South Korea and the U.S. should remain calm and self-controlled and not raise unnecessary tension in the region, China's defense ministry said on Monday of the recent large-scale naval drills by the two allies.The official comment, released on its account of the social media service Weibo, came as a response to a question from a reporter about the Chinese government's stance on the joint drills that involved the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in the waters near C

The Spanish Embassy last Wednesday celebrated its National Day -- “Fiesta Nacional de Espana” -- amid a deepening alliance with Korea that spans over diplomacy, trade, tourism and culture. The holiday on Oct. 12 marks Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World in 1492, which occurred under the auspices of Spanish Catholic monarchs. Spain and Korea established diplomatic relations in 1950, and over the next 66 years pushed forward their ties based on a shared commitment to

BANGKOK -- Thailand, once perceived to be Southeast Asia’s low-cost manufacturing hub, aims to rebrand itself as the region’s leader in the knowledge-based economy. In line with the government’s “Thailand 4.0” restructuring initiative, Bangkok is transforming the country into an entrepreneurial hot spot of information and communication technology, culture and tourism, creative industries, smart farming and advanced manufacturing. In April, a delegation of seven Thai ministers led by Deputy Prime

The maxim of Bulgarian band Tube Hedzzz is to stay as close as possible to the rock ’n’ roll of the 1960s and 70s, a golden era epitomized by legends such as Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk and Cream. Tube Hedzzz has for the last few years revitalized the spirit of this rebellious music, adapting it to the finicky, nonconforming tastes of the contemporary audience. The band has performed with renowned artists including Lili Ivanova, Blackstreet and Mystikal, and is making a splash everyw

The Hungarian Embassy extended its diplomatic outreach to Busan and the surrounding areas with the appointment of an honorary consul on Wednesday.In a ceremony at Dongseo University’s new Centum Campus, Hungarian Ambassador Gabor Csaba bestowed the exequatur issued by the Foreign Ministries of Hungary and Korea to Chang Je-kuk, 53, who has been the university’s president since 2011.Chang -- a Japan expert -- taught international relations at the university following his education in the US and J

Marking the 26th anniversary of national reunification, the German embassy celebrated Friday the country’s progress in integration following the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, as well as international engagement, particularly with Korea. At a reception at the German ambassador’s residence in Seoul, the newly appointed envoy Stephan Auer, who started his post on Sept. 5, welcomed the visit of Michael Grosse-Broemer, Chief Whip of the Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union pa

Foreign envoys and journalists pose at the Jecheon Korean Medicine Bio Fair in the city of Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province on Wednesday. (NDN News)Over 40 foreign diplomats in Korea and journalists from the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club participated in the Jecheon Korean Medicine Bio Fair in the city of Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Jointly organized by the Jecheon municipal government and the Korean Cultural Ambassadors’ Friendship Association, the familiarization tou

Addressing a crowd of Korean university students, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Wednesday that his country welcomes young global talents to study and work in the world’s leading innovation-driven economy. In a meeting at the Seoul Metropolitan Library, Rutte highlighted opportunities in the Netherlands, famous for its liberal society and innovative marketplace. “There is no hierarchy in the Netherlands,” he stressed in front of some 70 students at the bottom of the hall. Pointing up towar

The Borjomi mineral water -- an iconic commercial brand from modern Georgia -- will be available in Korea from November across various distribution centers and online stores. Supplied by Korean company ANK PS, which has signed exclusive sales rights with IDS Borjomi Georgia, the website (www.borjomi-korea.co.kr) will sell 500-milliliter bottles of the carbonated water alongside physical retailers such as Hyundai Department Store. Other distribution channels are currently being discussed for wide

Since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sworn into office in May 2014, New Delhi has actively engaged Seoul as part of its “Act East” foreign policy aimed at deepening integration with Asian countries to the east. As an inheritor of the “Look East” policy initiative announced two decades ago, the eastward internationalist stance of the Indian government has been based on a recognition that the center of gravity in global geopolitics and commerce has significantly shifted to Asia. To streng

TOKYO -- More than 70 years later, Terumi Tanaka can still relive the havoc wrought on his hometown Nagasaki, which was flattened by a plutonium bomb unleashed from a United States Army Air Forces plane.At around 11 a.m. on Aug. 9, 1945, Tanaka was at his home some 3.2 kilometers away from the hypocenter of the atomic blast, when he heard a “loud bang” and immediately fell unconscious. “Everything was instantly blown away in a storm,” the 84-year-old Japanese man told The Korea Herald in Tokyo l