Tajikistan calls for accelerated water action

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan -- Leaders, experts and policymakers called for urgent action to address water challenges at the Third Dushanbe Water Action Decade Conference held in Tajikistan's capital of Dushanbe last week. Held June 10-13, the conference was part of a biennial series co-organized by the government of Tajikistan, the United Nations and the European Union to support the International Decade for Action under the theme, “Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028,” and

June 17, 2024

S. Korea expresses commitment to continuing aid to Ukraine at peace summit

South Korea expressed its commitment to continuing aid to war-torn Ukraine at an international peace summit in Switzerland last weekend, the Office for Government Policy Coordination said. Government Policy Coordination Minister Bang Ki-seon attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Burgenstock, Switzerland, on Saturday and Sunday, as South Korea's chief representative, according to his office. Bang told a meeting Sunday that as a global pivotal state, South Korea has continued to express

June 17, 2024

S. Korea calls on Japan to address 'entire history' of Sado mine in UNESCO Heritage application

South Korea on Friday urged Japan to address the "entire history" of a gold mine complex linked to wartime forced labor of Koreans in its application as a UNESCO World Heritage site, after Tokyo accepted an international recommendation to revise the submission. Last week, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, an advisory body to the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, recommended referring the nomination of the Sado mine back to Japan, calling for more explanation over the ent

June 14, 2024

Yoon arrives in Uzbekistan for final leg of Central Asia trip

President Yoon Suk Yeol arrived in Tashkent on Thursday for talks with his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev on boosting bilateral economic ties. The summit talks scheduled for Friday will mark the culmination of his three-nation Central Asia tour, which also included visits to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. On the first day, Yoon plans to meet the young generation of Uzbekistan, visit the Independence Monument in the capital city of Tashkent and hold a dinner meeting with ethnic Koreans in the

June 13, 2024

Seoul says Putin to visit N. Korea 'in a few days'

ASTANA, Kazakhstan/SEOUL -- The South Korean presidential office said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will make his first visit to North Korea in 24 years, widely interpreted by observers as a key moment to bolster military and security cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and other shifting geopolitical dynamics. "President Putin's visit to North Korea will take place in a few days," a senior South Korean presidential official confirmed t

June 13, 2024

[Contribution] Uzbekistan-Republic of Korea: commitment to centuries-old ties, special strategic partnership

By the Uzbekistan Embassy in Seoul President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol will pay a state visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on June 13-15, 2024. Established on Jan. 29, 1992, Uzbek-South Korean relations have become an example of successful cooperation between the two countries in various fields. In more than thirty years of interaction, the relations have developed and strengthened, passing through several key milestones. In 2006, the Joint Decla

June 13, 2024

Yoon calls for broadening economic cooperation with Kazakhstan

ASTANA -- President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that South Korea and Kazakhstan need to broaden the scope of economic ties beyond their traditional focus on the automotive and resource sectors to include critical mineral supply chains and infrastructure projects. During a bilateral business forum held as part of his state visit to Kazakhstan, Yoon underlined the need for expanding the areas of economic cooperation to better complement each other's industries. "Since the establishmen

June 12, 2024

S. Korea, Cuba agree to open embassies soon

South Korea and Cuba held their first high-level talks in Seoul since the establishment of diplomatic ties in February, with a focus on expanding cooperation across various fields, including the economy, regional and global matters, and the opening of embassies, according to the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. South Korea’s Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Chung Byung-won met with Carlos Miguel Pereira, Director-General of the General Division of Bilateral Affairs at the Cuban Foreign Mini

June 12, 2024

S. Korea, Kazakhstan set for summit to discuss cooperation on minerals, infrastructure

President Yoon Suk Yeol and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev were set to hold summit talks Wednesday to discuss strengthening cooperation in the supply chain of critical minerals, infrastructure development and other areas. Yoon began his three-day state visit to Kazakhstan on Tuesday, the second leg of his Central Asia trip following his stop in Turkmenistan. At the talks, the two leaders plan to discuss ways of further advancing economic ties, particularly in resources and infrastructure

June 12, 2024

NK leader sends message to Putin marking Russia's national day

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a congratulatory message to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the occasion of its national day, the North's state media reported Tuesday, amid growing speculation that Putin would visit Pyongyang soon. Kim sent "a message of greeting" to Putin, which was "courteously conveyed" by the North's Ambassador to Russia Sin Hong-chol to an official of the Russian foreign ministry, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The KCNA d

June 11, 2024

S. Korea welcomes UN Security Council's adoption of resolution for ceasefire in Gaza

South Korea's foreign ministry on Tuesday welcomed the UN Security Council's adoption of a United States-led ceasefire plan for the war in Gaza. On Monday, the council approved the first resolution endorsing a ceasefire proposal presented by US President Joe Biden, which calls for ending the months-long war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. "South Korea expects all parties concerned to immediately accept the proposal and fully implement it upon the UNSC's adoption of the reso

June 11, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] Egypt aims to strengthen ties with Korea on digital capacity building, AI

Egypt aims to boost cooperation with Korea in digital capacity-building, artificial intelligence, electronics design and manufacturing, according to the Egyptian minister in charge of communication and information technology. Speaking with The Korea Herald on Wednesday, Minister Amr Talaat expressed optimism about creating synergy with ICT potentials between the two nations, after a forum held on the sidelines of the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit last week where he met his South Korean counterpa

June 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] North Sulawesi's links with Korea, win-win, says governor

North Sulawesi Gov. Olly Dondokambey cited links between North Sulawesi-South Korea as a win-win for both Indonesia and South Korea during an interview with The Korea Herald on Wednesday. "Direct flights between Jeju and Manado, taking approximately four hours, are crucial. Indonesian citizens can visit Jeju without a visa, enhancing tourism and business travel," Dondokambey said referring to the strategic importance of direct flights between the two countries. According to Dondokambey

June 11, 2024

Sweden recalls historical bonds with Korea

Sweden marked its National Day on Wednesday, celebrating 501 years of independence since the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523, and the 50th anniversary of Carl XVI Gustaf's reign, Sweden's longest-serving monarch. Delivering remarks at the event, Johannes Andreasson, charge d'affaires at the Swedish Embassy, highlighted the deep historical ties between Sweden and Korea. "We are celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations, but our contacts date back over 300 years,"

June 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kazakh deputy minister hopes to boost economic diplomacy with Korea

Nazira Nurbayeva, Kazakhstan’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, expressed a strong commitment to boosting economic diplomacy with South Korea to shape future potential and mutual benefits. The term refers to promoting a state's economic interests through the use of economic tools in trade and investment, leveraging a comparative advantage to achieve specific foreign policy objectives. "Kazakhstan has resources, low production costs and affordable utilities, while Korea brings

June 11, 2024

S. Korea, China to hold '2+2' high-level diplomatic security talks next week

South Korea and China are expected to hold "two plus two" talks of their senior foreign and defense officials early next week, diplomatic sources said Tuesday, amid rising tensions from North Korea's provocations and the prospect of another summit between the North and Russia. The vice-ministerial diplomatic and security dialogue is expected to take place in Seoul early next week, and the two sides are fine-tuning the details on the arrangement, the sources familiar with the matte

June 11, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] S. Korea can be catalyst in unlocking Africa's mining: Eritrean President

South Korea has the potential to serve as a "catalyst" in unlocking Africa's mining potential by strengthening the continent's capacity to add value to critical resources that have remained underdeveloped, despite the intricate challenges at play, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki said in his interview with The Korea Herald on Friday. Afwerki sees Korea's expertise, industrial prowess and technology as beacons of hope in translating Africa's longstanding ambitions t

June 10, 2024

Law firm DR & AJU hosts Korea-Africa Energy Investment Forum

Local law firm DR & AJU LLC hosted the Korea-Africa Energy Investment Forum on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit last week. The event was attended by 150 delegates, including businesspeople from 36 African nations and South Korea. Notable attendees included Rep. Na Kyung-won, Minister of Trade and Industry Cheong In-kyo and Lee Kyu-chul, managing partner of DR & AJU. Timothy Dickens, chair of the South Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Korea, opened the forum with an overv

June 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Peru firmly supports NK denuclearization'

Amid intensifying nuclear threats from North Korea, Peru firmly supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the South American country's foreign minister told The Korea Herald. In a written interview, Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea condemned North Korea's continuous tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles, calling the reclusive regime a serious threat to international peace and security. The minister is in Seoul to participate in the Korea-LAC Future Cooperat

June 10, 2024

Yoon embarks on three-nation Central Asia trip

President Yoon Suk Yeol embarked Monday on a weeklong Central Asia trip that will take him to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on a mission to expand cooperation in critical minerals and other key sectors. Yoon is set to make state visits to the resource-rich Central Asian nations through June 15, accompanied by first lady Kim Keon Hee and a business delegation comprising over 60 Korean companies. It marks Yoon's first overseas trip since a state visit to the Netherlands in December.

June 10, 2024