Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se set foot in Tehran on Saturday as Seoul’s first top diplomat in about 14 years, meeting with top officials and urging North Korea once again to follow its path to forsake nuclear weapons and regain international confidence. Yun’s trip comes after that of former minister Han Seung-soo in 2001 and three previous rounds of bilateral talks with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif on the sidelines of international conferences over the past year. The ministerial

Nov. 8, 2015

Colombia is an emerging country in South America that needs expertise in upgrading its inexpedient infrastructures. The country registered a 4.6 percent economic growth last year, and to tread close to its target of 3.3 percent for this year and beyond, it requires massive investments in infrastructure and residential construction. For the period 2015 to 2035, the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos has unveiled an ambitious Intermodal Transport Master Plan, aimed at boosting nationwi

Nov. 8, 2015

Ireland’s largest humanitarian organization, Concern Worldwide, opened an office in Korea last week, laying the ground for higher cooperation between Ireland, Korea and the world, and fund-raising in Asia’s fourth-largest economy. Founded in 1968 in the wake of the Biafra Famine in Nigeria, the organization has marked its presence in all of the world’s major crises since, tackling poverty, epidemics, broken sanitation situations and natural disasters. “Our work is driven by our humanitarian iden

Nov. 8, 2015

Like Korea’s Hangul, Georgia has its own alphabet. Although the script’s precise origins are unclear, it has existed for some 2,500 years, inscribed in ancient scriptures. The writing is one of the 14 predominant writing scripts around the world. It employs 33 letters that are pronounced exactly the same as in writing, being a phonemic alphabet “literally.”The Tbilisi government listed it as a national cultural heritage in March, and nominated it for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List,

Nov. 8, 2015

A new geopolitical concept is emerging that has far-reaching implications for the global maritime trade and security. The “Indo-Pacific” region ― comprised of the Indian Ocean’s tropical waters, the western and central Pacific Ocean and the Southeast Asian seas ― has grabbed the attention of policymakers, scholars and naval strategists worldwide. The construct has come to the fore in recent years, besetting the “Asia-Pacific” and “East Asia” in political discourse, as it better incorporates the

Nov. 8, 2015

South Korea and Japan appear to be in a war of nerves ahead of their high-stakes negotiations over the thorny issue of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery as they seek to gain the upper hand in the upcoming consultations. President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hold a summit at Cheong Wa Dae this week. (Yonhap)A Seoul official on Friday said it was Tokyo that should first propose solutions to the issue involving Korean victims of the colonial-era atrocity. His remarks came a da

Nov. 6, 2015

Korea’s rise from the rubble of the 1950-53 Korean War is a “message of hope” for Palestinian refugees in the war-ravaged region, the chief of a U.N. relief agency supporting them said Thursday, expressing hopes for a deeper cooperation between Seoul and his agency.Pierre Krahenbuhl, commissioner general of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, speaks during a meeting with reporters in Seoul on Thursday. (Yonhap)“Think of what has happened since the 1950s. You

Nov. 5, 2015

The ongoing dispute over the South China Sea is posing a tricky diplomatic challenge to South Korea as the U.S. appears to be increasing pressure on its ally to take its side in the name of “freedom of navigation.”Defense Minister Han Min-koo attends a parliamentary budget session on Thursday. (Yonhap)Public opinion is divided over how Seoul should handle the issue: Some argue that Seoul should keep a low profile and prevent itself from falling into a situation in which it has to choose between

Nov. 5, 2015

The leaders of South Korea and France on Wednesday agreed to upgrade their bilateral ties in politics, security and economy, adopting a set of specified action plans for strengthening comprehensive partnership.Celebrating the 130th anniversary of diplomatic ties between two countries this year, Presidents Park Geun-hye and Francois Hollande vowed upon their summit talks at Cheong Wa Dae to intensify bilateral consultations on defense and foreign policies, and diversify economic cooperative model

Nov. 4, 2015

From joining China-led financial and infrastructure initiatives to shunning the U.S-led economic sanctions against Russia, South Korea is taking an increasingly pragmatic foreign policy approach, all the while triggering concerns over the potential impact on its alliance with the U.S.President Park Geun-hye and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pose for a photo before their talks at Cheong Wa Dae last week. (Yonhap)Analysts say that South Korea has secured more “autonomy” in its foreign policy decision

Nov. 4, 2015

At its 92nd republic anniversary last week, Turkey drew on inspirations from the past to confront present and future challenges.The holiday, which falls on Oct. 29, marks the birth of a democratic, secular and constitutional Republic of Turkey, following the victorious war of independence (1919-23) that repelled the Allies of World War I. “The Republic of Turkey is a source of hope for not only its own citizens, but all the victims, oppressed, kin and brother communities in our region and the wo

Nov. 3, 2015

This is the fourth installment in a series of interviews with scholars and experts on China as a resurgent Asian power that is changing the regional order. This installment looks into China’s relations and strategy for dealing with the two Koreas. -- Ed.China has apparently reevaluated the value of its communist brethren, North Korea, as a source of strategic leverage amid its reemergence as a great power, according to renowned China expert Suh Jin-young.Suh, professor emeritus at Korea Universi

Nov. 3, 2015

China urged an early resumption of official maritime demarcation talks with South Korea during a summit in Seoul on Friday, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said Monday, sparking concerns that the talks could rekindle the dispute over Ieodo, a rock in the East China Sea. President Park Geun-hye and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pose for a photo before their talks at Cheong Wa Dae last week. (Yonhap)The ministry revealed its proposal in a press release on its website. Seoul did not mention the proposal in

Nov. 2, 2015