South Korea, the U.S. and Japan on Thursday called on North Korea to demonstrate its sincerity toward dialogue with denuclearization measures before returning to the negotiating table. Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s vice foreign minister in charge of nuclear bargaining, reiterated a willingness to break the standoff through “various forums including the six-party talks” at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui on Wednesday in Beijing. But Cho Tae-yong, Seoul’s top nuclear negotiator, s

North Korea June 20, 2013

Ranking officials of North Korea and China on Wednesday held strategic talks on peninsula tension and Pyongyang’s nuclear programs. The meeting came shortly after Pyongyang proposed high-level talks with Washington and ahead of the first summit between South Korea and China in Beijing next week. The meeting was held by North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan and his Chinese counterpart Zhang Yesui. Kim’s trip to the Chinese capital is the first since February last year when he met with G

North Korea June 19, 2013

North Korea’s surprise offer of dialogue with the U.S. on Sunday was met with a frosty reaction by Seoul and Washington, which both call on Pyongyang to prove sincerity with its actions before resuming talks. Pyongyang proposed a high-level meeting with Washington to defuse military tensions and discuss a peace treaty and the U.S. campaign for a nuclear-free world.The overture by the National Defense Commission, the potent governing body headed by leader Kim Jong-un, came less than a week after

North Korea June 17, 2013

With uneven progress toward the Millennium Development Goals, its succeeding framework should be focused on people, equality and the environment to better fight poverty and achieve sustainable growth, UNESCAP chief Noeleen Heyzer told The Korea Herald. Heyzer is executive secretary of the Bangkok-based United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, which oversees the development process in its 62 member countries. A group of top officials, scholars and activists from aro

Foreign Affairs June 11, 2013

South Korea signed a deal with the board of the U.N. Green Climate Fund (GCF) Monday to help the new U.N. fund establish its headquarters here, ministry officials said. South Korea was chosen last October to host the U.N. fund that aims to channel $100 billion a year in aid to help developing nations combat climate change. The headquarters of the U.N. fund will be situated in Songdo, Incheon City. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and Co-Chairman of the Green Climate Fund Ewen McDonald, signed the a

Social Affairs June 10, 2013

In his 2012 book “No One’s World,” political scientist Charles Kupchan sketches a global landscape with multiple centers of power and diverse versions of modernity. The West and the rising rest will compete over principles, status and geopolitical interests as the sea change unfolds, he argues.Despite Pyongyang’s security threat, South Korea is well positioned to take advantage of the pluralistic order due to its economic vigor and democratic vibrancy, the scholar said in a recent interview with

Foreign Affairs June 10, 2013

Charles Kupchan, a professor of international affairs at Georgetown University in Washington, offered his views in a recent interview with The Korea Herald on a range of issues including the U.S. policy of rebalancing toward Asia, President Park Geun-hye’s “trustpolitik,” the relations between the U.S. and China, Northeast Asian security and the rise of nationalism in Japan. The renowned scholar is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “No One’s World: The West, t

Foreign Affairs June 10, 2013

Working-level delegates of the two Koreas met in the border truce village on Sunday and confirmed their plan to hold ministerial talks on Wednesday in Seoul to put their strained relations back on track. The first formal meeting in 28 months stretched into the night at the Freedom House on the South Korean side of Panmunjeom as the two sides wrestled to fine-tune the agenda, delegation size and itinerary for the higher-level meeting. “As new governmental dialogue has opened after a long time, bo

North Korea June 9, 2013

Africa beckons the world with its huge energy resources and fast-expanding markets. But its vast potential has been a mirage for Korea, which lags behind its rivals in aid, influence and strategy.After years of failed efforts, the nation is reviving its drive to bolster partnership with pledges of increased assistance and investment. In the past week, Seoul hosted the leaders of Uganda and Mozambique and the top diplomat of Gabon, with energy, trade and development aid topping the agenda.“We hav

Foreign Affairs June 9, 2013

The two Koreas restored a telephone line across the border Friday as part of rapid steps to set up next week’s official talks to normalize relations.North Korea reopened the communication channel in the afternoon which was severed amid military tension in March. It also proposed holding a working-level meeting in Gaeseong on Sunday to prepare for the first formal talks in 28 months.Later in the day, Seoul sent a telegram through the line and suggested holding the preparatory talks at the South’s

North Korea June 7, 2013

With the Millennium Development Goals expiring in 2015, a global debate is underway for a new development agenda to replace them. For Asia, the agenda must in part tackle the unfinished task of poverty reduction under the MDGs ― but also confront the newer challenges of income inequality and environmental destruction.The latter issues are relevant for South Korea, even as it continues to help developing countries through its finance and development knowledge.Asia did very well in the core MDG go

Viewpoints June 5, 2013