By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee A grand exhibition titled “K-Folk Painting Artists Invitational Exhibition” will be held at the National Museum of Folk Art in Minsk, located in the capital of Belarus in Eastern Europe from October 27 to November 16. This exhibition is co-hosted by the Belarusian Ministry of Culture and the Diplomacy Journal, and co-organized by the Belarusian National Museum, the K-Folk Painting Research Institute, and the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee. It is expected to mark a new leap toward the globalization of K-Folk Painting. This exhibition is a large-sc
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo A remarkable cultural milestone has been achieved with the Korean translation of «The Days Gone By» (O‘tkan kunlar), the iconic novel by Uzbek literary pioneer Abdulla Qodiriy. The man behind this endeavor is Professor Kim Tschung Sun of Keimyung University, who spent more than two years translating the novel — not only with scholarly precision but also with a deep emotional connection to its world. From March 2023 to May 2025, Professor Kim immersed himself in the world of Qodiriy’s characters — their passions, struggles, and the historical backdrop of early 2
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of India and the Korean Yoga Association (KYA) jointly organized the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDoY) event at the iconic Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul on June 21, 2025. With the Gyeongbok Palace providing a magnificent backdrop, the Yoga event drew in over 700 yoga practitioners, both Korean friends and members of the Indian diaspora. Several dignitaries and members of the diplomatic corps joined the event. Ambassador Amit Kumar noted the growing popularity of Yoga in ROK, thanked KYA and other local partners for their efforts in promoting Yoga
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo In celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the International Day of Yoga, the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK), in collaboration with the Embassy of India in Seoul and the Korean Yoga Association will hold a special Yoga event at Nami Island at 2:00 p.m. on June 28. The event will be held at O Stage, Nami Island's representative performance venue, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for two hours, and will be conducted simultaneously in Korean and English, making it an international program that both domestic and foreign tourists can enjoy together. Participan
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo A cultural program featuring Shashmaqom was held in Paris, France on June 11, 2025. This event was part of the celebration marking the 700th anniversary of Hafiz Shirazi, as well as the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Program, and the 60th anniversary of UNESCO Water Sciences. The program showcased performances by masters of Shashmaqom from Tajikistan. The event garnered significant attention from guests and forum participants alike. The performance of this unique, traditional musical heritage, which is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo From June 5 to 8, 2025, Almaty proudly represented Kazakhstan at one of Asia’s largest tourism exhibitions — the Seoul International Tourism Fair (SITF 2025) in Seoul. The booth of Kazakhstan’s southern capital drew significant attention from visitors and industry experts, and was ultimately awarded the honorary title of “The Best Booth Design of SITF 2025.” Visitors had the chance to experience the vibrant spirit of Kazakh culture and the essence of Almaty through a dynamic and interactive program, including: • Live performances of traditional Kazakh music by
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Korea and the Uzbekistan Tourism Agency jointly held the “Uzbekistan-South Korea Tourism Forum” at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul on June 9, 2025, inviting representatives from the South Korean travel industry. Delivering welcoming speech at the forum, Minister Counsellor Fazliddin Arziev of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul said, “It is a great honor to welcome you to the Uzbekistan–Korea Tourism Forum - a meaningful platform that continues to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our two nations.” Noting
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of Kazakhstan in Korea, together with Kazakh Tourism JSC NC, organized a Road Show to showcase Kazakhstan’s tourism potential in Seoul on June 4, 2025. The event brought together about 150 participants, including representatives of leading Korean tour operators, airlines, the Secretariat of the Central Asia – Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum, the Korea Association of Travel Agents (KATA), tourism experts, and journalists from both countries. The Kazakh delegation included 10 organizations and companies such as Kazakh Tourism JSC NC, the Almaty To
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee (WPAEOC), led by Chairman Lee Jon-young, donated 42 K-folk painting artworks to the Busan Detention Center under the Daegu Regional Correctional Office on May 30, continuing its art sharing activities to help inmates' emotional stability and social reintegration. This donation was made possible through the proposal of Chairman Lee Jon-young, who has shown deep interest in the rehabilitation of inmates and the prevention of reoffending. The donated works will be installed in the detention center's exhibition spac
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea took part on May 24 in the international multicultural festival “Busan Global Gathering 2025”, held annually in Busan, the second largest city in the Republic of Korea. According to the already established tradition, at the festival, Belarus diplomatic mission treated guests to national homemade pastries and honey drinks, also introduce the local community to the culture, history and tourist features of Belarus. For the very young visitors of the festival, coloring books with images of national sym
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea, together with representatives of the Belarusian diaspora, took part in the 17th Seongbuk Global Food Festival – Nurimasil on May 18,2025, organized by the administration of the Seongbuk district of Seoul. Belarusian diplomatic mission delighted the guests of the festival with traditional potato pancakes, crepes and other dishes of national cuisine, while both adults and children appreciated the Belarusian culinary delights. As part of the event, Ambassador of Belarus Andrew Chernetsky and his Spou
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young St. Lazarus Village will hold its 38th Charity Concert, “In Your Presence,” on June 11 at the Seongnam Arts Center Opera House. This will be the first time in six years that the charity concert has been held since the 37th charity concert in 2019, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 'In Your Presence' began in 1975 with the voluntary participation of celebrities to help people with Hansen's disease in Korea and abroad. The subtitle of the charity concert, which commemorates the Universal Church's regular jubilee and the 75th anniversary of the fo
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will once again host the Seoul International Garden Show (SIGS), a signature ‘Garden City Seoul’ event that attracted a cumulative 7.8 million visitors over five months at Ttukseom Hangang Park last year, the SMG said on May 14. This year’s SIGS 2025 will take place at Boramae Park for about 150 days from May 22 to Oct. 20, spanning three seasons from spring to fall and covering 400,000 square meters of urban greenery. As the 10th anniversary since its launch in 2015, it will present the largest area and longest duration to
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul visited on May 8 a special exhibition on the Tongsinsa (delegation from the Joseon Dynasty to Japan), which is under way at the Seoul Museum of History under the theme “Bonds of the Heart, Waves of Resonance.” The exhibition, which is being held in cooperation between Korean and Japanese museums to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, features 128 artifacts related to the Tongsinsa. As such, it serves as an opportunity to look back on the footsteps of the T
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has appointed Indian actress Hina Khan as an honorary ambassador for Korean tourism, the KTO said on May 12. Hina Khan is beloved as a “national actor” in India for her role in the popular drama “What Kind of Relationship Do We Have?” which has aired for the longest time in India. Hina Khan, who is visiting Korea for the first time, will stay in Korea until May 13 and enjoy the diverse charms of Korea. She visited Bukchon Hanok Village, the filming location of the popular Korean drama in India, “Goblin,” the stone walls of Deo