The Korea Herald

S. Korea, Turkey reach de facto free trade agreement for service, investment

Jul 7, 2014

South Korea and Turkey have reached a de facto agreement for free trade in the investment and service sectors, the trade ministry here said Monday.The agreement, once implemented, will complement a free trade pact for products between the countries that went into effect in May 2013, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.Negotiations for the free trade agreement (FTA) in the investment and service sectors were resumed in August 2013 after a 17-month suspension due to what minist
Security breached at foreign embassies

Jul 6, 2014

The security of two foreign diplomatic missions and an ambassador’s residence in Seoul was breached in June by individuals that witnesses described as mentally disturbed.In the three unrelated diplomatic incidents, a person who was described as “disturbed” attempted to barge into the diplomatic premises. In all three cases, the security present were overwhelmed and the local police had to be called in to reestablish security and to remove them from the premises.In one case, at a European diploma
‘Regional powwow indicates improving Korea-Cuba relations’

Jul 6, 2014

Cuba’s deputy foreign minister visited Seoul for a regional meeting
Georgia, Ukraine celebrate EU association agreements

Jul 6, 2014

Envoys from Georgia and Ukraine celebrated historic association agreements between their countries and the European Union in a reception here in Seoul on Wednesday.Georgian Ambassador Nikoloz Apkhazava and Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Marmazov hosted a reception that featured Georgian and Ukrainian wine and spirits for government officials and dozens of foreign envoys, including the European Union Ambassador Tomasz Kozlowski, and many other envoys representing EU countries.Georgia’s association ag
Xi offers Park to jointly celebrate Korean peninsula's liberation

Jul 4, 2014

Chinese President Xi Jinping has offered South Korean President Park Geun-hye to "jointly hold memorial activities" next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule as well as the end of World War II, according to China's foreign ministry on Friday. The proposal, which would mark a significant effort for China to join with South Korea in criticism of Japan, was made during summit talks between Park and Xi in Seoul on Thursday, the Chinese min
Chinese first lady engages in 'culture diplomacy'

Jul 4, 2014

The Chinese president's state visit to South Korea has drawn sharp attention not only for its political implications but also for the cultural exchange led by first lady Peng Liyuan.While her husband, Xi Jinping, held summit talks Thursday with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, Peng toured Changdeok Palace, which dates back to the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), and expressed her interest in Korean culture. (Yonhap)Dressed elegantly in a long white jacket and white skirt, with a touch of green a
Kimchi exports to China may get long-awaited boost from bilateral summit meeting

Jul 4, 2014

Exports of kimchi to China may finally get a boost following the bilateral summit meeting between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.At talks held Thursday, the two leaders agreed to expand cooperation and exchanges in the food sector as well as review various regulatory standards that Seoul has argued effectively made it impossible to export kimchi to China.Kimchi is a salted, spicy fermented side dish made with either pickled cabbage, cucumber or radish
Leaders send message to North Korea

Jul 3, 2014

The leaders of South Korea and China raised pressure on North Korea to renounce its nuclear ambitions on Thursday, saying they were “adamantly” against the development of nuclear weapons on the peninsula.In a joint statement issued after the summit between Presidents Park Geun-hye and Xi Jinping in Seoul, the two sides also stated the need to create conditions for the resumption of the six-party denuclearization talks. The talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia have be
Park-Xi summit draws regional powers’ attention

Jul 3, 2014

The summit between the leaders of South Korea and China took the international spotlight Thursday as it proceeded amid growing volatility in a Northeast Asian security landscape beset by geostrategic rivalries and territorial antagonism. The fluid security environment has posed a tough foreign policy challenge to Seoul, which has been striving to deepen its long-standing security alliance with the U.S., strategic partnership with China and practical cooperation with Japan.“Given the volatile pol
Chinese leader Xi arrives in S. Korea for summit with Park

Jul 3, 2014

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in South Korea on Thursday for talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, officials said, amid fresh tensions over a series of missile and rocket launches by North Korea. Xi and his wife were greeted by South Korean officials at an airport just south of Seoul before heading to their hotel.(Yonhap)Park and Xi were to hold a summit meeting later in the day -- the fifth since they took office in 2013 -- to discuss how to further deepen their relations and
Beijing eyes closer ties with Seoul, increased clout

Jul 2, 2014

China seeks to build a new Asian security framework, financial institution, maritime belt
East Sea naming law takes effect in Virginia

Jul 2, 2014

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) ― A new law went into effect in the U.S. state of Virginia Tuesday, requiring local school textbooks to use the South Korean name “East Sea” alongside the more commonly used Japanese name “Sea of Japan” for the body of water between the two countries.The landmark legislation passed through the Virginia House of Delegates in February, despite strenuous Japanese government lobbying against it, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed it into law in April. Virginia is the first U.S. stat
Chinese leader set to visit S. Korea amid regional tensions

Jul 2, 2014

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit South Korea this week for talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, an official said Wednesday, amid regional tensions over North Korea's nuclear weapons program and Japan's growing nationalism.Xi is scheduled to hold summit talks with Park on Thursday that are expected to focus on how to further boost their relations and how to deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons program as well as the Japanese leader's nationalistic policies.South Korea has ex
Korea, China to announce stepped up cooperation

Jul 1, 2014

South Korea and China are likely to adopt an annex to a joint presidential statement after their leaders’ summit in Seoul on Thursday to underscore their efforts to strengthen cooperation in various fields including trade and business, sources said Tuesday.Accompanied by a large economic delegation, Chinese President Xi Jinping is to arrive in Seoul for a two-day state visit on Thursday. He will have a summit with President Park Geun-hye to discuss North Korea’s nuclear threat and other bilatera
Japan ends pacifist security policy

Jul 1, 2014

Japan approved its right to fight in overseas wars on Tuesday, overturning its strictly defensive postwar security policy and defying public protests and international concerns over its unabated revisionist push. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe convened an impromptu cabinet meeting to lift the longstanding ban on exercising collective self-defense by reinterpreting its Constitution’s war-renouncing Article 9, which barred Tokyo from waging war and possessing war-related materials. With the decision, J