[Herald Interview] ‘ASEAN sensible alternative to Chinese market’

Moving beyond 50 years of existence, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is strengthening its relations with South Korea for a mutually profitable future, said the chair of the ASEAN Committee in Seoul, presenting the ASEAN market as a competitive and trustworthy alternative to China.Cambodian Ambassador to Korea Long Dimanche, who chairs the committee comprising 10 ASEAN ambassadors, told The Korea Herald that ASEAN is playing an increasingly hefty role on the world stage on the back of

Nov. 6, 2017

Top diplomats of Korea, US discuss preparations for Trump's visit to Seoul

The top diplomats of South Korea and the United States held phone talks Sunday to discuss preparations for the upcoming summit between their leaders and other issues of mutual concern, the foreign ministry here said.US President Donald Trump is to arrive in South Korea on Tuesday for a two-day stay during which he will have a summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.In the phone conversation earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha hoped t

Nov. 5, 2017

Experts urge Moon, Trump to demonstrate unity, strong alliance

Experts on Sunday called for the leaders of South Korea and the United States to use their upcoming summit as a chance to reaffirm their strong alliance and dismiss worries over possible differences on major issues.US President Donald Trump will arrive in Seoul on Tuesday for a two-day visit as part of his first Asia trip as head of state, and will hold a summit with President Moon Jae-in later in the day.His visit to South Korea comes amid high tensions caused by the North's sixth and most powe

Nov. 5, 2017

President Moon welcomes six new ambassadors to Seoul

President Moon Jae-in welcomed the new chiefs of six diplomatic missions to Seoul on Thursday.Each of the six new foreign ambassadors to South Korea presented Moon with their credentials in separate ceremonies held at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.The new ambassadors are Julian Clare of Ireland, Michael Schwarzinger from Austria, Difie Agyarko Kusi from Ghana, Matilda S. Masuka from Tanzania, Piotr Ostaszewski from Poland and Olexander Horin from Ukraine. 　 President Moon Jae-in (R) shak

Nov. 2, 2017

S. Korea congratulates Tokyo on launch of its new Cabinet

South Korea congratulated Japan on the launch of its new cabinet on Wednesday, voicing hopes for a future-oriented partnership based on the "right" understanding of shared history. (AFP-Yonhap)Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the statement after Shinzo Abe was re-elected as Japan's prime minister following his ruling coalition's landslide victory in the snap parliamentary elections last month."The (South Korean) government hopes to continue to cooperate with the Japanese government to

Nov. 1, 2017

[Herald Interview] Looking beyond national interests with Turkey

Turkish Ambassador Arslan Hakan Okcal was a third grader in elementary school in Mainz, West Germany, when his father suddenly passed away in 1963. Left with his bereaved mother and two younger brothers, Okcal would not forget the help his family received from a Turkish consul during their arduous time away from home.“My mother used to say, ‘You should become a patriotic diplomat like the consul,’” the envoy told The Korea Herald last week at the recently reopened Turkish Embassy in Seoul. “That

Oct. 31, 2017

‘Czech Republic looks to PyeongChang Olympics with optimism’

Milan Stech, president of the Czech Republic’s Senate (right) and Czech Ambassador to Korea Tomas Husak pose at the country’s recently reopened embassy at the K Twin Tower B-dong, Jongno-1-gil 50, Jongno-gu, in Seoul. (Joel Lee/The Korea Herald)Milan Stech, president of the Czech Republic’s Senate, said during a visit to Korea last week that the Central European nation will participate in the PyeongChang Winter Games in Korea next February with a National Olympic House in Gangneung, Gangwon Prov

Oct. 31, 2017

ASEAN culinary delights showcased at trade fair

Food and beverages of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations were in the limelight last week at the ASEAN Trade Fair 2017, organized by the ASEAN-Korea Center in Seoul. The fair was held in conjunction with Food Week Korea -- the country’s largest international culinary exhibition -- at Coex in Seoul from Wednesday through Saturday. Under the banner “Taste the Happiness,” the event invited 100 food and beverage companies from the block of 10 nations -- Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, S

Oct. 31, 2017

‘Liberal Islam reconcilable with globalization’

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramzi Teymurov (Joel Lee/The Korea Herald)Taza Pir Mosque in Baku (Azerbaijani Embassy)In Azerbaijan, mosques, synagogues, churches and temples fill the landscape forming a kaleidoscopic mosaic. Shia and Sunni Muslims pray side by side inside mosques, a rare scene in the Islamic world where intra-religious tensions have remained toxic over centuries. That the Muslims -- regardless of their denomination and background -- practice their faith in harmony, is a demons

Oct. 31, 2017

Korea, China agree to bring exchange, cooperation back onto 'normal' track

South Korea and China have agreed to put their bilateral relations back on the right track, apparently normalizing ties that have been soured over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea, the foreign ministry said Tuesday.They reiterated their long-held stance on issues related to the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system deployed in South Korea but agreed to continue to discuss ways to resolve the differences going forward."The two sides attached great importance to th

Oct. 31, 2017

Korea, China to hold bilateral summit next week

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral summit next week, the first step toward normalizing the countries' relations that have long soured over the deployment of a US missile defense system in South Korea, an official from South Korea's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.The Moon-Xi summit, the second of its kind, will be held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum that will be held in Da Nang, Vietnam, next T

Oct. 31, 2017

Korea supports efforts for UNESCO listing of comfort women documents

South Korea's government supports civic group-led efforts to list documents related to Japan's wartime sexual slavery of women as a "Memory of the World" listing of UNESCO, a foreign ministry official said Friday, adding that it will make possible diplomatic efforts for the matter to be "fairly" discussed by the UN body.Earlier, NHK reported that the decision will be made by the International Advisory Committee after completing its four-day closed-door session that started in Paris on Tuesday. I

Oct. 27, 2017

Korea's ambassador to Japan calls for 'two-track' approach in improving ties

South Korea's next ambassador to Japan reaffirmed Wednesday a "two-track" approach to bilateral ties that separate historical disputes from future-oriented cooperation on North Korea and the economy. Amb. Lee Su-hoon also expressed hopes for a visit by Japanese Emperor Akihito to Seoul, which, he said, would contribute significantly to improving relations between the neighboring countries. The new envoy is to leave for Japan early next week."The president seems to be very firm that such historic

Oct. 25, 2017

Korean president congratulates China's Xi on election outcome

South Korean President Moon Jae-in congratulated his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping Wednesday on his reelection as the head of the Chinese Communist Party."I sincerely congratulate you that the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has been successfully held, and that you have been reelected the general-secretary of the Communist Party of China," Moon said in his letter to Xi. (YonhapXi's reelection as the party chief ensures the second half of his 10-year presidency.Moon expres

Oct. 25, 2017

PM Lee asks US Olympic chief for help in getting Trump to visit PyeongChang

OLYMPIA -- Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon met with US Olympic Committee Chairman Larry Probst on Tuesday and asked for help in getting US President Donald Trump to visit South Korea for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, officials said.During their meeting held in the Greek city of Olympia ahead of a ceremony to light the torch for the PyeongChang Games, Lee said he hopes Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will visit the South Korean alpine city during the Olympics.Probst said he could not make any pr

Oct. 24, 2017

[Herald Interview] Tehran mayor eyes sustainable partnerships with global cities

In Iran, where hard-line conservatives feel emboldened to have more say over statecraft these days, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Ali Najafi has been a time-tested defender of globalization and market-oriented reform. At a time when nation-states are mired in ideological infighting and hegemonic rivalries, Tehran and Seoul -- by relying on civic passion, corporate investment and public goods -- can together contribute to international peace, prosperity and sustainable development, Najafi said during his

Oct. 23, 2017

‘Australia, Korea kindred middle powers’

The recent “2+2” meeting of foreign and defense ministers of Australia and Korea demonstrated the strength of their bilateral strategic partnership, Australia’s top envoy to Korea said, noting the two middle powers increasingly face similar challenges in an uncertain global security landscape. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her counterpart Kang Kyung-wha, and Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne and her counterpart Song Young-moo, held their third biannual dialogue in Seoul on

Oct. 23, 2017

‘Poland lends help on denuclearization, marketization’

Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Marek Magierowski (right) poses beside newly appointed Polish Ambassador to Korea Piotr Ostaszewski (center) at the ambassador’s residence in Seoul on Oct. 17 (Joel Lee/The Korea Herald)As a country that successfully transformed from communism to capitalism and democracy, Poland stands incontrovertibly on the side of South Korea in thwarting North Korea’s nuclear and missile program, and urges Pyongyang to respect international laws and principles, according to P

Oct. 23, 2017

Two Koreas' diplomats to attend Russian forum this week

South Korea's foreign ministry said Thursday it will dispatch a director general-level official to an international forum on nonproliferation in Moscow this week, in which a key North Korean diplomat will also take part.The diplomats of the two Koreas have no schedule yet for a formal meeting there, but there's a possibility that they will encounter each other."Lee Sang-hwa, director general for North Korean nuclear affairs, will visit Russia to attend the Nonproliferation Conference to be held

Oct. 19, 2017

Senior diplomats of S. Korea, US discuss alliance, NK issues

A senior South Korean foreign ministry official expressed hope on Wednesday that talks with his US counterpart will build the "foundation" for better bilateral ties going forward.South Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam made the remarks at the start of his meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan in Seoul. "I hope we can talk about a wide variety of the issues of mutual concern so that we can build the foundation" for the better relations between the allies, Lim said.The l

Oct. 18, 2017