The ASEAN-Korea Center presents the third series of its Browngbag Seminar with the first lecture slated for Tuesday.The seminar aims to present a better understanding of tourism in the ASEAN region for the general public. This year’s series will be catered especially to those looking to travel to Southeast Asian countries. Over the course of ten lectures, embassy and national tourism organization officials from the ten countries will introduce their countries through the “ASEAN Insight: Popular

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak arrived in Colombia on Saturday to make a final push for a free trade deal between the two countries and to pay tribute to the nation for fighting alongside the South during the Korean War.South Korea and Colombia are in the final stages of free trade talks and Lee's trip is expected to provide the negotiations with important momentum, officials have said. That

Japan’s recent amendment to its atomic energy law is rekindling fears about its formidable nuclear and missile technologies that experts say could quickly turn it into an atomic weapons power. Its parliament on Wednesday passed the revision to the Atomic Energy Basic Act including “national security” among its goals. The revision was the first in 34 years.“The safe use of atomic power is aimed at contributing to the protection of the people’s life, health and property, environmental conservation

South Korea and Russia agreed Friday to strengthen meteorological cooperation for the upcoming Winter Olympics that the two countries will host separately in 2014 and 2018, South Korea's weather agency said.Under the agreement, the two sides will share technology related to making weather forecasts, exchange meteorological experts and jointly take part in international programs seeking to boost me

South Korea and Chile agreed to expand mining and energy cooperation that can help ensure better use of important natural resources, the government said Friday.The Ministry of Knowledge Economy said that under the memorandum of understanding reached in Santiago, both sides concurred on the need for joint exploration of resources, sharing information on development projects and technological exchan

Japan has rewritten the basic law on atomic energy to include “national security” among its goals, fueling concerns over the possibility of using nuclear power for military purposes.The first amendment in 34 years of the Atomic Energy Basic Act, a regulatory and institutional roadmap for its nuclear activities, invited criticism from Japan’s anti-nuclear scientists and civic activists. “The safe use of atomic power is aimed at contributing to the protection of the people’s lives, health and prop

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil –- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard agreed Wednesday to work closely together to further develop a Seoul-based think tank on green growth, the presidential office said.The two leaders met here on the sidelines of a U.N. sustainable development conference, known as the "Rio+20" summit, where Lee made a strong pitch for green gro

The number of foreigners who sought asylum claims in South Korea more than doubled last year, compared with the previous year, but Seoul was still reluctant to grant them refugee status, the United Nations' refugee agency said Monday. South Korea received a total of 1,010 asylum applications last year, up 135 percent from 430 claims in 2010, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said in an annua