By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hyundai Motor Company has achieved a record brand valuation of $24.6 billion and ranked 30th in the 2025 Interbrand Best Global Brands Rankings, the company said on Oct. 15. This marks 16 years of consecutive growth in brand value since 2010 and a 72 percent increase over the past five years. The company has been listed among the top 30 global brands for the second year in a row. Hyundai Motor’s rise in the rankings reflects its strong financial performance, strategic global expansion and continued investment in innovation. In 2024, the company posted record re
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of Hungary in Korea hosted a reception to celebrate the National Day commemorating the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 at the Pullman Hotel in Seoul on Oct. 22, 2025. Delivering congratulatory remarks, Amb. Istvan Szerdahelyi of Hungary in Seoul said, “October 23, 1956 is one of the most significant days in Hungary's history, a day when our nation stood against dictatorship, Soviet military occupation in the fight for freedom. And the date marks more than just an important event for Hungary and it was a historical milestone that contributed to shaping
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has drawn global attention for its efforts to provide healthy meals for children, receiving the top prize at the Milan Pact Awards during the 10th anniversary Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP) Global Forum 2025, which brought together 336 cities from around the world. The award ceremony took place on Oct. 15 at Piccolo Teatro Studio Melato in Milan, Italy, where the SMG received a trophy and a cash prize of €20,000. Since joining the MUFPP in 2015, the SMG has actively engaged in international cooperation and policy ex
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yun-cheol attended the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting in Washington, D.C. on October 17, in his capacity as Governor representing Korea on the IMF Executive Board. On the sidelines of the meeting, DPM Koo also held bilateral meetings with World Bank President Ajay Banga, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, and Global Head of Sovereign Ratings at Fitch Ratings James Longsdon. Above all, DPM Koo attended the IMFC meeting to exchange views with finance ministers and
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo A roundtable dedicated to the celebration of the Republic Day of Kazakhstan was held in Seoul on Oct. 21, 2025 under the theme “Kazakhstan and South Korea: Advancing the Enhanced Strategic Partnership.” The event brought together representatives of Korea’s diplomatic, academic, and business communities, as well as journalists and students. Among the distinguished guests were Mr. Kwak Young Gil, President of Aju News Corporation and Chairman of the Kazakhstan–Korea Friendship Association; Mr. Rhee Jong Kook, Executive Director of the Korea–Central Asia Cooperati
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo met with Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and his economic delegation in Seoul on October 20, to discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation between Korea and the United States, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) announced. The delegation included the First Lady of Montana, the CEO of Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC), the CEO of Montana Renewables, and the Director of the Office of Trade and International Relations at the Montana Department of Commerce, along with representatives from Montana-based compa
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung shared a congratulatory message on October 21 for Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her inauguration. President Lee stated on his SNS that day, “As neighbors sharing a front yard, South Korea and Japan have developed cooperative relations across diverse fields including politics, security, economy, socio-culture, and people-to-people exchanges.” He added, “We have entered an era where approximately 12 million citizens from both nations visit each other—something unimaginable 60 years ago.” President Lee stated, “We now stand at
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hanwha Aerospace has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Akkodis Nordics, a Norway-based company in digital engineering and solutions on October 21 at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025. This agreement establishes a partnership to jointly develop a state-of-the-art simulator for the Chunmoo Multiple Rocket Launcher System. The ceremony was attended by Mr. Billy Boo-hwan Lee, Head of PGM Business Group at Hanwha Aerospace, and Mr. Sebastian Eidem, Vice President of Operations at Akkodis Nordics. This strategic part
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Tigers in Joseon Dynasty folk paintings always bore two faces. The majesty of the mountain's lord and the face of a friend who brings laughter to the people. “The tiger of Byeoksachobok (辟邪招福)” painting perfectly harmonizes these two faces. Even within its round, humorous eyes, a living energy flashes in every stroke. These lines are not mere decoration; they are the lines of a spell to repel evil spirits and invite good fortune. It is the very talisman of folk painting. On the right side of the painting, the four characters ‘Byeoksachobok (辟邪招福)’ are clearly
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Recent consecutive kidnappings and detentions targeting Koreans in Cambodia have escalated beyond mere public safety concerns, shaking the diplomatic relations between South Korea and Cambodia. Particularly as these incidents are revealed to be the work of international criminal organizations colluding with Cambodia's corrupt authorities, the gravity of the situation is escalating toward potential international sanctions against Cambodia. This shocking crisis is shaking the very foundation of South Korea's core diplomatic policy, the ‘New Southern Policy,’ wh
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jina met with Mr. Haoliang Xu, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Acting Administrator of the UN Development Program (UNDP) who is visiting Korea to attend an APEC Finance Ministerial Meeting on Oct. 20, and discussed ways to further advance Korea-UNDP cooperation. Vice Minister Kim noted that despite the multiple challenges facing international development cooperation, the Korea-UNDP partnership has continued to make progress. She emphasized that it is particularly important for the Korea-UNDP R.E.V.I.V.E initiative t
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee 2025 marks the significant 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Malawi, the ‘warm heart’ of southern Africa. Since establishing ties in 1965, the two nations have cultivated deep friendship beyond diplomatic relations through development cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Particularly, Korea's remarkable economic growth has led to expanded Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Malawi. Numerous Korean non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individual volunteers have entered the country, actively working in diver
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with Radmila Shekerinska, Deputy Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), who is visiting South Korea, and exchanged views on ways to deepen the South Korea-NATO partnership on Oct. 20, 2025. Minister Cho welcomed Deputy Secretary General Shekerinska's visit and noted that, following last month's visit by NATO Military Committee Chairman Dragone, this visit demonstrates the active high-level cooperation between South Korea and NATO in both defense and diplomatic spheres. Minister Cho stated that Korea will
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee There, people are still being tortured, sold, and dying. Their cries for help go unheard. The regime remains silent, and the authorities turn a blind eye. And that silence is the most brutal accomplice. Imprisoned people are beaten while chained, women are sold to human trafficking rings, and young people are used as slaves for cyber scams. They are managed not as humans but as numbers, their suffering buried in statistics. This is not crime. It is the collapse of the state. The law is corrupt, the police are bought off, and the judiciary has become a toy of powe
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung held his first phone call with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on October 20, following his inauguration. The two leaders exchanged greetings of welcome and congratulations on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Egypt this year, and highly valued the development of the cooperative relationship between the two countries as ‘Comprehensive Cooperative Partners’. They agreed that since establishing diplomatic ties in 1995, the two nations have fostered mutually beneficial cooperation across diverse fields