Most Popular
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Actor Jung Woo-sung admits to being father of model Moon Ga-bi’s child
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Wealthy parents ditch Korean passports to get kids into international school
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Man convicted after binge eating to avoid military service
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First snow to fall in Seoul on Wednesday
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Final push to forge UN treaty on plastic pollution set to begin in Busan
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Korea to hold own memorial for forced labor victims, boycotting Japan’s
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Nvidia CEO signals Samsung’s imminent shipment of AI chips
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Job creation lowest on record among under-30s
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NK troops disguised as 'indigenous' people in Far East for combat against Ukraine: report
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Opposition leader awaits perjury trial ruling
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New Dominican envoy learning from Korea
Only Caribbean embassy in Seoul seeks green future, greater tradeEven before it fortified relations with Korea 49 years ago, the Dominican Republic sent material aid to support the country during the Korean War.Both countries have experienced a progressive consolidation of ties ever since.“However the true turning point in the enhancement of our ties was the official visit carried out in 2006 by President Leonel Fernandez,” said recently-arrived Dominican Republic Ambassador Grecia Fordalicia Pi
Dec. 18, 2011
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Ministry caught using ‘Sea of Japan’
The Foreign Ministry came under fire on Friday for failing to change the name “Sea of Japan” to “East Sea” in diplomatic cables and online archives despite years of promoting the latter.Typing “Sea of Japan” in Korean into the search box of the ministry’s website produces a slew of recent overseas media reports translated by the ministry into Korean.Also, the website of the Korean Embassy in Tokyo features documents only using the name “Sea of Japan.” The website of the Korean consulate general
Dec. 16, 2011
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Foreign ministry under fire for gaffes in identifying East Sea
South Korea's foreign ministry came under fire on Friday after it was found that some of its diplomatic cables and online publications failed to use "East Sea" to identify the waters separating the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The gaffes come as South Korea is calling for the international community
Dec. 16, 2011
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‘U.S. to keep deterrence against N.K.’
Sung Kim, Washington’s newly appointed ambassador to Seoul, said the U.S. will maintain a strong deterrence against Pyongyang, regardless of predictions that North Korea might ratchet up military provocations next year.His comments came as North Korea plans to declare 2012 as the year of becoming a “power state,” fanning concerns that it might attempt additional provocations while major regional powers have leadership elections.“It’s very difficult to predict. What we should be doing, regardless
Dec. 15, 2011
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S. Korean embassy in China apparently hit by air gun round
The South Korean Embassy in Beijing was apparently hit by an air gun shot earlier this week amid growing tensions over the killing of a South Korean Coast Guard officer by a Chinese fisherman, sources said Wednesday.Chinese authorities launched an investigation soon after the incident took place on
Dec. 14, 2011
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China expresses ‘regret’
China’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the death of a South Korean coast guard officer fatally stabbed by the captain of a Chinese fishing boat when he tried to arrest him for illegal fishing in Korean waters.“The Chinese side regrets that the relevant incident caused the death of an ROK (Republic of Korea) coast guard officer, which is an unfortunate event,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters in Beijing.Liu added that Chinese and South Korean officials are in close com
Dec. 13, 2011
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U.S. briefs 3 Korean firms on new sanctions against Iran
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has briefed three South Korean firms involved in business with Iran on Washington‘s new set of sanctions against the Islamic state, officials said Tuesday.The U.S. is concurrently seeking support from its allies for sanctions targeting Iran’s financial, petrochemical and energy sectors. The U.S. and several other nations tightened punitive measures against the Islamic state last month following a United Nations report accusing Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons.Embassy of
Dec. 13, 2011
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Nuke summit to discuss everyday radioactivity
The upcoming 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit’s agenda will include how to ensure the safety and security of radioactive materials widely used in people’s daily lives, a government official said Tuesday.Korea will host the summit on March 26-27 as a continuation from the first nuclear security summit in April 2010, led by U.S. President Barack Obama, to prevent nuclear materials falling into the hands of terrorists.“Terrorism using nuclear materials such as highly enriched uranium and plutoniu
Dec. 13, 2011
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U.S. briefs Korean firms on sanctions against Iran
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has briefed three South Korean firms involved in business with Iran on Washington’s new set of sanctions against the Islamic state, officials said Tuesday.The U.S. is concurrently seeking support from its allies for sanctions targeting Iran’s financial, petrochemical and energy sectors. The U.S. and several other nations tightened punitive measures against the Islamic state last month following a United Nations report accusing Iran of pursuing nuclear weapons.Embassy of
Dec. 13, 2011
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U.S. FTA may still be delayed: Kim
Consultations taking longer than expected; report predicts February implementationKorea’s Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan said the implementation of the free trade agreement between South Korea and the U.S. could be delayed until after Jan. 1, as further consultations with the U.S. may be needed.“Although we hope to have the Korea-U.S. FTA take effect on Jan. 1 next year, it might take a longer time for consultations on the implementation,” Kim told business leaders at a CEO forum in Seoul. “If t
Dec. 12, 2011
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Seoul to impose more sanctions on Iran soon
The South Korean government is expected to announce additional sanctions against Iran this week, apparently pressured by the U.S. to join its toughened stance against Tehran’s alleged nuclear weapons program, a source said.A diplomatic source said related ministries were in final consultations about sanctions likely to be drawn up this week.Potential sanctions mentioned include banning imports of Iran-made petrochemical products, worth $300 million, it said.The U.S. House of Representatives is t
Dec. 11, 2011
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Marking a much-loved monarch’s birthday
Celebrations of the Thai king’s birthday got a royal treat thanks to dancers in Seoul. Dec. 5 marks the birthday of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch who ascended to the throne in 1946. While the date known as “Wan Chalerm” is an important public holiday with celebratory fireworks and street parties in Bangkok, Thais in Korea marked the occasion with a reception featuring a traditional dance performance. Thai Ambassador to Korea Chaiyong Satjipanon spoke at the e
Dec. 11, 2011
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Green tourism steps forward in Seoul
Tourism chiefs from Southeast Asia and Mongolia have completed a project in Korea to boost green travel in their countries. Foreign government officials, lecturers and tour guides traveled around Korea taking in popular tourist spots such as temples and Seoraksan as well as studying the language for ten weeks until Dec. 9. Malaysian tour guide Loke Chew Koon said the experience would help her assist people traveling to her country, as 262,000 Koreans did last year. “It is very useful so that we
Dec. 11, 2011
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New home for Oman Embassy in Seoul
Oman’s embassy in Korea has moved to a new specially-designed building. The Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Seoul moved to the new building located in the Jongno-gu area of the city and resumed operations Monday. “Oman was keen to build an embassy using Omani architectural design in combination with Korean and modern design to appreciate art and history of both Oman and Korea,” an official at the Omani Embassy said. “We hope that the new building will be a landmark in Seoul, the world design
Dec. 11, 2011
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Award for boosting Spanish tourism
A Korean who has helped grow tourism from here to Spain is to be honored with a decoration this week. Chung Tae-wan helped to increase the number of Koreans visiting the European country over the last 17 years from 2,000 to 80,000 annual visitors. He is to be conferred on Tuesday with the Encomienda de la Orden de Isabel la Catolica for developing friendship and economic relations between the two countries. The Korean representative of the National Office of Tourism of Spain and Air Europa from
Dec. 11, 2011
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Vote open for Ireland’s EU logo
The Irish embassy is asking people to help choose a logo to represent its EU presidency. The poll has been launched by the Irish Tanaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, and Minister of State for European Affairs Lucinda Creighton. Go to www.eu2013.ie to find details about the four designs and vote. The winning logo will be featured online and in print when Ireland holds the presidency during the first six months of 2013. Voting is open now unti
Dec. 11, 2011
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Diplomats learn more about Korea
New ambassadors and diplomatic staff in Korea have taken part in a program to introduce them to the country. The program run by the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security, which is affiliated with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, held cultural and information events for 62 people from 43 countries. Ambassadors to Korea from Belarus, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Gabon, Laos, Norway, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka attended events on Wednesday and Thursday last week. Diplomatic
Dec. 11, 2011
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Fiji to open embassy in South Korea
Fiji is to open a new embassy in South Korea next year, sending an ambassador from Suva to Seoul. The new embassy is expected to open in the first half of 2012 to foster trade and investment between Korea and the archipelago about 2,000 km northeast of New Zealand. It will employ about 5 staff, a Fiji government official said, adding that an ambassador may be selected in the next month. “We want to open an embassy there because Korea is right in the heart of Asia,” he added. “Korea and Fiji have
Dec. 11, 2011
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Jang transports envoys to the ‘Beautiful World’
He may be small in stature, but Jang Sa-ik proved he had the voice of a mountain when he entertained Seoul’s diplomatic community in an end-of-year concert Friday.The haegeum traditional fiddle and Korean percussion fused with piano and guitar as Jang took the audience on a “Voyage to the Beautiful World” at Seoul Women’s Plaza.At times he sang from the side of his mouth, at others he tilted his head back and let the emotive Korean lyrics pour freely out of him. His body bobbed up and down as if
Dec. 11, 2011
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H.K. proves might of an open legal market
Secretary says territory’s experience shows more foreign law firms may benefit KoreaHong Kong’s justice secretary has praised the opening-up of Korea’s legal market on a trip to Seoul, saying a more international outlook could be a “positive development.”During his relationship-building visit Thursday, Wong Yan Lung commented on foreign law firms’ new chance to work in Korea following the U.S. Fair Trade Agreement, likely to take effect Jan. 1, and the EU FTA which came into force this July. “Th
Dec. 11, 2011
