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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.
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New Indian envoy to S. Korea, Herald vow to deepen diplomacy
Newly appointed Indian Ambassador to South Korea Gourangalal Das and The Korea Herald pledged to deepen ties between their countries on Wednesday. “Future cooperation can expand through various formats — articles, films, music and more,” said Das during a courtesy meeting held at Herald Corp. headquarters in Seoul. India is now “one of the youngest and fastest-changing nations in the world,” the ambassador said, emphasizing the need to enhance Korea’s understanding of contemporary India. India-S
17 hour ago
South Korea, Poland face shared challenges from China–Russia–NK triangle: think-tank
South Korea is a crucial partner for Poland in its drive to bolster its defense, but Seoul must make hard choices in the face of shifting security challenges, say experts from the OSW Center for Eastern Studies, a Polish government-affiliated think tank. Speaking in an interview in Seoul on Oct. 22, OSW analyst Witold Rodkiewicz warned that Korean firms operating in Russia indirectly support Moscow's war machine and that too much hedging could place South Korean industries in a precarious positi
Nov. 21, 2025 - 06:34:42
Belgium marks King’s Day, lauds S. Korea’s role on UNSC
Belgium marked King’s Day in Seoul on Nov. 13, highlighting its monarchical tradition and deepening partnership with South Korea. King’s Day, observed annually, honors the continuity of the Belgian monarchy and the king’s role as a symbol of national unity. The celebration dates back to 1866, when it was first dedicated to King Leopold I on the feast day of Saint Leopold. Speaking at the reception, Belgian Ambassador to Korea Bruno Jans highlighted more than a century of relations with South Kor
Nov. 18, 2025 - 19:53:02
Busan a model for Rwanda's tourism, smart city vision: Kigali mayor
Busan serves as a model of urban and tourism development for Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, according to Kigali Mayor Samuel Dusengiyumva, who visited South Korea last month for a global city tourism summit. “We see a lot of tourism coming to Busan. They are expecting 3.5 million tourists this year, so we can learn from them and see how to make the experience for our tourists much better and more enjoyable,” Dusengiyumva told The Korea Herald in an interview, noting Busan’s urban planning, infrastruc
Nov. 17, 2025 - 16:23:16
Polish ambassador voices hopes to build on 'exemplary' Korea-Poland ties
Korea and Poland have built "exemplary ties" that will continue to strengthen and expand, Polish ambassador to Korea said during the Nov. 12 celebration of more than a century of Polish independence. Poland regained its sovereignty on Nov. 11, 1918, reappearing on the world map after 123 years of partitions. The day is commemorated annually as a reminder of the nation's restored independence. “Poland learned the hard way that independence is not bestowed upon us forever. And this lesson remains
Nov. 17, 2025 - 11:46:17
[Contribution] Central Asia, on threshold of a new era
By Shavkat Mirziyoyev President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Central Asia is entering a new, historically significant stage of its development. Today, we are moving toward genuine unity. For the first time in many years, an atmosphere of trust, good neighborliness, and mutual respect is taking shape in our region — an atmosphere that serves as a solid foundation for joint progress. This process is not spontaneous. It is the result of purposeful work and the political will of the leaders of our
Nov. 16, 2025 - 11:51:59![[Contribution] Central Asia, on threshold of a new era](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2025/11/16/news-p.v1.20251115.e2da24d2ca524b7eae970f781f1be542_T1.png?type=h&h=320)
Philippine foreign affairs secretary says APEC vital for future ASEAN-Korea cooperation
The Philippines views Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation as a crucial platform to advance ASEAN-Korea shared prosperity, sustainability and inclusive growth, said Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro. “ASEAN is already Korea’s second-largest trading partner, and the Philippines is keen to further strengthen that link,” she said in an interview with The Korea Herald, stressing plans to boost cooperation in AI, digital transformation, green energy and high-value sectors such as
Nov. 12, 2025 - 14:38:10
Azerbaijan marks Victory Day in Seoul
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Seoul on Nov. 6 commemorated Victory Day, marking the recapture of Shusha in 2020 and Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War. Speaking at the ceremony, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramin Hasanov said the 2020 outcome ended decades of contested control over Azerbaijani territories and helped create “conditions for regional peace.” The ambassador also discussed ongoing peace efforts, noting progress following President Ilham Aliyev’s 2023 visit to Washingto
Nov. 12, 2025 - 13:34:50
Vietnam eyes deeper ties with S. Korea to bolster APEC cooperation
Vietnam is deepening its regional and bilateral engagement within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, identifying South Korea as a crucial partner amid global supply chain disruptions, said Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang in a written interview with The Korea Herald. Reflecting on Vietnam’s past roles as APEC summit host in 2006 and 2017, Hang emphasized Hanoi’s ongoing “substantive contributions” to the APEC 2025 process through its active participation in ministerial meetings
Nov. 12, 2025 - 10:42:34
Sudan urges international action, condemns RSF atrocities
The Sudanese Embassy in Seoul called on the international community to act decisively to preserve Sudan’s unity and sovereignty at a press briefing on Wednesday. Intense clashes in central Sudan’s North Kordofan have displaced around 2,000 people in just three days, according to the UN migration agency, as the two-year civil war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues to claim tens of thousands of lives. The conflict, which began in April 2023 over a power s
Nov. 11, 2025 - 18:26:38
Kenya-Korea partnership to boost green infrastructure: principal secretary
Kenya sees South Korea as a vital partner in driving green growth, clean energy and sustainable development, said Festus K. Ng'eno, principal secretary for Kenya's State Department for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, in an interview with The Korea Herald. Ng'eno was in Seoul to attend the Global Green Growth Week — a conference hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute that brings together policymakers and experts to promote sustainable and inclusive development. Ng’eno said Korea’s
Nov. 5, 2025 - 09:21:35
Vietnamese president visits ASEAN House in Busan
Vietnamese President Luong Cuong visited ASEAN Culture House, operated by the Korea Foundation, in Busan on Saturday. The house is the only institution outside Southeast Asia promoting the cultures of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Cuong was welcomed by around 100 members of the Vietnamese community in Korea, where he met with Kim Ghee-whan, president of the Korea Foundation, and Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon. During the visit, Cuong left a gift of a book on the Dong So
Nov. 4, 2025 - 11:50:25
Uzbek Embassy teams up with UN tourism agency in Busan
The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul and the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities, a Busan-based agency affiliated with the United Nations, have agreed to strengthen tourism exchanges, linking the TPO member cities with Silk Road heritage destinations such as Samarkand. The agreement was signed on October 27 on the sidelines of the first-ever Global City Tourism Summit held in Busan. Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Abdusalomov said Uzbekistan and the UN agency were developing specialized cult
Nov. 4, 2025 - 10:21:34
Korea, Central Asia discuss tourism
South Korea and five Central Asian nations discussed sustainable tourism at the Global City Tourism Summit in Busan on Tuesday. The session, co-hosted by the Korea Foundation and the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities, a Busan-based agency affiliated with the United Nations, sought to integrate Central Asia’s tourism resources with Korea’s industry expertise for a sustainable joint tourism network. In her remarks, Lee Bang-bok, deputy secretary-general of the KF Korea-Central Asia
Nov. 4, 2025 - 10:21:22
Turkmenistan promotes peace, neutrality in Seoul
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in Seoul reaffirmed its commitment to global harmony and cooperation on Monday. The embassy hosted an event promoting peace and neutrality ahead of the High-Level International Forum in Ashgabat on Dec. 12, marking key global peace and neutrality observances. Turkmenistan was declared a permanently neutral state on Dec. 12, 1995, through UN General Assembly Resolution 50/80, making Turkmenistan the only country whose neutrality is officially recognized by the UN. Acco
Nov. 3, 2025 - 14:43:48
