Most Popular
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Tensions heighten ahead of first president-opposition chief meeting
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Seoul to provide housing subsidy to married couples with newborns
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New celebrity-endorsed therapy for face contouring requires only a pair of rubber bands
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Rapper jailed after public street fight with another rapper
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[KH Explains] No more 'Michael' at Kakao Games
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Woman gets suspended term for injuring boyfriend with knife
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Samsung chief bolsters ties with Germany’s Zeiss
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Nominee for chief of anti-corruption body pledges 'independence, effectiveness'
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Med schools expect 1,500+ new admission slots next year
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NewJeans pops out ‘Bubble Gum’ video amid troubles at agency
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Firms asked to invest in Sri Lanka
More than 80 Korean companies attended a forum designed to attract trade and investment to Sri Lanka. Ambassador Tissa Wijeratne said that bilateral commercial relations between the two countries had not yet met their full potential and that there were more business opportunities in his country that could be taken up by Korean firms. He told attendees at the trade and investment forum in Seoul that his country’s economy was booming after the end of three decades of conflict. The event on Feb. 17
Feb. 26, 2012
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France joins Korea on atomic energy, navy
The French ambassador has visited the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute ahead of an atomic energy committee meeting between the two countries. Ambassador Elizabeth Laurin discussed cooperation on atomic energy research with KAERI chairman Jung Youn-ho during the visit on Feb. 21. She also toured the KAERI facilities, including the Korea’s first multi-purpose research reactor, Hanaro.The 20th France-Korea Atomic energy Committee will meet in Seoul in June to discuss safety measures to defend
Feb. 26, 2012
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Libya marks one year since ‘glorious’ revolt
Libya’s top envoy to Seoul has said the first anniversary of his country’s revolt that ousted Moammar Gadhafi “represents an important historical turning point in the life of the Libyan People, Middle East and the world.”Libyan Charge d’Affaires Mohamed Elhamdi led the celebrations in Seoul one year since the “glorious revolution.” “The revolution of 17th February carried the implications of justice, freedom, democracy and peace not only to Libyan people but to humanity in general,” he said. Li
Feb. 26, 2012
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New chamber to link Korea, Peru business
The Embassy of Peru and businesspeople here have come together to launch a new Peruvian Chamber of Commerce in Korea.“Our general idea is to have a place where we can facilitate opportunities for Korean companies that enable them to act on their interest in Peru and vice versa,” said Peruvian Ambassador Marcela Lopez Bravo.“We can find out what Peru needs from Korea and what Korea needs from Peru.”And Yulchon attorney Gonzalo D. Soriano, who will be the secretary of the new chamber, said: “I can
Feb. 26, 2012
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Shrine to Bangla martyrs sought in Seoul
Bangladeshis are asking the Seoul government for permission to build a shrine at which to honor martyrs who fought to save their mother tongue.The South Asian country’s ambassador, Shahidul Islam, has contacted the Seoul mayor requesting a site for a language martyr’s mausoleum, called a Shahid Minar in Bangla.The Bangladeshi community here wishes to have a structure before which to lay flowers and remember the people who died fighting to save their language. People in what is now Bangladesh wer
Feb. 26, 2012
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[Herald Interview] Philippine envoy welcomes speedy return for migrant workers
The Philippine ambassador has welcomed revised laws to help migrant workers renew their employment contracts here, but has also called for amnesty for those who have already overstayed their visas. While Luis T. Cruz said South Korea and the Philippines shared the common goal of “the rights and welfare of the workers,” he also called for further improvements to the law on Korea’s Employment Permit System. EPS allows Korean employers to hire temporary foreign workers for jobs they have not been a
Feb. 26, 2012
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Lawmakers press China on handling of N.K. defectors
Bipartisan resolution urges China to stop repatriating defectors to North KoreaSouth Korean lawmakers of the National Assembly’s foreign affairs, trade and unification committee have adopted a bipartisan resolution on Friday to urge China to stop its forced repatriation of North Korean defectors.Their urgent move came as a large group of North Koreans are on the verge of being sent back to the communist state against their will, with the possibility of harsh punishment and even execution if retu
Feb. 24, 2012
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Lee names vice foreign ministers, academy head
President Lee Myung-bak named Ahn Ho-young, ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, as the first vice foreign minister and Kim Sung-han, international relations professor at Korea University, as second vice foreign minister, said Cheong Wa Dae, Friday.“Ahn has vast experience in foreign affairs and trade with excellent work achievements and good managerial ability,” the Presidential Office said in a statement.Ahn was a sherpa during the G20 Seoul Summit hosted by Korea.After graduating fro
Feb. 24, 2012
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Korea may be exempted from Iran sanctions in some areas
The U.S. is likely to exempt Korea from Iran sanctions with regards to non-petroleum products.According to reports citing unnamed government sources, U.S. officials agreed with the Korean delegation that Korea-Iran trade in non-petroleum products should be exempted from the sanctions. Under the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, which includes the so-called Kirk-Menendez amendment, economic entities that have transactions with the Iranian central bank are unable to dea
Feb. 23, 2012
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Ex-vice foreign minister tapped for envoy to U.S.
The South Korean government said that it has tapped Choi Young-jin, former vice foreign minister, as new ambassador to the United States, a government official said Thursday.Choi will be replacing the outgoing ambassador Han Duck-soo, who made a surprise offer to step down during his visit to Seoul last week and elected Wednesday as the new chief of the Korea International Trade Association.The government has asked the U.S. for an agreement on the appointment of Choi Thursday, said Foreign Minis
Feb. 23, 2012
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S. Korea, Armenia waiver visas for officials
The foreign ministers of South Korea and Armenia held talks in Seoul on Thursday to discuss how to increase substantive cooperation in economic, trade, development and cultural exchanges, officials said. Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian, who arrived in Seoul on Wednesday for a two-day visit, also signed a visa-free agreement for diplomats and government officials. During the talks, Kim and Nalbandian exchanged a wide range of views on other matters of
Feb. 23, 2012
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Seoul appoints 18 new ambassadors
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Wednesday it had appointed 18 new ambassadors and five consuls general in an annual reshuffle.Hong Seong-hoa, former ambassador to Colombia, will serve as ambassador to Mexico and former ambassador to Peru Han Byung-kil will become ambassador to Argentina.Baek Ju-hyun, former director general of the overseas Koreans and consulate affairs department, was named to head the Korean Embassy in Kazakhstan. Lee Tae-ho, former director general of the free
Feb. 23, 2012
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S. Korea, U.S. to implement free trade pact on March 15
South Korea and the United States agreed to implement their free trade pact on March 15, Seoul's trade ministry said Tuesday, a move that helps pave the way for both countries to beef up their economic and political ties.South Korea's parliament approved the free trade pact in November of last year
Feb. 21, 2012
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Heroic envoy to Korea dies in East Timor
The East Timor Ambassador to Korea Joao Viegas Carrascalao has died of a heart attack, embassy officials said Tuesday. He was 66.Staff at the embassy said that he died on Saturday at 1:40 a.m. at his home in East Timor, to which he had recently returned.He was then pronounced dead at the Guido Valadares National Hospital. He had been suffering ill health for some time.“The main reason for his death was a heart attack. He was in a dire, dire physical situation and he had been struggling because o
Feb. 21, 2012
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Envoy slams Noda’s demand to remove statue
It was inappropriate for Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to demand Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak remove the “Peace Statue” during their summit late last year, said Shin Kak-soo, South Korean ambassador to Japan.The monument was installed by Korean civic groups in December in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to remind Japan of the Korean women forced into sex slavery during World War II.“It is true that the Japanese government keeps asking Seoul to remove the statue,” Shin told repo
Feb. 21, 2012
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N. Korea hurts itself by refusing to negotiate: Yu
South Korea has offered North Korea talks to discuss several non-political issues on a working level to soften inter-Korean relations, but Pyongyang’s refusal is a pity for North Korea itself, South Korea’s Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik said.The South Korean Red Cross on Feb. 14 proposed working-level talks with its North Korean counterpart for discussions on reunions of separated families. The proposal was the first in 15 months after the South Korean government indefinitely postponed inter-Ko
Feb. 21, 2012
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S. Korean officials to leave for U.S. to discuss details of Iran sanctions
A delegation of senior South Korean officials will leave for the United States to discuss details of the U.S.-led sanctions against Iran, including how much Seoul will reduce its crude imports from Tehran, officials said Monday.The delegation, led by Lee Baek-soon, director-general of the foreign mi
Feb. 20, 2012
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Korean Wave touches Peru, Argentina in different steps
The Korean Wave, or hallyu, has hit Latin America, where an increasing number of people are becoming more interested in Korean dramas, K-pop and Korean classical musicians, the Korean ambassadors to Peru and Argentina said.“In Peru, the Korean Wave is literally explosive. While the state-run TV’s viewer ratings hit an average 2 percent, channels that air hallyu content such as K-dramas, sitcoms and films, mark 6 percent viewer ratings on average,” said Park Hee-kwon, ambassador to Peru, told The
Feb. 20, 2012
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Australia eases visa rules for Korean students
The Australian government has eased visa rules for South Korean students who take language courses and vocational training there, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Monday.Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship said the visas for language studies and vocational training will be eased from level 2 to level 1 for South Koreans as of March 24, the ministry said.Currently, South Korean students are given level 1 student visa in four areas ―elementary/middle/high school cou
Feb. 20, 2012
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Iraqi foreign minister hints at Korean T-50 training jet buy
Minister appeals Seoul to ‘reconsider’ travel ban on Iraq for better business tiesIraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, who visited Seoul last week, said his country was likely to buy Korea’s T-50 training jets and the possibility of the sale is “positive.”His remarks came after Korea Aerospace Industries, the country’s sole aircraft maker, failed to sell its homegrown T-50 supersonic trainer jets to Israel a few days ago. The Israeli government chose the Italian-made M-346 instead.“We’re looki
Feb. 19, 2012