By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Novelist Han Kang, 54, became the first Korean and the first Asian woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature on Dec. 10 (local time), joining the ranks of the world's leading literary figures. Han wore a black dress to the ceremony at the landmark Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden, at 4 p.m. local time, where she was called fourth in the order of the award and received the Nobel Prize in Literature medal and certificate from Swedish King Carl Gustaf XVI. As the king entered to the sound of Mozart's March, accompanied by an orchestra, Han joined the other laureat
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Busan Mayor Park Hyung-jun, chairman of the National Council of Cities of Korea, hosted the “15th Luncheon Meeting with Foreign Missions in Korea” at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 6, 2024. According to the Busan Metropolitan City, the meeting was the largest ever held, with more than 80 ambassadors from 78 countries attending, and was organized to strengthen cooperation between local governments and the foreign diplomatic corps in Korea. The event, which marked its 15th year, is significant as a venue for local governments to establish themselves as important
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul met with U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Philip Goldberg on Dec. 8, the Foreign Ministry said. “Minister Cho emphasized the Korean government's firm determination to overcome the current difficult situation based on the resilience of Korea's liberal democracy and the rule of law, which has been steadfastly maintained,” the ministry said in a statement to reporters, adding, ”The two sides agreed to work together to maintain and strengthen the U.S.-ROK alliance.” The meeting between Cho and Goldberg comes three days after their meeting o
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to exchange views on the current domestic situation and U.S.-ROK relations on Dec. 6, 2024. The two officials exchanged views on the developments in Korea over the past few days following the announcement of emergency martial law and reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for South Korea's democracy and the U.S.-ROK alliance. Mr. Blinken praised the strong resilience of South Korea's democracy and expressed his strong hope that all future political disagreements will be re
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Korea Masters Association (KMA) was established to preserve traditional Korean culture and arts, reinterpreting and developing them for modern times. The organization spreads the social value of traditional skills and arts through the discovery and support of masters, education, and promotion activities. The importance of preserving traditional culture and the role of Korea Masters Association Korea has a long history of developing traditional culture and technology, producing numerous masters. However, rapid modernization and industrialization have threatened to
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul attended the Second Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) from November 25 to 26, which took place in Fiuggi, Italy, to have discussions on the situation in the Indo-Pacific region, including illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, and diplomatic and security issues, as well as ways to strengthen the Korea-G7 cooperation. The foreign ministers of the G7 members and invited countries and representatives of invited international organizations discussed major foreign policy issues regarding
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul, who is participating as the Korean government's lead representative in the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to draft an international convention on plastic pollution, met with the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the Chair of the INC, and senior representatives from the United States, France, China, Micronesia, and other major countries to discuss the final issues and make efforts to reconcile differences on Dec. 1, 2024. The conference has been held since Novemb
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, who is attending the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (November 25-26, Fiuggi, Italy), held a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Nov. 26 and exchanged views on bilateral relations, the situation on the Korean Peninsula, including Russia-North Korea cooperation, and G7 cooperation. Minister Cho congratulated Mr. Barrot on his inauguration and expressed his pleasure in hosting the first foreign ministerial meeting after Mr. Barrot's inauguration. Recalling that he had visited South Korea in his capacity as
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul, who is attending the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (November 25-26, Fiuggi, Italy), held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on Nov. 25 to exchange views on the war in Ukraine, including the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia, and Korea's support for Ukraine. Minister Cho emphasized that the security of the Korean Peninsula and Europe are more closely linked than ever before due to illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, including North Korea's arms transfers and
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), in collaboration with the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) and the Korean Society of International Law, hosted the Ninth International Conference on the Law of the Sea in Seoul from November 19 to 20, under the theme “30 Years of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea): Then, Now, and the Future.” At the opening ceremony of this year’s conference, welcoming remarks was delivered by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Insun, followed by opening remarks by President of the Korean Societ
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The K-folk painting project, which reinterprets the beauty and value of traditional Korean folk paintings in a modern way, has been launched at Myongji University in Seoul and is attracting great attention. The theme of the project, “K-folk painting heralds the beginning in Myeongji,” is an ambitious attempt to promote Korean folk painting culture to the world and establish it as a global cultural content, showcasing a unique artistic world that blends tradition and innovation. K-folk painting project to globalize traditional Korean folk paintings Myeongji is a r
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Cheongryongdo traditionally symbolizes the east and is a representation of the Blue Dragon (靑龍), which signifies the beginning of life, growth, and new birth. In Eastern philosophy and the Five Elements of thought, the east is the direction of the wood, which represents spring and is associated with the season of renewal. The Blue Dragon is an animal that appears in spring and is depicted as a being that controls the winds and keeps the energies of nature in harmony. The blue dragon painting is depicted with a double-headed dragon with a long tongue sticking out,
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The K-folk painting Chocheongdo 草蟲圖 is a genre of Korean folk paintings that traditionally depicts grasses and insects, and is characterized by the lively representation of small creatures to capture the harmony and beauty of nature. Damwha explains that it is a modernized version of the Korean folk painting, which can be interpreted as the following interesting stories. The legend of the lost Hanji (韓紙) A long time ago, in a village deep in the forests of Korea, there was a special paper called hanji (韓紙). It was said to capture the energy of the grass, bugs, an
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Nov. 14 with U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken in Lima, Peru, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting is being held, and exchanged views on U.S.-ROK relations, U.S.-Japan cooperation, North Korea, and key regional issues. Minister Cho and Secretary Blinken expressed concern that Russia's illegal military cooperation with North Korea seriously threatens the security of Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, and agreed to closely coordinate responses to pos
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held his first bilateral meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders' Meeting in Lima, Peru, and exchanged views on bilateral relations, North Korea, and nuclear issues on Nov. 14. The two ministers appreciated the swiftness with which the first foreign ministers' meeting was held after the inauguration of Japan's new cabinet, and agreed to continue to communicate and work closely together as heads of diplomacy to advance bilateral relations. In particular, they agreed to contin