State Dept. decries NK trash balloons as 'reckless,' 'destabilizing'

A State Department spokesperson on Thursday criticized North Korea's sending of trash-carrying balloons to South Korea as a "reckless" and "destabilizing" act amid growing concerns about their impact on public safety in the South. Vedant Patel, the department's deputy spokesperson, made the comment as the North's balloons have been found in more than 3,300 locations in the South in recent months, including the presidential office in Seoul and Incheon Internatio

Aug. 2, 2024

S. Korea calls for restraint, diplomatic efforts to reduce Middle East tensions

South Korea expresses "deep concern" over the recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East and urges all parties to exercise restraint and seek diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions, the foreign ministry said Thursday. "Our government expresses deep concern over the recent sharp escalation of tensions in the Middle East," ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said in a commentary. "We strongly urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and hope that diplomatic effo

Aug. 1, 2024

PM meets Thailand's top diplomat in Seoul

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo met with Thailand's Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa in Seoul on Thursday and discussed bilateral relations and future cooperation, Han's office said. The meeting took place as the top Thai diplomat paid a courtesy call on Han while on his visit to South Korea this week. In Thursday's meeting, Han expressed hope that South Korea and Thailand will further deepen their economic cooperation in areas like clean energy and smart infrastructure, the pri

Aug. 1, 2024

Morocco, Korea remember Korean War sacrifices, tout thriving ties

Morocco and Korea recalled the sacrifices of martyrs and thriving bilateral ties, marking the accession of King Mohammed VI to the throne in 1999. This year is the 25th anniversary of Mohammed VI's appointment as the Moroccan monarch, succeeding his father, King Hassan II. In his remarks, Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi highlighted the longstanding ties between Morocco and Korea, noting that Korea's first embassy in Africa was established in Morocco. While diplomatic relati

Aug. 1, 2024

Appellate court dismisses compensation collection bid by victims of Japan's sexual enslavement

An attempt by victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery to collect court-ordered compensation from the Japanese government has fallen through as Tokyo refused to submit a list of its assets in South Korea. The case involves several Korean victims of Japan's sexual enslavement during World War II, who won a damages suit against the Japanese government in early 2021, securing a claim of 100 million won ($72,364) in compensation per person. However, Japan refused to pay the ordered compen

July 31, 2024

[KH Explains] Korea-Japan breakthrough? Watershed weekend faces challenges

Last weekend marked a significant turning point for South Korea and Japan, as the Yoon Suk Yeol government attempted to move beyond one of the longstanding historical disputes stemming from Imperial Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. Simultaneously, the defense chiefs of Seoul and Tokyo, meeting on Japanese soil for the first time in 15 years, committed to revitalizing military exchanges and signed an agreement institutionalizing trilateral security cooperation wi

July 29, 2024

Seoul's support for UNESCO listing of Sado mines sparks backlash

Controversy has rekindled in South Korea over whether the government's decision to support Japan's bid for the UNESCO World Heritage listing of the Sado Island gold and silver mines will compel Tokyo to acknowledge the forced labor of Koreans there. Among the criticisms is Japan's failure to recognize an estimated over 1,500 workers from the Korean Peninsula at the Sado mine as forced labor, as well as its omission of a museum featuring exhibitions on the Korean workers and the harsh, discrimina

July 28, 2024

IOC apologizes for S. Korea gaffe in Olympics opening ceremony

The International Olympic Committee apologized Saturday for a gaffe during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in which South Korean athletes were incorrectly introduced as North Korean. As the South Korean delegation sailed down the Seine River in the French capital, they were introduced with the official name for North Korea: "Republique populaire democratique de Coree" in French, then "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" in English. "We deeply apologise

July 27, 2024

S. Korea's top diplomat calls for sending 'united message' against N. Korean nukes at ASEAN-led gathering

South Korea's top diplomat on Saturday called for sending a "united message" against North Korea's nuclear development program at a foreign ministerial gathering led by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul made the call during the ASEAN Plus Three foreign ministers' meeting in Vientiane, noting that North Korea is causing uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula and the region through its provocations and military cooperation with

July 27, 2024

PM says S. Korea will not tolerate any N. Korean provocations

South Korea will not tolerate any provocations from North Korea, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Saturday, as the country marked the 71st anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War. Han made the remark during a ceremony in Seoul commemorating the sacrifices made by U.N. forces that supported South Korea during the three-year conflict, which began with North Korean aggression and ended without a peace treaty. "Through overwhelming strength and solidarity w

July 27, 2024

S. Korea backs Japan's Sado mines UNESCO bid contingent on colonial history disclosure

South Korea on Saturday consented to Japan's long-pursued bid to have the gold and silver mines on Sado Island designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, signaling a step towards reconciliation over historical disputes. Seoul's agreement is contingent on Tokyo's commitment to take concrete actions to confront and acknowledge the dark history of forced Korean labor at the Sado mines during its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945, the Foreign Ministry in Seoul said. South Korea approve

July 27, 2024

S. Korea demands meeting with IOC chief over opening ceremony gaffe

The South Korean sports ministry said Saturday it is seeking a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach over a gaffe during the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics in which South Korea was incorrectly introduced as North Korea during the parade of athletes. In a statement, the ministry said Jang Mi-ran, the second vice minister of sports who attended the ceremony in the French capital Friday, has asked the IOC to arrange a meeting with Bach over the incident, and

July 27, 2024

S. Korea to consent to Japan's Sado mines gaining World Heritage status: official

South Korea has given the green light to designate Japan's gold and silver mines on Sado Island -- where an estimated over 1,500 Koreans were forced to work at the end of Japan's colonial rule -- as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Foreign Ministry announced on Friday. Japan's ongoing efforts to have the Sado Island Gold Mines recognized have fueled a dispute with South Korea. The controversy revolves around Japan's deliberate omission of its history regarding the forced mobilization of Koreans

July 26, 2024

S. Korea, China shifting from tensions to cooperation: Seoul

The vice ministers of South Korea and China committed on Wednesday to achieving tangible outcomes in their bilateral cooperation and exchanges, which have recently regained momentum, departing from the period of diplomatic chill that persisted until last year, the South Korean Foreign Ministry said Thursday. South Korea's First Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Hong-kyun, met with China's Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ma Zhaoxu, the highest-ranking of the vice ministers, in Seou

July 25, 2024

S. Korea discussed as potential Quad working group partner: US official

South Korea has been discussed as a potential future partner for cooperation with issue-specific working groups of the Quad forum, a US official said Tuesday, noting such discussions still "continue" within the group that consists of the United States, Australia, Japan and India. Camille Dawson, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, made the remarks, underscoring that Quad member countries have so far put their "first priority" on solidifying

July 24, 2024

[ASEAN Plus Korea] Malaysia's carbon capture project will benefit Korean companies: new envoy

Malaysia’s newly appointed ambassador to Korea, Mohd Zamruni Khalid, suggested Korean companies jointly operate with Malaysia on carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. Urging his country's potential for hydrogen energy exports, the ambassador said that Korea should take advantage of a legal framework on CCS which is likely to be ready by the end of this year. He said that hydrogen energy exports to Korea will positively impact other gree

July 23, 2024

Colombia highlights rural reforms cooperation with Korea

Colombia highlighted recent cooperation in rural reforms with South Korea, marking the 214th Independence Day in Seoul on Monday. Colombia’s Independence Day, which falls on July 20, commemorates the country’s declaration of independence in 1810. Colombia was a colony of Spain from 1549 to 1810. In his remarks, Colombian Ambassador to Korea Alejandro Pelaez Rodriguez thanked Korea for expanding bilateral exchange and supporting the agricultural reform model of land acquisition for re

July 23, 2024

Yoon to send special envoys to Czech Republic to discuss follow-up measures for nuclear power project

President Yoon Suk Yeol will send special envoys to the Czech Republic to discuss follow-up measures on the European country's selection of a South Korean consortium as a preferred bidder for a nuclear power plant project, his office said Tuesday. Sung Tae-yoon, the presidential chief of staff for policy, and Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun were to leave Tuesday on a three-day trip to meet Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela, according to the offic

July 23, 2024

[Herald Inteview] Tajikistan's hydropower, mining opportunities: state committee chair

Sulton Rahimzoda, Tajikistan's chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management, encouraged South Korean companies to invest in Tajikistan’s green energy and mining sectors in an interview with The Korea Herald. Tajikistan intends to build a green economy by 2037 and accelerate industrialization for sustainable development and job opportunities. Tajikistan offers opportunities to Korean companies to "green" their investments, according to Rahimzod

July 22, 2024

Korea, Albania discuss ways for stronger cooperation on security, new techs

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with his Albanian counterpart, Igli Hasani, on Monday and discussed ways of enhancing cooperation on security, new technologies and the overall economy, Seoul's foreign ministry said. During the meeting in Seoul, Cho expressed hope for stronger relations with Albania on a wide range of issues, such as cyber security, artificial intelligence and other advanced technology sectors, as South Korea is working to boost cooperation with major European

July 22, 2024