S. Korea names new envoy on Japan’s wartime sexual slavery

Korea has named a former ambassador to the Netherlands and an expert of international law to an envoy tasked with resolving a sensitive issue with Japan over aging Korean women forced into sexual slavery for Tokyo’s World War II soldiers, an official said Thursday.Ambassador Kim Young-won, 60, replaced Choi Suk-inn, who moved on to become the ambassador to Azerbaijan as part of the foreign ministry’s regular reshuffle, the ministry official said.“Given his extensive knowledge and experiences as

Aug. 23, 2012

17 ambassadors, consuls named

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Wednesday appointed 17 new ambassadors and consul generals to lead diplomatic missions to 20 nations and two international organizations. The new 17 ambassadors include former Deputy Minister for FTA Choi Seok-young and former First Vice Foreign Minister Park Suk-hwan. Choi will now serve as the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the U.N. Secretariat and International Organizations in Geneva, while Park will lead the embassy to the U.K.In

Aug. 22, 2012

Seoul stands firm on Japan’s Dokdo move

South Korea on Tuesday dismissed Japan’s formal proposal for an international litigation over the sovereignty of Dokdo islets as Tokyo is pondering options to retaliate against what it considers a diplomatic offense by President Lee Myung-bak.Ohtsuki Kotaro, a counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, delivered to the Korean Foreign Ministry a diplomatic document detailing a proposal to file the Dokdo case with the International Court of Justice. Tokyo’s Cabinet endorsed the decision at a meet

Aug. 21, 2012

Costa Rican president visits Seoul

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan met with Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla Miranda on Monday to discuss ways to expand economic cooperation and other technological and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Chinchilla arrived here on Sunday on invitation from President Lee Myung-bak. She is the first Costa Rican president to visit Seoul in 11 years. The two leaders are scheduled for summit talks on Tuesday. Chinchilla received an honorary citizenship from Seoul City after meeting with

Aug. 20, 2012

Seoul to refute Japanese P.M.’s letter

Amid spiraling tension, South Korea is considering reasserting its ownership of Dokdo in response to the Japanese prime minister’s letter which expressed regret about President Lee Myung-bak’s recent trip to the islets, Seoul officials said Sunday.Officials here have been grappling with how to respond to the dispatch delivered via the Korean Embassy in Tokyo on Friday. Yoshihiko Noda also expressed regret about Lee’s calls for Emperor Akihito’s apology for Japan’s colonial atrocities.  The unpre

Aug. 19, 2012

Activist hero to some, ‘dangerous’ to others

Holed up the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he has been granted asylum, Julian Assange is as defiant as ever.Sweden wants to question him about accusations that he sexually assaulted two women. Assange denies the charges and argues they are a pretext for further extradition to the U.S., where he would be persecuted.But after appeals against extradition to Sweden failed, he broke bail to seek asylum.It is ironic, given the nature of his work, that he is avoiding extradition to a country rank

Aug. 19, 2012

Singaporean Embassy celebrates national day

The Singaporean Embassy celebrated its National Day while reflecting on its growing diplomatic relations with Korea, in Seoul on Tuesday.The event marked the country’s 47th anniversary of independence from Malaysia and the 37th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea.“I am pleased to say that Singapore’s bilateral relations with the Republic of Korea are excellent, anchored by the many high-level visits from both sides,” said Singaporean Ambassador Peter Tan. In March, Prime Minister Lee

Aug. 19, 2012

India celebrates independence with community

The Indian Embassy celebrated its independence day in Seoul on Wednesday for its 7,500-strong expatriate community.Indian Ambassador Vishnu Prakash commemorated the event by delivering the Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s address to the nation, after raising the nation’s flag to mark its 66th Independence Day.“Two decades of steady economic reforms have contributed to improvement in average income and consumption levels in both rural and urban areas,” said Mukerjee, as quoted by Prakash. “We

Aug. 19, 2012

Ambassadors support global student environment forum

Student-led environmental group Daejayon held an environmental forum on Aug. 13, drawing ambassadors, dignitaries and university students.Dusan Bella, Slovak Ambassador, Mesfin Midekssa, minister counselor of the Ethiopian Embassy, and Kim Yong-gap, president of Daejayon, were among the 700 people attending the forum.Slovak Ambassador Bella commended the event, calling the students and other participants “the future of this planet.”“I am very glad to observe that Daejayon is becoming a driving f

Aug. 19, 2012

Korea-Japan tension grows amid spat

Strife between South Korea and Japan has aggravated recently as the two regional rivals bicker over territorial and historical issues.On Tuesday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak demanded that the Japanese emperor sincerely apologize for the country’s 35-year colonial ruling over Korea in the early 20th century.“(If the Japanese emperor) wishes to visit South Korea, I think it would be good if he apologizes sincerely to those who passed away while fighting for independence,” Lee said.Japanes

Aug. 17, 2012

Seoul starts public-private partnership for overseas aid

South Korea established a public-private partnership on Monday to cultivate overseas development programs in a more comprehensive, diverse and effective way. The Development Alliance Korea, a first of its kind here, seeks to forge an extensive network between the government, corporations, universities and civic groups that are devoted to assisting developing countries. It will also be working with multinational agencies.  Among the some 80 members are the Korea International Cooperation Agency,

Aug. 13, 2012

Frustration over stalled reunions

Time is running out for elderly people in both Koreas longing to meet their long-lost relatives across the border.Family reunions have been on hold since October 2010 following North Korea’s sinking of a South Korean warship and artillery firing on a border island in the West Sea. Over the previous 10 years, the two countries held meetings for the families displaced by the Korean War around major holidays such as Liberation Day on Aug. 15 and Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving. Pyongyang effective

Aug. 13, 2012