Moon, Danish PM hold phone talks over NK nukes, bilateral ties

President Moon Jae-in on Thursday held phone talks with Denmark’s prime minister to discuss North Korea’s nuclear issue and ways to strengthen their countries’ ties, the presidential office said.Moon expressed his thanks to Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen for Denmark’s support of Seoul’s move to seek North Korea’s denuclearization, according to Cheong Wa Dae. Moon Jae-in (Yonhap)Moon solicited support from Rasmussen over Seoul’s plan to push for North Korea’s denuclearization in a bol

June 1, 2017

S. Korea not to rush inter-Korean dialogue: vice unification minister

South Korea's new vice unification minister on Thursday raised the need to push for inter-Korean dialogue in a prudent manner by taking into account North Korea's changes in its attitude.Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung said that any rush for inter-Korean talks can give the wrong message to the North at a time when Pyongyang is not giving up its nuclear and missile development programs. This photo taken on June 1, 2017, shows new vice unification minister Chun Hae-sung. (Yonhap)"The direc

June 1, 2017

Korea's Ulju, Portugal's Sintra to ink pact on friendship, cooperation

ULSAN -- The municipality of Ulju, southeastern South Korea, is set to form a pact with the Portuguese city of Sintra next week to seek friendship and cooperation in tourism, local officials said Thursday.Ulju chief Shin Jang-yeol and Sintra Mayor Bas?lio Horta will represent each side when the two towns sign the pact on Monday in the Portuguese city, southwest of Lisbon. This undated file photo shows Cape Ganjeol in Ulju on South Korea`s southeast coast, where sunrise can be viewed earliest on

June 1, 2017

Korea needs to persuade China over THAAD row: expert

South Korea should convince China to accept the ongoing deployment of an advanced US missile defense shield on its soil instead of trying to reverse the move, which could send the wrong signals to both Washington and Beijing, a scholar has said.The installation of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery has been under way at a former golf course in southeastern South Korea since early March. Seoul and Washington say the move is aimed at better countering missile threats from North Korea, w

May 31, 2017

Moon to add dialogue to sanctions in dealing with N. Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday that his new government will use all available means to bring North Korea back to the dialogue table, noting the objective of ongoing international sanctions, too, is to bring the communist state back to negotiations."North Korea continues to stage nuclear and missile provocations despite the wishes of the international community, and because such North Korean provocations are threats to peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but in the entire worl

May 30, 2017

Moon, former Indonesian President Megawati discuss ways to thaw inter-Korean tensions

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday asked former Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri to play a role in thawing tensions between the two Koreas, during their meeting here, the Seoul presidential office said.“I know you have provided a lot of help in arranging inter-Korean summits for former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun,” Moon was quoted as saying in the talks at Cheong Wa Dae. “I think there would be a good result if you render help as before.”Megawati positively respo

May 29, 2017

Moon holds telephone talks with French leader, expresses hope for further partnership

South Korea’s new President Moon Jae-in had his first phone talks with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday and expressed hope that the two countries will be able to develop their strategic partnership by holding meetings of diplomatic and defense ministers on a regular basis, Seoul’s presidential office said.“I agree that there is a need to strengthen sectorial cooperation at the ministerial level between the two countries,” Moon was quoted by Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun as sayi

May 29, 2017

‘Argentina brims with investment opportunities’

Argentina has undertaken a string of economic reforms aimed at sustainable development and new vigor and dynamism await investors, according to the country’s top envoy to Korea. Speaking at the National Day reception last week, Argentine Ambassador to Korea Jorge Roballo said the administration of President Mauricio Macri, who was sworn in in December 2015, is wholly committed to reducing poverty and raising living standards. Argentina’s economy emerged from recession in last year’s third quarte

May 29, 2017

Azerbaijan, Korea mark thriving ties at silver jubilee

The Azerbaijani Embassy marked the silver jubilee of relations with Korea last week that have expanded comprehensively over the last 25 years, with strides made in infrastructure, energy, construction, transport and telecommunications. Korea’s former acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn wrote a congratulatory letter to his Azeri counterpart on the occasion, conveying Seoul’s desire to deepen cooperation in energy infrastructure, transportation and telecommunications, including the construction of petr

May 29, 2017

Forum explores sustainable innovations for cities

The World Green Economy Organization launched the Smart and Sustainable City Platform last week, a forum aimed at devising and spreading knowledge about solutions promoting environment-friendly urban development. The launch event brought together members from the organization, Global Green Growth Institute and Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement, among others. The WGEO was launched in October last year by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister

May 29, 2017

‘Canada, Korea are partners in cutting-edge innovation’

As some nations race to the bottom of protectionism, Canada is rising to the top of economic integration and technological innovation by harnessing strategic partnerships worldwide, including the one with Korea, according to the country’s international trade minister. Francois-Philippe Champagne, who has helmed the ministry of international trade since January, stressed that fostering comprehensive partnerships between Canada and Korea was essential to ensuring the sustainability of businesses a

May 29, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Colombian economy ripe for investment after peace deal’

Following the peace agreement with armed guerilla group FARC, Colombia has entered an environment of security and stability ideal for investors, according to the country’s trade minister. In an interview with The Korea Herald last week, Colombian minister of trade, industry and tourism, Maria Claudia Lacouture, highlighted the freshly available opportunities in infrastructure, agriculture, housing, education and tourism in Colombia.As the Latin American country is briskly moving ahead to secure

May 29, 2017

Incheon, Mongolia to enhance ties for joint climate response

Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok met with Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj on Wednesday and discussed joint climate change responses as well as ways to enhance ties between the two nations, the mayor’s office said Thursday. “As desertification in Mongolia and China is deepening due to global warming, the world should join hands to tackle the phenomenon and yellow sand that stems from it,” the South Korean mayor said during the meeting, which was held at the Mongolian presidential residence I

May 25, 2017

Senior diplomat to visit US to prepare Moon-Trump summit

A South Korean senior diplomat will depart to the United States on Thursday to prepare a summit between Presidents Moon Jae-in and Donald Trump set for next month, the foreign ministry said.During his three-day trip, Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam is expected to discuss the timing, agenda and protocol details for the first talks between the two leaders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam (Yonhap)Moon and Trump are expected to focus on North Korea's nucle

May 25, 2017

Moon seeks trilateral cooperation with Russia to change N. Korea: envoy

MOSCOW -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in's special envoy has told the Russian Far East development minister and parliament leaders that South Korea intends to increase economic cooperation with Russia as a means to dissuade North Korea from its nuclear weapons development and military provocations.After meetings with the Minister for Development of Russian Far East Alexander Galushka and parliamentary leaders on Tuesday, Rep. Song Young-gil of the ruling Democratic Party said the Russian sid

May 24, 2017

‘Kashmir, the root of conflict in South Asia’

By Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Zahid Nasrullah KhanOn 6 June 1998, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1172 and expressed deep concern over the risk of a nuclear arms race in South Asia. Determined to prevent such a scenario from happening, it urged India and Pakistan to resume all of their bilateral dialogues covering outstanding issues and encouraged them to find mutually acceptable solutions that “address the root causes of those tensions, including Kashmir.” Nineteen yea

May 22, 2017

‘One Belt, One Road could unlock regional prosperity’

With China embarking on a gargantuan enterprise of infrastructure and international development through the “Belt and Road” initiative, Beijing, Pyongyang and Seoul could join hands to tap its immense economic potential and promote regional trust-building and integration, according to a North Korea expert.Professor Fang Haofan, dean of the school of political science and public administration at Yanbian University, stressed that the more Seoul harped on its unification rhetoric, the further it w

May 22, 2017

‘Iran nuke deal offers road map on N. Korea’

With North Korea upgrading its nuclear and missile capabilities, the world should seek an interim agreement that would freeze the regime’s programs with a long-term aim of denuclearization, according to a renowned security expert. Robert S. Litwak, vice president for programs at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, said full denuclearization of Pyongyang is not feasible in the near future, and the alternative would be an “imperfect” deal based on a “transactional,

May 22, 2017

Moon's top security advisor points to need for dialogue with N. Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-in's top security advisor on Monday voiced a need to resume talks with North Korea, though he said the dialogue must not get in the way of ongoing international sanctions against the communist state."We will have to try and gradually resume dialogue, starting with working-level talks," Chung Eui-yong, the head of the National Security Office, told reporters.(Yonhap)"I believe we must review the possibility as I believe we could resume exchanges in various areas, s

May 22, 2017