely to reopen at an early date, analysts and officials in Seoul said Wednesday, as a flurry of diplomatic events have been taking place on the divided peninsula this week.As part of regional efforts to bring the reclusive Pyong
The importance of clean energy and energy access

Apr 27, 2011

The following article was contributed by Han Dong-man, deputy director general of international economic affairs bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He recently attended international meetings on clean energy in Abu Dhabi and Paris. -- Ed. Han Dong-manWith the impending exhaustion of fossil fuels and the threat posed by climate change, mankind is faced with an urgent call for a pa
S. Korea, U.S. agree to exchange liaison diplomats to enhance understanding: State Dept.

Apr 27, 2011

South Korea and the United States have signed a memorandum of understanding for the exchange of diplomats so the allies can better understand each other's policy-making procedures, the State Department said Tuesday.The memo, signed by South Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Jae-shin and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns, calls for the State Department to send a liaison
China, S. Korea together on how to resume 6-way talks: official

Apr 26, 2011

Carter arrives in Pyongyang for possible talks with N.K. leaderChina and South Korea have managed to bridge their once divided views over how to revive the stalled peace dialogue with North Korea, a process that should begin with an earnest dialogue between the two Koreas, a senior official here said Tuesday. Chief nuclear envoys of the two neighboring countries held talks in Seoul Tuesday -- the
EU prohibits N. Korea’s aged planes for six years

Apr 26, 2011

Antiquated North Korean airliners have been banned from operating in European countries for six years in a row as part of the European Union’s prohibition on 21 states that have failed to meet its safety standards, a U.S.-funded private radio station reported Tuesday. Under the EU ban, Pyongyang’s Air Koryo can only fly two new airliners it purchased from Russia last year to the E.U. member state
Seoul, Beijing discuss resumption of six-way talks

Apr 26, 2011

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is welcomed by North Koreans as he arrives in Pyongyang on Tuesday morning. Carter is accompanied by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and ex-Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Brundtland. (Yonhap News)Carter arrives in Pyongyang for possible meeting with Kim Jong-ilChief nuclear envoys of South Korea and China strove