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  Veteran diplomat Kim Jae-shin heads ASEAN-Korea Centre SEOUL, May 21 (AJU PRESS) - Kim Jae-shin, a veteran diplomat who served as Korea's top envoy to the Philippines and Germany, has assumed the position of the sixth secretary-general of the ASEAN-Korea Centre. He took office on April 16 to head the Seoul-based intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting exchanges between Korea and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Kim, who majored in political science at Korea University, joined the May 21, 2024
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  Sao Paulo to adopt Korean as second foreign language subject SEOUL, May 21 (AJU PRESS) - Sao Paulo, the most populous city in Brazil, will adopt Korean as a second foreign language for elementary, middle and high school students, the Korean Education Institute in Sao Paulo (KEISP) said Tuesday. The language institute signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday (local time) with Sao Paulo's education department and the Korean Consulate General to incorporate Korean language education into the regular school curriculum in the city. Kor May 21, 2024
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  Korean Council on Latin America pledges support for opening of Cuban Embassy in Seoul SEOUL, May 20 (AJU PRESS) – Han Byung-kil, chairman of the Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean (KCLAC), has pledged support for an early opening of the Cuban Embassy in Seoul during his meeting with a visiting senior Cuban diplomat. Han met with Mario Alzugaray Rodriguez, deputy head of mission of the Cuban Embassy in China, in Seoul on Thursday, and discussed measures to promote cooperation between the two countries, the non-profit organization said. Alzugara May 20, 2024
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  Korea toughens stance against Japanese pressure on Naver SEOUL, May 14 (AJU PRESS) - The Korean government on Tuesday hardened its rhetoric against Tokyo's pressure on the top internet portal Naver to sell down its stake in the operator of Japan's popular chat app Line. Sung Tae-yoon, director of national policy at the presidential office, said Japan should not take unfair measures on Naver while promising full support for the company in the escalating dispute. Following a massive data breach from Line late last year, Japanes May 14, 2024
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  Some uncomfortable with Yoon's 'The BUCK STOPS here' plaque SEOUL, May 09 (AJU PRESS) - A detail that captured particular attention during President Yoon Suk Yeol’s nationally televised address to the nation on Thursday was a plaque displayed on his desk. Yoon, dressed in a black suit and red tie, spoke from behind a desk adorned with a plaque inscribed with the words "The BUCK STOPS here." The well-known motto was used by Harry S. Truman, who served as the U.S. president from 1945 to 1953. Truman famously kept a plaque wi May 9, 2024
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  Commemorative event explores Tagore's legacy in Korea SEOUL, May 03 (AJU PRESS) - An event celebrating the birthday of Indian philosopher and poet Rabindranath Tagore took place on Korea's picturesque Nami Island near Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on Friday. This year marks the 163rd birth anniversary of Tagore, born in 1861, who became the first non-European Nobel laureate in literature in 1913. Hosted by Nami Island Arts & Education in collaboration with Indian and Bangladesh embassies, the event started with an opening ce May 3, 2024
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  'Trump factor' weighs on defense cost talks SEOUL, May 01 (AJU PRESS) - Donald Trump, if he wins a second U.S. presidency, has implied the possibility of withdrawing U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula unless South Korea contributes more for their upkeep. In an interview with TIME Magazine released on Tuesday, the Republican presidential candidate who eyes another presidency referred to South Korea as a "very wealthy country." He told the magazine, "We have 40,000 troops that are in a precarious position. Wh May 1, 2024
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  Russia pushes back against cancellations of ballet shows in Seoul SEOUL, April 22 (AJU PRESS) – Russia has criticized South Korea over the recent cancellations of Russian ballet performances in Seoul amid Moscow's ongoing war against Ukraine. Last week, a Bolshoi Ballet show scheduled for April 16-18 was called off one day before the opening. In March, the performance by Russian star ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, scheduled for April 17-21, was abruptly scrapped at the last minute. In an Instagram post on Friday (local time), the Russ April 22, 2024
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  Paraguay to adopt Korean as second foreign language subject SEOUL, April 19 (AJU PRESS) – Paraguay will adopt Korean as a second foreign language for middle and high school students starting in August, Seoul officials said Friday. The education ministries of Korea and Paraguay have recently signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in providing Korean education in the South American country. Under the agreement, Paraguay will include Korean as a regular second foreign language option that can be taught in secondary-level April 19, 2024
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  Yoon apologizes over ruling party's election defeat SEOUL, April 16 (AJU PRESS) – President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized Tuesday for his failure to uphold the will of the people, which he blamed for the ruling party's crushing defeat in last week's parliamentary elections. The ruling People Power Party was routed in the April 10 elections, securing only 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly, compared to the opposition Democratic Party's 175. "I am sorry as the president for not properly considering and April 16, 2024