The Korea Herald

New Zealand waives diplomatic immunity for official in Seoul

Jun 28, 2016

New Zealand has waived diplomatic immunity for one of its diplomats stationed in Korea after a scuffle between the official and local police, Seoul's foreign ministry said Tuesday.The New Zealand diplomat, whose identity has been withheld, is accused of obstructing the duty of police officers on May 24 when he allegedly pushed the officers and kicked their car to prevent them from arresting two New Zealand businessmen at a bar in the central district of Yongsan, according to the ministry and new
Bizmen again seek gov't approval to visit Gaesong factory park

Jun 28, 2016

A group of South Korean businessmen has asked the government again to approve their plan to visit the now-shuttered joint industrial park in North Korea next week, government officials said Tuesday.Seoul's unification ministry said that 29 businessmen made the request on Monday to visit the Gaesong Industrial Complex in the North's border city of the same name, where their factories are located, next month."The government plans to not approve the group's bid," said a government official, adding
Korea, U.S. to discuss cooperation at cybersecurity meeting

Jun 28, 2016

Korea and the United States will hold a policy consultation meeting in Washington this week to discuss cooperation against the growing threat from hacking and other cybercrimes, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.The meeting will be held on Wednesday (local time) in Washington between a Korean delegation led by Shin Maeng-ho, the ambassador for the ministry's international security affairs, and U.S. officials led by Christopher Painter, the coordinator for cyber issues at the U.S. Department of S
S. Korea to further strengthen coordination with China on N. Korea

Jun 28, 2016

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Tuesday that South Korea will further strengthen coordination with China to deal with North Korea's nuclear standoff and provocations. Hwang, who is on a five-day visit to China, made the remarks during a meeting with South Korean correspondents in Beijing ahead of meetings with Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. North Korea, which has been hit by tougher U.N. sanctions following its fourth nuclear test in January, claimed la
S. Korea rejects N.K. offer for joint meeting involving parties, key figures

Jun 28, 2016

South Korea on Tuesday rejected North Korea's offer to hold a meeting involving both sides' political parties and social organizations in August, saying that denuclearization should be prioritized as a precondition for dialog.North Korea on Monday proposed to hold a joint conference of political parties, organizations and individuals between the two Koreas around Aug. 15 to mark the 71st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. The North offered to have a working-lev
Obama nominates new deputy USFK commander

Jun 28, 2016

U.S. President Barack Obama has nominated a new deputy commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said. Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, director of the Air Force secretary's legislative liaison. (Yonhap)Air Force Maj. Gen. Thomas W. Bergeson, director of the Air Force secretary's legislative liaison, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and nominated to be deputy USFK commander, Carter said in a statement.If confirmed, Bergeson will succeed Lt. Gen. Terre
Korea to maintain 'solid' ties with Britain, EU even after Brexit: govt official

Jun 27, 2016

Korea will maintain its friendly ties with Britain and the European Union on "solid" footing even after Britain leaves the world's largest economic block, a foreign ministry official said Monday. The government will also keep its close cooperative ties with them on the diplomatic front, in particular, in dealing with North Korea's nuclear weapons programs and human rights issues, the official told a group of reporters on condition of anonymity."Regardless of the Brexit decision, we will maintain
S. Korea urges N.K. to halt making military threats

Jun 27, 2016

South Korea urged North Korea on Monday to halt making military threats as Pyongyang warned of a shelling attack on the South similar to the one it waged in 2010 in response to Seoul's crackdown on illegal fishing near the western sea border.North Korea on Monday condemned South Korea for its operation with the United Nations Command to repel Chinese fishing boats operating illegally in neutral waters between the two Koreas around the Han River estuary."They should stop their reckless military p
S. Korea, U.S., Japan set for 1st joint missile defense exercise in Hawaii

Jun 27, 2016

South Korea, the United States and Japan are to hold their first trilateral missile defense exercise this week against North Korea's ever growing ballistic missile threats.The antimissile drill set for Tuesday in waters around Hawaii will revolve around a hypothetical missile launch by North Korea, according to the Ministry of National Defense here.The three countries will each dispatch one Aegis Combat System-equipped warship to the trilateral antimissile drill, the first of its kind to be held
S. Korea's vice defense minister visits Cambodia, Laos this week

Jun 27, 2016

South Korea's vice defense minister will visit Cambodia and Laos this week in the country's widening efforts to win over countries close to North Korea as Pyongyang shows little sign of letting up on its military provocations.A 12-member delegation led by Hwang In-moo will visit Cambodia from Monday to Wednesday, followed by a trip to Laos from Wednesday to Friday, to discuss bilateral defense cooperation, the Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.The delegation will also be made up o
Korean PM attends economic forum in China's Tianjin

Jun 27, 2016

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn is set to brief global economic leaders on Korea's industrial reform and innovation at the World Economic Forum on Monday in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin. Hwang arrived in Tianjin on Sunday for a five-day trip to China that included meetings with Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. At the "Summer Davos" forum in Tianjin, Hwang is slated to explain South Korea's "fourth industrial revolution," according to the prime minister
U.S. rights envoy to visit S. Korea amid talk of additional

Jun 27, 2016

The U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues will visit South Korea this week for a conference on Pyongyang's human rights record and meetings with senior officials, the State Department said Sunday.Ambassador Robert King will be in Seoul from Monday to Thursday for "a symposium on North Korean human rights issues and regular consultations with senior Republic of Korea officials on a range of human rights and humanitarian issues," the department said in a release.The United States
Grasping German for fortunes in Germany

Jun 26, 2016

The German Embassy last week granted diplomas to bookworms at high schools across Seoul who successfully completed German language courses offered by Germany’s school authorities and Foreign Office. At the ceremony on Tuesday, 72 students received certificates for completing the DSD 1 and DSD 2 programs, shortened names for the German Language Certificate of the Education Ministers Conference.By earning these credentials, they are recognized as having the necessary competence to study at German
Poland, Korea hash over cultural promotion

Jun 26, 2016

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage Piotr Glinski visited Korea last week to boost collaboration between the two countries, which aim to globalize their cultures as engines of growth. As part of his five-day visit, he participated in the 7th Asia-Europe Culture Ministers’ Meeting in Gwangju, representing the Polish delegation that joined with the highest number of officials. He also met his counterpart, Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Jon
New Zealand minister touts Maori enterprise

Jun 26, 2016

New Zealand Minister for Maori Development Te Ururoa Flavell came to Korea last week to raise the profile of Maori businesses and promote their time-honored traditions. On his first visit, Flavell led a trade delegation of nine Maori firms covering food and beverage, seafood, horticulture, agriculture, forestry and tourism. At the breakfast forum hosted by the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, known as “The Kiwi Chamber” on Tuesday, he addressed more than 50 local business community leaders on th