The Korea Herald

Political outsider tasked with rebuilding Somalia

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday became the first leader to be chosen from inside Somalia since President Said Barre was overthrown by warlords in 1991.Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, president of the outgoing U.N.-backed interim administration, accepted defeat and called the election free and fair. But adding democratic to that description is still a mighty task.The country’s security situation dominated the campaign, and it was this that meant Mohamud was chosen by parliamentarians elected not by the peo

Sept. 11, 2012

Political outsider tasked with rebuilding Somalia

Japan finance services minister dead: reports

Japan's financial services minister was found dead at his home on Monday in what police believe was a possible suicide, media said.Tadahiro Matsushita, 73, who was also the state minister in charge of postal reform for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, was found collapsed at his house in Tokyo and confirmed dead at hospital shortly afterwards, public broadcaster NHK said.Kyodo News and Jiji Press, ci

Sept. 10, 2012

S. Korea, Greenland agree to cooperate in green growth, resources development

President Lee Myung-bak said Sunday South Korea wants to help Greenland pursue economic development in an environment-friendly way, expressing sadness and concern after seeing Arctic glaciers that are melting due to global warming.Lee arrived in Greenland earlier in the day to take a first-hand look at problems resulting from climate change and to hold talks with Premier Kuupik Kleist of the Danis

Sept. 10, 2012

Sudan withdraws candidacy for UN rights council

UNITED NATIONS (AP) _ Sudan has withdrawn its candidacy for a seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council following strong criticism from human rights and pro-democracy groups.Sudan's U.N. Mission said in a letter obtained Friday by The Associated Press that ``it is no longer interested in taking up one of the vacancies available in the Human Rights Council.''Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, is accuse

Sept. 1, 2012

[Newsmaker] Romney’s running mate comes out fighting

Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan accepted the Republican Party’s nomination for vice president Wednesday with a speech that showed he was not afraid to take on Obama.While pushing his outline for smaller government, he took several swipes at the U.S. president.“Ladies and gentlemen, these past four years we have suffered no shortage of words in the White House,” he said. “What’s missing is leadership in the White House.” Ryan even took on the left over health care, traditionally a weak suit for the Repu

Aug. 30, 2012

[Newsmaker] Romney’s running mate comes out fighting

Korea sends diplomatic document to refute Japan's proposal over Dokdo

South Korea sent a diplomatic document to Japan on Thursday, dismissing Tokyo's latest proposal to take the sovereignty issue of South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).Last week, Tokyo handed over to Seoul a "note verbale," a diplomatic document that is unsigned but more formal than a verbal request, suggesting that both sides jointly refer the Dokdo

Aug. 30, 2012

Korea blasts Japan over remarks denying responsibility for sex slave issue

South Korea lambasted Japan on Wednesday for trying to dodge responsibility for its mobilization of Korean women as sex slaves during World War II, saying the country would have "no future" if it "turns a blind eye to history."Earlier this week, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and other senior officials made remarks that there is no documentary evidence showing Japan forced Korean women int

Aug. 29, 2012

Korean lawmakers adopt resolution calling on Japan not to use rising sun flag

Lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties adopted a resolution on Wednesday calling for the prohibition of the flag Japan used during World War II from football matches with South Korea.Rep. An Min-suk of the main opposition Democratic United Party said in a news conference that 68 lawmakers signed off on the resolution that calls on the South Korean government to petition the International

Aug. 29, 2012

Korea expresses dismay at Japan's denial of wartime sex slavery

The South Korean government on Monday criticized a high-profile Japanese official's denial of the country's forced wartime sexual enslavement of Korean women, calling on Tokyo to take "sincere measures" for the victims.According to historians, up to 200,000 women, mostly Koreans, were coerced into sexual servitude at front-line Japanese military brothels during World War II as the Korean Peninsula

Aug. 28, 2012

U.S. calls on Japan, S. Korea to resolve row

The United States on Thursday called on South Korea and Japan to resolve differences through dialogue as tensions took a farcical turn, with a new row between the two nations over correspondence."Both of these countries are strong, important, valued allies of the United States. It's obviously not comfortable for us when they have a dispute between them," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nulan

Aug. 24, 2012

[Newsmaker] Rape comments make U.S. candidate a party pariah

U.S. Republican Senate candidate Rep. Todd Akin has provided a clear reminder of the effect a few words can have on an individual’s political fate.Akin’s comments during an abortion debate that women’s bodies can prevent pregnancy after a “legitimate rape” have drawn fire from all sides. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was the latest Republican to call on him to quit his challenge for a senate seat in Missouri. Earlier, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt and four former Republican senators from the stat

Aug. 22, 2012

[Newsmaker] Rape comments make U.S. candidate a party pariah

FM rejects Japan's proposal over Dokdo as 'not worth consideration'

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan dismissed a proposal by Japan on Tuesday to jointly refer the issue of Dokdo to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), saying the proposal is "not worth consideration." Kim made the remarks at a parliamentary session hours after the Japanese government decided to make a formal proposal to South Korea by Tuesday by sending a diplomatic document through

Aug. 21, 2012

Korea to send response letter to Noda over Dokdo: officials

South Korea is expected to reiterate its stance on the issue of Dokdo and refute Japan's sovereignty claim in its reply to a letter by Japan's prime minister to President Lee Myung-bak, two government officials said Sunday.Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda sent the letter to Lee via Seoul's Embassy in Tokyo on Friday, describing as regrettable Lee's Aug. 10 visit to Dokdo and his remarks that

Aug. 19, 2012

Tokyo expected to send diplomatic letter to Seoul over Dokdo

Japan is expected to deliver a diplomatic letter this week asking South Korea to jointly take the issue of Dokdo, Seoul's easternmost islets claimed by Tokyo as its territory, to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a diplomatic source said Sunday. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will hold a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday to make a decision on whether to send a "note verbale," a diplom

Aug. 19, 2012

KEY FIGURES IN THE SERIES

The following are quotes from experts who contributed to the series on the changing Asia-Pacific security situation — Ed.Nam Chang-hee, Inha University“Now, China is a status-quo power. But as it gets stronger militarily and economically, China could become a revisionist and try to challenge the regional order. To prevent this situation, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan can form a strong network to persuade China to remain as a status-quo power and become a responsible regional stakeholder. It i

July 12, 2012

Japanese panel calls for collective defense rights

A Japanese Prime Ministerial committee called for recognition of Japan’s rights to collective defense, adding another variable to Northeast Asia’s regional security issues.According to the Japanese broadcaster NHK, a prime ministerial committee released a report saying that Japan should be allowed to exercise rights of collective defense.This would allow Japan to enter combat to help its allies, even when it is not directly attacked.“Related interpretations (of laws) should be changed to allow c

July 5, 2012

GUTS: rising powers in the ‘West’

Germany is rising up as the locomotive of global growth. The U.S. is recovering and holding onto its global leadership. Turkey is transforming into a regional powerhouse. Korea symbolizes creative economy and multilateral diplomacy. Two U.S. researchers have coined a new word, GUTS, to represent the four powers enjoying a fresh renaissance and propping up the supposedly declining developed world.“(The four countries) are actually increasing their international influence, while the others are stu

May 28, 2012

FM pledges swift release of S. Korean activists detained in China

Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan pledged Thursday to make diplomatic efforts to press Beijing to swiftly release four South Korean activists who have been detained in China since late March.The four activists, including Kim Young-hwan, a senior researcher for the Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights, a Seoul-based civic group for North Korean defectors, were arrested by Chinese police

May 17, 2012

S. Korea toughens penalties for EEZ violation

South Korea has toughened penalties for fishing boats that violate its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to better protect its maritime resources, the government said Tuesday.The revised rules, which went into effect Monday, double the fines for illegal fishing to 200 million won (US$173,000) from 100 million won, the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.Under the new guidelines

May 15, 2012

Indonesia jet crash bodies sent for identification

CIJERUK, Indonesia (AFP) – Body bags containing the remains of people aboard a Russian jet that smashed into an Indonesian mountain arrived in Jakarta Saturday as Russian investigators landed to join the probe.Rescuers said the bodies of those who perished when Sukhoi's new Superjet 100 hit Mount Salak in western Java on Wednesday, killing all on board, were badly dismembered.Officials said the re

May 12, 2012