US diplomat to travel to S. Korea, Indonesia, Japan to stress US' commitment to Indo-Pacific

A US diplomat in charge of public diplomacy will embark on a trip to South Korea, Indonesia and Japan this week to underscore Washington's "deep" commitment to its allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, the State Department said Wednesday. During her Asia trip from Thursday to next Wednesday, Liz Allen, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs, will stress the United States' efforts to reinforce and expand regional alliances and partnerships in the re

Nov. 30, 2023

US downplays NK claim on satellite imagery of US facilities

The US Department of Defense said Tuesday that there are "plenty" of images of the White House and the Pentagon already available online, after North Korea claimed its military spy satellite took photos of key US government and military facilities. In a press briefing, Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the department's press secretary, also reiterated the United States' "ironclad" defense commitment to South Korea, as Pyongyang started reinstalling guard posts and heavy weapons along

Nov. 29, 2023

Busan loses World Expo 2030 bid

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has won the right to host the World Expo in 2030, beating South Korea's port city of Busan, results of the final vote showed on Tuesday. Members of the Bureau International des Expositions, the World Expo organizing authority, held a vote by secret ballot during a general assembly on Tuesday in Paris, following the final presentations of the bidders' proposals. Riyadh garnered 119 votes out of the 165 as Busan won 29 votes in the first round of voting by members of

Nov. 29, 2023

S. Korea's heavyweights like ex-U.N. chief Ban to make final presentation to clinch 2030 World Expo

South Korea is set to make its final presentation for the 2030 World Expo host city bid in Paris on Tuesday, bringing in high-profile figures such as former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and K-pop stars. The host city for the globally prestigious event, overseen by the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), will be elected by member states in rounds of voting during the general assembly later in the day. Each candidate will make a final presentation prior to the voting. Sou

Nov. 28, 2023

Trilateral cooperation unaffected by US election outcomes: Goldberg

The existing trilateral cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Japan will remain enduring, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 US presidential election, US Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg said Tuesday. Goldberg highlighted that the foundation of the three-way cooperation among like-minded countries -- grounded in shared values such as democracy, free markets and the rule of law -- inherently signifies sustainability. "We share so many of these values and interests

Nov. 28, 2023

Jeju's autonomy is model for Western Sahara: Morocco

The Moroccan Embassy emphasized the significance of administrative autonomy as a catalyst for development, citing as an example the limited autonomy given to Jeju, at a symposium it hosted in Seoul on Friday. South Korea's southernmost island is a self-governing province, except for defense, diplomacy and judicial affairs. Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi referred Jeju as a successful example of administrative autonomy playing a crucial role in regional development, at the symp

Nov. 28, 2023

New NZ minister takes oath in English and Korean

A member of New Zealand’s new National Party-led government took her oath in English and then in Korean, the language of her native country. Melissa Lee, whose Korean name is Lee Ji-yun, was named the minister for economic development, ethnic communities, media and communications, making her the first person of Korean heritage to hold a ministerial position in New Zealand’s government. Lee alternated between English and Korean while reading the oath in the official ceremony Monday. L

Nov. 28, 2023

Korea, Japan, China summit likely in early 2024

A trilateral summit with Japan and China, which has been on hold since 2019, could take place early next year, a senior official from the South Korean president's office said Monday. The foreign ministers of South Korea, Japan and China on Sunday reaffirmed their ongoing commitment to expedite efforts to hold a trilateral summit at the earliest convenient time. However, the three ministers did not specify a specific time frame for the summit following a ministerial meeting in Busan, which w

Nov. 28, 2023

German envoy calls for enhanced security cooperation with S. Korea

German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt called for enhanced security cooperation, highlighting the interconnectedness of security challenges in Asia and Europe, in an interview with The Korea Herald on Wednesday. Though Germany and South Korea are located far from one another, both face common challenges of Russia forging military transactions with North Korea, and this is something the two countries should work together to resolve global tensions, the ambassador emphasized. “Many people

Nov. 28, 2023

Former Hungarian ambassador receives Gwanghwa Medal

The South Korean government awarded the former Hungarian ambassador to Seoul, Mozes Csoma, with the Gwanghwa Medal, in Budapest on Nov. 8, said Karoli Gaspar University in a press release on Friday. The award recognizes Csoma's contributions to diplomatic service and his role in fostering diplomatic ties between Hungary and South Korea. The Gwanghwa Medal, the highest level of the Order of Merit for diplomatic service, acknowledged his dedicated efforts in promoting friendship between the t

Nov. 27, 2023

S. Korea, Japan, China agree to accelerate summit efforts

BUSAN — The top diplomats of South Korea, Japan and China reached a consensus on Sunday to accelerate efforts to hold a trilateral summit at the earliest time, but without specifying a time frame. "The three ministers reached an agreement to promptly restore and normalize trilateral cooperation," South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told reporters following the trilateral meeting. "The three ministers have reaffirmed the agreement to convene the summit meeting -- the pinna

Nov. 26, 2023

S. Korea, China discuss N. Korea, Xi visit

BUSAN -- China's top diplomat Wang Yi expressed concerns over intensifying tension on Korean Peninsula and said that China will play a role in stabilizing the situation during a meeting with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. The two also agreed to reinforce high-level and strategic communications for reciprocal visits between the foreign ministers and the potential visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to South Korea, at a meeting held on the sidelines

Nov. 26, 2023

Yoon, French president agree to strengthen cooperation in advanced technology

PARIS -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed Friday to strengthen cooperation on advanced technology and climate change issues, Yoon's office said. The two leaders reached the agreement during a breakfast and summit meeting at Elysee Palace, the official residence of the French president, as Yoon was in Paris to campaign for South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Yoon and Macron discussed their countries' business cooperation

Nov. 24, 2023

S. Korea to work more closely with China to reduce fine dust: PM

The government will strengthen cooperation and information sharing with China to reduce fine dust pollution, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Friday. The plan, unveiled during a special committee meeting on the fine dust issue, is one of various measures the government plans to carry out to achieve its goal of reducing 108,000 tons of fine airborne particles. "We have set reducing fine dust as a major government project, and have focused pan-ministry capabilities on it. We will strengthen

Nov. 24, 2023

Korea makes last-minute push for Busan Expo bid

President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a Bureau of International Expositions banquet on Thursday as the first official event during his visit to Paris, in a bid to rally support for Busan in the vote taking place next week. Diplomats and BIE delegations from around the world attended the dinner held at a hotel in Paris. The chiefs from Korea's top conglomerates, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo and Lot

Nov. 24, 2023

Top diplomats of S. Korea, China, Japan to hold talks in Busan this weekend

The top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan will hold trilateral talks in the southeastern port city of Busan this weekend, Seoul's foreign ministry said Friday, amid fresh tensions after North Korea's launch of a military spy satellite. Foreign Minister Park Jin will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Sunday for broad discussions on ways to boost trilateral cooperation and other regional and global issues, Seoul's forei

Nov. 24, 2023

[Contribution] Realign climate action for just transition

When the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, I was overjoyed. Years of hard work, sleepless nights, and lengthy negotiations were finally behind us. Commitments to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius seemed to be a “reality." There was consensus for a multilateral, legally binding treaty, and my support as a legal adviser to the least developed countries on Paris Agreement negotiations was to benefit so many. Yet my joy was short-lived. Despite scientific knowledge of what

Nov. 23, 2023

Court orders Japan to compensate ‘comfort women’

A South Korean appeals court found the Japanese government liable for damages to be paid to Korean women forced to work in wartime brothels during its 1910-45 occupation of the peninsula, reversing the previous ruling two years ago. A group of 21 plaintiffs -- “comfort women” or sex abuse victims who are still alive and their families -- filed the complaint in 2016. Dismissing the case in 2021, the court acknowledged Japan has state immunity from lawsuits in another country. The same

Nov. 23, 2023

German ambassador advocates 'de-risking' at Global Biz Forum

The German ambassador to Korea, Georg Schmidt, addressed the need to pursue a "de-risking" strategy to protect the economy in the face of global uncertainties, at the Global Biz Forum in Seoul on Wednesday. In his remarks, Schmidt recalled the perils of relying heavily on a single source, citing Germany's vulnerability caused by the Russia-Ukraine war, when gas supplies from Russia were disrupted. Germany swiftly adapted by diversifying its sources, constructing LNG terminals and

Nov. 23, 2023

S. Korea elected as member of UNESCO World Heritage Committee

South Korea has been elected to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for a four-year term through 2027, officials here said Thursday, marking the country's fourth such election as a member of the committee. Seoul regained the membership at the 24th session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage that opened at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Wednesday for a two-day run, according to the Cultural Heritag

Nov. 23, 2023