The Korea Herald

Park, Obama united against N.K.

Nov 11, 2014

Park, Abe agree to speed up consultations on sex slavery issue
U.S., China reach 'understanding' on cutting tariffs on tech goods

Nov 11, 2014

The United States and China have reached an "understanding" in bilateral negotiations aimed at cutting tariffs on information-technology goods, the U.S. Trade Representative said Tuesday. U.S. President Barack Obama made the announcement earlier in the day during a plenary session of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Beijing, saying the breakthrough will help talks on the Information Technology Agreement to reach a "rapid conclusion," according to a statement by the U.S. Trade Repr
Obama sent letter to Kim to win detainees’ release

Nov 10, 2014

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) ― U.S. President Barack Obama delivered a personal letter to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un via his national intelligence director sent to the communist nation to win the release of two American citizens, a senior U.S. official said Sunday.The “brief letter” stated that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper was sent in his capacity as Obama’s personal envoy to obtain the release of the two Americans, the senior official told reporters aboard Air Force One before th
Asia thaw tests Seoul’s diplomacy

Nov 10, 2014

South Korea’s foreign policy faces a test as signs of a thaw in China-Japan relations and North Korea’s surprise release of U.S. detainees threaten to weaken its diplomatic leverage and reduce strategic options. Nearly two years into her presidency, President Park Geun-hye is coming under increasing pressure to turn her diplomatic credentials into a feat. But her “principled” approach to relations with Japan and North Korea has so far failed to induce any meaningful change from either side. Inst
APEC summit opens with focus on regional trade deals, global recovery

Nov 10, 2014

Pacific Rim leaders convened Monday for an annual meeting where efforts to seek regional free trade agreements and ways to sustain the fragile global economic recovery are expected to top the agenda.Leaders from the 21-member APEC are also expected to endorse an agreement proposed by host China to set up an anti-corruption network in the Asia-Pacific region. Among those attending this week's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit are South Korean President Park Geun-hye, U.S.President Barack O
China says 'conclusion' of free trade talks with S. Korea

Nov 10, 2014

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping held "substantive negotiations" on Monday and jointly announced the "conclusion" of free trade talks between the two nations, China's commerce ministry said. The one-sentence announcement by the Chinese ministry came shortly after a South Korean official said the two nations "virtually" reached a landmark free trade agreement. "Xi Jinping and Korean President Park Geun-hye held substantive negotiations and jointly announced th
Cambodia bets on Saemaeul movement to spur rural reform

Nov 9, 2014

PHNOM PENH ― With agriculture still the mainstay of its economy, Cambodia is seeking to reform rural communities in partnership with Korea to shore up residents’ livelihoods and boost grain exports. The Southeast Asian country is seeking to follow in the footsteps of the “Saemaeul Undong,” or New Community Movement, a rural reform drive in Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. The two countries agreed in June to build a training institute and carry out pilot projects in 30 villages by 2018, for which Se
Indonesia eyes closer Korea ties

Nov 9, 2014

JAKARTA ― Indonesia is keen to build a more substantive political, economic and sociocultural partnership with South Korea as it consolidates democracy under a new leadership and gears up for a special ASEAN summit with Seoul, Jakarta’s point man on the regional bloc said. I Gusti Agung Wesaka Puja, the ASEAN-SOM leader at Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, displayed the resolve to play a greater role not only in the region but also in helping enhance relations between the two Koreas by, i
Namibian officials benchmark Korea’s online administration

Nov 9, 2014

Delegates from Namibia’s personnel advisory body, the Public Service Commission, visited Korea from Oct. 22-25 to benchmark the country’s online administration system and human resource management scheme. PSC Chairperson Eddie Amkongo and Deputy Permanent Secretary Benhardt Kukuri met with officials from the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea Institute of Public Administration and Ministry of Security and Public Administration. “We came to learn how the Korean government recruits its
Europe touts benefits of its universities to Korean students

Nov 9, 2014

European officials touted education at EU universities as attractive alternatives to U.S. colleges at a recent workshop in Seoul, pointing to their low fees and long traditions and high academic quality.They were speaking at a workshop hosted by Hanguk University of Foreign Studies on Oct. 29 at a hotel in Seoul. Korea’s Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea sponsored the event. European ambassadors to Korea, international scholars, academic program directors and st
Artists laud virtues of childhood art education

Nov 9, 2014

The 2014 Seoul International Symposium for Arts and Creativity was held last Monday at the Korea Chamber of Commerce & Industry, drawing on the expertise of international experts on public art education for children. Organized by Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture and the Finnish Embassy, the symposium, titled “Artists, Teachers, Teaching Artists: Reflections on Identity and Expansions of Practice,” shared know-how in the art of teaching community-based programs and explored the changing iden
[Reporter's Column] Dokdo decision ruined by buck-passing

Nov 7, 2014

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se appears to be facing the biggest crisis since his swearing-in early last year, coming under fire for his reported opposition to the establishment of evacuation facilities on the Dokdo islets in the East Sea. Last Saturday, the government retracted a 3 billion won ($2.74 million) public tender for a contractor to build a shelter, power generator and desalination system in a two-story building. The Prime Minister’s Office said the project needed further review given c
Korea, China hold talks on summit

Nov 7, 2014

BEIJING (Yonhap) ― The foreign ministers of South Korea and China held talks in Beijing on Friday to discuss how to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs as well as bilateral relations. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the Chinese foreign ministry, days before President Park Geun-hye is to hold a bilateral summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering. The meeting between Yun an
S. Korea, China FMs satisfied on cooperation against N.Korea

Nov 7, 2014

The foreign ministers of South Korea and China expressed satisfaction Friday with their cooperation to help curb the advances of North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, while renewing efforts to resume a "meaningful dialogue" with Pyongyang. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held bilateral talks earlier in the day in Beijing, with the agenda focusing on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs as well as bilateral relations. Yun and Wang "expressed sati
S. Korea, China make little headway in free trade talks

Nov 7, 2014

Trade ministers of South Korea and China held a fresh round of marathon overnight negotiations in Beijing to forge a free trade deal, but they failed to narrow differences over sensitive agricultural and manufacturing issues, a Seoul delegate said Friday. South Korean Trade Minister Yoon Sang-jick and his Chinese counterpart, Gao Hucheng, opened the 14th round of talks in Beijing on Thursday, marking the first time that the level of chief negotiators was upgraded to ministerial, representing