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Diplomatic Circuit In series
Interviews and stories about the diplomatic corps in Seoul.
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Diplomatic Circuit In series
Interviews and stories about the diplomatic corps in Seoul.
Would you like to subscribe?
KGCCI, Herald ink media partnership for APK 2026
The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Herald Media Group signed a media partnership agreement Tuesday for the Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business 2026, which will bring senior German and Asia-Pacific political and business leaders to Seoul in October. Also known as APK, the event is a biennial platform for German business engagement with the Asia-Pacific region. It was last held in New Delhi in 2024. The 2026 conference is jointly organized by the German government and bu
Sept. 1, 2026 - 14:28:07
Samarkand traces centuries-old ties with Korea
SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan — Registan Square, Shah-i-Zinda, Mirzo Ulugh Beg's observatory and the Imam Bukhari complex stand as reminders of Samarkand's more than 2,700-year history as a crossroads of the Silk Road. Its ancient networks extended across Eurasia, including to the Korean Peninsula. At Afrasiab, seventh-century murals show foreign visitors at the court of a Samarkand ruler. Two figures have been associated by many researchers with Goguryeo, one of Korea's ancient Three Kingdoms, although
Sept. 1, 2026 - 14:27:18
India to take ‘Sarang’ festival across Korea
The Indian embassy in Korea will take its flagship cultural festival to cities across South Korea this fall, seeking to deepen people-to-people ties as Seoul and New Delhi expand cooperation across economic and strategic sectors. The 12th edition of “Sarang — The Festival of India in Korea” will feature performances and workshops from Sept. 15-22 in Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, as well as Gimhae and Miryang in South Gyeongsang Province and Nami Island in Chuncheong, Gangwon Province, the Indian Embass
Aug. 31, 2026 - 15:06:56
Hopes high among Uzbeks ahead of Korea-Central Asia Summit
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Expectations are high in Uzbekistan ahead of the first Korea-Central Asia Summit, with Uzbeks hoping that their country's long-standing goodwill toward South Korea will translate into investment, technology and opportunities for ordinary people. Areas of interest range from advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence to education and jobs, with Uzbeks looking for practical results from closer ties with Korea. The summit, scheduled for Sept. 16-17 in Seoul, will brin
Aug. 31, 2026 - 14:09:50
35 years of the Weimar Triangle — Which lessons can we share with Korea and the Indo-Pacific?
Thirty-five years ago, Germany, France and Poland made a choice that changed Europe. Today, as Europe faces war and Asia confronts growing strategic uncertainty, the experience of the Weimar Triangle has a message for Korea and the Indo-Pacific: Peace is built through cooperation, trust and shared responsibility. In August 1991, Europe stood at a historic crossroads. The Berlin Wall had fallen. The Soviet Union was about to dissolve. Democracy was sweeping through Central and Eastern Europe. Acr
Aug. 28, 2026 - 13:25:38
South Africa's Women’s Month: “Empowered Women, Empower Nations”
Since 1994, August has been declared Women’s Month in South Africa, and Aug. 9 is Women’s Day. This was an acknowledgement of the role women played in the liberation of South Africa from apartheid to democracy. This date emanates from Aug. 9, 1956, when more than 20,000 women from all walks of life, regardless of race, colour or creed, marched to the Union Building — the seat of the South African Government — to protest the extension of the pass laws to Black women. Pass laws were a form of a do
Aug. 27, 2026 - 16:13:19
Why ‘New Uzbekistan’ is looking to its Islamic past
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan — Beneath a vast blue dome in the Uzbek capital, centuries of Islamic intellectual history are being recast as part of a modern national story at the Islamic Civilization Center. At the new cultural institute, ancient manuscripts and the Uthman Quran sit alongside multimedia displays tracing Central Asia’s contributions to science, medicine and scholarship. But why is constitutionally secular Uzbekistan placing Islamic civilization at the heart of the “New Uzbekistan”? Tashk
Aug. 26, 2026 - 12:46:06
Thailand introduces privilege card to Koreans
The Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul presented the Thailand Privilege Card program to a Korean audience Wednesday, highlighting long-term residency, travel and lifestyle benefits. Thailand Privilege Card, a state-owned enterprise under the Tourism Authority of Thailand, offers memberships that include long-term visas ranging from five to 20 years, airport VIP services, government concierge support and lifestyle benefits. “Korea is one of our top 10 member nationalities in the world,” Thailand Privile
Aug. 20, 2026 - 18:33:03
‘We shall overcome someday’
For Ukrainian pianist, musicologist and cultural historian Taras Filenko, music carries a message of resistance, identity and, ultimately, hope. Speaking with The Korea Herald in Seoul after a concert commemorating the 35th anniversary of Ukrainian independence, Filenko expressed hope that Ukraine would regain its sovereignty and that cultural understanding could help build a more peaceful world. “We shall overcome one day,” Filenko said, invoking the gospel song that became associated with the
Aug. 20, 2026 - 14:11:54
Turkmenistan invites Koreans to Akhele-Teke 2026 contest
Turkmenistan has proclaimed 2026 as the year of "Independent Neutral Turkmenistan -- the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses." The horse behind this motto needs no introduction, whether in Turkmenistan or around the world. The Akhal-Teke, prized for its glossy coat and its exceptional speed and stamina, is widely regarded as the foremost symbol of the Turkmen nation. The Akhal-Teke horses describe the ancient origins of the breed, its purity, distinctive characteristics, its place in world civi
Aug. 18, 2026 - 15:29:42
Korea, Uzbekistan push business ahead of summit
South Korea and Uzbekistan can seek stronger cooperation in a range of fields, including critical minerals, artificial intelligence, business and government, the leaders of the two nations said at the Korea-Uzbekistan Business Roundtable in Seoul on Tuesday. The event, attended by top officials, including Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Jamshid Khodjayev and South Korea's Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo and Deputy Minister for International Economic Affairs Moon Ji-sung, also pointed to advanced manufac
Aug. 12, 2026 - 10:56:51
6 S. Koreans booked over Ukraine trip for NK POWs
Six South Koreans who traveled to Ukraine to advocate for two North Korean prisoners of war seeking resettlement in the South have been booked by police for allegedly violating Seoul's travel ban. The delegation, which included North Korean defectors and human rights activists, visited Ukraine from May 7-11 without government authorization to discuss the fate of the two soldiers, who were captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in January 2025. The group met Ukrainian officials, civic g
Aug. 7, 2026 - 13:25:12
‘Made in Singapore’ spotlighted at National Day event in Seoul
Singapore marked its 61st National Day in Seoul on Thursday by showcasing its "Made in Singapore" vision while highlighting stronger business, innovation and strategic ties with South Korea. The event, organized by the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in Korea (SingCham Korea), brought together government officials, business leaders and members of the Singaporean community to commemorate Singapore's independence. Singapore, a former British colony, became independent on Aug. 9, 1965, after separati
Aug. 7, 2026 - 11:13:15
El Salvador eyes AI, digital identity cooperation with S. Korea
Seoul and San Salvador should move from diplomatic goodwill to practical cooperation in a wide range of fields, including AI governance and cybersecurity, said El Salvador's newly appointed ambassador to Korea, Federico Miguel Guerrero Avendano. "President Lee Jae Myung's vision of pragmatism and an AI-driven economy is not an abstraction to us. It is an open door, and we intend to walk through it," Avendano said in an interview with The Korea Herald. "The natural next steps are digital identit
Aug. 6, 2026 - 12:29:34
Kenyan minister sees Korea as blueprint to blend heritage and innovation
South Korea's ability to transform centuries-old heritage into a driver of diplomacy, tourism and economic growth has lessons for countries looking to develop their own creative sectors, according to Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services Hanna Wendot Cheptumo. "What impressed me most was the care with which Korea preserves and presents its heritage while seamlessly integrating it into modern life," Cheptumo said in an interview with The Korea Herald. Cheptumo was in
Aug. 3, 2026 - 14:00:18
