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Heavy snow alerts issued in greater Seoul area, Gangwon Province; over 20 cm of snow seen in Seoul
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Seoul blanketed by heaviest Nov. snow, with more expected
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NewJeans to terminate contract with Ador
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Seoul snowfall now third heaviest on record
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Samsung shakes up management, commits to reviving chip business
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Heavy snow of up to 40 cm blankets Seoul for 2nd day
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How $70 funeral wreaths became symbol of protest in S. Korea
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Hybe consolidates chairman Bang Si-hyuk’s regime with leadership changes
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Why cynical, 'memeified' makeovers of kids' characters are so appealing
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BOK makes surprise 2nd rate cut to boost growth
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Park, Xi hail signing of FTA
President Park Geun-hye and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday hailed the signing of a free trade agreement between the two neighbors that could further boost bilateral ties.The FTA "will bring a wide-range of opportunities and benefits to people and companies of both countries and will become a historic milestone to further deepen our strategic cooperative partnership," Park said in a letter to Xi.Xi said in his letter to Park that the signing of the FTA will lead to a new takeoff between t
June 1, 2015
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S. Korea, China formally sign free trade agreement
South Korea and China officially signed their bilateral free trade agreement Monday, taking a step closer to implementing what officials here call a mutually beneficial and significant trade pact.The agreement was signed by South Korean Trade Minister Yoon Sang-jick and his Chinese counterpart Gao Hucheng in Seoul, about six months after the two countries declared the conclusion of their negotiations that began in May 2012. The bilateral trade pact was initialed in Beijing on Feb. 25.The countri
June 1, 2015
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Australia to continue South China Sea surveillance
Australia will continue its surveillance flights over the disputed South China Sea and insists on unhindered access to the area’s trading routes, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews said.“We have been surveilling the area for close to thirty five years,” Andrews said on Sunday in an interview on the sidelines of the Shangri-La security forum in Singapore. “We are doing it currently and we will continue to do it in the future.”Andrews would not be drawn on whether Australia may fly planes over reefs t
May 31, 2015
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President Park’s visit to Colombia fortifies ties
Korean President Park Geun-hye’s visit to Colombia late last month as part of her four-nation tour of South America achieved concrete results in fortifying bilateral ties, Colombian Ambassador Tito Saul Pinilla told The Korea Herald last week. Park’s visit produced five memorandums of understanding in defense, commerce, green energy, health care and education, fleshing out the strategic partnership reached in 2011. The ambassador expressed his country’s appreciation while awaiting the approval o
May 31, 2015
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Azerbaijan commemorates national founding
The Azerbaijani embassy celebrated the 97th anniversary of its national founding and the 23rd anniversary of diplomatic ties with Korea on Wednesday. On May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan proclaimed independence from the Russian Empire as the first Muslim-majority republic based on secular and democratic principles. The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920, and regained its sovereignty in 1991. Currently, Azerbaijan has diplomatic ties with 158 countries, and is a member of 38 internatio
May 31, 2015
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Egypt fetes 20 years of ties with Korea
The Egyptian embassy held a reception last Thursday to take stock of the last 20 years of diplomatic relations with Korea and look ahead to the dynamic future. “Over the last 20 years, our countries have achieved so much together, much more than with any other countries with longer relations.” Egyptian Ambassador Hany Selim said. “Our current relations speak about our determination for cooperation. Egypt has an ambition to learn Korea’s model of development, best known as the Miracle of the Han
May 31, 2015
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Georgia celebrates national independence
The Georgian embassy on Tuesday commemorated its national independence in 1918 from Russian imperial rule, which outlined the principles of sovereignty and democracy. In 1921, Georgia was attacked by the Red Army, and went under Soviet control until 1991. Present-day Georgia is considered internationally as a dynamically developing country, according to the embassy. A series of reforms have reduced bribery and bureaucracy and enlarged society and economy. Georgia is 15th in the world in the ease
May 31, 2015
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U.K. marks queen’s birthday amid deepening ties with Korea
The British embassy celebrated the 89th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II in a grand reception at the ambassador’s residence in Seoul last Thursday, which attracted more than 500 guests. The birthday of Queen Elizabeth II falls on April 21, but diplomatic missions around the world are given time flexibility in commemorating the event, the British embassy told The Korea Herald. The queen is the head of state of the U.K. and 15 other Commonwealth countries. She assumed the throne in 1952 at age 25 an
May 31, 2015
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S. Korea, China seek joint statement marking end of World War II
The parliaments of South Korea and China are pushing to issue a joint statement marking the end of World War II, a diplomatic source in Beijing said Friday.The move came as the two countries prepare to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of Korea's independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule.The consensus on a joint statement was reached in a meeting between South Korean parliamentary speaker Chung Eui-hwa and Zhang Dejiang,
May 29, 2015
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S. Korea pledges $600 mln to support growth in Africa
South Korea has pledged $600 million to support growth among African countries, the government said Friday.A related memorandum of understanding, signed Tuesday with the African Development Bank (AfDB) in Abidjan, the economic capital of Ivory Coast, calls for Seoul to provide soft loans to help various development projects.The loans from South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) will be made available until 2018."There are a large number of projects waiting for funding in Afric
May 29, 2015
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Another former sex slave dies
Another victim of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery died of old age on Wednesday, bringing down the number of total surviving victims to 52. Lee Hyo-sun, 91, died at a hospital in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. She was one of the 238 women who had registered with the government, claiming to have been forced by Japan to serve at frontline brothels during World War II. Her death underscores the urgency of the wartime human rights issue surrounding the victims, euphemistically called “comfort wo
May 28, 2015
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[Herald Interview] ‘Seoul needs to be wary of Beijing’s duality’
South Korea needs to be cautious about China’s duality in carrying out its external policy, an international relations expert said, noting that Beijing’s diplomacy has increasingly shown an aspect of “realpolitik” and could pose a tricky policy challenge to Seoul.Kim Tae-ho, professor in the department of international studies at Hallym University of Graduate Studies, also stressed that Seoul should marshal its diplomatic assets to “harmonize” its relations with the U.S. and China, and avoid hav
May 25, 2015
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Ex-Canadian P.M. touts middle-power diplomacy
Former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark urged Canada and Korea to bolster diplomacy in a world characterized by withering superpowers and sprouting middle powers. Canada’s 16th Prime Minister from 1979 to 1980 told a group of diplomats and scholars that as the international order is reconfigured around the world, nations increasingly rely on soft-power strategies of compromise, negotiation and development, rather than hard-power tactics of military aggression and verbal intimidation.Middle-powe
May 25, 2015
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Argentina, Korea mark 50 years of migration
The Embassy of Argentina celebrated the 205th anniversary of the May Revolution of 1810, which gave birth to the Argentine Republic after three centuries of Spanish colonial rule. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the first generation of Korean immigration to Argentina. With the support of the Korean government, the Korean community in Argentina will host a number of events to mark the historic milestone. Argentine Ambassador Jorge Roballo congratulated ethnic Koreans in Argentina for
May 25, 2015
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Ex-German president highlights friendship in divisive world
Rational people of Germany and Korea must step up collaboration to solve irrational challenges facing the globe, former German President Horst Kohler said last week at an alumni gathering of Germans and Koreans. Addressing a crowd of over 150 diplomats, scholars and businessmen, Kohler said the two countries should form a coalition to tackle global challenges of climate change, terrorism, epidemics, poverty and refugees.Kohler, who also headed the International Monetary Fund from 2000 to 2004, c
May 25, 2015
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Iran nuke deal to energize trade with Korea
Finalizing the recently agreed Iranian nuclear deal will pave the way for international cooperation, security and prosperity, Iran’s top envoy to Korea stressed last week. Iranian Ambassador Hassan Taherian underscored that the nuclear deal framework, which came out of negotiations between U.S., U.K., Russia, France, China, Germany, European Union and Iran from March 26 to April 2, was “definitely a successful achievement.” However, more political consensus is required to seal the final comprehe
May 25, 2015
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S. Korea, Japan agree to strengthen economic, financial cooperation
South Korea and Japan have agreed to expand economic and financial cooperation at a finance ministers meeting in Tokyo, the government said Saturday.The talks between Choi Kyung-hwan and his Japanese counterpart, Taro Aso, mark the resumption of bilateral dialogue that had been suspended since November 2012 and allowed the two neighbors to exchange views on a host of outstanding issues, the finance ministry said.The trading partners had been holding annual meetings since 2006, but fraying relati
May 23, 2015
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S. Korea urges Japan to address slave labor in UNESCO row
South Korea demanded Friday that Japan address Seoul‘s concerns over Tokyo’s attempt to win world heritage status for industrial facilities linked to wartime Korean slave labor.Choi Jong-moon, South Korean ambassador for cultural and UNESCO affairs, said he delivered the concerns during a meeting here with Jun Shimmi, the Japanese foreign ministry‘s director-general for cultural affairs, and other diplomatic and culture officials from both sides.Japan has applied to list a package of 23 coal min
May 22, 2015
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Korea, U.S., Japan nuke envoys to meet
The chief nuclear negotiators of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan plan to gather next week in Seoul to discuss ways to jointly cope with the escalating tension amid North Korea’s growing military threats, Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said Friday. Hwang Joon-kook, special representative for Korean peninsular peace and security affairs and chief delegate to the six-party talks aimed at denuclearizing the North, will host the meeting on May 26-27. It will be attended by Sung Kim, special representative
May 22, 2015
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S. Korea, Japan hold talks over UNESCO row
South Korea and Japan began talks Friday to resolve a row over Tokyo's push to win world heritage status for industrial facilities linked to wartime Korean slave labor.Japan has applied to list a package of 23 coal mines, shipyards and other early industrial zones as UNESCO world heritage sites.South Korea is strongly against the bid as the facilities include seven sites where nearly 60,000 Koreans were forced to work during World War II. Japan colonized Korea from 1910-45.Choi Jong-moon, South
May 22, 2015
![[Herald Interview] ‘Seoul needs to be wary of Beijing’s duality’](http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=652&simg=/content/image/2015/05/25/20150525000313_0.jpg&u=20150525200236)
