Norway provides $8 million for GGGI’s work in Ethiopia

Norway signed an agreement with the Global Green Growth Institute on Thursday to provide $8 million to support environmentally friendly development in Ethiopia. Under the deal, the GGGI will lead research and help with policy planning in the African country. Norway is a founding member and donor partner of the GGGI, which was set up by the Korean government in 2010 and became an international organization in October. The Seoul-based institute envisages a “think and act tank” that brings together

March 14, 2013

[Graphic News] Process begins for choosing next pope

Cardinals entered the conclave to choose the successor to Benedict XVI at the Vatican on Tuesday evening.The 115 voting cardinals, who are forbidden from contact with the outside world during the conclave, must arrive at a two-thirds majority to select the next pope. While the conclave has no set time limit, earlier reports had speculated that the process would be finished before the end of the month, in time for Easter.Observers have been unable to identify any clear favorite despite speculatio

March 12, 2013

Korea eyes East Asia public diplomacy

South Korea seeks to enhance public diplomacy efforts with China and Japan this year to help defuse regional tensions and find long-term solutions to territorial and historical issues, a Seoul envoy told The Korea Herald.The three countries agreed to launch a trilateral public diplomacy forum during a summit in Beijing last May. The plan proposed by former President Lee Myung-bak has made little progress amid rising political tensions among the three neighbors. “We are seeking to hold the public

March 11, 2013

Franco-German friendship celebrates ‘digital peace’

Information technology and globalization have certainly caused problems ― the loss of privacy like never before, cyber crime, even terrorism come to mind.But the centripetal force of globalization and information technology might also offer a potential for cross-cultural and international collaboration. They could create the possibility for peace.The French and German Embassies in Korea are celebrating IT’s potential for peace with an exhibition commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Franco-G

March 10, 2013

Literary group marks 30th meet-up, hosts three writers

The Seoul Literary Society, a group of Korean literature enthusiasts organized by the Swedish Embassy in Korea, celebrated its 30th session with three of Korea’s literary luminaries: Kim Yeon-su, Kim In-sook and Pyun Hye-young.“There is this great treasure in this country called ‘Korean literature’ and, because of the inability of many of us to read what is written firsthand, there was a need for a mechanism to make Korean literature more readily available to the foreign community,” said Swedish

March 10, 2013

Korea, Denmark team up for Arctic oil El Dorado

Receding Arctic ice has opened up a speculative oil El Dorado that has got the world’s eight Arctic Council nations ― Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States ― scrambling over conflicting territorial claims in a 21st century land run.That has pulled Korea and Denmark together in an unlikely partnership to develop oil, natural gas and mineral resources in the Arctic in their so-called “global green growth alliance,” the first economic partnership of its ki

March 10, 2013

[Graphic News] Carry-on rules eased for American flights

Small pocketknives are to be allowed onboard U.S. flights for the first time since their prohibition after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, following an announcement by the Transportation Security Administration on Tuesday.The new rules, to come into effect on April 25, will allow passengers to carry non-fixed blades of less than 6 cm in length and 1.3 cm in width. Happily for sports enthusiasts, golf clubs, ski poles, hockey sticks and baseball bats will also be permitted. Attracting its f

March 7, 2013

[Graphic News] Cardinals congregate to select date for conclave

The majority of the cardinals who are to select the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church held their first pre-conclave meeting in Rome on Monday, having being summoned the previous Friday by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals.Of the 117 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope, 107 attended the meeting on the future of the church and when to hold the conclave to select the pontiff. While the date for the conclave is yet to be set, the cardinals reportedly hope to co

March 5, 2013

Dominican Republic marks milestones on Independence Day

The Dominican Republic’s Embassy in Korea celebrated a number of milestones during its Independence Day reception at Seoul Millennium Hilton Hotel on Wednesday.Dominican Ambassador to Korea Grecia Fordalicia Pichardo took note during the reception commemorating the Caribbean nation’s Independence Day that a number of anniversaries coincide this year.“This anniversary of our national independence coincides with the bicentennial of the birth of our nation’s founding father Juan Pablo Duarte and th

March 3, 2013

New Zealand talks up healthy food favorites in Busan

The New Zealand's trade commission in Korea promoted the nation’s food exports to Korea in Busan on Tuesday. At an event dubbed the New Zealand Food Connection 2013, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise showcased quintessentially New Zealand favorites including Manuka honey, greenshell mussels and black currants at Paradise Hotel.Organizers talked up the healthy properties of these New Zealand food exports such as Manuka honey, said to have antibacterial properties, and greenshell mussels containing

March 3, 2013

Envoy hosts Slovakian star of volleyball league

The Slovakian Embassy in Korea hosted professional men’s volleyball star Martin Nemec of the Incheon Korean Air Jumbos, as the team vies to qualify for V-League playoffs, in a special reception at the Central European nation’s chancery on Feb. 22.Slovakian Ambassador to Korea Dusan Bella said it was his honor to host a great Slovakian athlete, Martin Nemec, adding he is proud of Slovakian men and women who represent their country through sports around the world including in East Asia. Slovakia’s

March 3, 2013

Kazakh ‘civil servant’ looks to Korea ties for long-term goals

Kazakhstan’s new first deputy prime minister, Bakytzhan Sagintayev, thinks of himself less as a politician, and more as a civil servant.“I am first a civil servant, and then a politician,” said Sagintayev, who stepped into his role as first deputy prime minister and as minister of regional development on Jan. 16. Although such modesty might be uncommon among political figures, it illustrates a characteristic that could be called an essential aspect of today’s Kazakhstan. Sagintayev, the country’

March 3, 2013