The UAE Embassy in Seoul celebrated the 48th National Day and noted that bilateral cooperation between the both countries has increased considerably in the last decade from a strategic partnership in 2009 to a special strategic partnership last year, a top Emirati diplomat in Seoul said.“With regard to the bilateral relations with the friendly Republic of Korea, the ties witnessed significant progress over the past decade. … As a result, the existing fields of cooperation have expan

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 9, 2019

South Korea’s parliament should promptly pass an amendment on personal information protection to comply with EU regulations, European Union’s top diplomat in Seoul urged last week. The revised Personal Information Protection Act is one of three bills on big data regulations pending at the National Assembly.In May 2018, the EU implemented the General Data Protection Regulation stipulating stricter oversight to protection personal information of EU residents, fining companies that fail

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 9, 2019

Kuwait’s state-run Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority and Citibank Korea jointly held the Korea-Kuwait Investment Forum last week to offer information for companies seeking to foray into the Middle East country.“Potential and current Korean companies there received critical information about the Kuwaiti market, regulations and laws, new business opportunities and successful case studies,” an official said. The forum was a part of KDIPA’s international roadshow a

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 9, 2019

Video shot and edited by Kim So-meeIn South Korea, France is known predominantly for its rich history, sophisticated culture and luxury brands. But take a deeper look into the history between the two countries, and traces of France can be found across South Korea’s core industries.In the digital era, Paris is seeking to bolster cooperation with Seoul in the field of technology and startups, the top French diplomat in Seoul said. “In France, I think we have missed the beginning of thi

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 4, 2019

South Korea and New Zealand have strong bilateral trade relations five years into the free trade agreement, said New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker, according to the New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Korea, also called the Kiwi Chamber. Parker delivered a keynote speech titled “Korea and New Zealand -- A Modern Partnership for Challenging Times” at the 2019 Year End Grand Hui on Nov 25. A “hui” is a traditional Maori social gathering.Parker emp

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 2, 2019

Pacific Alliance member countries in Seoul are set to open the first Pacific Alliance Film Festival in Seoul next week to promote their culture, society and history, embassies said Monday.The Embassies of Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru in collaboration with the Korea Film Archive are to hold the festival from Dec. 10-15, offering eight films across genres, including documentary, drama, comedy and suspense. The eight films are: Chilean documentary “This Is the Way I Like It II,” Col

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 2, 2019

PROMOTING WONDERS OF CUNEO -- Italian Ambassador to South Korea Federico Failla (fourth left), Mayor of Cuneo Federico Borgna (fifth left), Assessor for Tourism for the Province of Cuneo, Piemonte Italy Luca Serale (sixth left), and Secretary General of Italian Chamber of Commerce in Korea Jacopo Giuman (first right) post for a photo at a seminar titled “Discovering the Cuneo Province,” an event aimed at promoting the northwestern province that borders France, hosted by the ITCCK at

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 2, 2019

The British Chamber of Commerce in Korea is to hold the first Tax & Finance Forum this week under the theme “2020 Vision: Shaping the Future of Tax & Finance,” the chamber said Monday.Sponsored by Samil PricewaterhouseCoopers, the forum is to take place Wednesday at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, inviting industry leaders from PwC, the Bank of Korea, and Korean law firms. “Tax and finance professionals working at multinational companies in Korea are encouraged to partici

Diplomatic Circuit Dec. 2, 2019

The Argentine Embassy in South Korea hosted the 9th Wines of Argentina last week with an aim to promote its wine to Korean consumers, the embassy said. “Through the event we are making efforts to introduce outstanding Argentine wine in the Korean market and continue the positive trend of Korea-bound exports,” Argentine Ambassador to South Korea Alfredo Carlos Bascou said at the event.  “Argentina’s wine industry is receiving attention as an attractive option for tour

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 27, 2019

The Brazilian Embassy in Seoul is holding a photo exhibition in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Brazil. The exhibition “Brazil and Korea Through My Eyes” displays 40 photographs of Brazil and South Korea taken by Brazilian photographer Joao Paulo Barbosa over the past 15 years. “This exhibition is a strong symbol of the bonds that fortunately unite our two cultures and peoples. It is very interesting to observe that in

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 27, 2019

The first Mekong-Korea Summit will kick off Wednesday in Busan following the conclusion of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit as part of Seoul’s drive to diversify diplomatic and economic channels, reducing reliance on traditional partners.Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith said the Mekong-Korea summit will contribute to advancing the living standards of countries in the Mekong region. “This (Mekong-Korea summit) will be an opportunity to advance future cooperat

Foreign Affairs Nov. 26, 2019

Less than a month before Hanoi assumes chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said forming a unified stance for the regional bloc on global issues is at the top of its agenda.Seeking to bring together ASEAN countries, Vietnam has set forth “Cohesive and Responsive” as the theme of its ASEAN chairmanship, effective Jan. 1, 2020.“ASEAN will unite under this theme and actively contribute to global peace and sustainabi

Foreign Affairs Nov. 26, 2019

BUSAN -- South Korea and ASEAN showcased the future of smart and sustainable living at the Smart City Fair being held on the sidelines of the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit in Busan.Organized by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and Busan Metropolitan City, the three-day fair kicked off Monday, showcasing smart cities, which encompasses smart homes, water, recycling, security, health care and mobility.“(A) smart city is a new platform that contains future technologies and

Social Affairs Nov. 25, 2019

The unification of the Korean Peninsula will be made possible when neighboring East Asian countries proceed with a mutual understanding of the impact of cooperation, says the EU’s top diplomat in Seoul.“I would like to pass on the message that it is important to work together ... that’s missing in Northeast Asia,” EU Ambassador Michael Reiterer said in an interview with The Korea Herald in central Seoul last month.“If Korea, Japan and China could work together in a

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 19, 2019

Former Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations played an important role in three aspects -- relationship among member states, their international status and the economy. Natalegawa was in South Korea to launch the Korean edition of his book “Does ASEAN Matter?” last week to commemorate the 30th anniversary of ties between Seoul and ASEAN.The launch comes ahead of the special commemorative summit between South Korea and 10 ASEAN mem

Diplomatic Circuit Nov. 18, 2019