Most Popular
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Korea enters full election mode
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Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
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Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
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Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
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Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
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Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
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S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
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Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
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Kia EV9 wins world car of year
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Korea misses out on global bond index boost
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KOICA aims to enhance aid expertise in 2012
OECD’s development assistance committee to review Korea’s aid programs in DecemberThis is the first installment of a series of articles introducing programs and activities of the Korea International Cooperation Agency, a state-run organization for overseas assistance and humanitarian aid. -- Ed. The Korean government’s aid program, the Korea International Cooperation Agency, has seen rapid growth over the past 20 years since its foundation in 1991, as Korea pulled off “the miracle of the Han Ri
March 4, 2012
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Nepali tourism showcased in Seoul
The Nepali Embassy held a seminar to attract tour companies here to offer more packages to Nepal. The country of 27 million people receives around half a million tourists each year, but is trying to attract more to visit world-renowned sites such as the birthplace of the Shakya Muni Buddha and Mount Everest in the Himalayas. Tourism is already forms a large part of the country’s economy, creating an estimated 548,000 jobs.Visitors contribute around 3 percent of the country’s GDP, but the newly-f
March 4, 2012
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Celebrating independence in Korea
The Dominican Republic’s ambassador has thanked Korea for helping her country’s development, while celebrating the Caribbean nation’s independence day.The Embassy of the Dominican Republic celebrated the 168th anniversary of independence along with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with South Korea last week in Seoul.Ambassador Grecia Fiordalicia Pichardo Polanco listed her president’s visit to Korea in 2006, and knowledge sharing initiatives as key events since ties were formed on Ju
March 4, 2012
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Israel shows art through film
A special Israeli video art show is to be held in Seoul from March 6. The exhibition titled “Afterwards: The Story from Israel” at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art is presenting seven Israeli video artists’ works to Korea. The exhibition at the Pyeongchang-dong museum is part of the Israeli Embassy’s celebrations of 50 years of diplomatic ties with Korea this year. More than 150 people attended the Korea-Israel Friendship Association’s 2012 general meeting on Feb. 28, which also marked the a
March 4, 2012
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German Embassy press officer marks 40 years in job
He witnessed the then-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl pray for peace on a bridge between the two Koreas in 1993, before flying back to Seoul with him in a helicopter. And throughout his 40-year career, long-serving German Embassy press officer Doe Phil-young has built a few bridges between the European nation and Korea himself. “Being the Chancellor of united Germany, he went to Panmunjom and stood on the Bridge of No Return where he made a speech and prayed for Koreans’ unity,” said Doe recalling
March 4, 2012
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Nuclear envoys of two Koreas to attend U.S. forum
Pyongyang’s vice foreign minister may join further gathering with U.S. officials Negotiators on nuclear issues from South Korea and North Korea are scheduled to attend a U.S. security conference later this week in New York, brightening prospects for the resumption of six-party talks, sources said.Ri Yong-ho, North Korea’s vice foreign minister and chief envoy to the six-party talks, is to attend the forum, held by Syracuse University from Wednesday to Friday, which South Korean nuclear envoy Lim
March 4, 2012
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Envoys discuss nuclear summit agenda
Korea’s chief nuclear envoy has outlined predicted topics to be discussed by international heads of state at the upcoming Seoul Nuclear Security Summit with foreign diplomats here. Lim Sung-nam outlined topics that could be included in the March summit’s action plan at an ambassadors’ conference ahead of the event.Lim, who is the special representative for Korean peninsula peace and security affairs, said that the communiqu for the Seoul summit may cover areas of major concern including the mana
March 4, 2012
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‘Brothers’ Turkey, Korea to partner on trade
Korea could ink a trade agreement with Turkey by the end of March, according to the country’s ambassador here.“Our target date is the end of March and at the latest by the end of the first half of this year,” said Turkish Ambassador, Naci Saribas. The trade volume between the two nations is almost $6 billion with $5.7 billion of that being South Korean goods going to Turkey.He listed Turkish imports to Korea of textiles, clothing, agriculture, food, small machinery, chemicals, iron and steel, mi
March 2, 2012
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Safeguarding nuclear materials key, say envoys
Korea’s chief nuclear envoy has outlined predicted topics to be discussed by international heads of state at the upcoming Seoul Nuclear Security Summit with foreign diplomats here. Lim Sung-nam outlined topics that could be included in the March summit’s action plan at an ambassadors’ conference ahead of the event.Lim, who is the special representative for Korean peninsula peace and security affairs, said that the communiqué for the Seoul summit may cover areas of major concern including the man
March 2, 2012
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Seoul bolsters efforts for N.K. defectors
Foreign minister expected to bring up the issue in meeting with Chinese counterpartSouth Korean politicians and the government are adding their weight to calls for China to stop repatriating North Korean defectors. The movement sparked by Rep. Park Sun-young of the conservative Liberty Forward Party is gaining support from lawmakers, while the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Kim Sung-hwan is expected to bring up the issue during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Friday. According to F
March 1, 2012
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Lee renews appeal to Japan to resolve comfort women issue
President Lee Myung-bak renewed his appeal to Japan Thursday to redress long-running grievances over the country's wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women, saying the issue is an urgent humanitarian matter.Lee made the remarks during a speech at a ceremony commemorating Korea's 1919 nationwide up
March 1, 2012
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[URGENT] Two Korean doctors kidnapped in Pakistan: report
[URGENT] Two Korean doctors kidnapped in Pakistan: report "파키스탄서 한국 국적 의사 2명 피랍"<신화>
Feb. 29, 2012
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U.S. set to announce results of talks with N. Korea: source
WASHINGTON (Yonhap News) -- The United States will soon release some details of "modest progress" in its latest high-level talks with North Korea, an informed diplomatic source said Tuesday."The State Department is expected to announce contents related to consultations with North Korea at around 9 a
Feb. 29, 2012
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Pressure mounts on China over N.K. defectors
Seoul expresses regret over China’s rejection of visa request by S. Korean lawmakerThe international community is expected to continue pressuring China over the human rights of North Korean defectors who are at the risk of repatriations by Chinese authorities.The U.S. congressional-executive commission on China said it will hold a hearing on Thursday in Washington to address the North Korean defectors held by the Chinese authorities.Witnesses include Suzanne Scholte, chairman and founding member
Feb. 28, 2012
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S. Korean lawmaker’s visa request to China rejected
Global efforts to pressure China to treat North Koreans as refugees By Kim Yoon-miA South Korean lawmaker, who has been waging a sit-in and hunger protest against China’s forced repatriation of North Korean defectors in front of the Chinese Embassy in Seoul, said that the Chinese authorities refused to issue her a visa for entry.Rep. Park Sun-young of the minor conservative Liberty Forward Party had planned to visit the South Korean embassy in Beijing to be debriefed on the situation of the defe
Feb. 28, 2012
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Consulate-General in Sendai wins 2011 Diplomat Award
The Consulate-General in Sendai, Japan, has won the 2011 Diplomat of the Year Award, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Tuesday.Conferred by Yeongsan Foundation in recognition of contributions to diplomacy, the award is given in two sectors -- the government sector and the civilian sector. “In the government sector, the award goes to Consulate-General in Sendai which showed exemplary consulate services for Koreans overseas in the aftermath of an earthquake in Japan in March last year
Feb. 28, 2012
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Korean ambassador wins Mexican award
Cho Whan-bok, Korean ambassador to Mexico, has won a Golden Mike Award from the Mexico’s national association of announcers on Feb. 23, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.The Golden Mike Award is given in recognition of achievements in the professional fields of politics, economy, culture, arts, broadcasting and sports, the ministry said. Its previous winners include a President of the Mexican Senate, radio program hosts, producers, actors/actresses and musicians. “It is very rare fo
Feb. 28, 2012
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Chinese foreign minister to visit Seoul this week
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will visit Seoul this week to discuss bilateral relations and Korean Peninsula issues, Seoul’s foreign ministry said Monday.The two-day official visit will start Thursday and include bilateral talks with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, the ministry said in a press release.The two sides are expected to discuss ways to deepen the “strategic cooperative partnership” between their nations, Korean Peninsula issues, as well as other regional and global
Feb. 27, 2012
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Russia regards N.K. defectors as refugees, Korean envoy says
Russia has a stable protocol to help North Korean defectors head for South Korea with the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said Wi Sung-lac, Korean ambassador to Russia.His comments came as China refuses to listen to Seoul’s repeated pleas to stop forcibly repatriating North Korean defectors who are likely to face severe punishment, torture or even execution if they are returned. China labels these would-be defectors economic migrants, not refugees.“The first North K
Feb. 27, 2012
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[Herald Interview] Resources diplomacy takes time, patience: ambassador
In the wake of the CNK International stock-rigging scandal, South Korea’s so-called “resources diplomacy” has become a point of contention due to the high risks and low efficiency in searching for oil and other energy resources overseas.Questions were raised whether Korea’s signing of an MOU with the United Arab Emirates early last year to develop three oil fields in Abu Dhabi was overblown, because neither side has announced the signing of an official deal yet.However, resources diplomacy takes
Feb. 26, 2012