The Korea Herald

Japan’s media blitz raises eyebrows

Tokyo is facing flak for its advertisement on a major U.S. news channel depicting itself as having laid the groundwork for the development of Asian nations, in an apparent move to whitewash its wartime atrocities.It aired the two-minute ad on CNN and also posted it on YouTube in 10 languages, including Korean and French. The advertisement comes a month before Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to deliver a speech at a joint session of the U.S. Congress during his visit to the U.S. sl

March 25, 2015

Greece celebrates Independence Day

The following has been contributed by the Greek Embassy in Seoul to mark the March 25 declaration of the War of Independence of 1821 ― Ed.In Greece, you are at a crossroads of colors and cultures. The country has 17 UNESCO world heritage sites, a uniquely rich historical past and flourishing arts such as architecture, sculpture, pottery, weaving, music, jewelry-making and painting.Running from prehistoric times to the establishment of the modern Greek state, Greek culture is a continuum of civil

March 24, 2015

Sino-U.S. competition intensifies

The competition between the U.S. and China over regional primacy is growing as Beijing has been moving to apparently reshape the regional order on the back of its increasing economic and military prowess.In recent years, the emergent power has sought to build and exert a stronger influence in political, security, financial and economic realms, and court neighboring states through various initiatives including a regional infrastructure investment bank.Such moves have triggered tension with the U.

March 23, 2015

Korea, China, Japan agree to hold summit

The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan agreed to work together to hold a trilateral summit at the most “mutually convenient, earliest time” during their first meeting in nearly three years in Seoul on Saturday. Seoul’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se (middle) and his Chinese and Japanese counterparts, Wang Yi (right) and Fumio Kishida respectively (Yonhap)When the summit will be held remains unclear, but the agreement is expected to give a much-needed boost to the efforts to restore

March 22, 2015

Korea, China, Japan agree to hold summit

Ireland’s reform spurs recovery

The Irish economy’s remarkable recovery from the 2007-08 banking crisis is an envy of governments the world over. The country had the highest growth rate within the European Union last year at 4.8 percent, and is well-poised to keep up its performance this year.Brendan Howlin, Irish Minister of Public Expenditure and Reform, visited Korea last week coinciding with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration, to strengthen partnership in government, business and education.Among the things he did ― from eng

March 22, 2015

St. Patrick’s Day gains ground in Korea

With the number of foreigners in Korea increasing steadily, celebrations of overseas festivals are becoming quite familiar.On St. Patrick’s Day ― Irish cultural and religious festival ― Koreans and foreigners wore green and drank Guinness together, celebrating the onset of spring. The globalization of the holiday has found a comfortable niche in Seoul’s expat hangouts of Itaewon and Hongdae, helping outsiders get a taste of what it means to be Irish.“Irish people like to gather like Koreans, alt

March 22, 2015

Romania, Korea strengthen partnership

Marking the silver jubilee of diplomatic relations, Romanian Vice Foreign Minister Carmen Burlacu visited Korea last week to earmark progress in bilateral cooperation and sustain the momentum into the future. Burlacu participated in the eighth round of high-level policy consultations at the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, meeting Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yong. They exchanged views on regional political developments; strengthening strategic partnership; and boosting investment in infrastructure,

March 22, 2015

‘Korea should preserve tradition for tourism’

Despite Korea’s obsession with doing things at breakneck speeds, French Ambassador Jerome Pasquier thinks Koreans should slow down and appreciate finer things in life ― traditional houses, bucolic roads and national parks. Speaking at the second anniversary of the 5.4 Club, Pasquier said for Korea to take the next qualitative leap forward to become an attractive tourism destination, “You don’t need to modernize too much.”“French people like tradition and traditional places,” Pasquier told The Ko

March 22, 2015

S. Korea, China, Japan vow efforts to hold summit at early date

The top diplomats of South Korea, China and Japan agreed on Saturday to continue efforts to hold a trilateral summit of their leaders at an early date as they seek to revive cooperation amid history and territorial rows.The pledge came at a meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Chinese and Japanese counterparts Wang Yi and Fumio Kishida. The trilateral meeting was held for the first time in almost three years."The three ministers decided to continue their efforts to

March 22, 2015

Seoul, Beijing FMs don't discuss THAAD: official

The foreign ministers of South Korea and China held bilateral meetings in Seoul on Saturday, but Beijing did not bring up the controversial issue of Washington's possible deployment of an advanced U.S. missile-defense system on Korean soil, a Seoul official said.The meeting between South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, came as Seoul's diplomacy has been put to the test amid a mounting Washington-Beijing row over a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (TH

March 21, 2015

Seoul FM set to have bilateral talks with China, Japan

South Korea's foreign minister was to hold bilateral meetings with his Chinese and Japanese counterparts in Seoul on Saturday on the sidelines of their trilateral talks, Seoul's foreign ministry said.Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se was scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Japan's top diplomat Fumio Kishida in Seoul ahead of the three-way meeting, the ministry said.Wang and Kishida flew into Seoul on Friday for a three-day stay to attend a trilateral foreign ministers' meetin

March 21, 2015

China awaits AIIB decisions by S. Korea, Japan, Australia

China is awaiting decisions by South Korea, Japan and Australia on whether to join a new Chinese-led Asian infrastructure bank as founding members, China's foreign ministry said Friday. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has recently gained traction as major Western economies, including Britain, Germany and France, decided to join the Chinese-led bank. Close U.S. allies in Asia -- South Korea, Australia and Japan -- have yet to make their decisions. The end of March is the deadline

March 20, 2015

China cautious on possible 3-way summit with S. Korea, Japan

The foreign ministers of South Korea, China and Japan must have a "candid" discussion about their shared history, China's foreign ministry said Friday, expressing caution about the prospects of holding a three-way summit among leaders from the three nations. Saturday's meeting in Seoul of the three foreign ministers -- Yun Byung-se from South Korea, Wang Yi from China and Fumio Kishida from Japan -- will be the first of its kind since 2012. History and territorial rows have prevented them from

March 20, 2015

China, Japan FMs set to visit Seoul for trilateral talks

The top diplomats of China and Japan were to fly into South Korea on Friday to attend a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting also involving Seoul's top diplomat slated for this weekend, the foreign ministry said. The meeting scheduled for Saturday in Seoul will bring together South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Chinese and Japanese counterparts, Wang Yi and Fumio Kishida, the ministry said. Wang and Kishida are slated to arrive in Seoul late Friday for a three-day stay to join

March 20, 2015

Park to meet with foreign ministers of China, Japan

South Korean President Park Geun-hye will meet with the foreign ministers of China and Japan this weekend, Park's office said Friday. Park's office did not elaborate on the meeting that will also include South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. The courtesy call on Saturday by Wang Yi from China and Fumio Kishida from Japan comes amid simmering tensions in the region over an advanced U.S. missile-defense system that Washington hopes to deploy to South Korea, as well as history and territori

March 20, 2015

S. Korean parliamentary speaker asks Vietnam to show N. Korea

South Korean parliamentary speaker Chung Ui-hwa has asked Vietnam to show the reclusive North Korea ways of reforming and opening up, officials said on Thursday. Chung met Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang in Hanoi Thursday and asked the head of state to invite North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and help the North "quickly become a normal state," according to the South Korean National Assembly officials accompanying Chung. "North Korea should model itself after Vietnam and its successful 'Doi

March 20, 2015

Experts talk over Tumen initiative for regional prosperity

South Korea’s leading policy experts gathered last week to canvass their blueprints for developing areas along the Tumen River, which they say will allay tension and aid long-term prosperity in Northeast Asia. Marking the one-year anniversary of Korea Policy Foundation, some three hundred people took part in the symposium, “Development Strategy for the Tumen River Area for Northeast Asia’s Peace and Prosperity,” at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on Mar 12. Three policy experts presented

March 19, 2015

Experts talk over Tumen initiative for regional prosperity

U.S. Ambassador Lippert unfazed after attack

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark Lippert appears unfazed by a near-fatal attack posting photographs of himself walking with his family and dog through central Seoul on Wednesday.(Facebook)Lippert returned to work on Wednesday, 14 days since he was attacked by Kim Ki-jong with a knife.On Wednesday, Lippert updated his Facebook page with photos taken while walking to work.“Great to walk into work today w @LRobynDC & Se-joon & @GrigsbyBasset - great to be back!” he wrote. In the same post in Korean, h

March 19, 2015

U.S. Ambassador Lippert unfazed after attack

China appoints new ambassador to N. Korea

Chinese President Xi Jinping has appointed a vice minister of the Chinese Communist Party as Beijing's new ambassador to North Korea, according to China's foreign ministry on Thursday. Li Jinjun, 59, vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of China's Communist Party, succeeds Liu Hongcai, who returned home after serving his five-year stint in Pyongyang, the Chinese ministry said in a brief statement posted on its website. Li steps into the new job as political rel

March 19, 2015

Korea likely to join China-led Asia bank

South Korea is forecast to join a China-led investment bank as a founding member this month, despite steadfast U.S. skepticism and following in the steps of European powers, government sources said Wednesday. The Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank was set up last October with 21 member states, aimed at spurring the region’s development by financing projects in energy, transportation, telecommunication, agriculture and other key sectors. The $50 billion institution may provide Seoul with a chanc

March 18, 2015