The Korea Herald

Denmark, Korea among cleantech leaders

Mar 18, 2012

Denmark has been listed top in the world for innovation in clean technology, and South Korea has come first in Asia. A new report from the World Wildlife Fund and Cleantech Group ranks Denmark first in the world when it comes to cleantech innovation. And the report ranks South Korea eighth in the world and first in Asia. Clean technology, or cleantech, uses innovative ways to create energy while minimizing environmental damage and pollution. Its many aspects can include recycling, renewable ener
Czechs honor first Westerner to die in Korea

Mar 18, 2012

The first Westerner to die in Seoul has been honored at a ceremony led by the Czech Ambassador. The flower-laying ceremony at the Chemulpo Foreigners’ Cemetery in Incheon was held in commemoration of the first foreign correspondent to Korea and the first Westerner who died in Seoul in 1886.This month marks 126 years since the arrival and death in Seoul of Prague-born American reporter, Maxmilian Taubeles ― also known as Max Taubles.The trailblazing journalist was the first foreign correspondent
EU to discuss N.K. rights

Mar 18, 2012

The EU Ambassador has called for North Korea to restart talks with European countries on human rights ahead of a conference to connect South Korean and European rights groups in Seoul. Tomasz Kolowski is to attend the opening conference of the EU-Korea Human Rights and Democratic Transition Dialogue Program, which aims to connect organizations fighting human rights violations in North Korea. “We call on North Korea to re-engage in meaningful bilateral dialogue with the EU and its member states o
U.K. opens doors to Korean tenor

Mar 18, 2012

Singer Yun Jung-soo has become the first Korean artist to be granted an exceptional talent visa by the U.K. Jung, who previously studied and worked in the U.K., has been granted the visa because of his contribution to the arts and potential to become one of the world’s greatest tenors.His roles in Britain for 2012 will include Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi for Opera Holland Park, the role of Rimbaud in Robert le Diable for the Royal Opera at Covent Garden and the eponymous role of Faust for Opera
Lights show source of Swiss culture

Mar 18, 2012

Gwanghwamun in Seoul will be bathed in light this week thanks to a cutting-edge 3-D projection light show at the Sejong Center. The “Nights of Sound & Lights” will launch at the Sejong Center on March 22. The show will then run until March 25, starting at 6:15 p.m. each night, with the first 10-minute light show at 7:20 p.m. and several more displays throughout each evening.It has been created by Swiss production company Starlight Events in collaboration with a young group of Swiss sound and lig
Marking quake anniversary, Japan’s envoy thanks Korea

Mar 18, 2012

Japanese Ambassador Masatoshi Muto hosted a reception last Wednesday to thank Korean charities and media for helping his country during last year’s disaster. The reception at Muto’s residence in Seongbuk-dong, held three days after the first anniversary of the disaster, drew representatives from the Community Chest of Korea, the Korean Red Cross and the Korean emergency rescue unit. Also invited were media representatives and Korea’s Second Vice Foreign Minister Kim Sung-han, former National Ass
U.S. adviser hails Internet freedom in Seoul

Mar 18, 2012

Hillary Clinton’s senior technology adviser has promoted Internet freedom on a visit to Korea, saying that governments cannot and should not control information online. But the U.S. Secretary of State’s senior adviser for innovation, Alec Ross, also said that he saw the WikiLeaks scandal as a theft of intellectual property. Ross told a youth forum in Seoul that human rights, freedom of speech, a free press and the freedom of association and assembly must also apply online. ”Today, that is where
Israeli FM refused to undergo security check at S. Korean airport

Mar 17, 2012

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman refused to put his bag through security check as he left South Korea earlier this week, an airport official said Saturday. Liberman was in Seoul for a two-day visit to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two natio
Foreign minister to meet ambassadors of nuclear security summit nations

Mar 15, 2012

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan will hold a luncheon meeting on Friday with ambassadors to South Korea from countries participating in the upcoming 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, the government said.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the meeting at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul will mark “D-10” to the summit, one of the largest diplomatic events in Korean history scheduled for March 26-27.Kim will invite the ambassadors of 51 countries, except Armenia, Lithuania, the U.N., the IAE
President Lee expected to hold summit talks with up to 25 leaders

Mar 15, 2012

President Lee Myung-bak is expected to hold bilateral talks with up to 25 leaders on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit slated to take place in Seoul from March 26-27.“President Lee is expected to have talks with leaders from 20 or up to 25 countries during a week-long period around the Nuclear Security Summit,” Han Choong-hee, spokesperson for the summit’s preparatory body, told reporters.The premier forum on nuclear security, safety and safeguards is to be attended by the leaders of
‘Sendai rising from tsunami damage’

Mar 15, 2012

South Korean diplomat Lee Bom-yon has only spent one month in Sendai, Japan, since being named Consul General of Korea in the city that was at the heart of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed more than 15,000 people.Despite his short period of time there, he said he has been able to see Sendai slowly recovering with lots of reconstruction and restoration work.“While the infrastructure such as roads and railroads has been 90 percent recovered, only 50-60 percent of the fishing i
Kim, Israeli minister discuss relations, regions

Mar 15, 2012

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan met with his Israeli counterpart on Thursday in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. The anniversary falls on April 10. Avigdor Liberman’s two-day visit until Friday is the first of its kind since he took office in February 2009.“This visit has a special meaning in that this year marks the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relationship. Your visit will be another moment that upgrades our relationship,” Kim told Liberm
U.S. stepping up efforts to boost tripartite ties with S. Korea, Japan: envoy

Mar 15, 2012

South Korea‘s new top envoy in the United States said Wednesday he will concentrate efforts on “fine-tuning” the alliance between the two sides and helping Washington’s efforts to boost trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo.Amb. Choi Young-jin said Seoul-Washington relations can‘t be “always smooth,” no more than relationships among friends and between husband and wife.“It is important to prevent unnecessary conflicts by predicting possible problems and managing them in advance,” he said i
Kids inspired to help shantytown residents

Mar 14, 2012

International school students have raised cash to buy coals for people living in a Korean shantytown after reading about others’ work to help them in The Korea Herald. The students read about the 2,500 people living in makeshift huts in Guryong Village in southern Seoul while researching poverty as part of a class project at Gyeonggi Suwon International School. After learning about Mannam International volunteers’ recent donation of 4,000 coals to help residents keep warm throughout the winter,
Seoul nuke summit expected to touch on N. Korea issue: Ban

Mar 14, 2012

NEW YORK (Yonhap News) ― U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday he expects global leaders will discuss the North Korean nuclear issue when they meet in Seoul later this month for a summit on nuclear safety and security.South Korea is scheduled to host the second Nuclear Security Summit from March 26-27 in which the heads of state from more than 50 nations and leaders of international organizations including Ban will take part.The biennial summit does not have the North’s nuclear problem