DAEJEON/SEOUL ― Nineteen diplomats from 13 developing countries on Wednesday vowed to help bolster relations between Korea and their homelands by boosting people-to-people exchanges, knowledge sharing and other political, business and cultural partnerships. Wrapping up a two-week training program run by the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, they presented possible “action plans” to expand bilateral cooperation at the institute’s Seoul headquarters. The participants were from Bangladesh, Belarus

Foreign Affairs Oct. 22, 2014

The South Korean government said Monday it plans to send off a group of military and health officials to West Africa in early November to join the global efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak amid deepening concerns over whether the safety measures will be adequate to guard against possible infection. Vice Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul presided over an intra-agency meeting to discuss plans to provide medical workers and related supplies, which was attended by senior officials from the foreign, he

Foreign Affairs Oct. 20, 2014

The two Koreas are again engaged in a war of nerves against a backdrop of recent military talks, prompting the North to threaten to back out of the planned high-level dialogue and casting a cloud over a long-awaited reconciliation. Seoul has come under fire for flip-flopping on Pyongyang’s initial offer of a military meeting, and how and why the Wednesday event had been set behind closed curtains, among other issues. The communist country’s official media argued late Thursday that it had consist

North Korea Oct. 17, 2014

MILAN, Italy ― South Korea plans to send medical workers to Africa to beef up its contribution to a global fight against the Ebola virus as fears grow over more potential cases and calls rise for sweeping action in the international community. The decision was revealed late Thursday by President Park Geun-hye, who is attending the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting in Milan. The Korean government plans to send about 10 health officials, her spokesman Min Kyung-wook told reporters. The timeline and the des

Foreign Affairs Oct. 17, 2014

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made an on-site visit in his first public appearance in about 40 days, Pyongyang state media reported Tuesday, taming rampant speculation over his physical health and political stature.Kim’s visit to the newly built residential district for satellite engineers and a new energy research institute marked his first “field guidance” trip since attending a concert on Sept. 3. The official Korean Central News Agency did not mention the date of the trip, but it was t

North Korea Oct. 14, 2014

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has made a field trip in his first public appearance in about 40 days, Pyongyang state media reported Tuesday, taming rampant speculation over his physical and political health.The visit to the Wisong Scientists Residential District and a new energy research institute marked his first “field guidance” since attending a musical concert on Sept. 3. The official Korean Central News Agency did not mention the date of the trip, but it was thought to have been Monday.In

Foreign Affairs Oct. 14, 2014

Concerns are growing over a possible diplomatic spat with China in the aftermath of the death of the captain of a Chinese fishing vessel during a raid by Korean Coast Guard officers on Friday. Song Houmu, the 45-year-old skipper of the 80-ton boat, died following a fight with the officers who stopped his boat for suspected illegal fishing in Korea’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the West Sea. As he violently attacked the inspectors despite the warning shots, a guardsman shot him in the stomach with

Foreign Affairs Oct. 12, 2014

Steered by North Korean defectors and activists, civic groups and their anti-Pyongyang leaflets have long goaded the Kim regime into fury at what it calls an act of hostility. The two Koreas traded fire Friday after the North began shooting heavy machine guns, apparently aiming at balloons launched by two organizations which were filled with flyers denouncing the communist regime, $1 bills, mini radios and other items.  A group of North Korean defectors living in South Korea sends balloons carry

North Korea Oct. 12, 2014

Marking its third edition, Korea’s recent big showcase event in Silicon Valley, K-Tech 2014, focused on the Internet of Things ― and the “connected future.” Close to 1,000 people attended, along with more than 100 Korean companies, including more than 20 promising Korean startups. The event was quite successful. Vice Minister of Science, ICT and Future Planning Yoon Jong-lok offered his support to participating companies and briefed attendees on the Korean government’s policies on promoting the

Technology Oct. 8, 2014

With its persistent overconsumption and energy-intensive industry, Korea should step up efforts to curb its ecological footprint by “greening” its economy and adopting environmentally sustainable practices, the head of the Korean chapter of the World Wide Fund for Nature said. The Gland, Switzerland-based nonprofit organization launched the Korean edition of its flagship Living Planet Index on Wednesday. In the biennial report, it said the populations of more than 10,000 species of mammals, bird

Foreign Affairs Oct. 1, 2014

Few signs of progress were detected on a possible summit between South Korea and Japan during their foreign ministers’ talks in New York on Thursday though they pledged to continue working together for a recovery of bilateral relations. The 35-minute meeting between Yun Byung-se and Fumio Kishida came on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, following their consultations last month at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Myanmar.With the bilateral ties and the peninsula situation topping the agenda

Foreign Affairs Sept. 26, 2014