The Korea Herald

[Newsmaker] Clinton hints at first U.S. woman presidency

PoliticsJun 23, 2013

American media is gushing at the possibility that Hillary Rodham Clinton is gearing up for another run to become the first woman president of the United States in 2016. The former U.S. secretary of state said last week she hoped to see a woman president in her life, though did not name herself specifically. “Hypothetically speaking, I really do hope that we have a woman president in my lifetime...
Panel urges district to allow advertisements for gay rights

Social affairsJun 23, 2013

A state-run human rights organization advised Seoul’s Mapo District Office not to reject outdoor advertisements supporting gay rights, a small victory for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in the area. The National Human Rights Commission of Korea handed down its decision last week, on the petition filed by the Mapo Rainbow Resident’s Solidarity against the Mapo office not all...
Many S. Koreans do not know year of Korean War

PoliticsJun 23, 2013

A large number of South Koreans do not know when the Korean War (1950-53) broke out, reflecting the overall lack of interest about a conflict that defines inter-Korean relations to this day, a nationwide survey carried out by the government showed Sunday. The poll conducted by Research & Research at the request of the Ministry of Security and Public Administration showed 36.5 percent of adults a...
Research center opens for space rocket

ScienceJun 23, 2013

The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning is opening a new research center for the development of the country’s first domestically produced space rocket this week. Located at the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute in Daejeon, the center will conduct cooperative research with related industries to design and develop a 75-ton thrust rocket engine. The opening ceremony is scheduled...
Tougher anti-stalking bill proposed

Social affairsJun 23, 2013

A bill has been proposed to introduce stronger protection of victims and harsher punishment for stalking by a minor party lawmaker on Saturday. Rep. Kim Je-nam from the Progressive Justice Party said she is pushing to introduce a separate law to ensure better protection of victims from stalking such as by applying criminal penalties for the offense that is currently considered a misdemeanor. St...
Partisan fight puts bills on back burner

PoliticsJun 23, 2013

Saenuri, DP bogged down by fight over intelligence agency, NLL
‘Rate of child malnutrition still at serious level in North Korea’

North KoreaJun 23, 2013

The rate of malnutrition among North Korean children still remains at a serious level, although it has improved from the level seen in the late 1990’s, a local health expert said Friday. The rate of North Korean infants and toddlers under age 5 with chronic malnutrition disorder came to 27.9 percent as of late 2012, jumping sharply from 62.3 percent recorded for 1998, said Lee Soo-kyung, a food ...
Frigid hospitals cloud N.K.’s picture of health

North KoreaJun 23, 2013

PYONGYANG (AP) ― In the lobby of Pyongyang’s maternity hospital, a government guide pauses during a tour, pointing down to an elaborate flower pattern glowing in buffed red and green marble. “One hundred and sixty-five tons of rare stones were used on the floor,” Mun Chang-un proudly tells the foreign visitors being offered an unusual glimpse inside. He walks toward a row of tiny booths with mo...
Kenya, Korea set to sign deals on taxation and investment

Foreign affairsJun 23, 2013

Kenyan and Korean negotiators are in Seoul putting the finishing touches on new tax and investment deals that will spur investment in the East African nation and strengthen trade ties. Kenyan Ambassador to Korea Ngovi Kitau confirmed that a Kenyan team of negotiators have been in Seoul since Tuesday, meeting with their Korean counterparts to complete the tax and investment deals. Trade with Ken...
Pakistan caps cultural series with exhibition and mango fest

Foreign affairsJun 23, 2013

The final two events to cap off the Pakistani Embassy’s series of cultural festivities celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the South Asian nation will take place on Tuesday and on July 2. The embassy’s penultimate cultural event, a photo exhibition depicting the ancient South Asian civilization of Ghandhara, takes place this Tuesday at the Korea Foundation ...
Korea, Southeast Asia team up to boost tourism, jobs

Foreign affairsJun 23, 2013

Korea and Southeast Asian countries have teamed up in promoting Vietnam and Laos as vacation spots for Korean travelers in a new training program for leisure and hospitality professionals in those two increasingly popular tourist destinations. The program will also boost people-to-people exchanges and understanding, organizers said. The ASEAN-Korea Center is hosting two sets of two-day training...
Envoy: Academic is ‘unsung hero’ of Korean studies in Europe

Foreign affairsJun 23, 2013

One of Korea’s earliest heroes of Hallyu was not a K-pop crooner nor was he a director of violent art-house favorites. One of the Korean Wave’s earliest acolytes was a mild-mannered 20th-century historian of Neolithic culture and, according to Czech Ambassador to Korea Jaroslav Olsa, Jr., an “unsung hero” of Korean studies in central Europe. Scholar Han Hung-su was critical in establishing Kore...
Ambassador sees turning point for Ethiopia

Foreign affairsJun 23, 2013

Though Ethiopia and Korea’s five-decade relationship is Korea’s longest with any African nation and some 4,000 Ethiopian soldiers fought for the South during the Korean War, the East African nation’s top diplomat in Korea said he believes the two countries have yet to get know each other. “Even though Ethiopia and Korea share this war-time experience, it doesn’t mean we know each other well. For...
Anonymous says they ‘don’t plan to destruct N.Korea’s intranet’

North KoreaJun 23, 2013

International “hactivist” group Anonymous said Sunday that they will not “demolish North Korea’s intranet,” regarding the group’s announcement of a future cyber attack on North Korea set for June 25, the 63rd anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. “Our major objective of the upcoming attack is to extract internal documents and to let North Koreans use external sources of the Internet,” s...
N. Korea denuclearization talks gain speed among six-party member

North KoreaJun 23, 2013

International efforts to get North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons are gaining speed as countries committed to the denuclearization process in the past get ready for fresh rounds of negotiations following Pyongyang's latest talks overtures, diplomatic sources said Sunday. Sources in Seoul said that members of the six-party talks, who halted all formal meetings following the North's failed a...