France and Korea should secure critical supply chains between the two nations to reduce overreliance on third countries, French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lefort said at The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum on June 29 in Seoul. “Increasing France-Korea ties in critical value chains can bring about more resilience and prosperity to both France and Korea,” Lefort said, adding that by producing in France, Korean companies can guarantee access to the full European market, di

Diplomatic Circuit July 5, 2022

El Salvador wants to build strategic alliances and cooperate with Korea on road infrastructure, urban mobility, new technologies and energy, the country’s Public Works and Transportation Minister Edgar Romeo Rodriguez Herrera told The Korea Herald in a recent interview. Rodriguez emphasized the need to collaborate with strong allies experienced in economic growth and social development and cited South Korea as a model for expanding national infrastructure and comprehensive developmen

Diplomatic Circuit July 5, 2022

The Kazakhstan Embassy opened an exhibition to honor the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan-Korea diplomatic relations in Seoul on Thursday. Co-hosted by the Kazakhstan Embassy and Korean Foundation, the exhibition titled “Land of Hope” showcases the history of Koreans in Kazakhstan, dating to 1937 when large numbers of the Korean diaspora in the Soviet Union’s Far East were deported to Central Asia.　 The exhibition presents more than 100 different exhibits, including basic neces

Diplomatic Circuit July 4, 2022

The Belarusian Embassy celebrated National Day and the 30th anniversary of Belarus-Korea diplomatic relations on Thursday at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. Delivering welcome remarks at the ceremony, Belarusian Ambassador to South Korea Andrew Chernetsky recalled his country’s liberation from Nazi invaders on July 3, 1944. “In that terrible war, every third inhabitant of Belarus died,” he said, adding that war memories continue to live in generations of Belarusian people. Chernet

Diplomatic Circuit July 4, 2022

Uzbekistan is preparing to process constitutional reform seeing important political realities and needs of Uzbek citizens, the Uzbek Embassy in Seoul said in a press statement Friday. According to the statement, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting with members of the constitutional commission on June 20, recognizing the need to create a solid legal basis for reliable long-term development strategies for Uzbekistan to achieve people-centric future prosperity through constituti

Diplomatic Circuit June 28, 2022

The localization of high-value-added products by Korean companies in Uzbekistan would be a good basis for mutually beneficial cooperation, Laziz Kudratov, Uzbekistan’s first deputy minister of investments and foreign trade, said in an interview with The Korea Herald. Kudratov said that Korea and Uzbekistan shared a reliable and time-tested relationship with a special strategic partnership stressing Uzbekistan-Korea cooperation had reached a new level. Uzbekistan-Korea trade turnover almo

Diplomatic Circuit June 27, 2022

  Chile is a Latin American hub that serves as a regional platform with global access and more free trade and tax agreements than any other country, Chile Investment (InvestChile) Commissioner for Asia Vicente Pinto said during the second edition of the Global Biz Forum held in Seoul on June 15. InvestChile is a decentralized agency under the Ministry of Economy, Development and Tourism in Chile. Explaining key businesses, investment opportunities in Chile and collaborative sectors,

Diplomatic Circuit June 21, 2022

Iran and South Korea should revitalize economic and cultural relations and prepare for strengthening future bilateral cooperation, Iranian Ambassador Saeed Badamchi Shabestari and The Korea Herald CEO Choi Jin-young said during a meeting on June 8. Links between the two countries go back 1,000 years to the time of Persia and Silla, the ancient kingdoms of Iran and South Korea, respectively. The long-standing relationship is symbolized in the street names of Teheran-ro in Seoul and Seoul Street

Diplomatic Circuit June 14, 2022

The European Union and Korea stand united in the face of threats amid the Russia-Ukraine war, EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez said at The Korea Herald’s Global Business Forum on June 8 in Seoul. Castillo Fernandez called the war a “blatant” violation of international law by Russia and a challenge to the international rules-based order, sovereignty and territorial integrity. “EU and Korea are firmly on the same page addressing Russia’s aggression and the im

Diplomatic Circuit June 14, 2022

The Indonesian Embassy hosted the Indonesia-Korea Business Forum at Lotte Hotel on Friday to discuss key business opportunities for investors. Indonesian Ambassador Gandi Sulistiyanto Soeherman called for improved cooperation with Korea, Indonesia’s seventh-biggest export partner and sixth-biggest import partner. Economic links could be improved by removing economic and trade bottlenecks, particularly in energy transition, the digital economy, health and global supply chains, he said.

Diplomatic Circuit June 13, 2022

By Sanjay Kumar Korea Herald correspondent NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan — Kazakh citizens on Sunday gave overwhelming support to proposed constitutional democratic reforms, with nearly 80 percent voting for change in the referendum. The Central Election Committee said Monday that 77.18 percent of ballots cast were in favor of the amendments aimed at shifting from former strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev’s “super-presidential” rule to a presidential republic, decentralization of

Diplomatic Circuit June 8, 2022

Vietnam is creating a business environment for Korean companies to make long-term investments, said Vietnamese Ambassador to Korea Nguyen Vu Tung at the second edition of the Global Biz Forum hosted by The Korea Herald in Seoul on May 25. “Vietnam will continue to strengthen ties with Korean companies and solidify its position as a responsible and important hub in regional and global value chains,” said Tung, stressing that Vietnam will implement solutions such as system and adminis

Diplomatic Circuit May 31, 2022

Colombia is celebrating the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations with South Korea and 40th anniversary of the Seoul-Bogota sisterhood in cultural events. As part of the celebrations, the Colombian Embassy in Seoul is co-hosting cultural events with the Seoul Metropolitan Government on the sidelines of Colombia’s participation as a guest of honor at the Seoul International Book Fair, to be held from Wednesday through Sunday. The embassy will host a performance of “Mural Project

Diplomatic Circuit May 30, 2022

Uzbekistan has announced that it will host the International Week of Ziyorat Tourism every autumn, the Uzbek Embassy in Seoul said in a press statement Thursday. The embassy said Uzbekistan cabinet ministers adopted a resolution focusing on measures to hold a Ziyorat Tourism week with the aim to make the annual event an easily reachable pilgrimage tour to showcase features that make Uzbekistan one of the most important centers of world civilization. According to the statement, Uzbekistan will

Diplomatic Circuit May 28, 2022

The Azerbaijan Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday celebrated Independence Day, ahead of the national holiday on May 28, and the 30th anniversary of Azerbaijan-Korea diplomatic relations at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. Delivering opening remarks, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramzi Teymurov discussed Azerbaijan Independence Day, the history of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and significant achievements made during the period. Outlining his country’s recent history -- from becoming the first d

Diplomatic Circuit May 26, 2022