[Bridge to Africa] Egypt aims to strengthen ties with Korea on digital capacity building, AI

Egypt aims to boost cooperation with Korea in digital capacity-building, artificial intelligence, electronics design and manufacturing, according to the Egyptian minister in charge of communication and information technology. Speaking with The Korea Herald on Wednesday, Minister Amr Talaat expressed optimism about creating synergy with ICT potentials between the two nations, after a forum held on the sidelines of the inaugural Korea-Africa Summit last week where he met his South Korean counterpa

June 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] North Sulawesi's links with Korea, win-win, says governor

North Sulawesi Gov. Olly Dondokambey cited links between North Sulawesi-South Korea as a win-win for both Indonesia and South Korea during an interview with The Korea Herald on Wednesday. "Direct flights between Jeju and Manado, taking approximately four hours, are crucial. Indonesian citizens can visit Jeju without a visa, enhancing tourism and business travel," Dondokambey said referring to the strategic importance of direct flights between the two countries. According to Dondokambey

June 11, 2024

Sweden recalls historical bonds with Korea

Sweden marked its National Day on Wednesday, celebrating 501 years of independence since the election of King Gustav Vasa in 1523, and the 50th anniversary of Carl XVI Gustaf's reign, Sweden's longest-serving monarch. Delivering remarks at the event, Johannes Andreasson, charge d'affaires at the Swedish Embassy, highlighted the deep historical ties between Sweden and Korea. "We are celebrating 65 years of diplomatic relations, but our contacts date back over 300 years,"

June 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kazakh deputy minister hopes to boost economic diplomacy with Korea

Nazira Nurbayeva, Kazakhstan’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, expressed a strong commitment to boosting economic diplomacy with South Korea to shape future potential and mutual benefits. The term refers to promoting a state's economic interests through the use of economic tools in trade and investment, leveraging a comparative advantage to achieve specific foreign policy objectives. "Kazakhstan has resources, low production costs and affordable utilities, while Korea brings

June 11, 2024

Law firm DR & AJU hosts Korea-Africa Energy Investment Forum

Local law firm DR & AJU LLC hosted the Korea-Africa Energy Investment Forum on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit last week. The event was attended by 150 delegates, including businesspeople from 36 African nations and South Korea. Notable attendees included Rep. Na Kyung-won, Minister of Trade and Industry Cheong In-kyo and Lee Kyu-chul, managing partner of DR & AJU. Timothy Dickens, chair of the South Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Korea, opened the forum with an overv

June 10, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Peru firmly supports NK denuclearization'

Amid intensifying nuclear threats from North Korea, Peru firmly supports the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the South American country's foreign minister told The Korea Herald. In a written interview, Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea condemned North Korea's continuous tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles, calling the reclusive regime a serious threat to international peace and security. The minister is in Seoul to participate in the Korea-LAC Future Cooperat

June 10, 2024

Vietnamese FM urges business community to grow with Vietnam-Korea ties

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son urged the Vietnamese community in South Korea to capitalize on growing Vietnam-Korea ties, as he recently attended the kick-off ceremony of the Business Association of Vietnamese in Korea (BAViK). "Currently, the relationship between Vietnam and Korea is at the highest stage of development, and despite the challenging global and Korean economic situations, there are ample opportunities for growth and collaboration," Bui said on May 30, addressi

June 7, 2024

Georgia lauds Korea, partners on Independence Day

Tarash Papaskua, Georgian Ambassador to South Korea, celebrated its 106th Independence Day and the 33rd anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union at a recent event held in Seoul. "Despite the short period of its existence from 1918 to 1921, the Democratic Republic of Georgia had a significant impact on the development of Georgian statehood in the long run," said Papaskua, during his remarks at the event on May 27. Georgia is now facing geopolitical challenges from Russia�

June 7, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] S. Korea's assistance to Africa is an investment, says Rwandan president

Rwandan President Paul Kagame expressed high hopes to forge mutually beneficial ties with South Korea, stressing that the support from Asia's fourth-largest economy to the continent, particularly Rwanda, is an investment for mutual gains. “Korea should, in fact, say that the support they give to countries in Africa or to Rwanda in particular is a sort of investment," the president said in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Tuesday. "It's investing your money

June 5, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] Morocco urges Korea to enhance cooperation in Atlantic coast vision

Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, called on South Korea to enhance cooperation with the country’s Atlantic coast vision, which aims to connect its coastline to the Americas. "Today, the focus of the African continent has shifted towards developing and enhancing the Atlantic coast,” said Bourita in an interview with The Korea Herald in Seoul on Monday. “We must strive to reach landlocked African nations that also need these benefits," he said, noting th

June 4, 2024

[Bridge to Africa] Nigeria seeks Korean EV investment

Nigeria's plans to create a favorable environment for electric vehicle investment will be an opportunity for South Korean carmakers, Nigeria's foreign minister told The Korea Herald. "You can mine the lithium, refine it in Nigeria, produce the EV cars there, and sell them to consumers locally,” Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said Monday. “It’s a complete value chain ready to be exploited,” he said. Nigeria has significant lithium deposits in Nasaraw

June 4, 2024

[Contribution] Empowering Africa’s green future by bridging climate finance gap

Africa’s abundant natural resources, rich biodiversity, huge potential for renewable energy and active workforce make the continent a vital player in the global transition to green economy. Today, Africa stands ready to propel itself into a green revolution, capitalizing on its many opportunities and resources, and driven by unwavering determination to steer the continent towards a sustainable, resilient future. This commitment is exemplified through innovation, collaboration, and by forgi

June 3, 2024

Turkmenistan honors poet Magtymguly Fragi in Seoul

The Turkmenistan Embassy in Seoul honored Magtymguly Fragi, a prominent Turkmen poet and philosopher, celebrating the 300th anniversary of his birth on May 14. Hosting a conference and exhibition, the embassy showcased Fragi‘s profound impact on Turkmen cultural heritage. Delivering remarks at the event, Turkmenistan Ambassador to Korea Begench Durdyyev heralded the poet and philosopher as a beacon of Turkmen literary tradition and philosophy, who shaped cultural discourse. Turkmenistan ha

May 28, 2024

[Herald Interview] Korea, model for Indonesia’s creative economy: minister

Indonesian leader Joko Widodo has asked his administration to learn from the South Korean government's drive to bolster the creative economy as part of the Southeast Asian country's effort to pursue its future growth engine, according to an Indonesian Cabinet member. "President Joko Widodo has tasked us with emulating the Korean government's approach to bolster the creative industry," said Sandiaga Uno, Indonesian minister for tourism and creative economy in a recent int

May 27, 2024

Azerbaijan marks Independence Day, seeks climate action with S. Korea

The Azerbaijan Embassy said it hopes to join hands with South Korea on climate action while marking its Independence Day in Seoul on Wednesday. The annual event commemorates the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918, which ended nearly two centuries of Iranian and Russian rule and marked the restoration of Azerbaijan's statehood. "It (Azerbaijan) was the first republic ever in the entire Muslim world. It granted its female citizens the right to vote, ahead

May 27, 2024

Tajikistan builds solar panel production with Korean investment

Tajikistan, with substantial support from South Korea, started its first solar panel production facility in the Danghara Free Economic Zone on Saturday, according to the Tajik Embassy in Seoul. The project spearheaded by the Korean company Global Solar Wafer, is set to unfold in four stages investing $2 billion and boosting local employment in Tajikistan, the embassy said. The facility is also expected to provide over 8,000 jobs, it added. In a move to woo foreign investment in the country, the

May 27, 2024

Indian embassy to hold festivities for Yoga day

The Indian Embassy in Seoul will hold festivities across the country to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, slated for June 21. The International Day of Yoga was designated by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution 69/131 and received endorsement from a record 175 member states in 2014. Speaking at a press briefing ahead of the 10th International Day of Yoga on Thursday, Indian Ambassador to Korea Amit Kumar introduced yoga as an ancient heritage from India, that embodies th

May 27, 2024

Herald Media Group co-hosts ‘Africa Day 2024 Korea’ with African embassies

Herald Media Group will co-host "Africa Day 2024 Korea" on Thursday in collaboration with the African Group of Ambassadors representing 20 African countries, under the slogan "When African Possibilities Meet Korean Capabilities." The main aim of the event is to show how South Korea and Africa can chart a path forward in their economic partnership, and pave the way for the successful hosting of the first-ever Korea-Africa Summit on June 4 and 5. The event at the Convention Cen

May 22, 2024

S. Korea, China discuss stronger supply chain ties during ministerial talks

South Korea and China discussed ways Thursday of strengthening bilateral cooperation on supply chains of critical minerals and key industry items, Seoul's finance ministry said. The discussions were made during the 18th Korea-China Meeting on Economic Cooperation held virtually between South Korea's Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok and Zheng Shanjie, chairman of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance. It was the fi

May 16, 2024

Kazakhstan needs drones with Korean expertise: vice minister

Kazakhstan's Vice Minister of Industry and Construction Azamat Beispekov showed keenness to integrate Korean expertise into his country's drone industry during an interview with The Korea Herald on May 9. “Cooperation with Korea in the field of drones is very important,” said Beispekov, highlighting the technology’s role in shaping Kazakhstan’s future in oil and gas, agriculture, and road safety. A reciprocal arrangement in drone production has the potential t

May 14, 2024