By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo | The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, held the AHK Florist Certificate Award Ceremony on June 30 at the Fairmont Ambassador Seoul. This event recognized nine newly certified florists who completed the AHK Florist Program, a vocational training initiative jointly organized by KGCCI with two of Korea’s leading floral design academies—Cochi Oh Myeon Floral Art School and Lim’s Flower Academy. Integrating core elements of the Germany’s dual vocational training system, the program adhere
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo "Pisco: Spirit of Peru" had a prominent participation in the "Seoul International Wines & Spirits Expo 2025", held from June 26 to 28. This flagship beverage is “pisco", a grape-based high-quality liquor distilled in Peru, where it was born in the 16th century. Some of the most popular cocktails with pisco include "Pisco Sour" (made also with egg whites and a dash of bitters), as well as "Chilcano" (made with Ginger Ale, lime wedge, or wheel, for garnish). It is the second time the Embassy of Peru participates in this international expo in collaboration wit
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon met with Singapore Ambassador to South Korea Eric Teo, who is about to leave his post, and expressed his gratitude for his contributions to exchanges between Gyeonggi Province and Singapore on June 19. The two also confirmed their commitment to further developing the cooperative relationship between South Korea and Singapore, as well as between Gyeonggi Province and Singapore. Governor Kim said to Ambassador Teo at the provincial office, “During your tenure as Singapore's ambassador to South Korea, you have made tremendo
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Yeosu World Island Exhibition Organizing Committee announced on June 28 that Paul Fernando Duclos Parodi, Peruvian Ambassador to South Korea, signed a letter of intent to participate in the 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition. Peru is a country with a long Pacific coastline stretching 3,000 km, and is known as a treasure trove of island culture and marine ecology, including the Bayesta Island, nicknamed the “Little Galapagos,” and the Uros Island on Lake Titicaca. Through this participation decision, Peru plans to introduce its abundant island resources and
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Nkubito Manzi Bakuramutsa, the Rwandan Ambassador to South Korea, visited the Chungcheongbuk-do province and met with Governor Kim Young-hwan on June 30, 2025. This visit was part of mutual exchanges that began with the visit of Kim Soo-min, Vice Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do Province, to the Rwandan Embassy in South Korea in March. During the meeting, they discussed ways to strengthen economic cooperation, cultivate bio talent, and develop the bio industry. Vice Governor Kim emphasized, “Chungbuk Province is the heart of K-Bio and a forward base for life scien
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo SK bioscience, a global innovative vaccine and biotech company committed to promoting human health from prevention to cure, announced on June 30 that the company has secured a large-scale commercial production facility which will support entry into the global pneumococcal vaccine market. SK bioscience held a mechanical completion ceremony to mark the expansion of its vaccine manufacturing plant, L HOUSE in Andong, South Korea, on June 27. The expanded facility will serve as a production site for GBP410, a 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV21) candida
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Eurasian Economic Forum was held in Minsk from June 27 to 28, reaffirming Belarus’s role as a central venue for strategic Eurasian dialogue. The high-level international gathering has brought together heads of government, senior officials, business leaders, and experts from across the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and key partner countries. In his opening address, President of the Republic of Belarus, H.E. Aleksandr Lukashenko, emphasized the importance of building a multipolar, just world order based on equal cooperation and mutual respect. The Head of Be
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Youn Young-mi, chairperson of the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), met with Ambassador Wilfried Georg Schmidt at the German Embassy in Seoul to discuss ways to expand trade between the two countries, the Korea Importers Association announced on June 26. Ambassador Schmidt expressed his hope that the two countries would work closely together to expand trade amid the spread of protectionism and deepening global uncertainty. He also requested that the association take an active role in resolving non-tariff barriers, which are cited as a major obstacle to trade
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Kia Corporation (Kia) President and CEO Song Ho-sung has been honored with the prestigious Issigonis Trophy at the 2025 Autocar Awards. Named after the legendary automotive designer and inventor Sir Alec Issigonis, the Trophy is Autocar’s most prestigious award. Presented annually, it recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the automotive industry through innovation, leadership and exceptional business performance. Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar, commented, “We’re delighted to present Ho Sung Song with the Issigonis Trophy. We’ve bee
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Women In koRea (WIR: ‘We’ in German) women leadership group of the Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), in partnership with Macoll Consulting Group and The Executive Center, hosted the WIR Leadership Forum 2025 on June 26 at IFC Forum in Seoul, South Korea. The forum brought together more than 80 women leaders and professionals from businesses, academic, and international organizations to explore the evolving demands of women’s leadership in today’s dynamic workplace. The forum served as a dynamic platform to celebrate the growing influen
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Mayor Choi Dae-ho of Anyang City visited the Chinese Embassy in Myeong-dong, Seoul, and held a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing to discuss measures to strengthen diplomatic cooperation between local governments in South Korea and China on June 25, 2025. Mayor Choi and Ambassador Dai Bing discussed a wide range of topics, including the role of local governments in further strengthening the friendly relationship between South Korea and China on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations, as well as mutual cooperation strat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Acting on behalf of South Korea’s President Lee Jae-myung, National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac attended the NATO summit and conveyed the President's intention to strengthen the Korea-NATO partnership and began concrete discussions on expanding defense cooperation. According to the Presidential Office on June 26, National Security Adviser Wi attended the NATO summit held in The Hague, Netherlands, on June 24 and 25, and delivered a personal letter from President Lee Jae-myung to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during their meeting, explaining the reasons for
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Rahmonov Sirojiddin, senior specialist at the Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development Problems at the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed. Uzbekistan and Mongolia, two landlocked countries in Central and East Asia respectively, have been actively developing cooperation in transportation and logistics in recent years. Historically, direct links between them have been underdeveloped due to geographi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo On June 24-25, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a state visit to Mongolia. Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and Mongolia were established on January 25, 1992. Since then, bilateral dialogue has steadily progressed, demonstrating a mutual interest in strengthening friendly ties, political understanding, and expanding multifaceted cooperation. Over the past decades, the two sides have cultivated stable relations founded on respect for sovereignty, equality, and the absence of political contradictions. Recent years have witnessed an inten
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea held an event dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People, co-organized by the South Korean news media Diplomacy Journal on June 20, 2025. In his opening remarks, the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Korea Andrew Chernetsky pointed out the need to defend the historical truth about the crimes of Nazi Germany against the Belarusian population and the peoples of the former Soviet republics, to preserve