A panel of foreign envoys, government officials and experts on development issues will discuss the recent findings of a United Nations report on human development at Korea University on April 4.Bangladeshi Ambassador to Korea Enamul Kabir and Chilean Ambassador Hernan Brantes are expected to join government officials and experts from civil society to discuss the “Global Human Development Report 2013: The Rise of the South.” A profound shift has taken place in the global south, in part driven by

President Park Geun-hye tapped former first Vice Foreign Minister Ahn Ho-young as South Korea’s ambassador to the U.S. and former three-term Saenuri Party lawmaker Kwon Young-se as ambassador to China, Cheong Wa Dae said Sunday.　As her chief envoy to Japan, Park named Lee Byung-gi, adviser to the Youido Institute, the ruling party’s think tank. 　She decided to retain the current ambassador to Moscow, Wi Sung-lac, and incumbent envoy to the U.N., Kim Sook, 　The three new diplomats would be offici

President Park Geun-hye asked Friday for U.S. congressional support for South Korea to expand its “peaceful use” of atomic energy, her spokeswoman said, as the two nations are in talks over Seoul’s demand for the right to reprocess spent nuclear fuel.Park made the remark when she met with Bob Corker, the top Republican on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, saying she hopes an expiring nuclear accord between the two countries will be revised in an advanced way, according to spokeswoman

An upcoming forum will address one of the most contentious issue between South Korea and the United States -- whether Seoul should develop its own nuclear weapons.The North Korean nuclear crisis will also be discussed at the 2013 Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference, set to begin April 8 for a two-day run.The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will participate in the event, which will include a session on a renewed call in South Korea for "nuclear sovereignty," acc

ULSAN ― North Korea’s weapons program is not the only nuclear headache for South Korea. The country’s radioactive waste storage is filling up as its nuclear power industry burgeons, but what South Korea sees as its best solution ― reprocessing the spent fuel so it can be used again ― faces stiff opposition from its U.S. ally. South Korea fired up its first reactor in 1978 and since then the resource poor nation’s reliance on atomic energy has steadily grown. It is now the world’s fifth-largest n

Chinese President Xi Jinping recently sent a personal letter to South Korean President Park Geun-hye, expressing hope that the two nations will further strengthen their ties, the South Korean presidential office said Tuesday.   In the letter, Xi also suggested the two leaders hold a summit meeting in the near future, saying he looks forward to making a "beautiful blueprint" for their countries' relations, according to the office.   The Chinese president noted that the ties between two countries

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se will travel to Washington next week for consultations on North Korea and bilateral issues in the run-up to a visit here by President Park Geun-hye in May, an informed source said Monday."Minister Yun is scheduled to visit Washington in the first week of April," the source said on the condition of anonymity. Yun will meet with Secretary of State John Kerry, mainly to discuss agenda items for the first summit talks between Park and her American counterpar

The French-speaking foreign missions in Korea observed International Francophonie Day on March 20 and will celebrate the French language and French identity through a series of events through March and April.The month-long festival of French includes a concert by Swiss-French duo Laurent Brunetti & Mario Pacchioli and an opening set by Raoul and the Xpats on the 6th floor of the music faculty of Sookmyung Women’s University on April 5 at 5 p.m.“Francophonie” refers to countries and regions where