S. Korea condemns deadly Golan Heights attack

South Korea condemns the deadly rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children and calls on all parties to avoid escalating tensions, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. "We condemn the attack on the Druze community village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights and extend heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family members of the 12 children who lost their lives in the attack," the ministry spokesperson said in a commentary. "We urge all parties

July 30, 2024

S. Korea to provide $1m in humanitarian aid for Ethiopia's landslide disaster

South Korea has decided to provide $1 million in humanitarian aid to support relief efforts following a devastating landslide in southern Ethiopia, the foreign ministry said Tuesday. "Our government hopes this aid will assist in the recovery of the affected areas and help the local residents return to their daily lives as quickly as possible," the ministry said in a release. According to recent reports, the death toll from the landslide in the mountainous village of Gopa in southern

July 30, 2024

S. Korea, Australia to launch 'economic security dialogue'

South Korea and Australia agreed Tuesday to launch an "economic security dialogue" aimed at enhancing communication and cooperation in the economic security field between the two countries, Seoul's foreign ministry said. The agreement was reached during bilateral talks in Seoul between Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yu and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, the ministry said in a release. The chief secretary for economic security from the presidential office and the deputy secretar

July 30, 2024

Foreign ministry to check for need to amend Sado mine exhibits on wartime forced labor

The South Korean foreign ministry said Tuesday it will check if there is a need to make changes to the exhibits on Japan's wartime forced labor of Koreans at a museum near an old Japanese mine complex newly registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Seoul government has come under criticism for what critics call a lack of efforts to ensure Japan reflects the coercive nature of its forced mobilization of Koreans to the Sado gold and silver mines during World War II, before the mine co

July 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] Malaysia's carbon capture project will benefit Korean companies: new envoy

Malaysia’s newly appointed ambassador to Korea, Mohd Zamruni Khalid, suggested Korean companies jointly operate with Malaysia on carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in a recent interview with The Korea Herald. Urging his country's potential for hydrogen energy exports, the ambassador said that Korea should take advantage of a legal framework on CCS which is likely to be ready by the end of this year. He said that hydrogen energy exports to Korea will positively impact other gree

July 23, 2024

Colombia highlights rural reforms cooperation with Korea

Colombia highlighted recent cooperation in rural reforms with South Korea, marking the 214th Independence Day in Seoul on Monday. Colombia’s Independence Day, which falls on July 20, commemorates the country’s declaration of independence in 1810. Colombia was a colony of Spain from 1549 to 1810. In his remarks, Colombian Ambassador to Korea Alejandro Pelaez Rodriguez thanked Korea for expanding bilateral exchange and supporting the agricultural reform model of land acquisition for re

July 23, 2024

[Herald Inteview] Tajikistan's hydropower, mining opportunities: state committee chair

Sulton Rahimzoda, Tajikistan's chairman of the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management, encouraged South Korean companies to invest in Tajikistan’s green energy and mining sectors in an interview with The Korea Herald. Tajikistan intends to build a green economy by 2037 and accelerate industrialization for sustainable development and job opportunities. Tajikistan offers opportunities to Korean companies to "green" their investments, according to Rahimzod

July 22, 2024

[Herald Interview] Seoul, Manila must expand economic, maritime partnership: ex-FM

South Korea and the Philippines have enjoyed vibrant cultural exchanges over the years. But now is the time for both countries to expand economic and maritime cooperation, according to a former foreign minister of the Southeast Asian country. "You cannot imagine how many Korean restaurants there are in the Philippines -- on every street corner," said Delia Domingo Albert, the first woman to serve as secretary of foreign affairs in the Philippines, in 2003 and 2004. Not only Korean rest

July 16, 2024

[Herald Interview] Korea- Africa Summit sets pathway for future together: Tanzanian President

Tanzania's 1st female president urges cooperation for green growth, women's health, Korean investment The 2024 Korea-Africa Summit held in June in Seoul was a historic event that would set the stage for stronger bilateral cooperation and bridge the geographical gap in the future, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said in an interview with The Korea Herald. In a written interview conducted after her trip to Seoul, Hassan, Tanzania‘s first female president said South Korea an

July 15, 2024

S. Korea urges Japan to drop its repeated claims to Dokdo in defense white paper

South Korea strongly protested Friday after Japan restated its territorial claims to South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo as the foreign and defense ministries called in senior officials at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul to lodge a complaint. The move came as the Japanese government adopted the 2024 defense white paper at a Cabinet meeting earlier in the day, in which it reiterated the argument that Takeshima, the Japanese name for Dokdo, is part of its own territory and the issue ove

July 13, 2024

'Anything' South Korea can do for Ukraine's defense ability will be 'warmly welcomed': NATO official

"Anything" that South Korea can provide to help strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities will be "warmly welcomed," a senior NATO official said Tuesday, stressing the "strategic" implications of Russia's war in Ukraine for both Europe and Asia. The official made the remarks as Seoul has said it would reconsider its policy ban on the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine following last month's summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North

July 10, 2024

Central Asian envoys mark travel book publication

The ambassadors of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and the Korea-Central Asia Cooperation Forum Secretariat marked the publication of a travel book titled "Central Asia 3 Countries" on July 2. Authored by Seo Byung-yong and Go Soo-youl, the book comprehensively introduces Islamic architecture, the Silk Road and popular dishes like plov and lagman to Korean travelers. It also provides lists of must-buy items and specialized itineraries, including a travel course for women traveling a

July 9, 2024

India highlights growing defense industry

The Indian Embassy in Seoul highlighted the country’s growing defense sector at a seminar held Thursday to explore defense industry cooperation between the two countries. Indian Ambassador to South Korea Amit Kumar said there has been a steady increase in defense cooperation and such bilateral exchange will be expanded under the common goal of securing peace in the region. At the 10th ROK-India Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) in March 2024, India and Korea committed to advancing the second

July 9, 2024

Egypt marks 72nd National Day in Seoul

The Egyptian embassy in Seoul celebrated the country’s 72nd National Day on Friday, commemorating the 1952 Egyptian Revolution that reestablished the country as a modern republic. Celebrating the day which falls on July 23, Egyptian Ambassador to Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman emphasized the potential for synergy between Cairo and Seoul, highlighting the opportunities for collaboration across political, economic and cultural domains, promoting mutual benefits and cooperation. "Together we

July 8, 2024

Oman participates Seoul book fair as country in spotlight

Oman was the "Spotlight Country" at the Seoul International Book Fair (SIBF) held from June 25-30. The event coincided with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Oman and Korea. Delivering remarks at the event, Omani Ambassador Zakariya Hamed Hilal Al Saadi highlighted the publication of the book "Oman: A Long History of Friendship and Cooperation with Korea," by Lee Hee-soo. The book, written in both Korean and Arabic, underlines Oman-Korea cultural exchanges

July 8, 2024

Vietnam PM lauds Korean investments

Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh lauded South Korean investments for driving Vietnam's economic development. Speaking at a business forum on Monday in Seoul, the prime minister highlighted Korea's position as the largest foreign investor in Vietnam. "Korea is the largest investor among the 146 countries investing in Vietnam, with more than $87 billion in over 10,000 projects. We highly value the contribution of Korean companies to Vietnam’s economic and social d

July 2, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kazakhstan keen to learn from Korean police: deputy minister

Kazakhstan is eager to learn from Korea's public and personnel administration in law enforcement, said Saitbekov Aidar, Kazakhstan’s deputy minister of internal affairs, in an interview with The Korea Herald on Thursday. Saitbekov was in Korea to attend the UN Public Service Forum in Songdo, Incheon, from June 24 to 26, an annual meeting since 2003 that gathered around 2,000 officials from about 100 countries to discuss innovations and challenges in public administration. Kazakhstan&r

July 2, 2024

Canadian frigate visits Incheon for Indo-Pacific alliance

The Royal Canadian Navy’s frigate, the HMCS Montreal, arrived in South Korea’s western port city of Incheon on June 27 for a six-day mission, underscoring Canada’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy serves as a comprehensive framework for increasing Canadian engagement across the Indo-Pacific, working with allies and partners to promote a stable, secure, and prosperous region, stated the Canadian Embassy in a press release on Wednesday.

July 1, 2024

Belarus recalls history, hopes to revive ties with S. Korea

The Belarusian Embassy in Seoul commemorated Belarus' National Day, recalling history and hoping to revive ties with South Korea on Friday. Belarusian National Day, observed on July 3, marks the liberation of Belarus from Nazi Germany in 1944. "The people of the Republic of Belarus, like the people of the Republic of Korea, have experienced both periods of joy and moments of sorrow," said Belarusian Ambassador to Korea Andrew Chernetsky in his remarks. Chernetsky acknowledged that

July 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Time to open new page for S. Korea-Vietnam ties: Vietnam ambassador

Over the past 30 years, the relationship between South Korea and Vietnam has undergone a significant transformation, building on a connection that dates back 800 years. Now, it is time to open a new chapter in the partnership between the two countries, Vietnam's new Ambassador to Korea Vu Ho said, highlighting Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's visit to Seoul this week. “The prime minister's visit to Korea (this week) is to review what we have learned, what we have achieved be

June 30, 2024