South Korea will soon propose forming an arbitration panel with Japan in what would be the latest diplomatic bid to resolve long-standing grievances regarding Korean women forced into sexual slavery by Japan during World War II, a Seoul official said Monday.The subject of former wartime sex slaves, euphemistically called “comfort women,” is one of the most emotional and unresolved issues between South Korea and Japan, which occupied the Korean Peninsula as its colony from 1910 through 1945.South

China has taken stronger action against illegal fishing by its fishermen in South Korean waters, details of which were delivered in a letter to the South Korean Embassy in Beijing, a Seoul official said Sunday.The official letter from the Chinese agricultural ministry was sent to the South Korean Embassy on Jan. 18, several weeks after Beijing drew fire for its lukewarm response to the Dec. 12 killing of a South Korean Coast Guard officer by a Chinese fisherman in the West Sea. Chinese fishing b

Since its inauguration in 2008, President Lee Myung-bak’s administration has focused on securing overseas resources pivotal for sustainable growth.However, two books ― written by two close aides to Lee and published last year ― have been overtaken by events suggesting that the current administration’s so-called “resource diplomacy” may have been ineffective and shortsighted.Park Young-june, a protg of the president who until recently served as vice minister of knowledge economy, published a book

With 50 days to go, preparations for the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul are in full swing at various levels of government, society and industry, organizers said Sunday.The two-day summit from March 26-27 is expected to draw more than 50 heads of state and international organizations to the South Korean capital for the country’s largest-ever international conference. The event is aimed at holding discussions over measures to prevent nuclear terrorism as well as nuclear safety in the wake of the

Southeast Asian countries have gained tips on improving their tourism industry from Korea. The ASEAN-Korea Centre hosted a tourism workshop from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. Members of the National Tourism Organization and industry representatives from 10 ASEAN member states and Korea attended the ASEAN Tourism Promotion Workshop in Seoul. The workshop included lectures on tourism trends and prospects for ASEAN and Korea, tourism promotion policies, marketing strategies and tourism development plans for m

A film about American boxing icon Muhammad Ali will be screened at the American Center on Feb. 17.The 2001 movie “Ali” is a biographical film directed by Michael Mann and starring Will Smith, Jamie Foxx and Jon Voight. It tells the story of the legendary heavyweight boxer, reflecting his role in American sports, politics and social history and his continued fights against racism and the Vietnam War.The film also discusses the great turmoil in American society following the assassination of two A

ISTANBUL (Yonhap News) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak called Saturday for closer economic ties with Turkey befitting the "brotherhood" relationship between the wartime allies, saying a free trade deal would be a good way to lift economic relations.Lee made the remark during a meeting with T

Ministry received lowest grade in anti-corruption commission’s transparency evaluationApparently appalled by the scandal over a diplomat’s alleged stock-rigging attempts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has begun tightening discipline, especially on diplomats working overseas.The Foreign Ministry on Thursday said it has recently summoned a consul general from Wuhan in central China over opaque accounting practices. The ministry has been internally auditing the case after the diplomat w

Unnamed official stationed abroad suspected of trading diamond miner stockThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday summoned an official from an overseas diplomatic mission suspected by the state watchdog of gaining personal profits through insider trading of CNK International stocks.“As the Board of Audit and Inspection ordered disciplinary measures on the unnamed official, we summoned the official from Europe. The BAI’s audit will be strictly reflected on the future course of pers

President Lee Myung-bak celebrated the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday, pledging to further develop the countries’ ties in an exchange of messages with President Almazbek Atambaev.In their messages, both leaders expressed satisfaction that relations between the two countries have developed steadily since the 1992 opening of diplomatic ties, and agreed to work together to boost the relationship, the presidential office said in a statement.Lee also hoped for con