Turkey’s diplomacy attracts with enchanting culture

The Turkish Embassy held a fashion show Thursday at Hotel Shilla in Seoul, showcasing the country’s colorful wearables and embroideries worn by student models. The clothes were designed by Sule Aydan, the principal at the Izmir Olgunlasma Institute. “We enjoy excellent political relations,” Turkish Ambassador to Korea Ersin Ercin told The Korea Herald, adding that cultural cooperation was increasingly a critical component of the bilateral relations and gave a substantial boost to commercial ties

July 23, 2018

[Herald Interview] South Africa invested in continental inclusive growth

As the only permanent African member of the Group of 20, South Africa is committed to the continent’s industrialization and inclusive growth with a strategic policy framework tailored for the 21st century, according to the country’s top envoy to Korea. Nozuko Gloria Bam said in an interview that Pretoria’s foreign policy rested on its commitment to the values and ideals of pan-Africanism. The diplomat explicated that the vision entailed “solidarity with people of the South and the need to cooper

July 23, 2018

Kazakhstan laments unconscionable passing of figure skating icon

Kazakhstani and international residents in Korea mourned the death of the late Denis Yuryevich Ten, a Kazakhstani figure skater of Korean descent, at a memorial ceremony at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul on Saturday. Some 60 people uttered their final, belated words of love and condolences for Ten, who died Thursday from stab wounds by two Kazakh men who had tried to steal his car’s side-view mirrors in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Photographs, flowers and a teddy bear adorned the facade of the embas

July 23, 2018

Pakistan showcases slice of enticing culture, food

The Pakistani Embassy in Seoul, in collaboration with the International Food and Culture Exchange Association of Korea, co-hosted the inaugural Pakistan-Korea Culture, Food and Business Forum at Imperial Palace Hotel Seoul on July 10. Pakistani Ambassador to Korea Rahim Hayat Qureshi said the two countries shared many similarities, including colonialization and independence shortly after World War II. While Korea gained its independence on Aug. 15, 1945, Pakistan was established as a sovereign s

July 16, 2018

‘Turkey regains stability two years after foiled coup’

Two years after an aborted coup attempt in Turkey, the country has regained much of its domestic stability and security, stressed the top Turkish envoy to Korea, urging the international community to show understanding toward a nation that has undergone a test of its existence. July 15 marks the second anniversary of the failed putsch, orchestrated by anti-government forces that laid deep inside the Turkish state apparatus. Aiming to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, coup plotters staged

July 16, 2018

[Herald Interview] South Africa calls on world to fulfill Mandela’s unfinished mission

Every year on July 18, South Africa and the global community celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day. The day commemorates the late South African president’s antiapartheid struggles and sacrifices as well as his contributions to universal human rights for benefitting the larger world.It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009, and calls on people worldwide to devote 67 minutes of their lives -- in reflection of the late leader’s charity work over 67 years -- in the servi

July 16, 2018

[Herald Interview] ‘Decarbonization sole path to prosperous future’

Mitigating global warming and embracing sustainable development goals based on decarbonization is the sole remaining ticket to an environmentally responsible and economically vibrant future, stressed the head of an intergovernmental scientific body with credible authority on climate change in a media interview last week. Lee Hoe-sung, the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told journalists that “the thinking that reducing greenhouse gas emissions slows economic development r

July 9, 2018

‘21st-century communication requires global etiquette, national acumen’

Choi Jung-wha, president of the Corea Image Communication Institute, firmly believes that to thrive in a global community, people should learn to respect and care for others as cultured citizens. She also regrets that many Koreans do not know much about their own culture, history and heritage, while being more passionate about foreign cultures. Choi’s decadeslong efforts to bridge Korea and the world bestowed her the Yeongsan Diplomat Award on Wednesday, given to individuals who made superb achi

July 9, 2018

Bulgaria supports Europeanization of once-Balkanized Southeastern Europe

Nearly 30 years after a process of geopolitical fragmentation in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria has supported the region’s “Europeanization” to align it closer to the democratic and prosperous European Union, according to Bulgaria’s top envoy to Korea.Bulgaria assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year. Sofia has sought to bring the Western Balkans -- which have been riven by past conflict and ethnic and religious division, and generally lag behind

July 9, 2018

Tour South Africa, trail Mandela’s footsteps

As South Koreans become increasingly conscious of democracy and human rights, and venture farther afield for one-of-a-kind experiences, South Africa’s tourism can offer just what they crave this year on the centennial anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth, said a group of South African tourism officials on a visit to Korea last week. Tourism is one of the largest and fastest-growing national industries of South Africa. It directly employs over 750,000 people and indirectly 1.5 million people, ta

July 9, 2018

Kazakhstan seeks to modernize Silk Road

In line with the 20th anniversary of Astana as its capital, Kazakhstan took a step forward in becoming a key hub for Islamic and Silk Road finance with the official launch of the Astana International Financial Center. The AIFC was inaugurated Thursday with the blessings of the country’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the international Expo venue, where the center is to operate. “Astana should become the main financial center of the Central Asian region and in the future be included in the lis

July 9, 2018

E-commerce forum to bridge ASEAN, Korean markets

Participants at the Capacity Building Workshop for the Greater Mekong Subregion's Cross-border E-Commerce organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul in August, 2017. (AKC)The ASEAN-Korea Centre and the Korea International Trade Association will co-host the 2018 ASEAN Digital Commerce Forum at Trade Tower in Seoul from Thursday through Friday. The event will be attended by diplomats, commerce officials and private sector representatives from the electronic commerce sector from the Association o

July 3, 2018

[Herald Interview] Metropolitan Lisbon continental gateway to Europe, America, Africa

Following the European debt crisis that started in late 2009, Portugal and Lisbon took painful structural reforms, privatizing state assets and cutting expenditures to make their economies more efficient, with money borrowed from the European Union and International Monetary Fund. The crisis ended up a catalyst for change. It has strengthened their regulatory oversight and diversified their inbound investments and trade, adding much value to them. It ultimately set the stage for their progressiv

July 2, 2018

Indian mangoes available in Korea

Participants pose at a mango-tasting event at JW Marriott Dongdaemun in Seoul on Wednesday, organized by the Indian Embassy and Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea. In the photo are (from the left) Vladimir Vazquez Hernandez, Mexican Embassy deputy head of mission; Satish Sivan, Indian Embassy deputy head of mission; Shin Myung-jin, chairman of the Korea Importers Association; Kim Hyun-myung, vice chairman of the Korea Importers Association; and Vasudev Tumbe, chairman of the ICCK. (Joel Lee/The

July 2, 2018

Bulgaria spearheads Southeastern Europe’s digital economy

Bulgaria is leading Southeastern Europe’s digital economy as a hub of entrepreneurship and innovation, particularly in the information technology sector, according to the country’s top envoy to Korea. “A vibrant, inclusive and supportive startup ecosystem has been developing in Bulgaria for the last 5 years involving various stakeholders, including pre-accelerators, accelerators, venture funds, business angels, co-working spaces and startup nongovernmental organizations,” said Bulgarian Ambassad

July 2, 2018

‘Enhancing ties with ASEAN bulwark against protectionist winds’

With protectionism and the threat of a trade war between the United States and China looming large, strengthening cooperation with Southeast Asian countries could serve as an antidote to isolationist, illiberal tendencies engulfing the world, said a group of diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a visit to Korea last week. A delegation of ambassadors and permanent representatives of Southeast Asian governments to the ASEAN secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia stressed tha

July 2, 2018

Senate confirms Harris as US ambassador to S. Korea

WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- The United States Senate has confirmed President Donald Trump's pick for ambassador to South Korea, filling a post that has been vacant since the launch of the administration.The Senate voted unanimously in favor of retired Adm. Harry Harris on Thursday, according to a diplomatic source. The former chief of the US Pacific Command is expected to take office early next month.   Harry Harris. YonhapHarris will serve as Washington's top envoy to Seoul at a time when the allies

June 30, 2018

Integrating Africa seeks sustainable partnerships

African ambassadors and diplomats marked Africa Day last week, celebrating the continent’s democratic progress and economic potential at a time South Korea is diversifying and expanding its diplomatic horizons further afield. “Today we celebrate the 55th anniversary of the erstwhile Organization of African Unity (the predecessor to the African Union, established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in 2001), which was created on May 25, 1963,” Angolan Ambassador Albino Malungo, also the dean of the African

June 25, 2018

ROK-US alliance wins plaudits for fledgling peace, security on Korean Peninsula

The Korea America Friendship Society celebrated the 65th anniversary of the alliance between the Republic of Korea and the United States, paying homage to fallen and living soldiers alike while crediting their comradeship that led to the two historic summits this year aimed at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. Nov. 7 will mark the 40th anniversary of the ROK-US Combined Forces Command, created in 1978. “I would like to take this opportunity to honor the noble sacrifices of United States Force

June 25, 2018

Baltics celebrate midsummer day

Participants, including Latvian Ambassador to Korea Peteris Vaivars (center) and Estonian Ambassador to Japan and Korea Jaak Lensment (back, sixth from right), pose at the Latvian Embassy in Seoul, which organized the midsummer celebration on June 19 on behalf of Baltic diplomatic missions in East Asia. Baltic countries Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania celebrate the Midsummer Day annually on June 23, when the sun is visible for the longest time. People decorate their homes with wild flowers and tre

June 25, 2018