Despite concerns that it has weakened its commitment, Korea remains determined to fight global warming by pushing through carbon reduction projects at home and boosting international cooperation, the nation’s ambassador for climate change said. In recent months, criticism has mounted over the new administration’s relative lack of interest in advancing Seoul’s much-touted climate initiative, which hit its stride under former President Lee Myung-bak with his 2008 “low carbon, green growth” vision.

Hopes are growing for a restart of six-nation negotiations to denuclearize North Korea as the South, the U.S. and China strive to close the gap over the preconditions for what would be the first gathering in nearly five years. Cho Tae-yong, Seoul’s special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, is in Washington for talks with his U.S. counterpart Glyn Davies, special representative for North Korea policy. His five-day stay includes a trilateral consultation with Junichi

Despite the protracted gridlock at U.N. climate talks, the international community should step up efforts to make its consumption and production patterns more resource-efficient to help tackle global warming, top environmental experts said. Sustainable consumption and production has emerged on the global environmental agenda in recent years in line with the growing weight of human factors as a prime driving force behind climate change. And the logic is simple: If resources are used efficiently,

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se on Thursday discussed ways to boost bilateral relations and cooperation in economic, regional and global issues with his counterparts from the U.K., Australia, Sweden, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The relay of bilateral talks took place on the sidelines of the Seoul Conference on Cyberspace, which runs for two days through Friday in Seoul. Yun’s meetings with British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop were overshadowed by the tw