The Korea Herald

Global governance key to water crisis

Apr 19, 2015

The international community must stop putting climate change on the back burner of its development agenda, the head of an environment institution has stressed, while urging organizations to team up for worldwide water management. Naoko Ishii, the president of the Global Environment Facility, which funds projects to improve the global environment, said the challenge was to sustain growth without compromising environment preservation. The GEF unites 183 countries with international institutions, c
Bolivia, Korea to boost trade, exchanges

Apr 19, 2015

The Bolivian Embassy held a reception on April 10, two weeks ahead of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, to mark the official launch of an organization for trade and investment here. The G-Ocean group, which deals with international trade and provides consulting for overseas businesses, has organized various cultural and commercial events between the two countries since last year. The group president Shin Tae-yi said Korean companies’ participation in infrastructure projects in Bolivia wil
Argentine Embassy celebrates Malbec wine

Apr 19, 2015

Argentina’s Malbec wine, world-famous for its mature taste and burgundy color, was showcased at a wine-tasting event at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul on Friday. The venue was organized by the Argentine embassy and part of the Malbec World Day on April 17, which celebrates the country’s flagship grape variety through 70 events in 64 cities around the world.“Malbec is an art that expresses the essence of being Argentine ― our bond with our land as well as passion, warmth and trust in life,”
Azeri, Korean musicians consort at concert

Apr 19, 2015

An Azeri musical duo teamed up with a Korean violinist at the Korea Foundation Spring Concert at Seoul Arts Center on Friday, showcasing a dazzling performance of classical music. Cellist Aleksey Miltych, pianist Saida Tagi-Zadeh and violinist Kim Bomsori played duets and trios by Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Piazzolla, as well as compositions by Azerbaijan composers Gadjiyev, Amirov, Karayev, Zulfugarov and Gadjibekov. The Azeri musicians told The Korea Herald that they were invited to perform in Ko
S. Korea's finance minister highlights role of GCF to G-20

Apr 18, 2015

Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan urged the Group of 20 major economies to lend support to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), an organization that helps developing countries tackle climate change-related problems, in Washington on Saturday. In a meeting held immediately after the G-20 financial ministerial gathering, Choi said the GCF can help developing countries deal with environmental issues, adding that climate change can be utilized as growth opportunities.The meeting was also attended by World B
Korea, Japan vow joint efforts for cooperation

Apr 17, 2015

South Korea and Japan on Thursday reaffirmed their efforts to promote practical cooperation in the area of mutual interest and improve their fraught relationship, amid U.S. moves to foster reconciliation between its two allies. South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki agreed on the need to pursue “future-oriented cooperation,” despite their historical and territorial feuds, during a trilateral meeting in Washington that included U.S. Deput
Park arrives in Colombia on 1st leg of S. America tour

Apr 17, 2015

President Park Geun-hye arrived in Colombia Thursday on the first leg of a four-nation trip to South America to help boost South Korea's ties with the "continent of opportunities."The visit underscored Park's efforts to build confidence with her counterparts from Colombia, Peru, Chile and Brazil to expand cooperation with the emerging markets.The combined gross domestic product of the four countries stood at US$3.1 trillion, about half that of 33 South and Central American countries.Seoul said l
F.M. Yun urges global teamwork against cyber terror

Apr 17, 2015

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se Friday called for closer global cooperation against cyber-attacks, citing the hacking of Sony Pictures and South Korea's nuclear power plant operator by North Korea.After their own investigations, the U.S. and South Korea announced that North Korea was behind the series of online attacks.The communist nation denied the allegations.The two cases "vividly" showed the gravity of the cyber threat, Yun said while delivering a keynote speech at the Global Conference on Cy
U.S., S. Korea weighing Chinese opposition to THAAD: USFK commander

Apr 17, 2015

The United States and South Korea are weighing Chinese opposition to a potential deployment of the THAAD missile defense system to the South, the U.S. Forces Korea commander said Thursday, strongly suggesting the two sides are discussing the issue. The remark by Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti appears to run counter to what U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said during a visit to South Korea last week that the U.S. is not ready to begin discussions with Seoul about whether to deploy THAAD to the
S. Korea, U.S., Japan agree to bolster 3-way cooperation

Apr 17, 2015

South Korea and Japan Thursday agreed to make efforts to improve ties amid a deepening chasm caused by their troubled shared history. The agreement was made at a trilateral meeting also involving the United States here as the three countries concurred to bolster cooperation to tackle challenges in the region and beyond as their No. 2 diplomats held an unprecedented meeting seen as U.S. efforts to improve relations between the two Asian allies. Despite such efforts, there was no noticeable prog
Vice ministers of Korea, U.S., Japan hold talks

Apr 16, 2015

South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held their first-ever trilateral vice-foreign-ministerial talks on Thursday in Washington as Seoul seeks to boost pragmatic cooperation with Tokyo such as on security and the economy despite persistent historical tension.South Korea’s Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yong arrived in the U.S. capital late on Wednesday ahead of the three-way meeting the following day with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki. With
Japan to 'respect S. Korea's sovereignty' in defense matters

Apr 14, 2015

Japan has said it will respect South Korea's sovereignty in matters related to defense and security, in what could be an appeasing gesture aimed at easing escalating tension between the two over issues ranging from territorial and historical disputes to wartime sexual slaves, a senior foreign ministry official here said Tuesday.Japan delivered its stance during the so-called 2+2 talks held in Seoul, which involved two senior foreign affairs and defense officials from each side. The session was l
Park calls on N.K. to learn from Hungary

Apr 14, 2015

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday called on North Korea to heed lessons from Hungary’s democratic transition, saying the communist state’s parallel pursuit of nuclear and economic development would never be successful. During her summit with Hungarian President Janos Ader, Park expressed hope for the Eastern European country’s cooperation in convincing Pyongyang to change course and relinquish its nuclear ambition. “North Korea continues to develop nuclear weapons and thus consistently poses a
Korea to close Libya mission

Apr 14, 2015

South Korea plans to close its embassy and extract staff from Libya in the face of heightened security concerns following a recent deadly attack on the mission, officials said Tuesday. Political affairs and consular services will continue in Tunisisa, where the embassy was transferred last July. Two diplomats who have since been shuttling between the two countries for alternate two-week stays will also stay in the Tunisian capital of Tunis, while further discussions are needed on how to maintain
Seoul mulls closing embassy in Libya

Apr 13, 2015

South Korea is considering closing its embassy and withdrawing its staff from Libya amid security concerns in the aftermath of Sunday’s deadly attack on the facility, officials said Monday. A group of armed gunmen fired 40 shots from a machine gun while driving past the embassy early on Sunday, killing two Libyan guards and wounding another. The Tripoli chapter of the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility via Twitter, saying it had “removed” two guards. The Foreign Ministry convene