Similar to Korea that has achieved its “economic miracle on the Han River,” Kazakhstan is now universally recognized for its rapid growth and modernization since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

British Ambassador to Korea Charles Hay speaks in front of the children’s choir of the Seoul Foreign British School at the Christmas reception at the envoy’s residence in Seoul on Wednesday. On Saturday, the envoy participated in a ceremony remembering the old site of the British legation during the 1950-53 Korean War in Busan. During the war, in which some 80,000 British troops fought and 1,100 died, the embassy in Seoul moved to Busan. Hay, Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Sue Kinoshita, Rep. Yo

Despite the distance between them, Georgia and Korea share many similarities that have made them freedom-loving, free market-oriented partners increasingly drawing on one another, the top Georgian envoy here has stressed. As the two countries celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, they can also cherish having transformed their tumultuous legacies under foreign occupations into independence and solid development, Georgian Ambassador to Korea Otar Berdzenishvili told The

First lady Kim Jung-sook will recite a Korean poem on a Chinese webcast platform Wednesday to support President Moon’s state visit to China.Cheong Wa Dae said Monday that Kim would read “Visitor” by Chong Hyon-jong on “The Poem for You,” a China-based media platform that promotes poetry as a tool for communication.Kim’s reading will be aired on the platform at 10 p.m. local time, which will also be shared across Chinese social media outlets.According to Cheong Wa Dae, Kim chose Chong’s work for

The ASEAN-Korea Centre recently published a book that takes stock of the last 50 years of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and evaluates its prospering strategic partnership with South Korea. “Partnering for Tomorrow: ASEAN-Korea Relations in Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN and ASEAN-ROK Cultural Exchange Year,” compiles researches and opinions reviewed at the International Conference on ASEAN-Korea Partnership in Seoul in August. The book covers three pillars of the bilat

On the northwestern corner of South America, Ecuador is uniquely positioned to engage with the outer world, including the economically dynamic East Asia across the Pacific Ocean. The equatorial country -- hence the name “Ecuador” -- offers the rule of law, political stability, a dollar-based growing economy, and an abundance of natural resources, Ecuadorian Minister of International Trade, Pablo Campana Saenz said in an interview with local media on Dec. 5.“Our government under President Lenin M

Aided by long-sighted policies and smart technologies, the Nordic countries have grown their economies while cutting down on carbon emissions, effecting what’s dubbed the “decoupling.” As the world moves toward a carbon-free future powered by clean energy, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are poised to spearhead sustainable development and reap its commercial benefits, experts pointed out at the Nordic Energy Research Conference on Thursday. Their technological and policy-related expertise wo

The Korea America Friendship Society held its annual year-end reception on Dec. 5 that celebrated the two countries’ deepening alliance amid growing military threats from North Korea. Some 360 guests, including military officers and noncommissioned members, diplomats, members of the KAFS and their spouses, participated in the event at Millennium Seoul Hilton. Music performances were provided by Songpa-gu Boys and Girls Choir. “Despite the tumultuous international relations surrounding the Korean

The Central European Jazz Connection, a quartet comprised of musicians from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, plays at a concert at the JCC Art Center in Seoul on Wednesday. (Hungarian Embassy)In celebration of the rotational presidency of the Visegrad Group -- also known as the V4, an alliance of four Central European states the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia -- the Hungarian Embassy held the concert “European Quartet One Melody” at the JCC Art Center in Seoul on W

A senior Japanese embassy official reaffirmed Thursday that Tokyo wants to resume top-level shuttle diplomacy with South Korea "as soon as possible," saying that it is a symbolic step that would help enhance mutual trust between the two neighbors.Koichi Mizushima, minister and deputy chief of Japan's Embassy in Seoul, hoped that a summit involving the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China will also be held to discuss pending regional and global issues."Shuttle diplomacy has an important and sy

South Korea asked for continued efforts by the Philippines on Tuesday to protect its people in the Southeast Asian country from crime, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.Earlier, consular officials of the two met in Manila and discussed a variety of issues ranging from consular cooperation to protection of their people traveling or living in the other country. In response to the request, the Filipino side promised to provide necessary support to better protect Koreans there.  Korean President Moo

HANOI -- Vietnam wants to leave behind the dark war-related history with South Korea and push to deepen their future-oriented relations for the prosperity of the people of the two countries, a ranking official of a state-run think tank on diplomatic policies has said. Dr. To Anh Tuan, deputy director general of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, a think tank under the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, made the remarks during a meeting last week with a group of reporters visitin

The Ukrainian Embassy in Seoul observed last week the annual remembrance of the “Holodomor” famine, orchestrated by the Soviet Union to wipe out Ukrainians in the early 1930s.Holodomor -- meaning “death by hunger” in Ukrainian -- took place from 1932-33 across Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, killing an estimated 7-10 million people. The man-made disaster was carried out under the order of Joseph Stalin, who saw a nationwide famine as instrumental in forestalling a Ukrainian independence

“Through thousands of development projects he initiated over his lifetime, his majesty oversaw a period of profound social, economic and developmental transformations across Thailand.”