The marathon in the world’s most isolated country is a rare chance for foreigners to interact en masse with North Koreans. It has been open to amateur foreign runners since 2014.

South Korea and Mexico have been working to expand their strategic partnerships across more diverse fields, and consequently, cultural ties have become stronger with the growing popularity of the Korean cultural wave.

One concerning aspect of China’s rising prominence is its troublesome relations with its neighbours. It has fought both real and legal battles on territorial and ideological grounds on several fronts including in India, Vietnam and on the Korean peninsula in the past [...] But one break in this pattern is the country’s long-standing relationship with Nepal.

ometimes immigrant chefs can’t obtain favorite ingredients in their new home so they look for substitutes. Or they discover in America new types of food and improvise. Often their creations introduce other Americans to their native cuisines. And sometimes chefs adapt their favorites to appeal to the tastes of their new countrymen.

South Korea and China have agreed to carry out 69 cultural projects this year to build stronger ties between their people, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said Friday. [...] The projects include various academic seminars, youth exchange programs, speech contests and concerts, as well as a joint study of pandas.

“Our U.S. government can’t be everywhere at every moment,” said Jennifer Clinton, president of Global Ties U.S. “We must continue to find ways to leverage the citizenry to build the bridges that lead to increased security, economic development, economic ties and cultural ties.”

The incident was the latest in a string of cultural flashpoints surrounding the centuries-old Indian practice, and has made many a yogi rethink the lines between cultural exchange and cultural appropriation.