UK launches ambitious vehicle battery investment

The United Kingdom government launched the first phase of its multimillion-dollar investment in battery technology, paving the way for the country’s lead in designing, developing and manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries, according to the British Embassy in Seoul. The $320 million investment, known as the Faraday Challenge, comes as the UK tries to secure a strategic position in the global renewable energy market and fight against global warming. “The launch of the Faraday Challenge is a p

Aug. 7, 2017

Indonesian Embassy launches mobile consular service

In an effort to streamline the consular process in Korea, the Indonesian Embassy in Seoul has instituted an immigration attache tasked with providing up-to-date services for its 40,000 nationals here. At the inauguration ceremony at the diplomatic mission in Seoul on July 31, newly appointed Indonesian Ambassador Umar Hadi highlighted the importance of protecting citizens and offering efficient assistance using an accurate database. “It was necessary to establish an appropriate system of service

Aug. 7, 2017

Morocco marks 18th anniversary of king’s accession to throne

The Moroccan Embassy marked the 18th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Mohammed VI last week.The event also celebrated thriving ties between Morocco and Korea, now 55 years in the making diplomatically and expanding into all-inclusive realms.“The Throne Day is a symbol of love, loyalty, sacrifice, faithfulness and strong ties between the king and his people, based on a firm pledge of allegiance and obligations,” said Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi in a speech at a r

Aug. 7, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Philippines stands shoulder to shoulder on security with Korea’

As Seoul shores up its diplomacy with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Philippines is fully committed to the Korean peninsula’s denuclearization efforts as the chair of ASEAN this year, said the country’s top envoy here, also highlighting flourishing defense and law enforcement cooperation between the two countries.During the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila on Saturday, the top diplomats of the 10-member bloc expressed their “grave concerns” over the escalating tension

Aug. 7, 2017

S. Korea, US, Japan vow to fully implement new NK sanctions

Top diplomats from South Korea, the United States and Japan promised on Monday to cooperate to ensure a full implementation of new United Nations sanctions against North Korea. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha met with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Manila on the sidelines of meetings hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.  (Yonhap)"The foreign ministers of the three countries shared the view that the North's two ballisti

Aug. 7, 2017

Korea's FM makes debut on multilateral diplomatic stage at ASEAN meetings

MANILA -- South Korea's top diplomat will make her debut on the multilateral diplomatic stage Sunday by joining ministerial meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, where she will discuss cooperation on diverse issues, including North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha arrived in Manila on Saturday and held back-to-back bilateral talks with counterparts from Brunei, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia.On Sunday, Kang will participate in the S

Aug. 6, 2017

Korean top diplomat arrives in Manila for ASEAN meetings

MANILA -- South Korea's top diplomat arrived in the Philippines on Saturday to attend meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations where she will discuss measures with regional powers to curb growing threats from North Korea."This is my debut on a multilateral diplomatic platform," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told reporters upon arriving at Ninoy Akino International Airport in Manila. "Having said that, we have arranged bilateral talks with as many countries as possible."She is to

Aug. 6, 2017

UN Diplomat: $1 billion in N. Korea exports would be banned

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- A proposed new UN sanctions resolution would significantly increase economic pressure on North Korea to return to negotiations on its nuclear and missile programs by banning mineral and seafood exports worth over $1 billion -- a third of its total exports last year, a Security Council diplomat said Friday.　 The draft resolution, obtained by The Associated Press, would also ban countries from giving any additional permits to North Korean laborers _ another source of money f

Aug. 5, 2017

UN set to vote on new N. Korea sanctions

The UN Security Council will soon vote on a resolution imposing tougher sanctions on North Korea for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile tests, diplomats said Saturday.The US-drafted resolution aims to cut North Korea‘s export revenue by one-third to $1 billion a year, according to news reports.  “We tabled a UN Security Council Resolution and hope for adoption as soon as possible,” a US official told Yonhap on the condition of anonymity.After lengthy negotiations, the US reached a dea

Aug. 5, 2017

Korea, China to hold talks on EEZ next week

South Korea and China will hold a meeting of senior officials next week over a dispute on their partially overlapping exclusive economic zones in the Yellow Sea, the foreign ministry said Friday. The director general-level meeting will begin in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day run, according to the ministry. Park Chull-joo, chief of the ministry's international law affairs bureau, will represent South Korea, while Wang Xiaodu, Chinese ambassador for Yellow Sea affairs, will lead the Chinese side

Aug. 4, 2017

Korean amb. to Ethiopia faces criminal investigation for sexual misdeeds

The foreign ministry has filed a complaint with the prosecution against the South Korean ambassador to Ethiopia for sexually assaulting several embassy workers, the ministry here said Friday after conducting a special probe into the case."Sexual misdeeds by the head of the diplomatic mission (in Ethiopia) against multiple victims have been confirmed through a thorough investigation based on information gathered from various channels," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.(Yonh

Aug. 4, 2017

Govt. to conduct on-site environmental survey of THAAD next week

The South Korean government said Friday it will conduct an on-site environmental survey next week of the THAAD missile defense system deployed in a southern area.The move is part of the "small-scale" environmental impact assessment that started in December, and now is in the home stretch, said the Ministry of National Defense. (Yonhap)The ministry has commissioned a contractor to draw up a related report.The Ministry of Environment will form a team, including civilian experts, for the on-site st

Aug. 4, 2017

S. Korea hails new US sanctions law on N. Korea

South Korea on Thursday hailed US President Donald Trump's ratification of a bill that imposes sanctions on Russia, China and North Korea, voicing hopes that it could quicken North Korea's denuclearization."The latest law adopts a vast range of new sanction elements and significantly intensifies the implementation of existing sanctions on North Korea," Cho June-hyuck, spokesman at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a press briefing.  (Yonhap)"(The new law) reflects the United States' stron

Aug. 3, 2017

Korea arranging to hold meeting with Japan's newly tapped FM

South Korea's foreign minister is expected to meet the newly tapped top diplomat of Japan at the upcoming meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to discuss bilateral ties, regional and global issues, her office said Thursday.Earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tapped Taro Kono as a replacement for Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida. He is the son of Yohei Kono, known for issuing a landmark 1993 apology as chief cabinet secretary for Japan's sexual slavery of women during Worl

Aug. 3, 2017

Trump signs N. Korea, Russia, Iran sanctions into law

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed new sanctions on North Korea, Russia and Iran into law, insisting that the legislation remains "seriously flawed."Trump signed the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act despite his earlier opposition to it in the face of overwhelming support for the bill in both the House of Representatives and Senate.  (Yonhap)"Despite its problems, I am signing this bill for the sake of national unity," the president said in a statement

Aug. 3, 2017

Korean president vows enhanced cooperation with Indonesia, ASEAN

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday vowed to upgrade his country's relations with Indonesia and other Southeast Asian nations to the level of its ties with the world's most powerful countries."I am very happy to see that South Korea-Indonesia relations are expanding," Moon said, according to his top press secretary Yoon Young-chan. "I hope such cooperation will further expand to help strengthen (Indonesia's) defense capabilities."Moon's remarks came at a meeting with Indonesian Defen

Aug. 2, 2017

Assembly speaker to visit Iran, Pakistan, Myanmar to bolster ties

South Korea's parliamentary speaker will embark on a 12-day trip to Iran, Pakistan and Myanmar on Wednesday to help enhance bilateral cooperation and support the country's businesses operating there, his office said.Chung Sye-kyun will first visit Tehran to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Ali Larijani Friday (Iran time) and attend the inauguration ceremony for President Hassan Rouhani the following day.During the talks with Larijani, Chung will call for Tehran's support for South Korean

Aug. 2, 2017