It happens every first Sunday. A line snakes inside the lobby and spills outside the doors of the Doongsoong Presybeterian Church in Hyewah, Seoul. Expats and natives congregate for a curious cultural exchange as the Heritage Mass Choir prepares to spread the gospel with a foot-stomping, hands-waving-in-the-air-like-you-just-don’t-care side-to-side swagger.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its escorts are heading for the waters off the Korean peninsula, in the aftermath of the flare-up between North and South Korea. This is very much gunboat diplomacy 21st Century-style.

Korea’s national brand power ranked 18th in the world this year, one notch higher than last year, as measured in terms of scientific research activities, culture and other areas, a survey showed yesterday.

While the post-G20 summit data are not yet available, a survey conducted after the announcement of Korea as the host of a G20 summit showed that 65 percent of the respondents were aware of Korea, a figure that is significantly higher than the 47 percent awareness recorded before the announcement...

Many South Koreans are now coming to the Philippines to learn Spanish. Jose Rodriguez, Instituto Cervantes-Manila director, said the number of South Koreans enrolled at the Spanish-language school in Manila has dramatically rose to almost 7,000 students.

The World Peace Forum, a Seoul-based private research institute, hosted an international workshop to exchange expert views on enhancing peace in the world as well as on the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday in Seoul.

It’s time for the South Korean Army to develop “soft power” ― the ability to attract and persuade rather than force, a defense experts said Tuesday. In a security forum in Seoul, retired Gen. Lee Hee-won, a special advisor to the President for defense and security affairs, called for building a “smart” Army to better adapt to changes.

It’s been a big week for dog and pony shows, particularly in Yokohama and Seoul. As both cities wheeled out their best tricks for regional and global leaders – and international media – for the Apec and G20 summits, it was the Koreans who pulled out all the stops to show that Seoul is now a proper rival to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. Well, almost.