The Korea Herald

Top diplomats from Korea, Japan set for talks amid heightened tensions

Feb 17, 2017

The top diplomats from South Korea and Japan are scheduled to hold talks Friday, with the rare meeting expected to focus on allaying heightening diplomatic tensions over history and territorial issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said.The meeting between Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida will be held in the morning in Bonn, Germany, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 foreign ministers' meeting.Their talks are expected to concentrate on a diplomatic row over a
Republican senators call for significantly tightening financial screws on N. Korea

Feb 17, 2017

A group of US Republican senators have urged the Treasury Department to significantly tighten the financial screws on North Korea to curb its dangerously accelerating nuclear and missile programs.The six senators -- Ted Cruz, Cory Gardner, Thom Tillis, Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey and David Perdue -- made the appeal in a joint letter urging Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to "execute the full extent of financial sanctions and targeted financial measures provided for under current law." (Yonhap)"As
State Department 'aware' of death of NK leader's brother

Feb 15, 2017

The US State Department said Tuesday it is aware of reports that the half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been killed in Malaysia, but declined any further comment."We are aware of reports. We refer you to the Malaysian authorities," a department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency.(Yonhap)Kim Jong-nam, the 45-year-old eldest son of late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who has a different mother from the current leader, was found dead at the Kuala Lumpur airport on Monday in wha
Japan stages territorial provocation with teaching manual

Feb 14, 2017

Japan on Tuesday stepped up its claim to Korea’s easternmost islets of Dokdo through a new educational guideline for primary and middle schools, in another move fanning territorial spats amid unabated historical tension over a “comfort woman” statue. Tokyo’s Education Ministry unveiled a draft of its updated educational guideline in which it stipulates for the first time the islets are “indigenous Japanese territory,” along with the Senkaku/Diayou islands and the Northern Territories -- claimed
Ukraine, Korea mark silver jubilee of diplomacy

Feb 13, 2017

Marking the silver jubilee of diplomatic ties this year, Ukraine and Korea have laid a solid foundation for a wide array of future-oriented cooperation, Ukraine’s top envoy to Korea said last week.Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Marmazov, who nears the end of his post after five years, said the past 25 years of bilateral cooperation have sowed the seedbeds of growth in infrastructure, agriculture, construction, energy, science and technology, education and tourism.“Looking back over the last quarter
‘Curbing global warming requires more than words’

Feb 13, 2017

With the international community changing tack to advance the low-carbon economy, Korea should act on its promise to cut greenhouse gas emissions and muster global cooperation toward its materialization, a renowned scholar on climate change has said. In an interview with The Korea Herald, professor Chung Suh-yong of Korea University’s Graduate School of International Studies stressed the “implementation” of the country’s commitment to the Paris agreement in 2015 was essential. Also known as the
Italian cartoonist draws inspiration from eclectic Korea

Feb 13, 2017

In the eyes of Sergio Varbella, an Italian cartoonist and graphic designer, Seoul is a city of contradictions, where hypermodernity meets antiquity at every turn of the street. With glittering skyscrapers canvasing gentrified homes, and English billboard signs jutting out from unvarnished landscapes, the Korean capital has given him plenty of visual excitement. And that is precisely what Varbella will take home when he returns to his hometown Asti in northern Italy, after completing three weeks
Foreign ministry to launch special team to monitor overseas missions

Feb 10, 2017

South Korea's foreign ministry said Friday that it will form a special team tasked with monitoring diplomats at overseas missions for any misdeeds in a bid to enforce tougher workplace discipline.The team, in cooperation with the ministry's existing internal inspection office, will keep tabs on diplomats working at the country's embassies, consulates and other missions.The move comes as the current inspection office is said to be short-staffed in that it has to monitor workers at over 180 overse
Top diplomats of S. Korea and US expected to meet next week: source

Feb 10, 2017

Top diplomats of South Korea and the United States are expected to meet next week on the sidelines of an international gathering in Germany to discuss cooperation in dealing with North Korea's nuclear threats, a diplomatic source said Friday.Preparations are under way to arrange a meeting between Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson "either on Thursday or Friday" (local time) in Bonn in time for talks of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 (G-20) countries, ac
US 'secondary sanctions' on China likely to backfire: China expert

Feb 10, 2017

US "secondary sanctions" on Chinese firms doing business with North Korea would more likely to backfire rather than achieve the goal of inducing Beijing to render greater cooperation in efforts to rein in Pyongyang, an expert said Thursday.Yun Sun, a senior associate at the Stimson Center, made the remark during a discussion in Washington amid growing speculation the administration of US President Donald Trump is likely to adopt "secondary sanctions" or a "secondary boycott," penalizing Chinese
Tillerson says Korea already paying 'large amounts' for US troops

Feb 9, 2017

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said South Korea is already paying large amounts to support American troops stationed in the country and the two countries will be able to produce an "equitable burden-sharing" deal.Tillerson made the remark in a written answer to questions from Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) before his confirmation as secretary, responding to a question whether he would be willing to pull US troops out of South Korea and Japan unless a "fair" burden-sharing agreement cannot be reache
Foreign ministry launches taskforce to enforce discipline for diplomats

Feb 9, 2017

South Korea's foreign ministry has launched a drive to enforce stronger discipline on its diplomats following revelations of a series of workplace misdeeds, a government source said Thursday.A taskforce was formed recently and held its first meeting to discuss ways to maintain discipline of officials stationed in embassies, consulates and other overseas missions, according to the source. The source said that the ministry has reached out to private-sector experts for input and opinions in establi
Vice FMs of Korea and East Timor meet to discuss cooperation

Feb 8, 2017

South Korea's vice foreign minister held a meeting with his East Timor counterpart to discuss ways to increase cooperation in areas ranging from economy and development to North Korea's nuclear threat, the foreign ministry said Wednesday.Lim Sung-nam was in Dili, the capital of East Timor, for two days this week to hold talks. This marked the first time that South Korea's vice foreign minister has visited the country since both established diplomatic ties in 2002.The senior diplomat held a meeti
Korea asks China not to buy Kaesong complex goods

Feb 8, 2017

South Korea's unification ministry has asked China to notify its people not to buy goods produced at the now-shuttered inter-Korean industrial park in North Korea, a government official said Wednesday.The government said that it has identified some attempts by North Korean authorities to sell South Korean owned goods made at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, including rice cookers, to buyers in China.The move to check the North's attempt to sell such goods comes almost a year after Seoul shut down
White House: Trump stands with S. Korea, committed to preventing N. Korean hostile acts

Feb 8, 2017

US President Donald Trump wants to reassure South Korea that the US stands with the Asian ally and will prevent any further hostile actions from North Korea, the White House said Tuesday.White House press secretary Sean Spicer made the remark at a regular briefing, recalling a phone conversation that Trump had with Acting President and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn last week."He had a conversation the other day. We look forward to fulfilling that conversation," Spicer said. "I think obviously the