Yoon, first lady receive ceremonial welcome from King Charles III, Queen Camilla

LONDON -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee received a ceremonial welcome from King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they began their state visit to Britain on Tuesday. The ceremony began with Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, arriving at Yoon and Kim's hotel in London to travel with them to Horse Guards Parade, where the official welcome took place amid a 41-gun salute and an inspection of the Guard of Honor. The King and Queen greeted the presid

Nov. 22, 2023

Oman celebrates 53rd National Day, calls Korea reliable ally

Oman marked its 53rd National Day, celebrating the legacy of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said and highlighting the nation's enduring partnership with Korea in Seoul on Monday. “Oman values the Republic of Korea as a reliable ally across various sectors and is committed to peace,” said Omani Ambassador to Korea Zakariya bin Hamad Al Saadi, underscoring collaborations in trade, energy, ports, technology and education as he delivered his remarks. Oman's National Day, de

Nov. 21, 2023

US renews concerns over N. Korea-Russia military cooperation

The US Department of State reiterated its concerns Monday over military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, as Pyongyang is gearing up for a space rocket launch to put a military spy satellite into orbit. Pyongyang has notified Japan's Coast Guard of a plan to conduct the launch between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1, Japanese media reported, despite Seoul's warning against what would be its third such launch attempt this year. "I will say that our concerns about North Korea's ba

Nov. 21, 2023

[Herald Interview] Latvia hopes to boost economic, cultural ties with Korea

Latvia hopes to boost trade, investment and cultural relations with Korea, said the country's top envoy to Korea on Friday, as Latvia marks its 105th anniversary of independence. Latvian Ambassador to Seoul Aris Vigants said there was potential for increased cooperation on many fronts, with trade volume between Korea and Latvia reaching 128.3 million euros ($140 million) last year. Latvian exports to the country amounted to 72.7 million euros and imports were worth 55.5 million euros in 202

Nov. 20, 2023

[Photo News] INDIAN CINEMA

INDIAN CINEMA Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar (center), spouse of the Indian ambassador to Korea Surabhi Kumar (left), and Korean Film Archive director Kim Hong-jun pose for photos at the 11th edition of the Indian film festival at the Korean Film Archive in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 14. The event showcased Indian cinema which has a rich history dating back to the early 20th century, and has evolved into a dynamic and diverse industry. (Indian embassy)

Nov. 20, 2023

[Photo News] Flowers of Colombia

FLOWERS OF COLOMBIA Attendees pose for a group photo at a floral workshop co-hosted by the Colombian Embassy in Korea and ProColombia, a government agency promoting exports, tourism and foreign direct investment, at the Grand Mercure hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on Friday. The event, attended by over 60 local buyers and representatives from seven Colombian companies affiliated with flower exporters association Asocolflores, showcased a stunning array of Colombian flowers. Varieties such as carnat

Nov. 20, 2023

Kazakhstan celebrates expanded ties with Busan

The Kazakhstan Embassy in Seoul celebrated expanded economic ties between its former capital Almaty and Busan, calling South Korea’s largest port city a global player in the world economy on Wednesday. Kazakhstan was celebrating the first anniversary of the friendly cooperation city agreement between Almaty and Busan, a pact signed on Sept. 14, 2022, according to a statement from the embassy. The agreement aimed to enhance human exchanges and extend cooperation in diverse fields, including

Nov. 20, 2023

Moroccan daughter of Korean War veteran honors father's legacy

Ftetam el-Asry, the 82-year-old daughter of a Moroccan soldier killed during action in the 1950-53 Korean War, came to South Korea to participate in a ceremony honoring her father, according to the Moroccan Embassy in Seoul. The memorial ceremony organized by the Korean Ministry of Veterans and Patriots was held to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice on Nov. 11 at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Busan. El-Asry paid a touching tribute to her father, Mohamed el-Asry, whose story rema

Nov. 20, 2023

Georgia envoy highlights investment opportunities, 8,000-year wine history at GBF

The Georgian Ambassador to Korea, Tarash Papaskua, talked about the country's potential as an emerging market and its rich 8,000-year-old wine culture at a forum hosted by The Korea Herald on Wednesday. Speaking at the fourth edition of the Global Biz Forum, Papaskua urged Korean CEOs in attendance to explore his country's potential as the shortest and most reliable East-West transportation route and efficient logistics. Highlighting Georgia's economic landscape, Papaskua undersco

Nov. 19, 2023

S. Korea's top diplomat holds talks with Malaysian, Indonesian counterparts at APEC

South Korea's foreign minister held a series of talks with his Malaysian and Indonesian counterparts in San Francisco this week and requested for their countries' support in South Korea's bid to host the 2030 World Expo, his office said Saturday. Park Jin made the request during separate meetings with Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Tuesday on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meet

Nov. 18, 2023

At APEC summit, Yoon offers to lead action on climate change, supply chain risks

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol wrapped up a visit to San Francisco on Friday after attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit that demonstrated South Korea's growing solidarity with the United States and Japan and its commitment to leading global action on climate change and supply chain risks. This year's APEC gathering was held under the theme, "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All," and brought together leaders of the 21 member econom

Nov. 18, 2023

Yoon, Japan's Kishida agree to cooperate in hydrogen sector

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed Friday to work together to cut costs and establish international rules in the hydrogen sector. During a discussion at Stanford University, the two leaders talked about ways their countries can cooperate in the hydrogen sector, given South Korea's wide use of hydrogen cars and Japan's large number of hydrogen-related patents. Both Yoon and Kishida attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) s

Nov. 18, 2023

Biden voiced concerns about 'illicit' N. Korean nuclear, missile programs in talks with Xi: official

US President Joe Biden expressed worries about North Korea's "illicit" nuclear and missile programs during his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in California this week, a senior US official said Thursday. National Security Council Senior Director for China and Taiwan Affairs Sarah Beran made the remarks during an online press briefing on the summit that took place at the Filoli estate in Woodside, south of San Francisco, on Wednesday. "He raised concerns regarding the

Nov. 17, 2023

Biden calls Xi a dictator after carefully planned summit

WOODSIDE, California (Reuters) -- US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday he had not changed his view that Chinese President Xi Jinping was effectively a dictator, a comment likely to land with a thud in Beijing after the two leaders held straightforward summit talks. Biden held a solo news conference after four hours of talks with Xi on the outskirts of San Francisco. At the end of the news conference, he was asked whether he still held the view that Xi was a dictator, something he said in Jun

Nov. 16, 2023

UN rights chief urges international probe into Israel-Hamas war violations

GENEVA (AFP) - The UN human rights chief on Thursday decried serious allegations of international law violations in the Israel-Hamas war and suggested an international investigation was needed. Volker Turk said, "Extremely serious allegations of multiple and profound breaches of international humanitarian law, whoever commits them, demand rigorous investigation and full accountability." Turk was speaking after a visit last week to the Middle East, where he warned that both sides were c

Nov. 16, 2023

PM envisions Busan World Expo's role in sharing 'rise from ashes' experience

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo highlighted the World Expo's role of sharing the host country's experience of its rise from the ashes of the war, should it take place in Busan in 2030. "We envision the World Expo in Busan that is not just a six-month event, but a forum to share the experience of our rapid development with other BIE members," Han said in a news conference in Seoul on Thursday. The Bureau International des Expositions oversees the international exhibitions. "O

Nov. 16, 2023

[News Analysis] US-China talks leave room for Yoon

The less contentious tone struck at talks Wednesday between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is a sign South Korea could inject fresh momentum for better Seoul-Beijing ties, experts said as the two Asian neighbors look to move past the US-China rivalry. The four-hour dialogue made “real progress,” Biden said of the meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. The conversation, the first in a year, led to resuming mi

Nov. 16, 2023

Congressional panel official stresses space-based capability to counter threats from N. Korea, China, Russia

A US congressional commission official raised the need Wednesday to leverage more space-based defense capabilities, noting a ground-based interceptor system may have limits in dealing with the growing missile threats from North Korea, China and Russia cost-effectively. During a House Armed Services Committee session, John Kyl, the vice chair of the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, made the remarks, saying the US' GBI program is "adequate today&quo

Nov. 16, 2023

UN committee adopts resolution on N. Korean human rights for 19th straight year

A UN General Assembly committee on Wednesday passed a resolution on North Korean human rights for the 19th consecutive year amid growing concerns for the safety of North Korean escapees who were repatriated from China. The Third Committee handling human rights and social affairs adopted by consensus the resolution, which calls on countries to honor the international principle of non-refoulement. The resolution will be sent to a full General Assembly session for approval in December. The passage

Nov. 16, 2023

Biden, Xi to hold summit in California amid hopes for improved ties

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted their shared desire to avoid conflict and pursue cooperation during a high-stakes summit in California on Wednesday, raising hopes for improved ties between the two superpowers. Their first in-person meeting in a year took place at Filoli estate in Woodside south of San Francisco, where South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and other world leaders will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum this week. The summit came

Nov. 16, 2023