S. Korean industry minister visits Africa for World Expo bid, economic ties

South Korean Industry Minister Bang Moon-kyu has met with President of Cabo Verde Jose Maria Pereira Neves and asked for the African country's support for its bid to host the 2030 World Expo in the southern city of Busan, his office said Saturday. Bang visited Cabo Verde on Friday (local time) as President Yoon Suk Yeol's special envoy and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation on agriculture, trade, investment, energy infrastructure and the overall economy, according to the M

Sept. 30, 2023

S. Korea to extend $5 mil worth of fertilizer aid to Ukraine via U.S. agency

South Korea will deliver US$5 million worth of fertilizer to support Ukrainian farmers in partnership with the United States' international development agency, officials said Saturday. South Korea's foreign ministry will send fertilizers to support Ukraine's agricultural sector affected by the ongoing war with Russia through the partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), according to the Seoul government officials. "This generous contribution unde

Sept. 30, 2023

Yoon hosts luncheon meeting with Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima on Chuseok

President Yoon Suk Yeol hosted a luncheon meeting Friday with a group of Korean victims of the 1945 atomic bombing in Hiroshima on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday. The meeting, held at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbin-gwan guesthouse, with 42 atomic bombing victims and family members from Japan and 43 others from South Korea came about four months following his meeting with Korean survivors of the bombing during his visit to Hiroshima in May for a Group of Seven summit. The Korean Peninsula was

Sept. 29, 2023

Diplomatic vehicle blessed for safety via Hindu ritual by S. Korean Embassy in India

The South Korean Embassy in India has shared a video online where a traditional Hindu ritual is performed for a new diplomatic vehicle produced by Hyundai Motor Co. for Seoul's ambassador in New Delhi. The one-minute-long video uploaded on X, known formerly as Twitter, shows a Hindu puja ceremony being carried out for the embassy's Hyundai Genesis GV80 SUV unit for Ambassador Chang Jae-bok at the embassy compound in New Delhi. "We are delighted to have a new Hyundai Genesis GV80 a

Sept. 29, 2023

N. Korea decides to expel US soldier Travis King

North Korea has decided to expel Travis King, a US soldier who has been detained after "illegally intruding" into the country by running across the inter-Korean border in July, state media said Wednesday. Pvt. King made an unauthorized crossing of the Military Demarcation Line into the North during a tour to the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas on July 18. "The relevant organ of the DPRK decided to expel Travis King, a soldier of the U.S. Arm

Sept. 27, 2023

British MP hopes for enhanced UK-Korea ties under Pacific trade pact

Adam Afriyie, a UK member of Parliament, hopes to see UK-Korean trade and economic ties advance to the next level, the lawmaker said in an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday. Afriyie touched on Korea's potential inclusion in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), highlighting the prospect of increased economic cooperation between the two nations. The CPTPP is a major free trade pact comprising 11 Asia-Pacific countries. South Korea became a

Sept. 27, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'UN peacekeeping forces need better gender equity'

United Nations peacekeeping force officers who visited Seoul earlier this month emphasized the need to enhance gender inclusivity within peacekeeping forces and to recruit more talented women into the military. Colonel B. Maureen Wellwood, the first woman in the Canadian Infantry to attain the rank of colonel, said women’s strength plays a key role in situations where peacekeepers should build trust with suffering residents, referring to her missions in several countries including Afghanis

Sept. 27, 2023

Uzbekistan, Korea boost customs cooperation

Uzbekistan and Korea agreed to boost customs cooperation in Tashkent on Friday. Uzbekistan’s customs committee chairman Akmalkhuja Mavlonov and chief of the Korea Customs Service Ko Kwang-hyo signed a protocol amending the Uzbekistan-South Korea agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in customs. According to Uzbekistan's customs committee, the two sides agreed to solidify technical cooperation to crack down on trade crimes, develop customs administration capabilities, and oper

Sept. 26, 2023

Yoon plans state visits to UK, Netherlands later this year

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol will embark on state visits to the United Kingdom in November and the Netherlands in December, according to the presidential office on Tuesday. Yoon's office said the visit to the UK, made at the invitation of King Charles III, is significant as it is the first state visit since King Charles III's coronation earlier this year, and marks the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The visit to the Netherlands, made at the

Sept. 26, 2023

Blinken says N. Korea-Russia military cooperation threatens global peace

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday military cooperation between North Korea and Russia undermines global peace, highlighting America's "ironclad" security commitment to South Korea. Blinken made the remarks amid concerns that a rare summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month might have led to an arms deal that observers fear could help strengthen Pyongyang's military capabilities and support Moscow'

Sept. 26, 2023

[Photo News] Cultural diplomacy

The Greek Embassy and Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) co-hosted a forum acknowledging the growth of social media communication as part of an initiative to strengthen cultural diplomacy at the Greek ambassador’s residence in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. The event was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, CICI members, the media and members of the Greek community in Korea. (CICI)

Sept. 25, 2023

Trilateral talks open on Korea-Japan-China meeting

Two-day working- and senior-level talks among South Korea, Japan and China kicked off on Monday, as the three nations prepare to resume their meeting this year, after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chung Byung-won, South Korea’s deputy foreign minister, is set to meet with Takehiro Funakoshi and Nong Rong, his Japanese and Chinese counterparts, respectively, on Tuesday, following separate working-level meetings between Seoul and Tokyo, as well as Seoul and Beijing on Mond

Sept. 25, 2023

Over half of Koreans want continuous strengthening of alliance with US: poll

More than half of South Koreans are of the opinion that the nation's alliance with the United States should continue to be strengthened, a poll showed Monday. In the poll of 1,238 people aged 18 and older conducted by Gallup Korea from Sept. 4-8, 91.6 percent said the bilateral alliance is important and the majority, 53.7 percent, responded that it should be continuously strengthened. Another 24.9 percent said the alliance should be continuously maintained, whereas only 18.1 percent said it

Sept. 25, 2023

Russian top diplomat to visit NK, accuses US of fueling tensions on Korean Peninsula

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced plans for an October visit to Pyongyang following the North Korea-Russia summit earlier this month, intensifying speculation about increased military cooperation between the two nations. "In accordance with the decision of (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, we will arrange my talks in Pyongyang, which may indeed take place next month," Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russian news agency TASS during a

Sept. 24, 2023

Xi says he will consider S. Korea visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Saturday he will consider visiting South Korea for a potential summit with President Yoon Suk Yeol, at a meeting with Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is visiting the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou for the opening of the Asian Games. A senior official in Seoul with direct knowledge of the Saturday meeting said Xi brought up the issue of a leader-level visit. “It was the Chinese leader who floated it first, which means he knows well it’s his turn to

Sept. 23, 2023

PM arrives in China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo arrived in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the sporting event, his office said. During his two-day visit, Han is set to attend a luncheon hosted by Xi for the leaders of countries competing in the Asian Games and hold talks with Xi ahead of the opening ceremony later in the day. The meeting between Han and Xi will take place at 4:30 p.m., his of

Sept. 23, 2023

PM departs for China for Asian Games, meeting with Xi

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo departed for the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou on Saturday to attend the opening ceremony of the Asian Games and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the sporting event, his office said. During his two-day visit, Han is expected to attend a luncheon hosted by Xi for the leaders of countries competing in the Asian Games and hold talks with Xi ahead of the opening ceremony later in the day. The exact time, venue and agenda for their meeting are being

Sept. 23, 2023

US finalizes national security 'guardrails' for CHIPS funding

The US Department of Commerce on Friday announced the final rule to restrict semiconductor subsidy recipients from expanding their manufacturing capacity in China, following Seoul's brisk diplomacy to minimize its potential impact on South Korean businesses. The national security "guardrails" of the CHIPS and Science Act prohibit the material expansion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity for advanced facilities in "foreign countries of concern" for 10 years from the

Sept. 23, 2023

Allies vow stern measures against Russia-N. Korea arms deal

The top diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan have agreed to take stern measures against a potential arms deal between Russia and North Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry said Saturday. According to the ministry, Seoul's Foreign Minister Park Jin met with his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, and Japanese counterpart, Yoko Kamikawa, in New York on Friday to discuss Russia-North Korea arms dealings. Earlier this month, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a summit with Russ

Sept. 23, 2023

Biden rebukes Russia for turning to N. Korea, Iran for more arms

US President Joe Biden slammed Russia on Thursday for seeking more weapons from Iran and North Korea for use in its war in Ukraine, reiterating such an arms transfer would flout UN Security Council resolutions. Biden made the remarks during a White House summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which he announced a $325 million military assistance package, including artillery, ammunition, and air defense capabilities. "Russia alone stands in the way of peace. He could end

Sept. 22, 2023