This is the third installment in a series of interviews with renowned scholars and experts on China as a resurgent Asian power triggering shifts in the regional order. This installment looks into China’s vision for a regional order and the ongoing Sino-U.S. rivalry. -- Ed. China and the U.S. have been envisioning different regional orders with the former seeking one that encompasses Asians’ unique cultural aspects and the latter pursuing a strictly rule-based approach anchored in its alliance ne

Oct. 27, 2015

A delegation of Sudanese diplomats visited Korea last week to participate in the fifth round of policy consultations with Korean counterparts, where they discussed political relations, trade and investment, development cooperation and international collaboration. Daffalla El Haj Ali, the director general of the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ bilateral and regional department, reached an agreement with Korea on exchanging ministerial and high-level visits, enhancing mutual support at inter

Oct. 26, 2015

Syria is a killing field. The conflict that erupted 5 years ago between the people and President Bashar al-Assad’s regime has left over 250,000 people dead and uprooted 12 million more. To survive what has become the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, over 5 million children need food, water and shelter before the winter.A delegation from the United Nations Children’s Fund visited Korea last week to secure much-needed support from the government, companies and citizens.  Members of UNICEF and

Oct. 25, 2015

A delegation of top Pakistani military officials came to Korea last week to gauge the country’s defense capacities and potentially procure weapons and technologies. Pakistani Defense Production Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Lt. Gen. Syed Wajid Hussain and private sector representatives came on the invitation of Korea’s Ministry of National Defense. They attended the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2015, and visited the Doosan Defense Systems and Technology facilities in Cha

Oct. 25, 2015

When the Association of Southeast Asian Nations launches its Economic Community in December, the region will boast a single market of $2.4 trillion and 620 million people. In line with the ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity that aims to link its 10 member states physically, institutionally and socially, ASEAN needs over $3.3 trillion investment in infrastructure, transport, energy and information communications technology by 2030.Analysts note that the ambitious scheme presents vast opportunities

Oct. 25, 2015

With risks and challenges faced by refugees across the world having become one of the greatest global issues today, the status and conditions of asylum seekers in South Korea have also been highlighted. The Korea Herald is publishing a series of articles shedding light on refugees in Korea, their hardships, the systematic fallout, the country’s own history and ways to go forward. The following is the third installment. - Ed.From late President Kim Dae-jung to conscientious objectors and North Ko

Oct. 25, 2015

This is the second installment in a series of interviews with renowned scholars and experts on China as a resurgent Asian power triggering shifts in the regional order. This installment looks into China’s social problems and policy efforts to address them. -- Ed.Over the last several years, the Chinese government has been paying notable policy attention to “social governance” in tandem with nongovernmental organizations to address an array of social issues including the public welfare, a sociolo

Oct. 20, 2015

Though Seoul had managed to boost prospects for greater U.S. attention to North Korea through last week’s summit, it highlighted an increasingly convoluted dilemma between its traditional ally and a rising China amid their intensifying rivalry for regional supremacy. The Park Geun-hye administration has been boasting that its bilateral relations with the U.S. and China are at their “best-ever.” After appearing alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping at a massive military parade in Beijing last month

Oct. 19, 2015

President Park Geun-hye’s surprising personnel shake-up on Monday was widely seen as a move to reprimand her foreign affairs team for its failed mission to persuade the U.S. to transfer fighter jet technology to Korea.Park named Kim Kyou-hyun, the National Security Council secretariat chief, as her new senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs and national security. Kim replaces Ju Chul-ki, who had reportedly offered to resign to take responsibility for Washington’s refusal to transfer f

Oct. 19, 2015

German President Joachim Gauck urged Korea last week not to relinquish hope for national unification, providing hindsight based on Germany’s transformative developments since the fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago.Gauck arrived in Seoul on Oct. 11 for his first presidential trip to East Asia to mark the 25th anniversary of German reunification. He held meetings with Korean diplomatic, political, business and civil communities during his four-day stay. Elected as the 11th head of state in March

Oct. 18, 2015

“Apartheid,” a system of racial segregation in South Africa from 1948 to 1994, meant “the state of being apart,” literally “apart-hood” in Afrikaans. Following the creed enforced by the country’s then-governing political group the National Party, apartheid separated the multiethnic state, communities and families of South Africa, gating white privilege while downgrading black and minority rights. The South African embassy, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Association, held a film screen

Oct. 18, 2015