Top procurement officials of Korea, Austria agree to deepen tiesTop procurement officials of Korea and Austria held talks in the European country earlier this week to discuss closer bilateral cooperation, the Public Procurement Service (PPS) said Thursday. The meeting between PPS Administrator Lim Ki-keun and Martin S. Ledolter, managing director and CEO of Bundesbeschaffung GmbH (BBG), Austria's central procurement organization, took place in Austria on Tuesday (local time), PPS said. It marked the first official meeting between the heads of PPS and BBG. BBG, as a central purchasing body, is responsible for approximately 80 percent of the country's total public procurement volume under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Finance. The meeting took place following the participation of an Austrian delegate in the 2025 International Public Procurement Workshop, co-hosted by PPS and the OECD in Korea in March. During the workshop, both sides expressed a strong willingness to enhance bilateral cooperation. Lim shared the nation's experience in establishing the next-generation KONEPS (government e-procurement system) and engaged in in-depth discussiApr 10, 2025By Yonhap
Unification minister visits Japan for meetings with senior officials on unification, NKUnification Minister Kim Yung-ho will travel to Japan on Wednesday for a three-day visit that will include meetings with senior officials to discuss policies related to inter-Korean unification and North Korea, his ministry said. Kim's visit to Tokyo through Friday aims to strengthen Korea-Japan cooperation on unification between the two Koreas and North Korea policy under the Shigeru Ishiba administration, according to the ministry. During the visit, Kim plans to hold meetings with Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, a ministry official said. He also intends to brief the association of foreign correspondents in Japan on South Korea's policies on unification and attend a local forum. The ministry said the minister expects his visit to Japan to strengthen Seoul-Tokyo cooperation on issues, including efforts to repatriate abductees held in North Korea. The ministry also said the latest visit is expected to elevate the bilateral partnership to a higher level as the two countries mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations this yeApr 9, 2025By Yonhap
Public diplomacy in action: Peruvian artist's photo exhibitionThe Embassy of Peru is deeply honored and proud to bring Korea the talent and artistry of Roberto Huarcaya, presenting a monumental exhibition, “A Sombre Aspect,” with the generous support of the Korea Foundation and the chief curator of the Donggang International Photography Festival Kim, Ms. Kim Hee-jung. There is no doubt that Huarcaya, a 66-year-old from Lima, is one of the most renowned and talented photographers and visual artists in my country, if not the most. His innovative experimental techniques invite us to engage with the world from a natural, empathetic and intimate perspective. The photograms shown in the Korea Foundation gallery embody an artisanal and minimalist process that stands in stark contrast to today’s technology and artificial intelligence-driven trends. It takes us back, in many ways, to the origins of photography: photosensitive paper and light, whether from natural sources like storms or the moon, or from artificial sources like a small handheld flash. The result is a delicate realm of shadows and ephemeral images presenting the opportunity to unveil aApr 8, 2025By Paul Duclos
People’s Daily Journalist Remembers Kim Dae-jungBy Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― The life of former President Kim Dae-jung touched not just Koreans, but also many foreigners who crossed paths or developed special friendships with him at some point in their lives. Xu Baokang, a senior reporter with The People's Daily in China, was one. In a piece titled "Unforgettable Old Friend Kim Dae-jung," Xu remembers the former South Korean President, who he met as the Chinese newspaper's Seoul correspondent. "Kim dedicated his life to South Korea's democracy and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula," he said in a two-page special obituary piece, published in the September edition of The Global People, a sister monthly magazine of The People's Daily. "Kim was also an old friend of Chinese people. He exerted a great effort to promote the China-South Korea friendship," he said. After returning to China, Xu again met the late former President in May this year during Kim's visit to Beijing. "I never imagined this would be my last time to see him," he wrote. It was his fifth and last interview with the deceased. Aug 28, 2009
Is President’s Granddaughter Learning Chinese Too?By Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― This week quietly marked the 17th anniversary of South Korea and China establishing full diplomatic ties, which left behind the decades-old Cold War estrangement. Although the word "China" has since been a buzzword in South Korea just as it is everywhere else on the planet, especially among the business nomads who have flocked there, South Korean policy makers' enthusiasm on the new global magnet has been strangely moderate, if not subdued. This warrants correction, observed an eminent strategist. "It's like an earthquake is about to happen. Korean business people have the animal instinct and can feel it coming. So, they are moving ahead. But politicians are human beings. They are slow to react," said Cho Dong-sung, who teaches about the relationship between political policy and business strategy at Seoul National University, during a dinner chat here in the Chinese capital. Today, China is the epicenter of seismic global change. "China's rise" has also become a global mantra. Yet "10 years ago, no economics professor Aug 28, 2009
Guanxi Takes 30% of Doing Business in ChinaBy Sunny Lee Korea Times Correspondent BEIJING ― With China's ever increasing global prominence in business, those with interest in China have been treated to a binge of books about ``how to do business in China.'' Subsequently, a glut of wisdom has been shared. However, recently, a debate has emerged regarding how much ``guanxi'' or ``personal relationship'' plays a role in doing business in China. Some brush guanxi aside, saying it doesn't work in modern China. Others overestimate its role as a magic pill that opens the door for business opportunities. Cheung Kin-yu, a Hong Kong entrepreneur who has taught a ``Doing Business in China'' course to MBA students at a number of schools, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of South Australia and Tsinghua University, argues that guanxi still makes up 30 percent of Chinese deal-making culture. The 60-year-old Cheung spoke to the Korea Times in order to offer some tips on ``doing business in China,'' specifically tailored for Koreans. Korea Times: What's the biggest weakness of Koreans doing businesOct 20, 2008
China in Transition in Management Leadership StyleChina is a country of old and new and one that is in transition. In every sector, it is now in the process of blending its tradition, customs and practices with Western concepts and ideas. In the business world, it is the blending of its wisdom and Western practices. Frank Gallo, the retired Greater China Managing Consultant of Watson Wyatt Worldwide, recently published an interesting book ``Business Leadership in China.'' The 220-page book sheds light on the uniqueness of China's business leadership, the clash of old and new generation leaders and its transition to hybrid management leadership practices. Michael Barbalas, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said, ``Frank GalloSep 16, 2008
