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

Foreign Affairs March 6, 2024

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

Foreign Affairs March 6, 2024

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

Foreign Affairs March 6, 2024

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

Foreign Affairs March 5, 2024

Germany and Israel remembered Holocaust victims in a solemn commemorative event hosted by the two embassies in Seoul on Jan. 29. The gathering, held annually on Jan. 27, marks the International Day of Commemoration, observing the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp on that day in 1945. Designated by the United Nations General Assembly, this day serves as a reminder of the Shoah and imparts crucial lessons from the Holocaust. The term "Shoah," from Hebrew, means &quo

Foreign Affairs Feb. 10, 2024

The Indonesian Embassy in Seoul urged support for Indonesians in Korea casting their votes in the Southeast Asian country's general election in an annual media briefing to present its agenda for the year on Wednesday. The Indonesian Embassy’s Charge d'Affaires Zelda Wulan Kartika reviewed milestones of 2023 that marked 50 years of diplomatic ties, high-level exchanges, and economic and cultural forums and events co-hosted with many Indonesian and Korean organizations. She introdu

Foreign Affairs Feb. 9, 2024

The German Embassy in Seoul and The Korea Herald co-hosted a cultural event featuring members of the Berlin Philharmonic and Korean musicians Thursday, fostering cultural exchange and strengthening diplomatic ties through music. Delivering remarks at the event, German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt highlighted the significance of music as a bridge connecting the hearts of Korea and Germany. "Music is one of the many links between our two countries and certainly one of the most joyful,&rd

Foreign Affairs Feb. 6, 2024

The Indian Embassy in Seoul marked its 75th Republic Day, envisioning a future-oriented partnership with South Korea on Friday. The day commemorates the adoption of India's constitution in 1949, declaring India a "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic" that upholds the principles of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all citizens. Recalling India’s Buddhist linkages with Korea, the country's role in the Korean War and today, the two countries'

Foreign Affairs Jan. 31, 2024

The geographical distance between South Korea and Africa has historically hindered exchanges, fostering numerous misconceptions about the vast continent consisting of 54 nations and their respective rich cultures and assets, according to the Tanzanian ambassador in Seoul. But he expects an upcoming summit in Seoul in June that brings African leaders to the capital city, is expected to break these barriers and initiate a new era of robust cooperation between South Korea and Africa. "There is

Foreign Affairs Jan. 29, 2024

South Korea and Russia are currently in a "turbulent" place, but the future will be different if Seoul takes steps to stabilize bilateral ties, according to the new Russian Ambassador to Seoul Georgy Zinoviev. "We perceive that the ball is in the (South) Korean court. So, we are ready when our (South) Korean partners are ready," the ambassador in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Monday. "But, we are not going to enforce or try to impose any goodwill on our

Foreign Affairs Jan. 24, 2024

The Vietnam Embassy in Seoul hosted a Hometown Spring event with the Vietnamese community in Korea on Sunday. Vietnam’s traditional spring festival symbolizes hope, health, luck and prosperity for the upcoming lunar year. Attended by more than 500 members of the Vietnamese community, the event not only honored age-old traditions but also highlighted the spirit of togetherness among Vietnamese who have left their hometown. The Vietnam Embassy's charge d'affaires ad interim Nguyen

Foreign Affairs Jan. 15, 2024

Experts advocated adopting a data-driven approach and enhanced digitalization to fortify connectivity for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, at the 11th edition of the ASEAN Connectivity Forum on Tuesday. Highlighting the theme of digital connectivity, ASEAN - Korea Center Secretary-General Kim Hae-yong reiterated his commitment to enhancing synergies between the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative withi

Diplomatic Circuit Jan. 9, 2024

The Belarusian Embassy in Seoul marked Orthodox Christmas Day on Friday, celebrating a unique tradition. According to the embassy, Belarus observes both Christmas on Dec. 25 and Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7. "Christmas is a holiday that makes the old feel like children again. Because from the very beginning, Christmas was full of joy and magic," said Belarusian Ambassador to Korea Andrew Chernetsky, delivering remarks at the embassy event. Chernetsky recalled the enchantment of Christm

Diplomatic Circuit Jan. 9, 2024

Ukrainian Ambassador to Seoul Dmytro Ponomarenko on Wednesday urged the international community to condemn Russia's heightened aggression against Ukraine and take immediate and decisive action. Russian attacks have destroyed civilian infrastructure, and injured and killed civilians, including children, he told The Korea Herald, citing a second mass missile strike within just four days. The envoy suggested urgent measures that he believes the world should take to support Ukraine in its defen

Foreign Affairs Jan. 3, 2024

US former President Donald Trump’s return to the White House may increase Seoul-Pyongyang diplomatic engagement, according to an expert on US-Asia relations and foreign policy. Ted Gover, director of the Tribal Administration Program at Claremont Graduate University, said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul last month, that President Joe Biden's re-election would likely keep the status quo of diplomatic relations, which have yielded little and have come close to being froze

Foreign Affairs Jan. 1, 2024