When the democratic revolt in Tunisia successfully ousted the old regime, the world reacted with amazement. Democracy from below in the Arab world? After the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s 30 year-old regime in Egypt, the heartland of the Middle East, amazement has turned into certainty.

Seoul is using an old-school method — leaflet bombing — to tell its northern neighbors about events in the Middle East. As part of its ongoing campaign to win over North Koreans, South Korea has once again turned to "balloon diplomacy," sending gas-filled balloons skyward with messages and goodies in tow.

Lebanon and South Korea have yet to establish the necessary foundations to promote political and economic ties as Lebanese investors find little interest in the South Korean market and vice versa, Lebanon’s Ambassador to South Korea Issam Mustapha told The Daily Star.

Many observers of the Korean Peninsula have traced the apparent relaxation of tensions there to the supporting contributions made by China and the United States, with attention now focusing on the upcoming inter-Korean dialogue. But Russia's role in this process also deserves mention, since Moscow can be a positive force regarding the Koreas.

The Australia-Korea Foundation’s next funding round will begin in February for the 2011―2012 financial year. The Foundation explained that project proposals from individuals or organizations must demonstrate the ability to achieve the AKF’s goals in line with its Strategic Plan.

The face in the painting is North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's, smiling beneath his trademark sunglasses and wall of black hair. But the body is Marilyn Monroe's, pushing down her white dress in an updraft.

How do you sell a movie called “Captain America” to an overseas market? In South Korea, Russia and the Ukraine, apparently, the answer is you don’t even try... Those involved in the decision are being careful to frame the move as a matter of brand management and consumer awareness and not as a decision tilted by cultural or political winds.

The government needs to set up a unified source of information on what’s happening here as well as the country’s unique culture and history to meet the growing interest from foreigners following the successful hosting of the G20 summit last November, a public relations expert said Monday.