Defense ministry mulling over reform on cyber security, anti-espionage bodies

South Korea's defense ministry has been making a push to adjust the functions of its cyber security and anti-espionage units, each criticized for getting involved in politics and undue monitoring of individual soldiers, a military source said Sunday. (Yonhap)"Since Defense Minister Song Young-moo took office, we have been preparing reform measures for the ministry's Cyber Command and the Defense Security Command," the source said on condition of anonymity. "They will likely include measures aime

July 23, 2017

Senior diplomats of S. Korea, US, Japan to meet over policy, N. Korea

Senior diplomats of South Korea, the United States and Japan will meet here this week to coordinate their policies on issues including North Korea, the State Department said Tuesday. (Yonhap)The meeting will bring together Ma Sang-yoon, director-general of the South Korean Foreign Ministry's policy planning bureau, Brian Hook, senior policy adviser to the US secretary of state and director of policy planning, and Satoshi Suzuki, Japan's deputy foreign minister for foreign policy, on Wednesday."T

July 19, 2017

Korea, US share goal of denuclearized Korean Peninsula: State Department

South Korea and the United States have the same goal of denuclearizing North Korea, the State Department said Tuesday amid speculation the allies disagree on inter-Korean talks proposed by Seoul.South Korea wants to hold military talks with the North on Friday to discuss ways to ease tensions on their shared border. It also wants to hold Red Cross talks on Aug. 1 to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War.White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Monday current cond

July 19, 2017

If necessary, US will deploy military means to stop N. Korea: Sen. Gardner

The United States will do everything it can to stop North Korea's nuclear and missile programs even if it means the use of military force, an influential senator said Tuesday. Sen. Cory Gardner (Yonhap)Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs, made the remark during a conference hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, saying Washington remains committed to defending it allies in the region."I believe US pol

July 19, 2017

Korean president greets five new foreign envoys in Seoul

South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed five new foreign envoys to Seoul in a meeting held at his presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, on Tuesday, the office said.The five new envoys included new Mexican Ambassador Bruno Figueroa Fischer and new Indonesia Ambassador Umar Hadi. South Korean President Moon Jae-in (C) and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha (R) take a picture with Indonesia`s new ambassador to Seoul after a ceremony at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on July 18, 2017, where th

July 18, 2017

Korea pushing for FM meetings with China and Japan next month

South Korea's foreign minister is pushing to meet with her Chinese and Japanese counterparts on the sidelines of ASEAN-related conferences scheduled for early next month, officials said Tuesday.Kang Kyung-wha is to attend meetings of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to be held in Manila, the Philippines, from Aug. 6-8. They include the ASEAN Regional Forum, which is known for being a rare international event annually joined by North Korea.This file photo taken on

July 18, 2017

‘Turkey looks to Eurasia amid post-coup discipline’

One year after a failed coup attempt to topple the government, Turkey has restored social stability and economic vibrancy and is looking beyond its region to the larger Eurasian market, the country’s top envoy to Korea stressed in a media briefing.“A measure of order has returned to Turkey,” said Ambassador Arslan Hakan Okcal at the embassy in Seoul on Thursday. “Our economy has bounced back and is growing at 5 percent. People are going about their lives and businesses run as usual. Tourists hav

July 17, 2017

‘Liberation of Mosul heralds Iraq’s precarious governance’

Iraq’s top envoy to Korea lauded the hard-won victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul last week, also expressing his appreciation for Seoul’s humanitarian assistance and diplomatic support.Mosul -- the second-largest city in Iraq -- was recaptured by the Iraqi and US-led coalition forces of 72 nations on July 10, putting an end to a 9-month military operation against IS.According to Iraqi officials, the IS, also known as Daesh, has been completely driven out of Mosul, which was the seat

July 17, 2017

FM meets with special rapporteur to discuss human rights in N. Korea

South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with the United Nations' Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, Tomas Ojea Quintana, Monday to discuss policies on dealing with the abject human rights situation in the reclusive state. At the start of the meeting, Kang said that human rights in North Korea remains to be a "matter of great concern" to the South Korean government under President Moon Jae-in and the stance will remain in its discussion at the UN going forward.Quintana is

July 17, 2017

Turkish art shines light on ties with Korea

Marking the 60th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations, the Turkish Embassy helped organize an art exhibition featuring Turkey’s celebrated paintings and calligraphy at the Bank of Korea in Seoul. The exhibit, titled “Invisible Language,” is a collaboration of the diplomatic mission, the Central Bank of Turkey and the Bank of Korea. Works spanning two centuries were selected from the Central Bank of Turkey’s art collection by curator Ahmet Albayrak for the event, which runs through Sept.

July 17, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Indonesia hub-and-spoke anchor of ASEAN economy’

Buoyed by nationwide reforms to raise its economic competitiveness, Indonesia is ripe for Korean business as the hub for the larger Southeast Asian market, according to the country’s industry minister. In an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald, Indonesian Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto said his country welcomes Korean investment in infrastructure, energy and manufacturing, noting the government has undertaken ambitious reforms targeting these sectors. “One of our key reforms is to

July 17, 2017

Senior diplomat to visit Europe countries to discuss cooperation

South Korea's senior diplomat will depart for Europe this week to discuss closer cooperation with Sweden, Britain and the European Union, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will arrive in Sweden on the first leg of the week-long trip that will begin on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.Lim will hold policy consultations with Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Annika Soder there on Friday to discuss collaboration on Korean Peninsula issues and other

July 13, 2017

President meets political leaders over G-20 outcome, dispute over nominees

President Moon Jae-in met with key political and government leaders Wednesday to explain the outcome of his recent trip to Germany, his office Cheong Wa Dae said, a move also aimed at overcoming the political dispute he now faces here.The meeting, held over lunch at the presidential office, involved the so-called five key figures next in command that include Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Kim Yi-su, who is

July 12, 2017

‘Danes don’t cry when fired. They aim higher.’

Denmark’s “flexicurity” welfare state model, buttressing its dynamic labor market, allows employers to hire and fire workers efficiently, according to the head of the Confederation of Danish Enterprise. Danes’ talent is seldom wasted, as they continuously search for jobs offering better pay, autonomy and creativity, the confederation’s Chief Executive Officer Laurits Ronn said in an interview. As business managers can flexibly adjust the size of their enterprise, this ultimately raises the count

July 10, 2017

‘Sustainable water sharing key to common prosperity’

With the rising tide of global warming creating greater uncertainties over our water management, developed and developing countries should come together to prevent the tragedy of the commons and search for sustainable solutions affecting their common future, according to a renowned academic expert on the issue. “The problems are manifold, but fundamentally speaking we are not using water the way we should be,” said professor Ashok Swain of Uppsala University in Sweden in an interview with The Ko

July 10, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Kazakhstan vanguard of Central Asia’s global engagement’

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- Central Asia, a region long insulated from globalization and liberalization, is awakening from its centuries-old slumber. By embracing international integration and enhancing commercial environs, the region is harnessing harmonious winds of change blowing across Europe and Asia.Kazakhstan is leading the five Central Asian nations in their collective quest for global engagement and national development, according to the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko. “Ce

July 10, 2017

S. Korea, Canada agree to work together to reduce tensions on Korean Peninsula

President Moon Jae-in has held his first talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and agreed to work together to reduce tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.During the talks Saturday, Trudeau expressed deep concern about North Korea and said that Canada is ready to provide any help it can to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.In response, Moon called the situation "the worst crisis" since the Korean War, an

July 9, 2017

G-20 summit declaration says Paris Agreement irreversible, makes no mention of N. Korea

Leaders of the Group of 20 major countries wrapped up two days of summit meetings in Hamburg on Saturday with a declaration that the Paris climate agreement is "irreversible" despite the US decision to withdraw from the global pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The G-20 Leaders' Declaration, however, made no mention of North Korea, even though the meetings came just a few days after the communist nation stunned the world with its first test-firing of an intercontinental capable ball

July 9, 2017

ASEAN-Korea youth workshop in Seoul ends

The South Korean part of the annual youth network workshop organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre ended Friday, with a closing ceremony attended by some 80 students from Korea, China, Japan and ASEAN countries. 　The second part of the 2017 ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop will continue in Malaysia from Saturday to Wednesday. 　Under the theme of “Promoting Clean and Green Environment through the Establishment of Environmentally Sustainable Cities,” the students took part in lectures, field trips a

July 7, 2017

Korea to extend aid to dislocated residents in southern Philippines

South Korea has decided to provide $100,000 in humanitarian aid to the Philippines to help the country better weather a militant siege in a southern city, the foreign ministry said Thursday.(Yonhap)The siege by a terrorist group in the southern city of Marawi and a subsequent battle with the Philippine government have continued for more than a month, causing about 300,000 residents in the city and the surrounding area to evacuate the region, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South Ko

July 6, 2017