Korean investors can benefit from EU-funded NRRP: Italian ambassador

   Italy is a leading innovator with valuable opportunities for cooperation with Korean entities, says Italian ambassador to South Korea Federico Failla. Speaking at The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum on May 4 in Seoul, Failla highlighted Italy’s past and continuing innovations, and its focus on green energy. According to Failla, Italy is committed to achieving carbon neutrality in 2050, and currently produces 20 percent of total energy from renewable sources, as w

May 10, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Is Bulgaria Europe’s undiscovered foodie capital?

Bulgaria has long been known for hearty traditional comfort food. But springing up around its classic cuisine is a new wave of culinary innovations thanks to exciting new chefs, eclectic restaurants and hip independent food producers serving up organic local produce with a contemporary flair. “In the last five or six years, Bulgarian food has been taken to a different level,” says Milen Zlatev, executive chef at Biorest restaurant in Sofia, Bulgaria. “I like to take something

May 3, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Ecuador and S.Korea ‘complimentary economies’ with room for more cooperation: Ecuadorian top envoy

South Korea and Ecuador are complimentary economies with potential for wider cooperation, Ecuadorian Ambassador Adrian Kao said in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. “There is a natural fit for deeper engagement between Ecuador and Korea,” Kao said, inviting Korean companies and institutions to consider Ecuador as a partner and to invest in Ecuador. Kao said that more than 20 Korean companies operated in Ecuador in infrastructure construction, consulting, natural resources,

May 3, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Korea and the Dominican Republic: Preparing for the next 60 years

In 1962 Korea needed markets in new countries for its nascent strategy of export-oriented industrialization. Diplomatic relations were the first step in that direction. Fifteen Latin American and Caribbean countries benefited from this drive, including mine, the Dominican Republic. Exporting to my region has contributed to Korea becoming the world’s sixth largest exporter and the 10th largest economy. It is now a leading source of quality products at affordable prices. Coherence is the o

April 26, 2022

[DIPLOMATIC CIRCUIT] Chile-Korea relations seminar

The Chilean Embassy in Korea, the Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean, the Korean International Trade Association and Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-hosted a seminar on April 20 called “Chile and Korea 60 years looking to the future: bilateral relations from the perspectives of its protagonists” in a hybrid online and offline format. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Chilean President Gabriel Boric and Korean

April 26, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] PERU EMBASSY RECEPTION

PERU EMBASSY RECEPTION -- Mayor of Lima, Jorge Munoz Wells, delivers a welcome speech at the Peru ambassador’s residence in Itaewon, Seoul, on April 19, during his visit to Seoul. Munoz Wells highlighted close relations, comprehensive strategic partnership, free trade agreements, modern smart city development, infrastructural projects and emerging areas of cooperation between Peru and Korea. (Sanjay Kumar/The Korea Herald)

April 26, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Uzbekistan’s SCO chairmanship: New directions of multisectoral cooperation

In recent years, the authority and role of Uzbekistan, which under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, have been growing not only in the region, but also in the world; the country’s positive influence on the international dynamic has been increasing. It goes without saying that a vital role in this is played through active participation in the institutions of multilateral cooperation -- international and regional organizations. In this sense, Uzbekistan’s partnership with

April 26, 2022

Labor relations are foundation for building Uzbekistan’s Third Renaissance

Over the past 5 years, unprecedented results have been achieved in Uzbekistan under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, both in domestic and foreign policy. One of the central areas among the ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan is comprehensive development of labor relations and the labor market, aimed at improving the quality of life of the population and ensuring human interests, which is in line with the UN sustainable development goals. In this regard, it should be noted that th

April 20, 2022

Unification minister holds talks with US nuclear envoy on N. Korea

Unification Minister Lee In-young met with the US envoy for North Korea to seek ways to bring the reclusive regime back to the negotiating table, his office said Tuesday. During the meeting, Lee and U.S. Special Representative Sung Kim discussed ways to "stably manage" the currently "grave" political situation on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said in a press release. Lee stressed the two sides must maintain close policy cooperation ahead of the incoming government of

April 19, 2022

S. Korea provides $2.86b in ODA last year: OECD

South Korea provided $2.86 billion in official development assistance (ODA) last year, up 26.9 percent from a year earlier, marking the biggest increase since it joined the international aid forum of donor countries, data showed Tuesday. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) released the tentative statistics on 29 member countries of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), an OECD organization tasked with coordinating aid policy for developing countries. Bilat

April 12, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Costa Rica’s decarbonization plan, opportunity for Korean companies: Costa Rican envoy

Costa Rican Ambassador Alejandro Rodríguez Zamora sees several potential projects derived from Costa Rica’s “National Decarbonization Plan 2018-2050” that will open opportunities for Korean engineering, procurement and construction companies. The Costa Rican envoy highlighted that the plan includes the development of a mobility system based on renewable energy-driven public transport, construction of low-emission buildings, and an industrial transition to green energy.

April 12, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] Kazakhstan ready to support Korean investments: Kazakh ambassador

Kazakhstan is ready to provide “maximum support” for large investment projects, tax exemptions, issuance of in-kind grants and solutions to infrastructure problems, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Korea said in an interview with The Korea Herald Sunday. A special working group aimed at expanding investment cooperation with Korean businesses and implementing joint projects, chaired by Kazakhstan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar, has been set up, Bakyt Dyussenbayev sa

April 12, 2022

(Diplomatic Circuit) [From the Scene] Uzbekistan vows to become middle-income country by 2030 at Tashkent Investment Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- Uzbekistan vowed to become a middle-income country by 2030 at the Tashkent International Investment Forum at Tashkent City Congress Hall in Tashkent on Thursday. Addressing the plenary session of the forum, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev outlined important measures to attract investment and practical proposals open up the country’s business environment as of this year. “We aim to make Uzbekistan one of the world’s middle-income countries by 2030, sa

March 29, 2022

Doha forum hopes to transform new era through diplomacy, dialogue, diversity and multilateralism

DOHA, QATAR -- High level officials, policymakers and academics discussed geopolitical alliances and international relations, the financial system and economic development, defense, cyber and food security, and climate change and sustainability hoping to transform new era through diplomacy, dialogue, diversity and multilateralism at Doha Forum through March 26-27. Started in the year 2000, Doha forum is aimed to launch dialogue on critical challenges facing the world, promote the exchange of id

March 29, 2022

[From the Scene] Uzbekistan vows to become middle-income country by 2030 at Tashkent Investment Forum

   Tashkent, Uzbekistan -- Uzbekistan vowed to become a middle-income country by 2030 at the Tashkent International Investment Forum at Tashkent City Congress Hall in Tashkent on Thursday. Addressing the plenary session of the forum, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev outlined important measures to attract investment and practical proposals open up the country’s business environment as of this year. “We aim to make Uzbekistan one of the world’s middle-income countrie

March 28, 2022

Poland committed to help refugees in Ukrainian crisis: Polish ambassador

Poland is committed to supporting humanitarian aid to Ukraine amid dramatic geopolitical and international security changes caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said Poland’s Ambassador to Korea Piotr Ostaszewski in an email interview with The Korea Herald on Monday. Ostaszewski stressed that Poland is helping Ukraine on an enormous scale in the refugee crisis and has received over 2 million refugees from Ukraine. “No one is left without a help,” he said. According

March 22, 2022

ASEAN-Korea Centre releases startup ecosystem videos

ASEAN-Korea Center on Monday released the first clip in a series of videos on the ASEAN-Korea startup ecosystem. The 12 videos were produced in collaboration with the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the ASEAN Secretariat. Two general session videos will feature presentations by Roh Yong-seok, director general for startup promotion policy at the Ministry of SMEs and Startups; and Le Quang Lan, director of Market Integration Directorate at the ASEAN Secret

March 22, 2022

Uzbekistan to host Tashkent Investment Forum

Uzbekistan will host the Tashkent International Investment Forum from March 24-26, the Embassy of Uzbekistan said in a press release. The forum will focus on green energy, innovative industries, agriculture and digitization of the economy. According to the embassy, the forum is a new platform for the Central Asian region to show the investment potential of Uzbekistan for international investment and business communities. Citing Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade, the

March 18, 2022

[Diplomatic Circuit] ‘Dynamism’ defines Chile-Korea bilateral cooperation

Dynamism defines the Chile-Korea bilateral relationship, said Chile’s charges d`affaires ad interim in Korea, Gustavo Gonzalez, during an interview with The Korea Herald on Friday. Discussing the significance of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and 13 Latin American countries, Gonzalez said that Korea and Chile have comprehensive trade relations as well as high coincidence in areas such as clean energy, protection of the environment, human ri

March 16, 2022

[Diplomtic Circuit] Australia’s Victoria state partners with Korean health care think tank

Australia’s Victorian government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea Health Industry Development Institute to expand cooperation in mRNA vaccine research and manufacturing capabilities. Under the deal inked on March 11, both parties agreed to make joint efforts to explore potential research collaboration and investment opportunities that may lead to the development of RNA ecosystems in their respective jurisdictions. “Victoria has Australia’s largest biomedic

March 15, 2022