By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young On December 3, 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's declaration of emergency martial law was a political self-inflicted measure. Despite the extreme measure of martial law, the National Assembly responded immediately to defend democracy. But this is not just a simple happening. It is time to soberly analyze the intentions of Yoon's government that shook the constitutional order and democracy. Martial law, an impractical gamble, and a shaky legitimacy President Yoon declared emergency martial law in the name of “protecting constitutional order,” but it
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with President Sadyr Japarov of the Kyrgyz Republic, who is on an official visit to South Korea, at the Yongsan presidential office on Dec. 3, 2024, and signed a joint statement to further develop bilateral relations. A total of 10 intergovernmental cooperation documents were signed in the presence of the two leaders. The Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of Korea and the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Ky
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, who is on a working visit to South Korea, and exchanged views on ways to enhance bilateral cooperation and regional and international affairs on Nov. 28, 2024. President Yoon welcomed President Rinkēvičs' return to Korea as president six years after his visit as foreign minister in 2018, and expressed his pleasure that Rinkēvičs is making his first visit to Asia after taking office. The two leaders appreciated the steady development of friendly and cooperative relations between the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Gimpo City, which is moving toward becoming a global city by strengthening external cooperation, held a meeting with a delegation from Fergana Province, Uzbekistan, on November 26 at Gimpo City Hall to discuss exchange cooperation between the two cities. The visit was attended by a 19-member delegation, including Governor Khayrullo Hayitboyevich Bozorov of Fergana Province and Mayor Kim Byung-soo of Gimpo City. They explored cooperation between Fergana City, the capital of Fergana Province, and Gimpo City. Fergana City is the capital of Fergana Province and t
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who is on an official visit to South Korea, and exchanged in-depth views on ways to promote bilateral cooperation and the regional and international situation on Nov. 25. The two leaders adopted a Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership between Korea and Malaysia, which assessed the remarkable growth of bilateral relations over the past 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1960 and outlined a vision for deepening and expanding coop
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young A world leader is like a high pillar that supports the lives of countless people. If this pillar decays or collapses, those who lean on it will be lost and confused. The most important virtue for a leader to possess is Bulgijasim 不欺自心 (Don't deceive yourself), or a mind that does not deceive oneself. In the world of politics and power, this teaching is more desperate. Bulgijasim 不欺自心 (Don't deceive yourself) Politicians are supposed to lead the world by gathering the will and hearts of the people. But if they deceive their own conscience and are blinded by se
Diplomacy Journal 이존영 기자 | Diplomatic Journal, November, JPG, 외교저널 11월호 JPG 전체보기
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Kim Dong-hyun, Commissioner of Daegu Regional Correctional Service, was awarded the Hongjogeunjeong Medal of Honor at the 79th Anniversary of Corrections Day ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Justice. The ceremony was held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 28 at the Gwacheon Civic Center Grand Theater in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi-do, in the presence of Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae, Shin Yong-hae, Commissioner General of Korea Correctional Service, Chairman Jang Jong-sun of the Correctional Mutual Aid Association, and more than 600 correctional officials. Kim has spent 26 year
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Nov. 19 (local time) that South Korea will actively play the role of a “green ladder” for countries vulnerable to climate change. Attending the G20 Summit's third session on sustainable development and energy transition, President Yoon explained Korea's contribution to overcoming the climate crisis and transitioning to clean energy. First, President Yoon said that the clean energy transition is essential to achieving the 2050 carbon neutrality goal, but the burden is falling on emerging and developing economies. “I proposed the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Nothing we experience in the world happens without meaning, and the current situation in North Korea is no exception. North Korea may seem sad and pitiful when viewed fragmentarily, but when viewed in the context of human history, the future, and the entire Korean Peninsula, it takes on a different meaning. Right now, North Korea is pushed to the brink in order to survive. North Korea is in a position where she has to make any choice to survive, and this desperation has forced the country to cooperate with Russia. This is because Russia is the only country th
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the G20 Summit, held a summit with South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa on Nov. 19 to exchange views on practical cooperation between the two countries and regional and global issues. President Yoon congratulated President Ramaphosa on his re-election (June 14) in this historic year when South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid, and expressed his hope that the two countries will continue to strengthen the mutually beneficial partnership that has been streng
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the G20 Summit, held a summit with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Nov. 19, and exchanged views on regional and global issues, including ways to enhance practical cooperation between the two countries and countering Russia-North Korea military cooperation. President Yoon evaluated the close communication between the two countries as befits their 'global strategic partnership', including the Korea-UK Summit on the occasion of the NATO Summit in July, the Strategic Dialogue betwee
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Ha Hyung-joo (62), a 1984 Los Angeles Olympic gold medalist and Korean judo legend, has been appointed as the 14th chairman of the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO). Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Yoo In-chon handed over the letter of appointment to Ha at a conference room at the Seoul Pavilion of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 18. Ha is the first former Olympian to hold the position and will serve a three-year term from Nov. 18, 2024, to Nov. 17, 2027. Appointed by the President at the recommendat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young South Korea and Peru have agreed to expand cooperation in the security sector, including joint development of naval vessels, and increase investment and trade in the mining sector to secure key mineral supply chains. President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is visiting Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, held a summit with Peruvian President Dina Boluarte on Nov. 16 and adopted a joint declaration. In the joint declaration, President Yoon and President Boluarte said, “Defense and defense industry cooperation has become a milestone in the develop
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held his second summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Nov. 16 (local time), discussing the situation in Northeast Asia and North Korea's troop deployment to Russia. President Yoon assessed that “close cooperation between Japan and South Korea is more important than ever,” while Prime Minister Ishiba described the situation as “grave.” “Since the first summit (last month), the regional and global situation has been changing rapidly, with military cooperation between Russia and North Korea leading to the deployment of Nor