-
Local Korea Bets on Human Capital for Its Carbon Neutrality Agenda
South Korea is quietly building one of Asia's most deliberate pipelines of PhD-level talent for its waste-to-energy and circular economy industries. A newly concluded government-backed training program offers a window into how seriously Seoul is taking the human capital dimension of its carbon neutrality commitments. According to a statement from the organizer, the Korea Association of Waste-to-Energy Technology (KAWET), the program was sponsored by the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) and hosted by the Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation. The three-week program tar
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-25 12:02
-
Diplomacy Tokayev’s U.S. Visit Advances Kazakhstan’s Economic Agenda
Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon Young | The visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the United States provided an opportunity for targeted negotiations with major international corporations and financial institutions, centered on long-term investment, production localization, and Kazakhstan’s integration into global value chains. One of the key outcomes was the signing of an investment agreement worth approximately $180 million between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Mars, Incorporated. The company plans to build a pet food production plant in the city of Alatau. The project will
- 이존영 기자
- 2026-02-25 10:21
-
Diplomacy Korea and Brazil Elevate Ties to Strategic Partnership After 67 Years
President Lee Jae-myung and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a summit at Cheong Wa Dae on February 23 and agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a “Strategic Partnership” for the first time in 67 years since establishing diplomatic ties in 1959. Immediately following the talks, the two leaders announced in a joint press statement the adoption of the “Korea-Brazil Four-Year Action Plan,” encompassing political and economic ties, practical cooperation, and civilian exchanges, and stated it would serve as the mid-to-long-term roadmap for bilateral cooperation. One key outcome
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-24 11:10
-
Diplomacy Korea Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Brazil's Lula
President Lee Jae-myung extended the highest level of diplomatic honors to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva during his state visit to Korea on February 23, with Cheong Wa Dae describing the reception as a reflection of "President Lula and First Lady Janja Lula da Silva's personal tastes and Korea’s deep respect for the Brazilian people and their culture." President Lula arrived the previous day and held a summit with President Lee at Cheong Wa Dae that morning. Upon arrival, President Lula and his wife were escorted by a 70-member marching band and traditional honor guard, and gre
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-24 10:35
-
Business K-Food Goes Global: Korean Food Service Brands Ride the Hallyu Wave
Korean food service brands are expanding their global footprint on the back of the Korean Wave (Hallyu), according to the Survey on the Overseas Expansion of Korean Food Service Companies, released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) on February 6. MAFRA reported on January 12 that total K-Food+ exports reached USD 13.6 billion in 2025, a 5.1% year-over-year increase. That broke down to USD 10.4 billion from agri-food products and USD 3.22 billion from agro-industry products (smart farms, agricultural equipment, pet food, veterinary medical products, etc.). Both figu
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-23 15:21
-
Diplomacy Korea and India Chart New Course for Economic Partnership
Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) attended the Korea–India Economic Cooperation Conference on February 20, 2026, at the Lotte Hotel Seoul. Held under the theme “The Future of Korea–India Economic Cooperation for Shared Prosperity,” the conference examined practical directions for future economic cooperation with India, a country drawing growing attention as a next-generation manufacturing base and key supply chain hub, backed by its vast domestic market and an annual growth rate of 6 to 7 percent. The event brought together approximately 200 pa
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-23 13:10
-
Diplomacy Korea Observes Board of Peace Event, Reviews Options
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in a press release dated February 13, announced the Republic of Korea's "grave concern over the recent decisions by the Israeli Security Cabinet." Part of the issue was "Israeli authorities' control over the areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank." MOFA added that the government "urges Israel to reverse its decisions immediately." "The government has consistently supported the two-state solution for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian issue, and will continue to actively participa
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-20 17:38
-
Business Korea Auto Industry Posts Double-Digit Gains Across All Key Indicators in January 2026
In January 2026, automobile export volume increased 23.4 percent year-on-year, with domestic sales up 14.0 percent, and production up 24.1 percent. There were three fewer working days in January 2025 than in 2026 since the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday fell on January 25–30. Nevertheless, the strong growth in eco-friendly vehicle exports remained clearly evident. Automobile exports totaled USD 6.1 billion, up 21.7 percent year-on-year, the second-highest January export value on record. Eco-friendly vehicle exports accounted for 42 percent of the total, led by hybrid vehicles at USD 1.7 billion (
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-19 17:41
-
Business Korea's ICT Exports Soar 78.5% to Record $29.1 Billion
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) announced on February 13, 2026, that Korea’s information and communication technology (ICT ) exports in January totaled USD 29.1 billion, up 78.5 percent year-on-year. Imports rose 20.0 percent year-on-year to $14.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $15.0 billion. In January 2026, ICT exports posted the highest January total and year-on-year growth on record. The increase reflected expanding global demand for AI infrastructure and the ongoing shift toward higher-specification ICT devices. IC
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-17 11:21
-
Business Samsung Electronics Mass-Produces World's Highest-Performance HBM4
Diplomacy Journal shJung | Samsung Electronics announced the world's first mass production shipment of HBM4, a key component in the artificial intelligence industry. Samsung, which has lagged behind in the HBM market, has seized the opportunity to once again dominate the market with this HBM4 shipment. Samsung Electronics Vice President of Memory Development Hwang Sang-joon stated, "Samsung Electronics' HBM4 breaks the mold of previous, proven processes by applying cutting-edge processes like 1c DRAM and Foundry 4nm." "By securing sufficient room for performance expansion through process compe
- shJung 기자
- 2026-02-12 16:46
-
Diplomacy Korea-Netherlands Launch Inaugural Foreign Affairs-Industry Dialogue
The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Kingdom of Netherlands held the first Korea–Netherlands 2+2 Foreign and Industry High-Level Dialogue on February 11 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) in Seoul. On the ROK side were Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Minister of Foreign Affairs David van Weel and Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Aukje de Vries represented the Netherlands. As both countries are bound by a Strategic Partnership, the dialogue addresses political, economic, and industr
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-12 14:28
-
Diplomacy ROK President Lee Speaks with NATO Secretary General Rutte
President Lee Jae-myung spoke by phone on the afternoon of February 10 with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, exchanging views on global security challenges and ways to expand Korea-NATO cooperation.. The call was made at Secretary General Rutte's request, coming seven months after the two leaders' first phone conversation in July of last year. President Lee and Secretary General Rutte agreed that continued cooperation between Korea and NATO is essential for addressing global security challenges, particularly as security in the Indo-Pacific and Europe has become increasingly interconnected. T
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-11 15:25
-
Diplomacy APEC 2026 First Senior Officials' Meeting Held in Guangzhou
The first Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM1) of APEC 2026 and its related sessions were held in Guangzhou, China, from February 1 to 10. As the first official forum for discussions on the road to the 2026 APEC Leaders' Summit, the meeting gave member economies the opportunity to review the direction of future cooperation and key agenda items. The Coordinator for Economic Diplomacy at Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Park Jong-han, led the Korean delegation and participated in the Senior Officials' Meeting as well as four major committee meetings: the Committee on Trade and Investment
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-11 14:58
-
Diplomacy Iran's Revolution at 47: An Evening of History and Diplomacy in Seoul
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | On February 10, H.E. Saeed Koozechi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, hosted a reception to mark the 47th Anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution (celebrated on February 11). The event was held in the Shilla Hotel’s Hanok-inspired YeongBinGwan Hall. Before the official ceremony, a video introduced Iran’s long legacy. It began with a reference to the legend of the archer Arash, who gave his all to secure a vast land for his people, and included scenes from Iran’s diverse and beautiful landscapes, including the green hills of Torkaman Sahra and the s
- David Kendall 기자
- 2026-02-11 14:23
-
Diplomacy Medical school enrollment to increase by 490 for the 2027 college entrance exam.
Diplomacy Journal shJung | Starting with the 2027 college entrance exam, the maximum number of medical school admissions will increase to 490. The additional students will be selected through a regional medical admission process at 32 medical schools outside of Seoul. On Tuesday, February 10th, at 2:00 PM, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (Minister Jung Eun-kyung) held a meeting of the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee and announced a plan to gradually increase the number of physicians at 32 medical schools, excluding Seoul, by an average of 668 per year from 2027 to 2031 to s
- shJung 기자
- 2026-02-10 19:23
-
1
Where Tradition and Modernity Meet: The 2026 Korea Masters Invitational Exhibition Opens in Insadong
-
2
February 18-19 USFK Drills over Korea's West Sea Lead to Conflicting Accounts
-
3
Shared Pain, Shared Promise: Azerbaijan and Korea Reflect on Khojaly at Third Annual Symposium
-
4
KGCCI and KNCW Sign MOU to Advance Women's Leadership in Korea
-
5
KAF Program Helps Startups Enter Africa
-
6
Singapore President Highlights Shared Values with Korea at State Dinner
-
2026-03-04 12:17
Presidents Lee and Marcos Mark 77 Years of Korea-Philippines Friendship at State Banquet
-
2026-03-04 11:56
Korea and Philippines Deepen Strategic Partnership at Malacañang Summit
-
2026-03-04 10:28
President Lee and PM Wong Chart New Course for Korea-Singapore Strategic Partnership
-
2026-03-04 09:47
Cheong Wa Dae Staff Ordered to Work on Public Holiday Amid Middle Easl Tensions
-
2026-03-03 17:49
Singapore President Highlights Shared Values with Korea at State Dinner
Address: Doosan We've Pavilion 1203, Sambong-ro 81, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Date of first registration: Founded in 1996 as UN News, changed its name to The Diplomatic Journal in 2009
Registration No.: Jongno Ra00125/ Registration Date: 2009-04-14/ Registration Number: Seoul 아54606 / Registration Date: Dec. 13, 2022
Publisher: Damwha Media Group Chairman Lee Jon-young
Editor in Chief: Lee Jon-young/ Vice Chairman: Chung Bo-won/ Standing Advisor Lee Keon-chan / Senior Editorial Writer Ko Jae-hwe / Editorial Writer Lee Se-hoon / Cultural Editor Lee Joon-seok/ Political Editor Lim Han-choong/ U.S. Branch Head Kim Joon-bae/ Business Editor Kayla Lee
Phone number: 02-3417-1010 | 02-396-5757
E-Mail: djournal3417@gmail.com
UPDATE: 2026년 03월 04일 12시 17분