By Lee Kap-soo The International Youth Fellowship (IYF), a non-governmental organization (NGO), announced on Jan. 3 that it will push for mind education for youth character development in Uganda, East Africa. IYF founder Rev. Park Ok-soo met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kiruhura, Uganda, on Jan. 1 (local time) to exchange views on the introduction of mind education. Rev. Park introduced mind education from around the world and explained his plans to establish a mind education center, introduce mind education to public education in Uganda, and provide training for government offici
By Lee Kap-soo Pope Francis called for the end of military operations in Gaza and the release of Israelis being held hostage in the area in his annual Christmas message. In his annual Christmas Day “Urbi et Orbi” mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis called for an end “to war, to every war, to the very mindset of war, an aimless voyage, a defeat without victors, an inexcusable folly.” May peace “come in Israel and Palestine, where war is devastating the lives of those peoples,” he said. “My heart grieves for the victims of the abominable attack of October 7 last, and I reiterate my urgent appeal f
By Lee Kap-soo The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution initiated by Uzbekistan "Central Asia in the face of environmental challenges: strengthening regional solidarity for the sake of sustainable development and prosperity," reports a correspondent of the "Dunyo" information agency. The intergovernmental negotiation process to develop and agree on the text of the resolution took place over two months, namely in October-November at the UN headquarters in New York. Experts from countries from all continents of the world, including the USA, Russia, China, France, Great Britain,
By Lee Kap-soo (New Year Message) Dear readers of the Diplomacy Journal, I wish all readers of Diplomacy Journal all the best in the coming year 2024. The year 2023 was a very special year for us as it marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Switzerland. It was also the 70th anniversary of Switzerland's presence on the Korean Peninsula as a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. Over the past six decades, our two countries have cultivated a solid partnership in politics, economics, science, technology, business, art and design. On th
By Lee Kap-soo | Amid ongoing bombardment in the Gaza Strip, UN agencies and humanitarian partners continue to provide desperately needed food, water, healthcare and other services to the more than two million people living there. This Thursday (Dec. 7) marks two months since conflict erupted after Hamas militants stormed southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and seizing more than 200 hostages, prompting Israel to launch a massive military operation in Gaza. Martin Griffiths, UN Humanitarian Coordinator and head of its emergency relief office, OCHA, on Thursday upheld the commitment of ai
By Lee Kap-soo French Ambassador Philippe Bertoux and German Ambassador Georg Schmidt in Seoul commemorated the end of World War I by paying tribute to the victims. According to the French Embassy in Seoul on Nov. 10, Ambassadors Bertoux and Schmidt attended the 105th World War I Armistice Day ceremony at the War Memorial in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and paid tribute to the victims. The event commemorates the 105th anniversary of the end of World War I the following day. Ambassador Bertoux said it was meaningful to co-host the ceremony with his German counterpart. "The deep friendship that links our
By Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Otabek Khasanov, First Deputy Director, Agency for the Development of Public Service under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal. –ED. We are living through the greatest technological transition since industrialization, with Artificial Intelligence and automation precipitating major transformations in the nature and experience of work. Structural transformation driven by technology raises concerns about the future of work among policymakers, as well as employers and employees. As technology advances, there
By Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairwoman of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal. –ED. In recent years, the world has been troubled by unexpected threats, conflicting relations, environmental consequences, geopolitical conflicts and a crisis of mutual distrust. In such a complex period, issues of national statehood, territorial and regional security are becoming more serious. In this sense, it is plain as day how necessary it is to establish the spirit of understanding, tolerance, solidarity and trust
By Lee Kap-soo Since Samsung Electronics Home Appliances America (SEHA) planted roots in Newberry, South Carolina, Samsung has looked for ways to enhance the lives, experiences and opportunities for local military communities, working closely with organizations like the American Legion and the Freedom and Hope Foundation. For the last seven years, Samsung has hosted a Veterans Day Luncheon, providing hundreds of meals to veteran families. It’s become a cherished and honored tradition. “Every year, we look forward to this event to show our commitment and appreciation for those who gave so much,
By Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar at the Yongsan Presidential Office on November 3 and exchanged views on bilateral relations, ways to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields, and regional and international developments. The President said that as Ireland is a friendship country that shared the universal values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law during the Korean War, it is significant that Prime Minister Varadkar is visiting Korea this year on the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countrie
By Kayla Lee LG Electronics hosted the finals of the 2023 Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities (GITC) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from October 24-28. The successful event, held offline for the first time in four years, saw 461 youth with disabilities from 18 different countries compete in a total of six, diverse IT challenges. The challenges included the two-part eTool challenge, a test of participants’ skill creating presentation slides and utilizing spreadsheets; the eLifeMap challenge, an assessment of one’s ability to conduct text and image searches online; the eContent
By Lee Kap-soo Hyundai Motor ASEAN HQ launched the Future Mobility School in collaboration with the UNESCO APCEIU and the South Korean Ministry of Education, expanding the educational program to ASEAN countries, the company said on Nov. 6. The classes have been in session since August for the fall semester of 2023, at a total of 12 schools – three in Indonesia, five in Malaysia and four in Cambodia. The Future Mobility School was first introduced by Hyundai Motor Company and the South Korean Ministry of Education in 2016, and this year, Hyundai Motor ASEAN HQ worked together with the UNESCO AP
By Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol delivered a keynote address to the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 20, calling the international community's attention to the illegality and danger of the military deal between North Korea and Russia and calling for a united response. In addition to expressing his country's willingness to actively contribute to resolving challenges such as global disparities, President Yoon also called for support for the 2030 Busan World Expo (Busan Expo). President Yoon said at the General Debate on the floor of the UN General Assembly in
By Lee Kap-soo President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is on a state visit to Qatar at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, held a meeting with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar on October 25. Prior to the meeting, an official welcome ceremony was held in the main hall of Amiri Diwan Palace to celebrate President Yoon's state visit. The Qatari side escorted the President's vehicle as it entered the Amiri Diwan Palace entrance, accompanied by mounted and camel troops. The President was received by His Highness Emir Tamim in the concourse of Amiri Diwan Palace, where he was escorted by th
By Lee Kap-soo The following article was provided by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul to Diplomacy Journal. —Ed. The 25th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is scheduled for October 16-20 this year in Samarkand. For the first time in history, Uzbekistan will host this important biennial gathering of member states and affiliate members of UNWTO. The event will bring together heads of government agencies, representatives of the tourism industry, and international business corporations engaged in the sector from around 159 countries. Heads o