The Korea Herald

Korea, Guatemala to promote ties

May 18, 2012

The foreign ministers of South Korea and Guatemala held talks Friday in Seoul to discuss how to promote trade and investment between the two nations, Seoul officials said.The talks between Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and his Guatemalan counterpart Harold Caballeros focused on “the promotion of trade and investment, security cooperation in Central America and protection of Korean nationals living in Guatemala,” a ministry official said. Caballeros arrived in Seoul Thursday for a two-day visit
Japan criticizes women’s rights museum

May 18, 2012

The Japanese Embassy in Seoul has lodged a complaint on South Korea’s funding of the local War and Women’s Human Rights Museum, stating that content regarding the so-called “comfort women” in the exhibit did not comply with Japan’s stance. The museum celebrated its grand open early this month, established by the Korean Council for the Women Drafted for Military Sexual Slavery by Japan in order to support compensation for the South Korean women who were forced to become sex slaves for the Japanes
Norway, Finland support Korea’s Arctic plan

May 15, 2012

Korea has secured support from Norway and Finland in its bid to become a permanent observer to the Arctic Council, a multinational forum on energy, shipping, exploration and other crucial issues in the North Pole region. Korea has been striving to boost its presence in the Arctic as global powers jockey to take advantage of its huge resources, strategic location and new key sea routes opening up with the rapidly melting ice sheets.“Norway and Finland have been very active in working with us. The
Korea seeks bigger role in Arctic

May 15, 2012

Energy-hungry emerging economy eyes resources reserves, shipping lanes, permanent status at Arctic CouncilKorea is stepping up its foray into the Arctic as melting ice caps are opening up a treasure trove of untapped resources, new sea routes and potential for scientific discovery. Despite its late entry and lack of major energy corporations, Korea can harness its edge in shipbuilding and engineering in one of the world’s last uncharted frontiers, experts say. Korea is hoping to boost its presen
Korea’s international aid focuses on independent development

May 13, 2012

VIENTIANE ― As a recently wealthy member of the international community, Korea is obliged to increase its aid for developing countries and its best option is sharing the lessons learned from its growth, which other nations can follow, said the head of the Laos branch of Korea’s aid agency. “Developing countries face various obstacles when trying to stand on their own feet,” Kwon Young-eui, chief of the Korea International Cooperation Agency office in Vientiane, told The Korea Herald. “Korea may
Korea builds social infrastructure in Laos

May 13, 2012

Aid agency KOICA focuses on health, education and agricultureThis is the fifth installment of a series of articles introducing programs and activities of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, a state-run organization for overseas assistance and humanitarian aid. ― Ed.VIENTIANE ― Korea’s aid program in Laos focuses on building social infrastructure to support the country’s drive to overcome poverty, establish a sound market economy and nurture development.The inland state on the Indochina P
Forum connects Indian businesses to Korea

May 13, 2012

More than 70 Korean and Indian CEOs and entrepreneurs came together last week to discuss unprecedented business opportunities in the rapidly developing South Asian nation. The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the Indian Embassy held a business forum in Seoul on May 7. Speaking at the event, Indian Ambassador Vishnu Prakash highlighted India’s investment plans for $1 trillion in infrastructure development by 2017. He invited Korean companies to partner with their Indian counterparts to bid
British journalist remembered in Seoul

May 13, 2012

The British Embassy has held a memorial ceremony for a journalist who opposed the Japanese colonial rule of Korea. U.K. Ambassador Scott Wightman attended Yanghwajin Foreigners’ Cemetery on May 8 to remember British journalist Ernest Bethell, who is buried there. Former Korean Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung chaired the ceremony and President Lee Myung-bak sent flowers to mark the event organized by the Bethell Commemoration Committee. Some 250 people participated in the ceremony, also including Par
Polish Constitution Day marked in Korea

May 13, 2012

The Polish Embassy hosted a National Day celebration on Wednesday with a delegation led by the country’s minister for agriculture and rural development. Minister Marek Sawicki joined the event in Seoul to commemorate the ratification of the first Polish constitution, which took place on May 3, 1791. The constitution was t he first in Europe and second in the world after the American Declaration of Independence. Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Majka said that the constitution had helped guide his cou
Envoys’ spouses become Seongbuk citizens

May 13, 2012

The wives of the Turkish and Singaporean ambassadors have become honorary citizens of the community in which they live. Gulden Saribas and Tan Siew Eng pledged to do their best to help strengthen ties between their countries and Korea upon being presented with honorary citizenship of Seoul’s Seongbuk-gu. They were selected along with another international resident of the area, Dr. Bhanu Shrestha. The Nepali citizen is a professor at Kwangwoon University. Saribas, who is married to Turkish Ambas
Scandinavian royalty set to grace Yeosu and Seoul

May 13, 2012

Royals from Denmark, Norway and Sweden are all gracing Korea this month, each with a packed diplomatic schedule, including meetings with Lee Myung-bak and trips to the DMZ. The Danish Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary were the first Scandinavian royals to arrive on May 10 and will stay until May 15. The Crown Prince Frederik attended the Global Green Growth Summit at Seoul’s Lotte Hotel on Friday, while Crown Princess Mary visited Samsung Medical Center to tour the Neonatal Intensiv
Lee heads to Beijing for annual summit with China, Japan

May 12, 2012

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak left for Beijing Saturday for annual summit talks with Chinese and Japanese leaders expected to center on North Korea and economic and other cooperation between the Northeast Asian powers.The tripartite summit, set for Sunday between Lee, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, comes amid concern North Korea could conduct its thir
Kim named envoy to EU, Belgium

May 10, 2012

The Seoul government on Wednesday appointed Kim Chang-beom, a former presidential protocol secretary, as new ambassador to the European Union and Belgium. Kim, 52, began his career at the Foreign Ministry in 1981 and has served in posts involving in security policy and diplomatic relations with North America, Japan and Indonesia. In 2007, he became the first director general of the Korean Peninsular Peace Regime Bureau under the Office of Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs, which is in
Korea, Norway to cooperate for Arctic exploration

May 9, 2012

Korea and Norway agreed Wednesday to boost cooperation for Arctic exploration programs as Seoul looks to tap the region’s growing scientific and business opportunities.Shin Maeng-ho, chief of legal affairs at the Foreign Ministry, and Karsten Klepsvik, the Nordic country’s ambassador to the Arctic Council, discussed Korea’s application to become a permanent observer to the eight-member Arctic Council, joint research projects and related policies, the ministry said. The bilateral meeting, the fir
S. Korean IAEA inspector killed in auto accident in Iran

May 8, 2012

A South Korean inspector of the International Atomic Energy Agency was killed in a rollover accident in central Iran on Tuesday morning, the Islamic Republic’s state media reported. The Islamic Republic News Agency reported that a car carrying him turned over near a heavy water reactor under construction. A Slovakian inspector was wounded in the accident. By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldm.com)