Korea, China to discuss nuclear energy partnership

Korea and China will hold high-level talks this week on nuclear energy cooperation, the government said Wednesday.The bilateral Nuclear Power Joint Committee meeting, the 13th of its kind, is scheduled to open in Beijing on Thursday.In the two-day session, Korea will be represented by Hong Nam-ki, vice minister of science, ICT and future planning. His Chinese counterpart is Xu Dazhe, the director of the China Atomic Energy Authority. Other government officials and civilian experts will join the

May 25, 2016

PM returns from overseas trip

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn returned from his overseas trip to Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey on Tuesday, after expanding Seoul's diplomatic ties and fostering business opportunities for local firms.During his trip, Hwang met Uzbekistan Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev and agreed to expand economic cooperation between Seoul and Tashkent. It marked the first time in eight years for a Korean prime minister to visit the Central Asian country. He also visited Saudi Arabia in an apparent bid t

May 24, 2016

Korean envoy receives award from Rome

Korean Ambassador to Italy Lee Yong-joon on Monday received a Premio Simpatia 2016 award from the Rome city government for his contributions to disseminating Korean culture in the European country.Lee is the first Korean diplomat to receive the award in the ceremony held at the city hall. He was honored for his contributions to spreading Korean culture among Italians since his appointment as ambassador to Rome in May last year.Lee successfully operated the Korean Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo,

May 24, 2016

Filipinos vote in national election

As part of this year’s national election to choose the Philippine’s new batch of leaders, one-quarter of all registered Filipino voters in Korea cast their ballots on May 9 at the embassy chancery in Seoul. A total of 3,473 Filipino residents exercised their suffrage rights in the highest turnout in 12 years. It marked the end of the 31-day voting period for overseas polls, with 3,131 voting personally, and 292 travelling to Busan and Daegu in late April to vote. “Overseas Filipinos living in Ko

May 15, 2016

Latvia to join OECD

On May 11, the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development unanimously reached a decision to invite Latvia as its 35th member, confirming the Baltic nation has met all conditions for membership. Latvia will sign its accession agreement during the OECD’s annual ministerial council meeting in Paris on June 2, after which it will become a full-fledged member. “We have covered a distance comparable to a marathon and earned our right to belong to ‘the club of best practices,’

May 15, 2016

Park to visit Africa, France later this month

President Park Geun-hye plans to leave for Ethiopia later this month on a 12-day, four-nation trip to Africa and France with the aim of boosting bilateral ties, South Korea's presidential office said Thursday.The trip, which will also take Park to Uganda and Kenya, comes as South Korea is pushing its companies to explore business opportunities in foreign countries that could give a much-needed boost to Asia's fourth-largest economy.Africa has emerged as a continent of opportunity in recent years

May 12, 2016

U.N. chief likely to visit Korea this month: source

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will likely visit South Korea this month to attend a series of international conferences, a source with relevant knowledge said Wednesday, as all eyes turn towards whether he will compete in the next presidential race.The South Korean native has long been a favorite among potential candidates for the December 2017 presidential election, although Ban has repeatedly denied interest in domestic politics.According to the source, the U.N. chief will attend the U.N.

May 11, 2016

Argentina's VP calls on Korea to help create jobs, tackle poverty

Argentina's vice president called on South Korea Tuesday to help lift millions of Argentinians out of poverty as the new administration in Buenos Aires pushes to revive the country's economy.Gabriela Michetti, who took office in December upon the election of reformist President Mauricio Macri, arrived in Seoul Sunday on a three-day visit aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries.Speaking in a joint interview with Yonhap News Agency and the Maeil Business Newspaper, she made clear tha

May 10, 2016

Tehran Street, Seoul Street stand as symbols of friendship

Tehran Street in southern Seoul and Seoul Street in Iran's capital are prominent symbols of the special bond that has withstood the test of time and can pave the way for a brighter future, observers said Tuesday.The 4-kilometer-long Tehran Street, which runs through the capital's affluent Gangnam district from east to west, is considered one of the richest areas in the country with countless high-rises flanking the boulevard that is used by an endless stream of cars and pedestrians every day.Fou

May 10, 2016

Diplomatic quandary looms over South China Sea dispute

South Korea is facing a diplomatic challenge as an international tribunal is expected to render its landmark ruling in the Philippines' legal battle against China over their dispute in the South China Sea as early as this month, observers said Tuesday. Although Seoul is not embroiled in any spat over the contested waters, it has been closely watching the maritime conflict that has escalated geopolitical tensions involving the United States and China -- its security ally and largest trading partn

May 10, 2016