[Herald Interview] ‘Indonesia hub-and-spoke anchor of ASEAN economy’

Buoyed by nationwide reforms to raise its economic competitiveness, Indonesia is ripe for Korean business as the hub for the larger Southeast Asian market, according to the country’s industry minister. In an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald, Indonesian Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto said his country welcomes Korean investment in infrastructure, energy and manufacturing, noting the government has undertaken ambitious reforms targeting these sectors. “One of our key reforms is to

July 17, 2017

Senior diplomat to visit Europe countries to discuss cooperation

South Korea's senior diplomat will depart for Europe this week to discuss closer cooperation with Sweden, Britain and the European Union, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam will arrive in Sweden on the first leg of the week-long trip that will begin on Thursday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.Lim will hold policy consultations with Swedish Deputy Foreign Minister Annika Soder there on Friday to discuss collaboration on Korean Peninsula issues and other

July 13, 2017

President meets political leaders over G-20 outcome, dispute over nominees

President Moon Jae-in met with key political and government leaders Wednesday to explain the outcome of his recent trip to Germany, his office Cheong Wa Dae said, a move also aimed at overcoming the political dispute he now faces here.The meeting, held over lunch at the presidential office, involved the so-called five key figures next in command that include Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon, National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun and Acting Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Kim Yi-su, who is

July 12, 2017

‘Danes don’t cry when fired. They aim higher.’

Denmark’s “flexicurity” welfare state model, buttressing its dynamic labor market, allows employers to hire and fire workers efficiently, according to the head of the Confederation of Danish Enterprise. Danes’ talent is seldom wasted, as they continuously search for jobs offering better pay, autonomy and creativity, the confederation’s Chief Executive Officer Laurits Ronn said in an interview. As business managers can flexibly adjust the size of their enterprise, this ultimately raises the count

July 10, 2017

‘Sustainable water sharing key to common prosperity’

With the rising tide of global warming creating greater uncertainties over our water management, developed and developing countries should come together to prevent the tragedy of the commons and search for sustainable solutions affecting their common future, according to a renowned academic expert on the issue. “The problems are manifold, but fundamentally speaking we are not using water the way we should be,” said professor Ashok Swain of Uppsala University in Sweden in an interview with The Ko

July 10, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Kazakhstan vanguard of Central Asia’s global engagement’

ASTANA, Kazakhstan -- Central Asia, a region long insulated from globalization and liberalization, is awakening from its centuries-old slumber. By embracing international integration and enhancing commercial environs, the region is harnessing harmonious winds of change blowing across Europe and Asia.Kazakhstan is leading the five Central Asian nations in their collective quest for global engagement and national development, according to the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vassilenko. “Ce

July 10, 2017

S. Korea, Canada agree to work together to reduce tensions on Korean Peninsula

President Moon Jae-in has held his first talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and agreed to work together to reduce tensions over North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.During the talks Saturday, Trudeau expressed deep concern about North Korea and said that Canada is ready to provide any help it can to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula, according to Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.In response, Moon called the situation "the worst crisis" since the Korean War, an

July 9, 2017

G-20 summit declaration says Paris Agreement irreversible, makes no mention of N. Korea

Leaders of the Group of 20 major countries wrapped up two days of summit meetings in Hamburg on Saturday with a declaration that the Paris climate agreement is "irreversible" despite the US decision to withdraw from the global pact aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The G-20 Leaders' Declaration, however, made no mention of North Korea, even though the meetings came just a few days after the communist nation stunned the world with its first test-firing of an intercontinental capable ball

July 9, 2017

ASEAN-Korea youth workshop in Seoul ends

The South Korean part of the annual youth network workshop organized by the ASEAN-Korea Centre ended Friday, with a closing ceremony attended by some 80 students from Korea, China, Japan and ASEAN countries. 　The second part of the 2017 ASEAN-Korea Youth Network Workshop will continue in Malaysia from Saturday to Wednesday. 　Under the theme of “Promoting Clean and Green Environment through the Establishment of Environmentally Sustainable Cities,” the students took part in lectures, field trips a

July 7, 2017

Korea to extend aid to dislocated residents in southern Philippines

South Korea has decided to provide $100,000 in humanitarian aid to the Philippines to help the country better weather a militant siege in a southern city, the foreign ministry said Thursday.(Yonhap)The siege by a terrorist group in the southern city of Marawi and a subsequent battle with the Philippine government have continued for more than a month, causing about 300,000 residents in the city and the surrounding area to evacuate the region, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South Ko

July 6, 2017

Vietnamese to be able to visit Korea more easily

HANOI -- South Korea will simplify the issuance of single-entry visas and expand the scope of multi-entry ones for Vietnamese travelers next week in a bid to increase bilateral trade and investment, and attract more tourists from the Southeast Asian nation, an official at the South Korean Embassy in Hanoi said Thursday.  In this undated file photo, Vietnamese tourists dressed in traditional Korean costumes walk in front of a palace in Seoul. (Yonhap)"The lenient steps, which will be taken Monday

July 6, 2017

Chinese Ambassador calls THAAD biggest problem in Seoul-Beijing ties

China's top envoy in Seoul on Thursday voiced hopes for a "reasonable" solution to the dispute over the deployment of a US missile defense system, which he called the biggest problem in bilateral relations between Seoul and Beijing. Choo Mi-ae, the leader of the ruling Democratic Party, speaks with Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong during their talks at the National Assembly in Seoul on July 6, 2017. (Yonhap)During a meeting with Choo Mi-ae, the leader of South Korea's ruling Democra

July 6, 2017

Korean Navy deploys 4 more Wildcat choppers

South Korea's Navy said Wednesday four additional AW-159 shipborne anti-submarine helicopters have joined a front-line fleet for combat operations.The Navy acquired eight AW-159 choppers, also known as Wildcats, last year in two batches in June and December, respectively. The first four were deployed in February. AW-159 (Yonhap)"The remaining four were deployed at a front-line fleet and put into maritime operations today," the Navy said in a statement. It did not reveal the location, but a defen

July 5, 2017

Ban Ki-moon-initiated UN education institute to be set up in Korea

POHANG, South Korea -- A ceremony to break ground for a UN global education center, initiated by former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, will be held at Handong Global University in the country's southeastern port city of Pohang next week, an official at the faculty said Tuesday.  (Yonhap)"A ground-breaking ceremony for the 'Ban Ki-moon Global Education Institute in Support of the UNAI' will be held next Tuesday for its completion in October 2018," the official said. The UNAI is short for the U

July 4, 2017

Moon, Abe to hold bilateral summit at G-20 meeting

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will hold a bilateral summit on the sidelines of the upcoming G-20 summit in Germany, Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Tuesday.The two will meet early Friday (German time). (Yonhap)"The two leaders are expected to exchange their views on ways to enhance the countries' exchanges and cooperation in a wide range of areas," Cheong Wa Dae said in a press release."Also, the two leaders will discuss other issues of

July 4, 2017

Moon, Xi likely to meet in Germany this week to discuss THAAD controversy

South Korean President Moon Jae-in is likely to have talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Germany this week, aimed at helping Beijing understand why Seoul allowed an advanced US missile defense system called THAAD to be installed on its soil, the country's top diplomat said Monday. (Yonhap)"Basically, the THAAD issue should be addressed with the top priority placed on our national interest and security needs," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha said during an interview with Yonhap News

July 4, 2017

Russia hopes Korean president to visit the country in Sept.

Russia has expressed hope that South Korean President Moon Jae-in will visit the country in September to join a forum it plans to hold in Vladivostok, Seoul's foreign ministry said Monday.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov made the remark during a phone conversation with his South Korean counterpart Kang Kyung-wha, according to the ministry. This marked the first talks Kang had with Lavrov since her inauguration last month.Kang Kyung-hwa(left) and Sergey Lavrov(right) Yonhap"Lavrov congratul

July 4, 2017

Sri Lankan film industry faces liberal winds of change

The film “Let Her Cry,” a tantalizing tale of an extramarital affair between an old professor and his seductive student, might not have been shown on screens in Sri Lanka a decade ago.Works that were hostile to the government or provocative in nature were banned by the previous administration, which ruled the country tightly nearing the end of a 30-year interethnic war. But since the new national unity government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe assumed o

July 3, 2017

[Herald Interview] ‘Canada wholehearted on global leadership amid 150th anniversary’

With celebrations of Canada’s 150th Confederation anniversary scheduled throughout this year, there will be ampler space for Canada and Korea to cooperate within the international sphere, Canadian Ambassador to Korea Eric Walsh said, pointing to Ottawa’s intention to play a larger role in global affairs.During a parliamentary speech at the House of Commons in Ottawa on June 6, Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada will “step up” to assume a greater share of international obliga

July 3, 2017

‘Pakistan, Korea longtime brethren of Eurasia’

In the eyes of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, speaker of the Pakistani National Assembly, the exhibition “Alexander the Great meets Buddha” at Seoul Arts Center is demonstrable evidence of the enduring linkages between Pakistan and Korea that were spawned more than 16 centuries ago.A collaboration with the Peshawar Museum and Lahore Museum, the exhibit began Thursday and runs through Sept. 30, showcasing Buddhist sculptures of the Gandhara Civilization that thrived in territories of today’s northwestern Pak

July 3, 2017