By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of France in Seoul hosted the 2025 Regional Meeting of French Ambassadors in East Asia on Nov. 20. The Embassy had the honor and pleasure of welcoming French Ambassadors from twelve countries in the region, as well as several senior officials from the Ministry, for two days of discussions on political, economic, and technological issues in the region. This was also an opportunity to reflect on the Ministry's transformation and the managerial experiences of each participant, and to meet with Korean diplomats and researchers. Sunday also included a to
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, has released the 11th CSR Report of German Companies in Korea on Nov. 24, highlighting how German businesses are deepening their social, environmental and community engagement across the country. The annual report, now in its eleventh year, features corporate social responsibility initiatives from nine German companies: Armacell Korea, Bayer Korea, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea, Henkel Korea, Mercedes-Benz Korea, Porsche Korea, Robert Bosch Korea, Si
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young At the G20 Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa on Nov. 22 (local time), President Lee Jae-myung proposed, "To enhance growth potential, we must create a predictable trade and investment environment. President Lee emphasized the importance of multilateral trade, saying, "Restoring the functions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) is in our common interest." He also emphasized the importance of multilateral trade. Notably, Korea has agreed to host the G20 again in 2028, its first in 18 years since 2010. In the first session of the G20 Summit, President
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kao-soo The European Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ECCK) Digital Committee, in partnership with the German Embassy, hosted a session on responsible AI adoption at the Seoul Room, Seoul Square on Nov. 17. Held as part of the German Innovation Days initiative, the event aimed to deepen corporate understanding of key considerations when integrating artificial intelligence into business operations. The session underscored critical blind spots in current AI systems, including designer-introduced biases, limited social awareness, and embedded stereotypes. Speakers emphasized
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has created the Yongmasan Skywalk Observatory on Seoul Trail Course 4 for clear views of both forest and city scenery. Seoul Trail is a citywide trekking route comprised of 21 connected paths that follow mountains, rivers, and village roads around the outer edge of Seoul. The full course extends for 156.5 km. The Yongmasan Skywalk Observatory is the first project built under Seoul Trail 2.0 to add a fresh spatial experience. Yongmasan Mountain is the highest mountain in Jungnang-gu with an elevation of 348 m. The trail is w
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo LG Electronics has opened the SKS Chicago Showroom, a dedicated space for its’s SKS brand of ultra-premium built-in home appliances, in Chicago, Illinois – a city known for its architecture and design heritage, on Nov. 17. The new showroom brings SKS’s refined vision to life and strengthens the brand’s presence in the North American luxury built-in appliance market. The SKS Chicago Showroom is an innovation hub where visitors can experience SKS’s “True to Food” philosophy and advanced technologies in an immersive, lifestyle-oriented setting. Located inside THE
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “Korea–Central Asia Cooperation Forum on AI Talent Development” was held at the National Assembly of Korea on Nov. 19, organized by the Korea Foundation for Science and Creativity (KOSAC) in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Central Asia–Republic of Korea Cooperation Forum (CARK). The event brought together members of the National Assembly Hong Ki-won and Kim Gun, experts, leading scholars, and representatives of the Embassies of Central Asian countries. In his opening remarks, KOSAC President Jung Woo Sung emphasized the importance of the forum as a plat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung, currently on an official visit to Egypt, stated, “Korea and Egypt have agreed to jointly contribute to international peace, including on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East, as ‘peace promoters.’” President Lee announced the results of the summit during a joint press conference with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the Egyptian Presidential Palace on Nov. 20 local time. President Lee explained, “During the talks, we held in-depth discussions on the recent situations on the Korean Peninsula and in the Middle East,” adding, “Pr
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, awarded DolbomDream, Terracle, and TROUND Inc. as the Innovators of the Year at the 11th KGCCI Innovation Awards, held on November 20 at The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullmann Hotel. The annual awards recognize outstanding companies that have introduced groundbreaking technologies and solutions advancing innovation and strengthening Korean-German business cooperation. Officially supported by Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and th
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The 2025 International Cooperation Meet-up Day for Middle Market Enterprises, hosted by the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea (FOMEK) and the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), was held on November 17, at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul. The event brought together around 80 participants, including FOMEK Chairman Choi Jin-shik, KOIMA President Youn Young-mi, MOTIR Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, Dato' Mohd Zamruni bin Khalid, Ambassador of Malaysia to the Republic of Korea, other ASEAN ambassadors stationed in Korea, and representatives from Dongsung an
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, led by Chairman and CEO James Kim, hosted the 18th AMCHAM CEO Servers' Night at the Conrad Seoul Hotel on November 6, bringing together leading executives from across the business community for a meaningful evening in supporting of underprivileged students. Organized by AMCHAM’s Partners for the Future Foundation, the annual charity event raises scholarship funds for university students facing financial hardship. This year’s event held special meaning as the Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary, hosting the large
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Chairperson of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan Elvira Azimova paid a working visit to the Republic of Korea on November 11-12, 2025. While in Seoul, she met with the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Korea, Mr. Sanghwan Kim. Elvira Azimova informed the Korean side about the legal reforms underway in Kazakhstan, the activities of the constitutional review body in the context of the 2022 constitutional reform, as well as the practice of implementing the Constitutional Court’s decisions by state bodies. Mr. Kim, in tur
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Jina met with President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Tomas Heidar, who was visiting Korea to attend the 10th International Conference on the Law of the Sea (ICLS) on Nov. 18. During the meeting, they exchanged views on key issues related to the law of the sea and explored ways to strengthen cooperation between the Korean government and ITLOS. The meeting was joined by Judge Kriangsak Kittichaisaree of Thailand, Judge Frida Armas Pfirter of Argentina, Judge Rhee Zha Hyoung of the Republic of Kor
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju The Governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Commission convened the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) Principals’ Meeting in Brussels, Belgium on November 18, 2025, on the margins of EU Raw Materials Week. The Principals’ Meeting brought together senior officials to advance joint efforts to build secure, resilient, and sustainable critical minerals supply chains, which are essential for advanced in
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo A concert of the State Classical Music Orchestra “Camerata Kazakhstan” was held in Seoul on Nov. 14 as part of cultural cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea. The concert program featured outstanding works such as Nurgisa Tlendiev’s “Sarzhailau”(Yellow Steppe), Shamshi Kaldayakov’s “Bärinende sen sulu” (You Are the Most Beautiful), among others. In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador of Kazakhstan Nurgali Arystanov highlighted the significance of cultural exchange as a “language without translation” that strengthens interpersonal ties and creat