Bangladesh marks 53rd Independence Day

Bangladesh commemorated its 53rd Independence Day in Seoul on Monday. The day serves as a reminder of a nine-month-long liberation war, a period etched in the annals of Bangladesh's history. Paying homage to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladeshi Ambassador to South Korea Delwar Hossain thanked countries across the globe for their solidarity during the nation's liberation struggle. "I pay tribute to the brilliant freedom fighters and three million martyrs who made the supr

April 17, 2024

Kim Jae-shin appointed ASEAN-Korea Center secretary-general

Kim Jae-shin has been appointed as the sixth secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Center. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Korea are preparing to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the ASEAN-Korea Center and 35 years of ASEAN-Korea dialogue this year. The year holds special significance for the relationship, as ASEAN-Korea relations are to be upgraded to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" at the ASEAN-ROK Summit to be held in the second half of this year, the

April 16, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kazakhstan needs Korea's expertise via joint research, education: minister

Kazakhstan needs Korean expertise through joint partnerships to realize the Central Asian country's potential in education, research and technology, said Sayasat Nurbek, Kazakhstan's minister of science and higher education, in an interview with The Korea Herald on Monday. Nurbek was on a two-day visit to South Korea to deepen Kazakhstan-Korea collaboration in research and higher education. “We are buying a supercomputer this year. So we'll have computing power. But mostly w

April 9, 2024

FM Cho meets with Italian, Turkish foreign ministers on sidelines of NATO meeting

Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul has met with his Italian and Turkish counterparts in Brussels to discuss bilateral cooperation and North Korean issues on the sidelines of a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers, his office said. Cho held talks with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Wednesday (local time) and discussed ways to cooperate on Africa development and artificial intelligence (AI), key agendas for this year's summit of the Group of Seven (G7)

April 4, 2024

1 S. Korean dies in gunfight with police in Cebu during robbery

A South Korean national has died in a gunfight with police in Cebu, the Philippines, while allegedly robbing a house with two other Korean companions, local news outlets reported Thursday. The 47-year-old deceased, surnamed Choi, was robbing a house in a luxury neighborhood in Cebu at around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday (local time), with two other South Korean nationals, both surnamed Kim, according to the media reports. The suspects reportedly threatened the owner of the house, who is also a South Korean

April 4, 2024

Germany, South Korea talk energy transition

Germany and Korea discussed the role of sustainable supply chains for energy transition while co-hosting the sixth edition of the Korean-German Energy Day conference in Berlin on Thursday. Korean-German Energy Day is an event held under the Korean-German Energy Partnership, jointly hosted by the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The partnership, initiated in 2019 through a joint declaration of intent, signifies

March 26, 2024

Tajikistan marks Navruz, hopes fresh start in Seoul

The Tajikistan embassy in Seoul highlighted the core of peace, tolerance and new beginnings marking Navruz on Monday. Navruz means "New Day," symbolizing the rejuvenation of nature and the start of a new year. The festival is celebrated on the first day of spring, typically on March 21, coinciding with the astronomical vernal equinox. The festival is said to have a historic tradition of thousands of years in regions along the Silk Roads, including the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the

March 26, 2024

[Herald Interview] Indonesia, Korea can bridge global AI divide, says vice-minister

Nezar Patria, the Indonesian vice minister of communications and informatics, called for a bilateral partnership with South Korea to bridge the global artificial intelligence gap. The influence of Western values perpetuates an AI divide and leads to the concentration of economic and social benefits in specific regions of the Global North, he said, citing the 2023 World Economic Forum report. The report underscores the potential of AI to boost economic growth while noting the geographical concent

March 26, 2024

Cambodia calls for cultural diplomacy on National Culture Day

The Cambodian Embassy called for cultural diplomacy to enhance cooperation, hosting its National Culture Day on Sunday. Marked each year on March 3, Cambodia’s National Culture Day showcases the resilience and richness of Cambodian heritage. Delivering remarks at the event, Cambodian Ambassador Chring Botumrangsay paid homage to generations who have preserved and cherished Cambodian traditions, passing them down through the ages with love and reverence. “In a world shaped by rapid ch

March 25, 2024

[Contribution] Looking into China's development, Sino-S. Korea ties in 3 keywords

China's Two Sessions for 2024 were successfully held March 4-11. As China's largest annual political event, the Two Sessions were an important opportunity for the world to listen to China's voice and understand its domestic and foreign policies. Recently, many acquaintances in South Korea have been asking me about the main topics addressed at the Two Sessions, the role China aims to assume globally and what steps should be taken for future China-Korea relations. In this article,

March 19, 2024

CU opens first store in Kazakhstan

South Korean retail company BGF Retail has recently launched the first CU convenience store in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday. The new CU opened on March 6 in the busy Tole Bi Street in downtown Almaty. The embassy said the store was expected to breathe fresh air into Almaty’s retail landscape. “The CU chain store is to enhance the shopping experience for Almaty’s populace. … The store boasts appealing exteriors, unique interiors, swift se

March 14, 2024

[Photo News] Ambassador for a Day

Ewha Womans University student Lee Yae-won (left) poses for a photo with Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto during the "Ambassador for a Day" initiative on Friday. The initiative is part of the annual International Women's Day celebration that selects a Korean university student based on an essay competition to work with the Italian ambassador for a day. Lee's essay titled "Empowering Change: Why Eliminating Violence Against Women Will Contribute to the Wellbeing of Men&q

March 12, 2024

[Photo News] Economic Outlook 2024

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2024 German Ambassador to South Korea Georg Schmidt (fourth from right, front row) and participants attend the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) Economic Outlook 2024 event in Busan on Thursday. Acknowledging the challenges of the year ahead, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war in Gaza and North Korean threats, the event, themed "Building Bridges," was hosted by KGCCI and Busan Metropolitan City, attended by over 100 business leade

March 12, 2024

German Embassy, Women in Korea advocate for gender equality

The German Embassy in Seoul and Women in Korea (WIR), a leadership group under the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, advocated for gender equality to mark International Women's Day on Friday. Aligned with the theme for this year's International Women’s Day, "Inspire Inclusion," the gathering emphasized inclusive leadership to drive sustainable development in businesses and society. Delivering remarks at the event, German Ambassador Georg Schmidt talked abo

March 12, 2024

[BRIDGE TO AFRICA] Ties with Africa to grow with Korea’s support: Ivory Coast envoy

The upcoming Korea-Africa Summit in Seoul will increase cooperation with Korea and expand support for Africa's progress, according to Allou Wanyou Eugene Biti, Ivory Coast's ambassador to South Korea. “Ivory Coast holds significant influence in West Africa and across the entire continent,” said Biti, highlighting the importance of Korea's involvement in advancing the process to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) treaty. “Ivory Coast will

March 12, 2024

Philippines, S. Korea recall cooperation that forged 75 years of ties

The Philippines marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties with South Korea on Tuesday, recalling the cooperation and sacrifices that have strengthened the bilateral relationship. Stressing the exceptional strength of Philippine-Korea diplomatic ties, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that the majority of diplomatic relations with Korea can be traced back approximately 60 years or less, but Korea’s relations with the Philippines predate the Korean War. The Philippines contri

March 10, 2024

Korea, Uzbekistan implement customs protocol

A mutual protocol that requires South Korea and Uzbekistan to provide administrative assistance in customs matters to each other was put into effect as of Feb. 24. The protocol, signed in September by top customs officials of the two countries, facilitates the exchange of mutual information on goods and vehicles transported across customs borders and enables cooperation in law enforcement to simplify the flow of goods between the two countries. The protocol also aims to bolster bilateral coopera

March 6, 2024

Kazakhstan, S. Korea to increase direct flights

Kazakhstan and South Korea have agreed to introduce new air routes and increase the number of flights between the two countries, the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul said in a press statement. According to the embassy, Kazakh Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev met with South Korean Deputy Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Lee Yoon-sang in Sejong and discussed increasing the frequency of flights between Kazakhstan and Korea and adding new destinations. Lastayev and Lee agreed to eleva

March 6, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] Envoy urges Korea to join Lobito Corridor, other projects in Angola

Angola’s top envoy to South Korea, Edgar Gaspar Martins, urged South Korea to join infrastructure and investment projects in the African nation. Pointing to the shift in US investment from oil to diverse sectors like solar energy and agriculture, particularly on projects in Angola, Martins cited the Lobito Corridor, worth $1 billion, aimed at bolstering the rail infrastructure connecting Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Tanzania. The Lobito Corridor is a strategic rou

March 6, 2024

[Hello India] Indian FM visits Seoul to boost ties with S. Korea

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Seoul to boost bilateral ties on Tuesday. The visit comes as part of 10th India-Korea Joint Commission Meeting (JCM), to be co-chaired alongside his Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yul on Wednesday. According to the Indian Embassy in Seoul, the India-Korea Special Strategic Partnership spans various sectors such as trade, investments, defense, education, science and technology, and culture. India and South Korea established their diplomatic rela

March 5, 2024