TOKYO (AP) ― The foreign ministers of Japan and Russia agreed Saturday to strengthen economic and security cooperation but made no progress on resolving a long-standing territorial dispute that has kept the two nations from concluding a peace treaty.Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba and visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the two countries need to address the row over islands off northeastern Japan in a calm manner. Gemba said resolving the dispute and forging a peace treaty offic

KEROBOKAN, Indonesia (AFP) ― In 1876 French poet Arthur Rimbaud joined the Dutch colonial army, sailed to the Indonesian island of Java and then deserted and fled into the jungle. No one knows what happened next.More than 130 years later, an American author followed in the Frenchman’s footsteps to try and solve the mystery.“It’s like a Sherlock Holmes story,” said Jamie James, alluding to the detective work needed to trace where the enigmatic Rimbaud, who was born in 1854 and died just before tu

Artist Moon Ji-ha blurs identity borders through color, symbol-saturated paintingsHer paintings look unmistakably “Korean” at first glance, like what female shamans might have used in rituals during the Joseon Dynasty. Animals, mountains, letters and all sorts of characters are confusingly strewn on the canvas in rainbow colors. But Moon Ji-ha told the press Thursday that she was surprised to hear many Koreans comment that her works have a strong Asian vibe. “I never thought so. I guess they cou

NEW YORK (AFP) ― In today’s brave new world of MP3 players, compact discs are dying, cassettes are Stone Age, and old-fashioned vinyl records ... they’re back!It might seem that nothing short of a wind-up gramophone could be more out of place today than the nostalgia-laden, crackly-sounding 33 and 45 RPM disc.Yet in his Brooklyn, New York, factory, 40-year-old Thomas Bernich churns them out by the tens of thousands, feeding a vinyl revival that has record decks ― and cash tills ― spinning. “It’s

Scenes from the journeys of India’s former freedom fighter and poet laureate, Gurudeb Rabindranath Tagore, are being displayed in Seoul. The photographic exhibition showing Tagore’s sea voyages coincides with the country’s Republic Day celebrations.A celebration for the Indian community and a reception for diplomats were both held in Seoul to celebrate the country’s 63rd Republic Day last week. Recently-arrived Indian ambassador Shri Vishnu Prakash read excerpts from the Indian president’s Repub

A German carnival ball is to be held in Seoul on Feb. 3. Guests are invited to come in costume to the annual event to be held at the Millennium Seoul Hilton hotel from 7:11 p.m.Carnival is the period of celebration just before the Christian fast period of Lent. Many German cities still host carnival events dating back to the Middle Ages, where people dress in colorful and often topical or politically subversive costumes. “The carnival is also meant as a tool to unwind and to get rid of stress in

The Australian Embassy held an event Friday to mark the end of celebrations for the country’s 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea. Ambassador Sam Gerovich also shared plans for his country’s participation in the Yeosu Expo at the event. The Australian pavilion at the exposition to be held in Korea from May to August will be based on the theme of living in harmony with the ocean.  Australia Day at the Expo will be held on May 25, and a contest is currently underway for Koreans to name

Exiting New Zealand ambassador Richard Mann has had a busy three years in Korea -― the two country’s leaders made reciprocal visits and talks started on the Korea-New Zealand FTA. But Mann, who is leaving the country on Jan. 30, also found it easy to fill his down-time while in Seoul ― he became an avid viewer of Korean TV. The 54-year-old diplomat said he had enjoyed Seoul and traveling around Korea, but had also “fallen in love” with Korean dramas, watching over 30 of them during his time here

Some of Mexico’s greatest artists of the 20th century are to have their work displayed in Korea for the first time.The works of internationally renowned painters such as Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo are being displayed in Seoul as part of a new exhibition to showcase the works of 47 Mexican artists. The Central American country is bringing the collection representing some of its most renowned modern artists to Korea for the “Visual Anthology of Mexico” at Sookmyung Women’s University Museum.Th