The US Embassy in South Korea suspended routine visa services as part of efforts to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, the embassy said Thursday. According to the embassy, the measure is in line with the US State Department’s decision to halt nonimmigrant and immigrant services in countries with level 2, 3 or 4 travel advisories. The State Department has issued a level 4 travel advisory for virus-hit Daegu, with the rest of South Korea at level 3.  The suspension, however, does not af

Foreign missions here, while keeping a close watch on the coronavirus situation, are joining the South Korean government’s “social distancing” drive to contain the outbreak. Many have put public events on hold, including national day celebrations, and have authorized flexible work hours and remote work for employees. The British Embassy told The Korea Herald that it is encouraging its staff to work from home to reduce direct human contact and the potential for virus transm

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The Bulgarian Embassy in Seoul said Monday it celebrated its Liberation Day last week in a quiet manner, amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In celebration of its March 3rd National Day, the Bulgarian Embassy had initially planned a reception, which was canceled due to the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus here and health experts’ advice to avoid large gatherings. Bulgaria, one of the oldest nations in Europe and the birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet in the ninth century, was founded in

The United Arab Emirates has evacuated some 210 Arab nationals -- both of the UAE and its neighbors -- from the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the novel coronavirus is believed to have originated, via aircraft, embassy officials in Seoul said Thursday. The evacuees are to be received at the new Emirates Humanitarian City in the UAE, where they will undergo medical testing and a 14-day quarantine for maximum safety. “The move follows the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa

The British Embassy poured free coffee for anyone who brought in a reusable cup on Friday, at an event it hosted in Seoul to promote climate change awareness. “This is a critical year for our planet. A truly global effort is required from governments, businesses and each member of society. If we work together to develop and deploy clean technologies, we can accelerate innovation, increase economies of scale, and bring down costs more quickly,” said Mike Welch, country director at t

Greece is seeking to attract South Korean film and TV producers in the hope that more of them will choose Greece as a shooting location and keep the momentum going for tourism. The country has long been popular among honeymooners and historians, but it received a big boost as a dream holiday destination for Koreans thanks to the 2016 smash hit television series “Descendants of the Sun,” featuring Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki. The Korean TV series was shot in Zakynthos, a Gre

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The French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry has opened a new business center with a spacious office for business representatives and meetings, the group said Monday. The expansion comes amid a rise in the number of French companies tapping into the South Korean market. The FKCCI said it added 25 new members in 2019, for a current total of 370. “This is a milestone for us to be able from now on to welcome our members and the French-Korean community in our own premises,” said

Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma has published a photo book that looks back on 30 years of friendship between Seoul and Budapest. Titled “The Relations of the Korean Peninsula and Hungary Seen Through Rare Photos,” the book contains rare pictures that depict the long history of ties between Korea and Hungary. “I wanted to release a book introducing relations between the Korea Peninsula and Hungary to commemorate last year’s 30th anniversary of diplomatic tie

A delegation of South Korean content companies visited the Philippine capital last week to research investment opportunities there. The Feb. 4-7 trip to Manila was organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul as part of the follow-up to last year’s summit in Busan between Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. “The Philippines is not only an attractive content market with a high demand for the Korean Wave, but also a promising outsourcing partner with an immense tec

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The UK has left the EU as of Jan. 31, but its trade with South Korea will see no major changes, the country’s envoy said Thursday. “My message is that nothing changes … for the time being at least, nothing in the arrangements that set out how trade between Korea and Britain will be done will change because there will be continuity,” British Ambassador Simon Smith said in an interview at the embassy in central Seoul. Korea’s free trade agreement with the European

The 2020 Korea Herald Young Diplomats Academy, a three-day youth camp, has inspired students who wish to become diplomats by providing an opportunity to benefit from the advice of a senior career diplomat. Ian Mcconville, minister and deputy head of mission at the Australian Embassy in Seoul, shared his experience with some 100 young people, the organizer said Tuesday. “Diplomacy is very important. Currently there are conflicts between many countries. Persuading other countries through

New Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming on Tuesday called on Seoul to follow the World Health Organization’s recommendations on handling the new coronavirus, as Korea began barring entry of noncitizens who have visited China’s virus-hit Hubei province. “I will not assess (Seoul’s measure). … But an international and scientific method would be to follow the WHO’s recommendation,” said Xing in a press conference at the Chinese Embassy in cen