The Korea Herald

안녕하세요 Korea Herald 기자입니다.

Articles by Korea Herald

Obama nominates Air Force’s first female four-star general

Feb 7, 2012

U.S. President Barack Obama nominated Air Force Lt. Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger to be the service’s first female four-star general and the military’s second woman to reach the highest rank. Wolfenbarger, the Air Force’s top uniformed official for weapons development, was also nominated as commander of the Air Force’s Materiel Command, according to a Defense Department statement on Monday. The positions are subject to Senate confirmation. The first woman with four stars in the U.S. military, Army Gen
U.S. closes embassy in Syria as diplomacy falters

World NewsFeb 7, 2012

BEIRUT (AP) ― The U.S. closed its embassy in Syria and Britain recalled its ambassador to Damascus on Monday in a new Western push to get President Bashar Assad to leave power and halt the murderous grind in Syria ― now among the deadliest conflicts of the Arab Spring.Although the diplomatic effort was stymied at the U.N. by vetoes from Russia and China, the moves by the U.S. and Britain were a clear message that Western powers see no point in engaging with Assad and now will seek to bolster Syr
‘U.S. needs military trade pact with Korea’

DefenseFeb 7, 2012

The U.S. and Korea should consider a bilateral defense industry agreement styled after the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, former commander of the U.S. Forces Korea said.In an article published in the U.S. political and defense publication Defense News co-written with Monitor National Security associate partner John Prior, retired U.S. Army Gen. Walter Sharp said that a military FTA would facilitate cooperation between the two nations’ defense industries. Sharp served as the USFK commander for
Netanyahu ... to Cabinet: Stop ‘chitchat’ about Iran

World NewsFeb 7, 2012

JERUSALEM (AFP) ― Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned his officials to stop “blabbing” about the possibility of an attack targeting Iran’s nuclear program, the newspaper Maariv reported on Monday.Netanyahu is said to have directed the instruction at a number of military officials and government ministers who he believes have been speaking too freely about a potential Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.The newspaper, citing unnamed senior officials, said Netanyahu deliv
BOK to freeze key interest rate in Feb.: poll

Feb 7, 2012

Korea’s central bank is expected to keep its key interest rate steady for the eighth straight month in February due to persistent inflation concerns and downside risks to the domestic economy, a poll showed Tuesday. All 14 analysts forecast that the Bank of Korea will freeze the benchmark 7-day repo rate at 3.25 percent on Thursday, according to the survey by Yonhap Infomax, the financial news arm of Yonhap News Agency. Still-elevated inflationary pressure and looming external uncertainties will
[Kim Seong-kon] The American dream versus the Korean dream

EditorialFeb 7, 2012

What is the American dream? In 1782 Hector St. John Crevecoeur wrote about America under the title, “What is an American?” In his famous volume of narrative essays, “Letters from an American Farmer,” he wrote about America: “ ... (it) is not composed, as in Europe, of great lords who possess everything and of a herd of people who have nothing. Here are no aristocratic families, no courts, no kings, no bishops ... The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe.
Merkel backs Sarkozy in tough re-election battle

World NewsFeb 7, 2012

PARIS (AFP) ― German Chancellor Angela Merkel threw her weight behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy in his tough re-election battle Monday, saying the two right-wingers were from the same “political family.”Despite accusations in both countries of interference, Merkel used a visit to Paris for a joint Franco-German cabinet session to make clear her support for Sarkozy, who has increasingly cited Germany as a model for France.“We belong to the same political family. He supported me and it is n
[Lee Jae-min] General elections going global

ViewpointsFeb 7, 2012

Election atmosphere is in full bloom in Korea. Political parties are gearing up for the April 11 general elections with all sorts of things including changing party names, handing out political version of pink slips to incumbents and recruiting attractive new faces.Systemwise, this year’s elections will see one big change: Koreans living overseas are participating in the election virtually for the first time. This change is the reflection of a noble cause to implement a true form representative
[Editorial] Park’s shaking stature

EditorialFeb 7, 2012

Monday was a bad day for Park Geun-hye, head of the Saenuri Party’s emergency governing body and the front-runner in its presidential race. In a survey result released on Monday, Park allowed Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party to overtake her for the first time. On top of that, the main edition of the Chosun Ilbo carried perhaps the most scathing criticism of Park’s personality in an interview story with a former close aide.Up until the middle of last year, Park had enjoy
S. Korean hotels ignorant of ban on shark fin dishes

Social affairsFeb 7, 2012

South Korean hotels are not heeding international calls to ban shark fin dishes on their menus that may cause local animal rights groups to stage a boycott, sources said Tuesday.The country’s top-rated hotels including the Lotte, Shilla, Westin Chosun, Sheraton Walker Hill and Plaza all serve the delicacy at their respective Chinese restaurants, a source in the hotel industry said.He said the ingredients are all imported from Hong Kong with some non-soup dishes costing up to 100,000 won ($90) pe
Former U.S. envoy tapped as acting undersecretary for public diplomacy

PeopleFeb 7, 2012

WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) ― President Barack Obama has appointed Kathleen Stephens, former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, as acting undersecretary of state in charge of Washington’s public diplomacy, the department said Monday.“President Obama has designated Ambassador Kathleen Stephens as acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs,”department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a press briefing.Stephens started her new work, helping lead America’s engagement with the people o
Seoul to build public hobby farm on Han River island

Social affairsFeb 7, 2012

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday it will create public farmland on the central Seoul island of Nodeul, overturning its earlier plan to build an opera house there.Under the new plan, the municipal government will transform about one third of the uninhabited island located in the middle of the Han River into farmland before renting it out to the public starting in May. The island, covering 60,818 square meters, has long been deserted with some part of it once used as a tennis court.
Teacher booked for neglecting bullied student until suicide

Social affairsFeb 7, 2012

Education authorities and teachers‘ associations raised skepticism on Tuesday over an unprecedented police investigation into a local teacher on suspicions of neglecting a bullied middle school student until she jumped to her death. The Yangcheon Police Station in western Seoul said a day earlier they booked a 40-year-old middle school teacher in order to begin an official investigation into suspicions that the teacher, whose identity was withdrawn, did not take proper action to stop continued s
N. Korea‘s state media tout new leader’s young age

North KoreaFeb 7, 2012

North Korea‘s propaganda machines are churning out reports highlighting the early achievements of new leader Kim Jong-un, as his young age and apparent lack of experience continue to raise doubts about his leadership.The new leader, thought to be in his late 20s, inherited power from his father Kim Jong-il, who died of heart failure on Dec. 17.Kim’s sudden demise accelerated the chosen heir‘s rise to power, though with far less grooming than his father had received. Initial fears of internal cha
Philippine rescuers search for quake survivors

World NewsFeb 7, 2012

DUMAGUETE, Philippines (AFP) ― Rescuers in the Philippines dug through rubble with shovels and their bare hands Tuesday after a powerful earthquake triggered landslides, collapsed homes and killed dozens of people.The 6.8-magnitude quake hit a narrow strait between the heavily populated islands of Negros and Cebu around lunchtime Monday with more than 200 aftershocks, some nearly as strong, causing further panic throughout the day.Local military chiefs said 43 people were confirmed killed, but o