The Korea Herald

German firms dig into Korea’s medical tourism

Mar 15, 2015

Germany’s leading health care companies participated in the 2015 Korea International Medical and Hospital Equipment Show earlier this month in Seoul, laying the groundwork for joint ventures and research innovation with Korean partners. Fifteen German firms producing specialized medical equipment took part in the 31st convention at Coex in southern Seoul from March 5-8 to showcase their products and services in consultations, clinical examinations, radiology, dentistry, surgery, physiotherapy, m
Colombia, Korea seal defense ties

Mar 15, 2015

Building the blood-sealed relationship forged during the Korean War, Colombia and Korea marked a milestone of future defense cooperation with Colombia’s top military official visiting Korea last week. Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon visited for a three-day trip to meet Korean counterpart Han Min-koo and sign a memorandum of understanding geared at joint exercises, training exchange, intelligence sharing and humanitarian relief. With progress in the peace process launched in 2012 to
Tunisian Embassy exhibits mosaic works

Mar 15, 2015

The Tunisian Embassy hosted an exhibition showing prints of the country’s traditional mosaic and handicraft masterpieces at the Korea Foundation Gallery in Seoul from March 4-12. Showcasing patterns of mosaics, ceramics, carpets and jewelry covering 1,800 years of history, the exhibition displayed the cultural mosaic of Tunisian life formed by Carthaginian, Byzantine, Roman, Arabic and Ottoman civilizations.“The idea was to combine and show Tunisia’s two main cultural heritages of mosaics and ha
U.S. envoy to S. Korea Lippert to be back to work next week

Mar 14, 2015

U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert said Saturday he plans to return to work later next week after an attack by a South Korean extremist, expressing gratitude to people here for support. (Yonhap)The top envoy to Seoul has been recovering from wounds on his face and wrist after being slashed by the man during a breakfast forum in Seoul last week. The assailant said he did so in opposition to the Seoul-Washington joint military exercises."Thanks for all of the friendship and support! Mean
ASEAN-Korea Center gets new chief

Mar 13, 2015

Korea’s former ambassador to Indonesia Kim Young-sun will take the helm at the ASEAN-Korea Center on Friday, vowing support for the region’s political, economic and social integration. Kim Young-sunThe 60-year-old career diplomat succeeds Chung Hae-moon and will serve for three years as the agency’s third secretary-general. Kim called 2015 a “momentous year” as the 10-member coalition gears up to introduce the ASEAN Economic Community for greater security, economic and sociocultural integration.
U.S. has conducted site survey for THAAD: USFK

Mar 12, 2015

The U.S. has carried out a site survey for a possible stationing of its advanced missile defense asset, the U.S. Forces Korea said Thursday, adding that no final decision had been made on the deployment. The monthslong study is believed to have taken place early last year at five sites including Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province; Wonju, Gangwon Province; and Busan. The statement was the U.S. military’s first official confirmation of the survey. The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense system would he
Ranking Chinese diplomat to visit Seoul next week

Mar 12, 2015

China's assistant minister of foreign affairs plans to visit South Korea next week to discuss North Korea's nuclear program and bilateral issues, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday.Liu Jianchao will make a four-day visit to Seoul that starts on Sunday, where he will meet with his South Korean counterpart Lee Kyung-soo to discuss geopolitical situations and issues of mutual interest, the ministry said."The visit is expected to help flesh out the strategic cooperative partnership between Seoul
Seoul envoy urges N. Korea to end nuke activities

Mar 12, 2015

North Korea should end its nuclear activities and allow U.N. nuclear inspectors to return to the North to monitor its Yongbyon nuclear complex as the first step toward complete denuclearization, Seoul's top nuclear envoy said Thursday.The remarks by Hwang Joon-kook came as diplomatic efforts are under way to gauge Pyongyang's willingness to denuclearize before the long-stalled six-party talks resume.Seoul and four nations involved in the six-party talks -- the United States, China, Japan and Rus
British envoy says attack on Lippert 'very unexpected'

Mar 11, 2015

Britain's new ambassador to South Korea said Wednesday last week's bloody attack on the top U.S.envoy to Seoul was a "shocking and very unexpected" incident in a relatively safe city.U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Mark Lippert sustained injuries on his face and left arm from an attack by a knife-wielding assailant Thursday at a forum in Seoul."It was shocking to all of us not only in the diplomatic community but also in a wider community because it was such a very unexpected thing that happened
Korea ups pressure on Japan over sex slavery at U.N. meet

Mar 10, 2015

Korea stepped up pressure on Japan to resolve the issue of its sexual enslavement of Asian women during World War II at the U.N. on Monday, as bilateral negotiations continue to make little headway. At the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, Gender Equality and Family Minister Kim Hee-jung tacitly urged Tokyo to face up to history and resolve the issue in line with its commitment to tackling violence against women. It was the first time for Seoul to raise the issue at the panel. “I am encour
President visits U.S. envoy

Mar 9, 2015

Park, Lippert pledge robust Korea-U.S. alliance
Seoul FM, Lippert vow stronger S. Korea-U.S. alliance

Mar 9, 2015

The South Korean foreign minister said Monday he agreed with the U.S. ambassador to Seoul to step up efforts to cement the bilateral alliance despite last week's shocking attack on the envoy here.The pledge between Yun Byung-se and Mark Lippert came amid some jitters over the future course of the bilateral alliance following the knife attack on the U.S. envoy by a South Korean extremist activist.The 55-year-old activist with a criminal record slashed Lippert's face and wrist while he was prepari
New S. Korean ambassador to China to take up post this month

Mar 9, 2015

The new South Korean ambassador to China, Kim Jang-soo, is scheduled to arrive in Beijing later this month to take up his post, a South Korean diplomat said Monday. In a partial diplomatic reshuffle last month, South Korea tapped the 67-year-old Kim, a former defense minister who headed the National Security Council at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, as the new ambassador to China.China has notified South Korea of its consent to Kim's appointment, the diplomat said on the condition of ano
New deputy chief of mission named for U.S. Embassy in Seoul

Mar 9, 2015

Marc Knapper, director of the U.S. State Department's office of Indian affairs, has been named the deputy chief of mission for the U.S. Embassy in South Korea, sources said Sunday.Knapper is expected to take office as early as later this month as the No. 2 official at the embassy in Seoul, the sources said. He will succeed Leslie Bassett, who left the post in January to become ambassador to Paraguay.Knapper will be first in line to Amb. Mark Lippert, who has been recovering from wounds sustained
Bulgaria, hotbed of ICT collaboration

Mar 8, 2015

Bulgaria’s competitive ICT and business process outsourcing sectors are waiting to be tapped by Korean companies, Bulgarian Ambassador to Korea Petar Andonov told The Korea Herald last week. At a time when Korea’s IT industry profits are dwindling amid a sagging economy, Bulgaria offers a blue ocean of well-educated workers and a business-friendly environment, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, Andonov said. “Korea’s strength in developing computer hardware and Bulgaria’s stren