By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Iksan Mayor Jung Heon-yul met with EU Ambassador to Korea Maria Castillo Fernandez on Aug. 1 to discuss international medical and cultural exchanges and decentralization of local education. Ambassador Fernandez is from Spain and was appointed as the EU Ambassador to the Republic of Korea in 2020 after serving as the EU Ambassador to Malaysia and the Director General of the European External Relations Agency (EEAS) for India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Prior to the meeting, Ambassador Fernández visited Wonkwang University with Representative Kang Kyung-sook
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Prime Minister Han Duck-soo received Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, who is on an official visit to Korea (Aug. 1-2), at the Government Complex in Seoul on August 1, and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and the regional situation. Prime Minister Han welcomed Minister Maris' first official visit to Korea, noting that Thailand is a traditional ally of Korea that sent troops to Korea during the Korean War even before diplomatic relations were established. He also expressed his ho
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo To further strengthen already excellent cooperation, Sweden will place a resident defense attaché at its Embassy in Seoul from August 1, 2024, the Embassy of Sweden in Seoul said. Sweden and the Republic of Korea celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations this year. What started with Sweden’s provision of a field hospital during the Korean War – Sweden’s largest humanitarian intervention ever in terms of personnel – has grown in to a vibrant, successful, and strong partnership. Today, both the Republic of Korea and Sweden are home to strategic industries at the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Ambassador Chafik Rachadi of Morocco to Korea hosted a reception to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI to the Throne, commemorated as the National Day of the Kingdom of Morocco, at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Seoul, on July 30. Delivering a speech at the reception, Ambassador Chafik Rachadi said, “Morocco has spent the past quarter century cultivating and building momentum in international diplomacy, taking a dynamic course to establishing itself as a worldwide player. “One important result of this appr
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo HD Hyundai Oil Bank announced on July 29 that it will start exporting bio marine oil from the Pyeongtaek General Bonded Zone for the first time in Korea. Bio marine oil is an eco-friendly marine oil that reduces carbon emissions by more than 65% compared to conventional fossil fuel-based marine oil. HD Hyundai Oil Bank has begun exporting bio marine oil blended in the General Bonded Zone in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. The export became possible after the government lifted restrictions on blending petroleum products in the comprehensive bonded zone as part of
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Noting that the annual APEC CEO Summit will be held in Lima, Peru, from November 13 to 15 this year, Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Paul Fernando Duclos Farodi said, “We look forward to the visit of President Yoon Suk-yeol and an important delegation of senior officials and representatives of the private sector of Korea to Peru in November this year.” Delivering a speech at the reception held at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul to mark the 203rd Anniversary of the Independence of Peru on July 25, Amb. Duclos Farodi said, “A few weeks ago, the Minister of Foreign Affai
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Natalia Federighi de Cuello, president of ASAS (The Association of Spouses of Ambassadors in Seoul) and concurrently spouse of the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Korea, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. Ambassador Spouses and their extraordinary program in Korea “We live in a world that is facing unprecedented challenges. Solidarity and compassion must be unprecedented as well”. Ban Ki Moon, the 8th Secretary General of the United Nations. My name is Natalia Federighi de Cuello. As Spouse of the Amb
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Canada’s export credit agency, announced on July 3 the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance export trade and investments between Canada and the Republic of Korea. The MOU will foster deeper trade collaboration between both countries, creating new and expanded opportunities for Canadian businesses and investors seeking to grow and succeed in Korea as well as investments in Canada. With a focus on two of EDC’s priority sectors, clean technology and advanced manufacturing, this mutually-beneficial partnership will support businesses focused on
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Chung Yoon of Chungwoon University met with Ambassador Aida Ismailova of Kyrgyzstan to Korea on July 22 and discussed how to revitalize international exchanges at the conference room of the university headquarters in Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do. The main contents included ▲ revitalizing international exchanges such as education and culture ▲ fostering excellent human resources ▲ expanding K-content ▲ and attracting international students. “Chungwoon University has been investing heavily in K-content fields such as culture and arts, performance and vi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Justice Park Sung-jae and Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam of the Republic of Singapore signed the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Singapore on July 24, 2024, in Singapore. The Treaty establishes an institutional foundation for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters between the two countries that celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year, by laying out the specific scope and procedures for the legal assist
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo In 2024, the bond between Korea and Africa was strengthened through a series of significant events. The Korea-Africa Summit featured the <Harmony in Symbols> exhibition, which was sponsored by the Ghanaian Embassy and showcased the works of ten notable Korean artists. These artists used traditional Ghanaian Adinkra symbols in their unique works. The exhibition was a highlight of cultural and artistic events during the summit. One of the notable artists we met was Yi Seo-hoo, whose use of the Abode Santann symbol, symbolizing cosmic power and omnipresence,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “I invite Korean electrical appliance companies to consider Colombia as an investment destination,” said Colombian Ambassador to Korea Alejandro Peláez Rodríguez at a reception to celebrate the 214th Colombia’s Independence Day. Delivering a speech at the gala reception held at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on July 22, Amb. Rodríguez said, “We have worked with the Korean authorities and companies to make it a reality that South Korea engineering is present in Colombia in the design, construction and operation of electric, solar and wind power generation plants. “
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Chungcheongnam-do (Chungnam) Governor Kim Tae-heum and Ambassador of the Kyrgyz Republic to Korea Aida Ismailova met at the provincial government office on July 22 to discuss cooperation between the two regions. The main topics included strengthening economic exchanges with Central Asia, enhancing cooperation with international compatriots including Koreans in the Kyrgyz Republic, strengthening cooperation with foreign workers, and revitalizing international student exchanges. “There are more than 1,000 Korean companies operating in the Kyrgyz Republic, and the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Yun Seog-dae, CEO of Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-water), met with Cambodian Ambassador to Korea Chring Botumrangsay at the Cambodian Embassy in Seoul on July 18 to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the water, energy and urban areas. The meeting was organized to discuss specific action plans and cooperation directions for projects in the water, energy, and urban sectors, which were promoted following a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during his state visit to Korea in May. During the meeting, the company proposed the 'N
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Gulom Mirzayev, Doctor of philosophy in historical sciences (PhD), associate professor at the University of Public Safety of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. – Ed. Uzbekistan's policy in Central Asia has reached a qualitatively higher level. The trend of developing mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries of the region is intensifying with its own characteristics. According to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan has given pr