By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Lee Jae-myung held his first summit with Czech President Petr Pavel and discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two countries, including the Dukovany nuclear power plant project. At the first summit held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 23 (local time), President Lee said, "This year marks a significant year, marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Czech Republic and the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership. I am pleased to see the remarkable progress our bilateral relat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Lee Jae-myung began his multilateral diplomacy by holding a summit with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during his visit to the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23, 2025. President Mirziyoyev, seemingly conscious of his somewhat late arrival, remarked, "It was unintentional. The UN has a very complex protocol," adding, "These UN keynote speeches are quite long." The audience erupted in laughter. President Lee responded, "They say New York is complicated," to which Mirziyoyev replied, "Thank you." President Lee remarked, "I spoke with you on
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hyundai Motor Company unveiled its most ambitious growth strategy on Sept. 18 at the company’s first CEO Investor Day held in New York. The event served as a platform to communicate the company’s mid-to long-term strategy to investors and stakeholders, emphasizing its commitment to revolutionary product expansion, manufacturing excellence and technological innovation. Speaking in New York, CEO José Muñoz outlined Hyundai Motor's transformation into a global mobility leader through strategic product expansion, breakthrough electrification technologies and softwa
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Deputy Minister for International Affairs Choi Ji-young of the Ministry of Economy and Finance held a meeting with the Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) Bambang Brodjonegoro at the Government Complex-Seoul to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between Korea and the ADBI on Sept. 22, 2025. Deputy Minister Choi stated that the Korean government will continue to pursue international solidarity in line with the principle of pragmatism prioritizing national interest, with a particular focus on strengthening ties with the Global South. He a
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) hosted the inaugural session of its new Executive Roundtable Series on Sept. 19 at the Conrad Seoul Hotel. The closed-door breakfast discussion brought together senior executives of multinational and Korean companies with Kwon Chang-jun, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, to discuss the new administration’s labor policy direction and priorities for Korea’s economic renewal. Vice Minister Kwon shared the government’s policy agenda under the vision of “real growth with labor” and the goal of building a “labor
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Samsung Electronics announced on Sept. 19 that it has been honored with design excellence at the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2025. The company received two Gold, three Silver and three Bronze awards, along with 39 Finalists recognitions. IDEA, one of the world’s most prestigious design awards programs was founded by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 1980. This year, IDEA has selected winners across 20 categories, including Home, Consumer Technology and Digital Interaction. Key evaluation criteria include Design Innovation,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Celebrating the 34th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence and the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul held a reception in the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2025. Delivering welcome address, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea Alisher Abdusalomov, said, “The Uzbek government is boldly investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs to lead the future of our nation. Uzbekistan is also deepening its engagement with the world. We are buil
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Sayasat Nurbek, paid a working visit to the Republic of Korea on September 10-11, 2025, further strengthening bilateral cooperation in science, education, and innovation, with particular emphasis on university partnerships and technological collaboration. While in Seoul, Minister Nurbek held a series of high-level meetings with key Korean officials and academic leaders. During the meeting with H.E. Mr. Bae Kyung-hoon, Minister of Science and ICT, Minister Nurbek shared his view
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister Ahn Gyu-back met with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, and expressed appreciation for NATO’s commitment to security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Pacific region on September 9. Minister Ahn expressed serious concern over the escalating tensions in the international security environment. He assessed that the connectivity of security between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region is increasing and emphasized the importance of cooperation with NATO. Chair Dragone agreed with Minister Ahn and expressed hope that su
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Samsung Electronics and TELUS announced on Sept. 18 that they will deploy Canada’s first commercial Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC), marking a significant milestone toward fully software-based, AI-powered networks. Samsung will provide its RIC solution, including open multi-vendor support and a rich suite of applications as part of Samsung CognitiV Network Operations Suite (NOS), to further enable intelligent automation, enhanced energy efficiency and optimized performance across TELUS’ wireless network. The RIC is a software-based component i
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Lee Jae-myung will visit New York, USA, from Sept. 22 to 26 to attend the 80th session of the UN General Assembly. On his first day of arrival, President Lee is scheduled to meet with Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest asset management firm. During this meeting, they will discuss cooperation on artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition. Subsequently, the President will meet with a delegation of U.S. House and Senate members and hold a meeting with Korean nationals. On the following day, the 23rd, President Lee will deliver a ke
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) hosted the Healthcare Innovation Seminar 2025 at the Seoul Shilla Hotel on September 18 under the theme “Proposal for the New Government - Driving Healthcare Innovation through Sustainable Regulatory Pathways.” The seminar brought together over 150 participants, including senior government officials from both Korea and the United States, global healthcare leaders, and industry experts, to discuss how Korea can accelerate healthcare innovation while ensuring sustainability in an aging society. Amid the inaugurat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hanwha Aerospace has signed a third contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) for 24 additional K9 VIDAR Self-Propelled Howitzers on September 19, 2025. This follow-on order underscores the Norwegian Armed Forces' confidence in the K9 platform's proven performance and reliability. The contract was signed in Oslo in the presence of Son Jae-il, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace, and Norwegian officials including Ms. Gro Jære, Director General of the NDMA, Major General Lars Lervik, Chief of the Norwegian Army and Min-Jeong Seo, Ambassador of
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo LG Electronics announced a new multi-year deal with the National Gallery in London to become the institution’s Modern and Contemporary Art Partner on Sept. 17. As part of this role, LG will support the National Gallery’s current and upcoming projects with leading artists, continuing its rich artistic tradition. The National Gallery is committed to presenting contemporary art in dynamic conversation with the historic collection through its artist residencies, artist conversations and artist commissions. The new partnership with the National Gallery builds on LG’
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Seoul’s new eco-friendly Hangang Bus officially launched its regular service with its inaugural voyage at 11 AM on Sept. 18, covering a 28.9-km route with seven piers: Magok, Mangwon, Yeouido, Oksu, Apgujeong, Ttukseom, and Jamsil, the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced The ferry service will kick off with a total of eight vessels. As Korea’s first waterborne public transportation system, the city has carefully designed the initial phase with safety and service quality in mind. From launch, services will run daily from 11 AM to 9:37 PM (based on arri