By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Governor Kim Tae-hum of Chungcheongnam-do met with Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming at the reception room of the provincial government office on April 1. The two exchanged pleasantries and words of understanding on local government exchanges and cooperation between the two countries, confirming their friendship. Governor Kim said, "Korea and China are the closest neighbors and inseparable. I know more about Chinese history than Korean history because I have read a lot of books about Chinese history since I was a child." "Chungnam is the closest province
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Gyeongbuk (North Gyeongsang Province) Governor Lee Cheol-woo met with Caroline Kennedy, the honorary president of the JFK Foundation (currently the U.S. ambassador to Australia), who visited Hahoe Village on March 28. The governor had a luncheon at Hakrokjeongsa with Kennedy and her husband, the eldest grandson of the head family of Hahoe Village, and chairman of Andong Medical Foundation. "Hahoe Village was visited by Queen Elizabeth II in 1999, and I have always wanted to visit it," said Kennedy, who showed a lot of interest in traditional culture such as K
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu of Kazakhstan engaged in talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in Washington, D.C., on March 26, focusing on enhancing the partnership between the US and Kazakhstan in political, trade, economic and humanitarian spheres. The meeting underscored the mutual interest in bolstering cooperation between the two nations. Both officials highlighted their dedication to enhancing investment opportunities and promoting diversification within Kazakhstan’s economy. Key discussion topics included the Glo
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan met with Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, and President of the Assembly of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) on March 28 in Boao, China. Tokayev expressed gratitude to Ban Ki-moon for the invitation to take part in the BFA and noted his considerable contribution to the world community as one of the best Secretaries-General in UN history. Ban Ki-moon emphasized the substantial contribution of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the development of inte
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Mayor Lee Min-geun of Ansan City, Gyeonggi Province, met with German Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Georg Schmidt on March 27 to exchange views on German immigration policy and Ansan's foreigner policy. Germany enacted the Immigration Act in 2005 and established the Federal Office for Immigration and Refugees to carry out immigration policies in organic cooperation with local governments. In particular, in recent years, the country has been actively allowing the immigration of highly skilled global talents to solve the problem of shortage of skilled manpow
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo SK On, a leading global electric vehicle battery manufacturer, announced on March 27 that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italian luxury sports carmaker Ferrari to reinforce their partnership and lead innovation in cell technology. SK On Chief Executive Officer Lee Seok-hee, Ferrari Chief Executive Officer Benedetto Vigna, Ferrari Chief Research and Development Officer Ernesto Lasalandra, SK On Chief Commercial Officer Sung Min-suk and SK On Chief Technology Officer Rhee Jang-weon were among the attendees at the MoU signing ceremony at SK Seo
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Chairman Lee Bong-rak of the Incheon Metropolitan City Council met with Senator Elvi Gray Jackson, who visited Korea on an invitation from the Global Network Division of the Korea Foundation (KF) on March 28 and discussed the establishment of direct flights between Incheon and Anchorage and ways to strengthen friendship and cooperation. The Alaska State Senator is known for her various activities related to the rights and interests of ethnic minority groups in Alaska, including the Korean community, such as introducing legislation to require the teaching of Asi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “The Armed Forces of Myanmar is constantly engaged in protecting and preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. They have made enormous sacrifices to make our country safe so that our future generation is secure,” said H.E. U Thant Sin, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Delivering welcoming remarks at an event to mark the 79th Anniversary of Myanmar Armed Forces Day held at the Riverside Hotel in Seoul on March 27, Amb. U Thant Sin said, “The Armed Forces Day serves as an opportunity for the government and military le
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Aviation authorities of Kazakhstan and South Korea agreed to increase the number of weekly flights permitted between the two countries fourfold from 10 to 42 on March 21. According to Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan, the two parties reached the agreement during bilateral negotiations in Almaty that were attended by Saltanat Tompiyeva, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Kim Yeong Kook, Director General for Aviation Policy of the Republic of Korea. They have also reached an agreement on
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo TES, an SK Ecoplant company, provided a boost to sustainability efforts in the U.S. with the grand opening in March of a facility in Fredericksburg, Va., dedicated to securely repurpose IT assets. The site will ensure valuable materials from IT equipment can be used again, without compromising data security, instead of ending up in landfills as electronic waste. The 128,000-square-foot facility is expected to create 100 well-paying jobs in the Fredericksburg area. Strategically located near the largest data center market in the world, the Virginia site will pla
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hyundai Motor Group co–hosted the 2024 Korea–Africa Business Forum on March 25 in Seoul in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Structural Transformation (CSST) at SOAS University of London and the Korea–Africa Foundation. The forum discussed how Korean and African stakeholders can work together as strategic partners for sustainable development amidst ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. “Africa holds immense potential for strong partnerships and sustainable development,” said Ken Kim, Executive Vice President of HMG Business Intelligence Institute. “Throug
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo | Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon met with Estonian Ambassador to Korea Sten Schwede to discuss ways to build a cooperative relationship between Gyeonggi-do and Estonia. "Estonia is a leading country in digital government, and Gyeonggi-do is interested in utilizing artificial intelligence and advanced technology not only in digital government but also in the lives of its citizens," Kim told Amb. Sten Schwede, who visited the Gyeonggi-do Government Office on March 22. "Gyeonggi-do is striving to become a pioneer not only in Korea but also in the world in the digital
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol received six delegates of the U.S. Congressional Study Group on Korea (CSGK), including Representatives Ami Bera (CSGK Co-Chair) and Young Kim (CSGK Co-Chair), and exchanged views on ways to work with the U.S. Congress to advance the U.S.-Korea alliance on March 25. The President welcomed the delegation of the CSGK, a group of members of the U.S. Congress who are among the most fond of Korea, and praised the CSGK for its efforts in expanding the support base for the ROK-U.S. alliance in the U.S. Congress and promoting the development o
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The first exhibition in the "The Story of Living Hwayangyeonhwa" K-Art Representative Artist Series, Kim Yong-mo’s invitational solo exhibition was held from April 3 to April 8, 2024 at Heesu Gallery in Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The works in the "Story of Living" series convey a variety of positive messages such as happiness, love, hope, and respect, and the artist's desire to share the joy of living is evident in the pristine beauty of the works. The bold outlines of the images provide clarity, and the works, which clarify their inherent properties and charac
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo A special event dedicated to the 105th Anniversary of the founding of the modern Belarusian Diplomatic Service was held at the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea on March 25. The meeting was attended by invited guests from among the representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps, cultural and media circles of the Republic of Korea. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Korea Andrew Chernetsky addressed the audience with a welcoming speech. At the suggestion of the head of Belarusian