[Herald Interview] ‘Indonesia hub-and-spoke anchor of ASEAN economy’

Buoyed by nationwide reforms to raise its economic competitiveness, Indonesia is ripe for Korean business as the hub for the larger Southeast Asian market, according to the country’s industry minister. In an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald, Indonesian Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto said his country welcomes Korean investment in infrastructure, energy and manufacturing, noting the government has undertaken ambitious reforms targeting these sectors. “One of our key reforms is to

July 17, 2017

Korea prods Japan to acknowledge forced labor on Hashima Island, other UNESCO-listed sites

South Korea has prodded Japan to acknowledge the country's forced mobilization of Koreans at several UNESCO-listed world heritage sites in Japan, including Hashima Island, in the latest session of the United Nations body for culture and education, the foreign ministry said Thursday.In the 41st session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee held in Krakow, Poland from July 2-12, South Korea's Amb. to UNESCO Lee Byong-hyun issued a call on Japan to implement its pledge that the country made before U

July 13, 2017

Senior diplomat to visit Europe countries to discuss cooperation

South Korea's senior diplomat will depart for Europe this week to discuss closer cooperation with Sweden, Britain and the European Union, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will arrive in Sweden on the first leg of the week-long trip that will begin on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.Lim will hold policy consultations with Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Annika Soder there on Friday to discuss collaboration on Korean Peninsula issues and other

July 13, 2017

Probe launched into diplomat rape claim

The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday it has launched a probe into an allegation that a diplomat raped a young female contract worker while working with her at its embassy in Ethiopia. The woman was assaulted Saturday after becoming intoxicated during dinner with the diplomat and driven to his home in Addis Ababa, officials said. (Yonhap)Based on preliminary fact-finding questioning, a ministry official said the diplomat invited her to the dinner to “express gratitude” for her help at work and the

July 12, 2017

Unification minister meets with bizmen investing in Kaesong complex

South Korea's unification minister on Wednesday met with a group of company officials who ran factories at a now-shuttered industrial complex in North Korea as they called for more compensation for their losses over the closure.Cho Myoung-gyon held a meeting with 14 officials from local firms that invested in the Kaesong Industrial Complex in North Korea's border city of the same name, according to Seoul's unification ministry."Since I became the minister, what struck me first was the joint indu

July 12, 2017

President meets political leaders over G-20 outcome, dispute over nominees

President Moon Jae-in met with key political and government leaders Wednesday to explain the outcome of his recent trip to Germany, his office Cheong Wa Dae said, a move also aimed at overcoming the political dispute he now faces here.The meeting, held over lunch at the presidential office, involved the so-called five key figures next in command that include Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Kim Yi-su, who is

July 12, 2017

Korea's foreign ministry launches task force for organizational reform

South Korea's foreign ministry on Tuesday launched a task force to spearhead organizational reforms aimed at strengthening its overall capability and efficiency.The task force is led by Oh Yeoung-ju, a special advisor to Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, and comprises three divisions in charge of personnel, organization and renovation, according to the ministry.The task force will carry out an analysis of the ministry's organization and structure and collect opinions from officials and outside ex

July 11, 2017

Office launched for Korea-Central Asia cooperation

South Korea and five Central Asian countries on Monday launched an office in Seoul to facilitate diplomatic, business and people-to-people cooperation through high-level dialogue, exchanges of working-level public officials and cultural festivals. The Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat is the first joint permanent body between the countries and represents progress they have made since the forum was incepted 10 years ago as a high-level consultative mechanism. South Korea and the fi

July 10, 2017

‘Danes don’t cry when fired. They aim higher.’

Denmark’s “flexicurity” welfare state model, buttressing its dynamic labor market, allows employers to hire and fire workers efficiently, according to the head of the Confederation of Danish Enterprise. Danes’ talent is seldom wasted, as they continuously search for jobs offering better pay, autonomy and creativity, the confederation’s Chief Executive Officer Laurits Ronn said in an interview. As business managers can flexibly adjust the size of their enterprise, this ultimately raises the count

July 10, 2017

‘Sustainable water sharing key to common prosperity’

With the rising tide of global warming creating greater uncertainties over our water management, developed and developing countries should come together to prevent the tragedy of the commons and search for sustainable solutions affecting their common future, according to a renowned academic expert on the issue. “The problems are manifold, but fundamentally speaking we are not using water the way we should be,” said professor Ashok Swain of Uppsala University in Sweden in an interview with The Ko

July 10, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Kazakhstan vanguard of Central Asia’s global engagement’

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- Central Asia, a region long insulated from globalization and liberalization, is awakening from its centuries-old slumber. By embracing international integration and enhancing commercial environs, the region is harnessing harmonious winds of change blowing across Europe and Asia.Kazakhstan is leading the five Central Asian nations in their collective quest for global engagement and national development, according to the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko. “Ce

July 10, 2017

S. Korea, Canada agree to work together to reduce tensions on Korean Peninsula

President Moon Jae-in has held his first talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and agreed to work together to reduce tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.During the talks Saturday, Trudeau expressed deep concern about North Korea and said that Canada is ready to provide any help it can to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.In response, Moon called the situation "the worst crisis" since the Korean War, an

July 9, 2017

G-20 summit declaration says Paris Agreement irreversible, makes no mention of N. Korea

Leaders of the Group of 20 major countries wrapped up two days of summit meetings in Hamburg on Saturday with a declaration that the Paris climate agreement is "irreversible" despite the US decision to withdraw from the global pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The G-20 Leaders' Declaration, however, made no mention of North Korea, even though the meetings came just a few days after the communist nation stunned the world with its first test-firing of an intercontinental capable ball

July 9, 2017

Korean judge set to be elected as head of ICC's management body

A South Korean judge is set to be elected the head of the management body at the International Criminal Court, the foreign ministry here said Friday.The ICC's bureau has recently decided to recommend Kwon O-gon, who formerly served as vice president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, as the next president of the ICC's Assembly of States Parties, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  (Yonhap)The president of the assembly is customarily chosen through recomm

July 7, 2017

UN Security Council fails to adopt statement condemning NK missile launch due to Russia's opposition

The UN Security Council failed to adopt a press statement condemning North Korea's test-firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile because of Russia's opposition, UN diplomats said Thursday.(Yonhap)When the Security Council met Wednesday to discuss the North's ICBM test, the US proposed a draft press statement strongly condemning the launch and pledging to take "significant measures" against the communist nation.The draft was circulated among the 15 council members, but was not adopted as R

July 7, 2017

Korea to extend aid to dislocated residents in southern Philippines

South Korea has decided to provide $100,000 in humanitarian aid to the Philippines to help the country better weather a militant siege in a southern city, the foreign ministry said Thursday.(Yonhap)The siege by a terrorist group in the southern city of Marawi and a subsequent battle with the Philippine government have continued for more than a month, causing about 300,000 residents in the city and the surrounding area to evacuate the region, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South Ko

July 6, 2017

Vietnamese to be able to visit Korea more easily

HANOI -- South Korea will simplify the issuance of single-entry visas and expand the scope of multi-entry ones for Vietnamese travelers next week in a bid to increase bilateral trade and investment, and attract more tourists from the Southeast Asian nation, an official at the South Korean Embassy in Hanoi said Thursday.  In this undated file photo, Vietnamese tourists dressed in traditional Korean costumes walk in front of a palace in Seoul. (Yonhap)"The lenient steps, which will be taken Monday

July 6, 2017

Moon meets Obama, says last chance for NK talks

President Moon Jae-in renewed his resolve to pursue sanctions and dialogue to tackle North Korea’s nuclear program during a meeting with former US President Barack Obama on Monday, saying now is the “last chance” for the regime to return to the negotiating table. During the 40-minute talk, Moon shared the results of his recent summit with his incumbent US counterpart Donald Trump, asking for Obama’s advice on ways to advance the relationship. The former president stressed bipartisan US support f

July 3, 2017

After Trump summit, Xi likely to up pressure on Moon over THAAD: expert

With President Moon Jae-in having reaffirmed the deployment of a US missile shield here, China is likely to step up pressure at an upcoming summit with South Korea, including through additional retaliation, an expert said Monday. During his four-day visit to Washington, Moon reassured US congressional leaders on the Terminal Altitude Area Defense system installation by saying that he believes the system is “necessary for the defense of the people of both countries.” (Yonhap)Moon is expected to f

July 3, 2017