Korea-Africa Foundation names advisory commitee members

The Korea-Africa Foundation announced on Thursday a list of 24 advisory committee members from diplomatic, media, business, academia, culture, and health care communities to enhance the foundation’s programs and operations. Established in June 2018 under Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foundation focuses on long-term research to strengthen Korea-Africa partnerships. "We anticipate actively utilizing the expertise of advisory committee members in implementing our projects

Dec. 2, 2024

[Contribution] Exploring Kazakhstan: Land of tourist wonders

By Nurgali Arystanov Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Korea Kazakhstan, the world's ninth-largest country, is a land of breathtaking natural beauty, deep cultural heritage and unique tourist opportunities. From snow-capped mountains and expansive steppes to futuristic cities and ancient Silk Road sites, Kazakhstan offers a variety of experiences for every traveler. Its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, coupled with a growing network of inter

Dec. 1, 2024

[Reporter’s Notebook] Inside Korea’s diplomatic failure at Japan’s memorial ceremony

South Korea's diplomatic fallout over Japan's memorial ceremony on Sado -- an event Seoul had anticipated as a tribute to Korean victims forced into labor in the island's mines -- was far from unexpected. The outcome was the foreseeable result of missteps: the South Korean Foreign Ministry's complacency and its narrow fixation on securing the presence of a high-ranking Japanese official, at the expense of addressing critical diplomatic priorities. The failure also stemmed fro

Dec. 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Estonian foreign affairs committee chair expresses worries over growing NK-Russia ties

Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the Estonian parliament, expressed deep concerns over the growing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia during a recent interview with The Korea Herald. During a visit to Seoul last month, Mihkelson highlighted the strong diplomatic and security ties between Estonia and South Korea, noting the upcoming opening of Korea's embassy in Estonia as a milestone that will enhance cooperation and support shared commitment to

Dec. 1, 2024

Sudan expresses gratitude to S. Korea for humanitarian support

The Sudanese embassy in Seoul expressed its gratitude to the South Korean government for offering humanitarian aid at a press briefing held in Seoul. According to the United Nations, Sudan is facing the worst humanitarian crisis in recent history after nearly a year of war amid international inattention and inaction. The situation in Sudan is dire, with over 8.4 million people, including 2 million children under the age of five, forced to flee their homes in the wake of the conflict. South Korea

Dec. 1, 2024

Top US envoy to Seoul joins S. Korean YouTuber in fusion of traditions on Thanksgiving

US Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg celebrated Thanksgiving in his host country, joined by a South Korean YouTube celebrity for a cooking session blending the two countries' traditional cuisines, a video released by the US Embassy in Seoul showed Thursday. The video showed Goldberg, wearing a dark apron and white cooking gloves, carefully adding toppings to a pizza-shaped "yakbap," a Korean dessert made with glutinous rice and sweetened soy sauce, using ingredients common

Nov. 28, 2024

S. Korean, Latvian presidents agree to expand bio, defense cooperation

President Yoon Suk Yeol and his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, held a summit Thursday to enhance cooperation in the bio and defense industries and address shared security concerns, Yoon's office said. The two leaders agreed to expand partnerships in the bio and pharmaceutical sectors, with Rinkevics highlighting Latvia as a strategic gateway for South Korean companies seeking to enter the European market, the office said in a release. Latvia is home to prominent pharmaceutical fir

Nov. 28, 2024

Japan will pay for failing to honor promises, minister says

South Korea's top diplomat said Thursday that Japan would "bear the cost" of tarnishing its international image and reputation if it continues to renege on its commitments to address the historical issue of forcibly mobilizing Korean workers during its colonial rule from 1910 to 1945. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul publicly criticized Japan for failing to honor its pledge to hold a memorial ceremony to sincerely honor the sacrifices of Korean forced laborers at the Sado Gold Mine in

Nov. 28, 2024

FM Cho says he takes 'full responsibility' for Sado mine memorial dispute

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said Wednesday he takes "full responsibility" for the controversy over Japan's memorial ceremony for Korean wartime forced labor victims, expressing regret over Tokyo's failure to honor the promises it made to the international community. Criticism emerged after Japan hosted the event for Sado mine forced laborers earlier this week, which failed to properly acknowledge the victims or the site's full history of forced mobilization of labor dur

Nov. 27, 2024

US Ambassador Goldberg to leave Seoul, retire in January

Philip Goldberg, the United States ambassador to South Korea, will step down from his post in Seoul next January, closing a chapter in his diplomatic career, according to a diplomatic source. Goldberg’s departure, concluding more than 3 1/2 decades of service with the US Foreign Service, is set to align with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump’s second term in office. Goldberg officially began his tenure as US ambassador to South Korea in July 2022, ending an 18-month va

Nov. 27, 2024

Top diplomats of S. Korea, G7 members voice concerns over NK troop deployment to Russia

The top diplomats of South Korea, Canada, France, and Italy have voiced concerns over the threat posed by North Korea's troop deployment to Russia in its war with Ukraine, pledging to work together for a concerted response, Seoul's foreign ministry said Wednesday. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and his counterparts from Canada, France, and Italy raised the issue during separate talks held on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting in Fiuggi,

Nov. 27, 2024

Yoon expected to meet Ukraine's special envoy as early as Wednesday: sources

President Yoon Suk Yeol is expected to hold a meeting with a Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov as early as Wednesday, sources close to the matter said. The Ukrainian delegation, which arrived in South Korea on Wednesday, is also expected to meet with Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun as early as later in the day, according to the sources. During the meetings, Umerov is anticipated to share intelligence on North Korea's troop deployment to Russia and seek South Korea�

Nov. 27, 2024

Trump team considers 'direct talks' with N. Korea's Kim: report

President-elect Donald Trump's team is considering "pursuing direct talks" with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in hopes of reducing the risks of armed conflict, Reuters has reported. Citing two sources, Reuters reported Tuesday that "several" members of Trump's team see "a direct approach" from the president-elect as most likely to break the ice with Kim. It said that the policy discussions are "fluid" and Trump has not yet made a final decision

Nov. 27, 2024

Top diplomats of S. Korea, Japan agree to continue cooperation despite Sado mine row

The top diplomats of South Korea and Japan agreed Tuesday to keep the momentum alive for bilateral cooperation, despite discord over a memorial event for Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya shared the understanding during their "pull-aside" meeting that took place in Italy on the sidelines of the foreign ministers' gathering of the Group of Seven advanced n

Nov. 26, 2024

Top security officials of S. Korea, Lithuania discuss N.K.-Russia military cooperation

National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik met with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kestutis Budrys, on Tuesday and discussed coordinated responses against the military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, the presidential office said. The top security officials agreed that North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia in support of its war against Ukraine poses a grave threat to global security, with implications reaching beyond the Korean Peninsula and Europe, the office said in a release.

Nov. 26, 2024

Seoul boycotted Japan memorial to protest broken promise: vice minister

South Korea's decision to skip a memorial ceremony hosted by Japan on Sunday reflects its "strong protest and regret" over Tokyo proceeding with the event in a way that fell short of the standards it had publicly pledged to uphold, Second Vice Foreign Minister Kang In-sun said Tuesday. Kang, however, sidestepped criticism of the South Korean Foreign Ministry’s failure to coordinate effectively with Japan on the ceremony, which Seoul had envisioned as an occasion to genuinely

Nov. 26, 2024

Trump threatens to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China on first day in office

President-elect Donald Trump threatened on Monday to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from Mexico as one of his first executive orders. The tariffs, if implemented, could dramatically raise prices for American consumers on everything from gas to a

Nov. 26, 2024

Korea’s memorial recalls plight of forced mine workers amid Japan’s silence

The South Korean government on Monday held a memorial to honor the lives and suffering of Korean forced laborers who endured harsh conditions at Sado Island’s gold mines during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule, as relatives of the deceased gathered at the former dormitory where the workers once lived. The decision followed Seoul’s boycott of a Japan-hosted ceremony a day earlier, where Japanese government representative Akiko Ikuina -- who has in the past visited the controversi

Nov. 25, 2024

NK troops disguised as 'indigenous' people in Far East for combat against Ukraine: report

A group of North Korean soldiers disguised as "indigenous people" of Russia's Far East have engaged in combat with Ukrainian troops in Russia's western border region of Kursk, according to a Ukrainian news report. Citing Kyiv's top military officer, RBC Ukraine on Sunday reported that more than 11,000 North Korean soldiers are already stationed in the Kursk region and have taken part in battles against Ukrainian troops. "These are mostly general military units. They

Nov. 25, 2024

Korea to hold own memorial for forced labor victims, boycotting Japan’s

The South Korean government plans to hold a separate on-site memorial ceremony for Koreans forced to work at the gold mines on Sado island during Japan's colonial rule, following a last-minute decision to boycott Japan’s memorial event on Sunday. Seoul’s abrupt reversal comes amid a growing domestic backlash over the choice of Akiko Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister at Japan’s Foreign Ministry, as the chief government delegate for Sunday’s memorial event. Ikuina

Nov. 24, 2024