Freed S. Korean sailors arrive in Ivory Coast to fly home

Two South Korean sailors abducted by unidentified pirates near the Gulf of Guinea nine days ago arrived at Ivory Coast’s main port of Abidjan on early Saturday, all in good health, the Foreign Ministry said. All 19 crew members, including 17 Indonesians aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker -- towed to port by a tugboat -- were freed a day after pirates took over the vessel on Nov. 24 in what authorities suspect to be crude theft, worth at least 3 billion won ($2.3 million), accordi

Dec. 4, 2022

S. Korea's trade chief to visit US for talks on Inflation Reduction Act

South Korea's Trade Minister Ahn Duk-geun will visit the United States for talks on the US Inflation Reduction Act that excludes electric vehicles assembled outside North America from tax incentives, the ministry said Sunday. Ahn is set to hold meetings with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, John Podesta, the senior adviser to the US president for clean energy innovation and implementation, as well as US lawmakers during a five-day visit that begins Monday, according to the Ministry of

Dec. 4, 2022

South Korea seeks changes to US tax rules on EVs

The Foreign Ministry said Friday the South Korean government had asked the US government to ease its tax rules on electric vehicles so Korean automakers are not unfairly put at a disadvantage over EV incentives. The Inflation Reduction Act, effective since Aug. 16, leaves out Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia from federal tax credits since they do not make their electric vehicles in North America. Rules that go in effect on Jan. 1 next year also require at least 40 percent of the monetary valu

Dec. 2, 2022

‘Dr. Doom’ Roubini warns of China crisis amid ‘megathreats’

SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island -- Fighting off “megathreats” or an avalanche of disasters involving political, economic, financial, technological and environmental challenges will be the priority for the international community for the next 20 years, as an anti-America coalition led by China seeks out a world less dominated by the previously undisputed superpower, according to American economist Nouriel Roubini. The emeritus professor of economics at New York University -- who is better known

Dec. 2, 2022

[Photo News] Little Angels marks 60th year

Performers with the Little Angels staged a show titled "The Flight of Angels" at Sejong Center for Performing Arts in Seoul, Thursday. The show was directed to deliver a message for world peace as well as commemorate the troupe's 60th anniversary. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)

Dec. 2, 2022

Woman in Kashgar invokes memory of Tiananmen Square's 'Tank Man'

Video footage of a woman standing against Chinese Public Security has been going viral on social media as “white paper protests” against China’s "Zero-COVID" policy spread across the country. The video reportedly taken in Kashgar, Xinjiang province in China on Tuesday shows a woman in a white hoodie and jeans standing across from a line of riot police, appearing to record the police officers on her phone as they advance toward her. She holds her ground as the officers

Dec. 1, 2022

S. Korea not to send condolence delegation to Jiang's funeral: official

South Korea has decided not to send an official condolence delegation to the funeral of former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin, a ranking official at the presidential office said Thursday. "It has been known that the Chinese government won't accept foreign condolence delegations or representatives," the official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. Jiang died Wednesday at age 96, and Seoul's foreign ministry expressed condolences over his death, praising his contribution to the devel

Dec. 1, 2022

PM discusses resource cooperation with Mozambique president

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo met with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi and discussed ways to expand energy and resource cooperation during his visit to the African country, Han's office said Thursday. During their meeting at the presidential office in the Mozambique capital of Maputo on Wednesday, Han explained Seoul's initiative to bolster cooperation with African countries and invite their leaders for a special summit in 2024, according to his office. He stressed how South Korean fir

Dec. 1, 2022

Presidential office refutes rumor on Korea giving up Expo on Saudi prince's visit

The presidential office on Wednesday denied rumors that South Korea offered to give up its bid to host the 2030 Expo in exchange for a contract for Saudi Arabia's $500 billion Neom city project, calling it "fake news produced by the opposition party." “Currently, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and the office of future strategy and planning in the presidential office are touring the world in a fierce bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo,” the presidential office said in a wri

Nov. 30, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World] Europe's security dilemma: Can it pave its own 3rd path?

The EU has a strong image of an exemplary student in many ways. As the EU expanded to Eastern and Central Europe after the end of the Cold War system, its political and economic influence further stretched to the international community. The EU is strengthening cooperative relations with other regions through common foreign and security policies and has pursued peace and prosperity in Europe by simultaneously providing mutual cooperation and development support to the regions outside of Europe.

Nov. 30, 2022

US working to improve early warning system against N. Korean missile launches: US commander

WASHINGTON -- The United States is working to further improve its missile warning system, the commander of US Space Command said Tuesday, following a barrage of North Korean missile tests that included multiple intercontinental ballistic missile launches. "We are looking at how we integrate a sensor architecture that gives us as much warning as possible in terms of any type of missile activity out of North Korea," Gen. James Dickinson said in a webinar hosted by the Mitchell Institute

Nov. 30, 2022

Yoon, Biden to hold 2nd Democracy Summit in March

President Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to co-host the second Democracy Summit with the US President Biden on March 29-30, the presidential office said Tuesday. The US, which held the first Democracy Summit virtually in December 2021, decided to co-host the second summit with South Korea, the Netherlands, Zambia and Costa Rica. The Korean government will preside over the Indo-Pacific regional meeting of the summit -- which will again be held virtually -- with the topic of anti-corruption. “By co-

Nov. 30, 2022

Yoon’s envoy says NK insult shows pressure is working

The insult North Korea hurled at President Yoon Suk-yeol and his administration last week for pursuing additional sanctions on the isolated country after its missile launches is evidence that efforts led by South Korea and the US to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions are in fact working, according to Yoon’s US envoy. On Thursday, Kim Yo-jong -- the powerful younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un -- called Yoon and his government “idiots” serving its master, the

Nov. 29, 2022

S. Korea, Luxemburg to boost ties in key minerals, space industry

South Korea and Luxemburg agreed Tuesday to enhance cooperation for supply chains of key minerals, and space and aviation industries, Seoul's industry ministry said. The consensus was made during a meeting between Deputy Trade Minister Moon Dong-min and Luxemburg's economic minister, Franz Fayot, held in the South Korean city of Asan, 86 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. They visited the city to attend a ceremony to mark the completion

Nov. 29, 2022

Wartime labor dispute still remains as hurdle to Yoon-Kishida meeting

An unresolved dispute over compensating South Koreans forced to work for Japanese companies during World War II is likely to be the source of unease preventing the two leaders from meeting for some time, experts said Monday shortly after Seoul quickly downplayed speculation over a potential summit taking place by the end of the year. Seoul and Tokyo are working to reset their strained ties as President Yoon Suk-yeol -- who came to office in May vowing to address the issue -- steps up efforts to

Nov. 28, 2022

[Herald Interview] Backing peninsular peace, Kenya sees Koreas as ‘brothers and sisters’

Kenya seeks to be in “sync” with South Korea on all the issues it stands for, and wants to build stronger ties in politics, the economy and culture, said Alfred Mutua, Kenya’s Cabinet secretary for foreign affairs. “Kenya believes in the principle of peace and prosperity; we support Korea's position about the peninsula. ... Issues that Korea stands for are the same issues that we stand for,” Mutua said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Thursday. Mutua wa

Nov. 28, 2022

Tanker carrying 2 S. Koreans freed from pirates to be towed due to engine damage

An oil tanker in West Africa with two South Koreans and 17 Indonesians aboard, which was freed after being hijacked by pirates earlier this week, is expected to be towed to its destination due to damage caused to the engine by the kidnappers, according to Seoul's foreign ministry officials Sunday. The 4,000-ton tanker owned by a South Korean shipping company was hijacked by pirates in international waters off of West Africa on Thursday then released a day later. The pirates reportedly sto

Nov. 27, 2022

Indian ambassador, Korea Herald agree to join efforts to raise country awareness

Indian Ambassador to South Korea Amit Kumar and The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young agreed to explore together opportunities for cooperation and to join efforts in raising awareness of India in South Korea and vice versa, in their meeting in Seoul on Friday. The Indian ambassador who was newly appointed in September also expressed a desire to strengthen the bilateral relations between India and South Korea, which celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. "I firmly believe that India, curren

Nov. 25, 2022

S. Korea, Canada to sign agreement on supply chains of key minerals

South Korea and Canada agreed Friday to expedite their push for signing a memorandum of understanding on key minerals in a move to enhance cooperation on supply chains of secondary cells, electric vehicles and broader industry fields, Seoul's industry ministry said. The consensus was made during a meeting between South Korea's Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang and Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada's minister for innovation and economic development, held in Seoul, according to the

Nov. 25, 2022

[Hwang’s China and the World]Halifax International Security Forum, glimpse of United States’ determination for leadership

There are some influential security dialogues around the world where, once you attend, you will be able to see the flow of international circumstances. The Shangri-La Dialogue is a collaboration between Britain and Singapore, where the United States and China openly engage on their Asian agenda. The Munich Security Conference is the windmill for European security, Russia’s Primakov Reading and China's Xiangshan Forum are their own platforms to raise voices under the purpose of count

Nov. 25, 2022