Israeli FM refused to undergo security check at S. Korean airport

  Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman refused to put his bag through security check as he left South Korea earlier this week, an airport official said Saturday.   Liberman was in Seoul for a two-day visit to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two natio

March 17, 2012

Foreign minister to meet ambassadors of nuclear security summit nations

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan will hold a luncheon meeting on Friday with ambassadors to South Korea from countries participating in the upcoming 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, the government said.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the meeting at Lotte Hotel in central Seoul will mark “D-10” to the summit, one of the largest diplomatic events in Korean history scheduled for March 26-27.Kim will invite the ambassadors of 51 countries, except Armenia, Lithuania, the U.N., the IAE

March 15, 2012

President Lee expected to hold summit talks with up to 25 leaders

President Lee Myung-bak is expected to hold bilateral talks with up to 25 leaders on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit slated to take place in Seoul from March 26-27.“President Lee is expected to have talks with leaders from 20 or up to 25 countries during a week-long period around the Nuclear Security Summit,” Han Choong-hee, spokesperson for the summit’s preparatory body, told reporters.The premier forum on nuclear security, safety and safeguards is to be attended by the leaders of

March 15, 2012

U.S. stepping up efforts to boost tripartite ties with S. Korea, Japan: envoy

South Korea‘s new top envoy in the United States said Wednesday he will concentrate efforts on “fine-tuning” the alliance between the two sides and helping Washington’s efforts to boost trilateral cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo.Amb. Choi Young-jin said Seoul-Washington relations can‘t be “always smooth,” no more than relationships among friends and between husband and wife.“It is important to prevent unnecessary conflicts by predicting possible problems and managing them in advance,” he said i

March 15, 2012

Seoul nuke summit expected to touch on N. Korea issue: Ban

NEW YORK (Yonhap News) ― U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday he expects global leaders will discuss the North Korean nuclear issue when they meet in Seoul later this month for a summit on nuclear safety and security.South Korea is scheduled to host the second Nuclear Security Summit from March 26-27 in which the heads of state from more than 50 nations and leaders of international organizations including Ban will take part.The biennial summit does not have the North’s nuclear problem

March 14, 2012

S. Korea confident Ieodo within its maritime boundary

South Korea said Tuesday that there is no doubt that the rock outcropping of Ieodo off its southern island of Jeju belongs within South Korea’s maritime boundary, responding to China’s proposal to demarcate the area’s exclusive economic zones through talks.Ieodo, submerged 4.6 meters, lies within the overlapping exclusive economic zones of South Korea and China. Although an international maritime law stipulates that a submerged rock cannot be claimed as territory by any country, South Korea effe

March 13, 2012

Obama’s itinerary in S. Korea not decided: ministry

A Foreign Ministry official said U.S. President Barack Obama’s itinerary for his visit to South Korea later this month for the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit has not been confirmed, dismissing news reports that Obama may visit the demilitarized zone between South and North Korea.“In the past when former U.S. presidents visited South Korea, they used to visit U.S. forces stationed here. But the U.S. has not decided on his movements yet,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “If these

March 12, 2012

Culture following business for India, Korea

An Indian culture chief has called for Korea-India cultural relations to follow the path of strong economic ties as a year-long Indian festival draws to a close here. Dr. Syed Shahid Mahdi, vice president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, visited Seoul to mark the end of the “Namaste Korea” (Greetings to Korea) festival that has run since last year.Last week’s finale of the festival organized by the Indian Embassy and the Indian Cultural Centre in Seoul, along with the National Theat

March 11, 2012

U.S. streamlines visa fees for Koreans

The United States Embassy in Seoul implemented a measure on Friday to simplify the process of visa fee payment for South Korean travelers, making applications for visas easier and less expensive.Starting March 9, one fee now covers all tourist visa processing services through the U.S. Embassy’s authorized agency, named the Global Support Strategy.Previously, visa applicants paid more fees for some additional services, such as scheduling a visa interview appointment or delivery of passports for a

March 11, 2012

China swings to trade deficit in Feb

China swung to a large trade deficit in February as imports grew much faster than exports amid uncertainties in the global economy, the Chinese customs office said Saturday.Last month, the world's No. 2 economy posted a US$31.5 billion trade deficit, compared to a $27.3 billion trade surplus in Janu

March 10, 2012

Yemen air strikes kill 23 suspected Qaeda militants: police

SANAA (AFP) - Overnight air strikes that residents said were carried out by US warplanes killed 23 suspected Al-Qaeda militants in mountains south of the Yemeni capital, security sources said on Saturday."Twenty-three Al-Qaeda fighters were killed in air raids launched late on Friday against their p

March 10, 2012

IMF to propose 28 bn euro loan for Greece

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The International Monetary Fund plans to offer a new loan for Greece worth 28 billion euros ($36.7 billion) as part of the country's second bailout package, IMF chief Christine Lagarde said Friday."Today I have consulted with the IMF's Executive Board and on that basis, as discuss

March 10, 2012