By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo On February 25, 2024, a Single voting day was held in the Republic of Belarus as part of the elections to the National Parliament. During this significant event for the entire State, members of the House of Representatives (lower House of the Parliament) and Local Councils were elected. Later this year, state elections will be held for members of the Council of the Republic, representatives of civil society organizations for the All-Belarusian People's Assembly, and deputies to Local Councils. In the context of 2024 Belarusian parliamentary elections, Andrew Ch
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Busan City Mayor Park Hyung-jun announced on Feb. 22 that he met with French Ambassador to Korea Philippe Bertoux at the International Conference Room of City Hall on the 23rd to discuss cooperation plans for Busan-France interaction. Ambassador Philippe Berthoux said, "The French Embassy in Korea will be able to play a bridge role in the interaction between Busan and France." "We expect to cooperate with Busan in various fields such as culture and tourism, cultural contents such as movies and videos, cultural facilities such as art museums, economic trade, and
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Obid Khakimov, director of the Center for Economic Research and Reforms under the Administration of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication via the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed. The dynamic growth of the population of Uzbekistan requires at least high outstripping economic growth rates in order to adequately meet the growing needs and improve the standard of living of people. But this requires new, more balanced and verified approaches to ensure timely achievement of the set goals. And
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Sharif Kabilov, professor of the Department of the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Republic of Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication via the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed. One of the first acts that consolidated the legal foundations of the anti-corruption policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the law “On Combating Corruption”, adopted on January 3, 2017. Today, citizens of Uzbekistan directly experience rapid changes in the political, legal, socio-economic life of our country, the form
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Library received a donation of 20 books from the Peruvian Embassy in Korea on Feb. 16, containing introductions to Peru's history, culture, and locales. The books, which are donated by countries around the world, will be housed in the Seoul Library's 'World Archives' and will be open to the public for browsing. The Seoul Library's World Library, which opened in 2012, holds more than 50,000 books donated by embassies from more than 60 countries. Last year alone, the library received 140 books from embassies in France, Lithuania, the Philippines, and th
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Yoon Suk-yeol reiterated his firm stance on healthcare reform during his closing remarks at the 9th Cabinet Meeting held at the Presidential Office on Feb. 20. President Yoon emphasized, "Healthcare reform will be pursued unwaveringly," regarding collective actions of medical residents and medical students. He stated once again his resolute position on healthcare reform. The President stated, "There can be no threat to the lives and health of the people during the process of healthcare reform," and urged, "I request that the entire cabinet be united t
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a conversation session with young scientists who will lead the Republic of Korea, a strong nation in science and technology, in Daejeon on February 16. This event was arranged for the president to meet directly with the 2023 Presidential Science Scholars and International Olympiad winners, to congratulate and encourage them, and to listen freely to their hopes and suggestions. It followed the 12th "People's Livelihood Forum," with the theme of "Daejeon, the Science Capital Innovating Korea," adding significance to the occasion. Th
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Dankook University held a declaration ceremony for the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its Jukjeon campus on Feb. 19. As part of its commitment to the SDGs, the university declared ▲ education and research (providing education for creative individuals who contribute to humanity) ▲ international cooperation (collaboration with the international community for building a sustainable society) ▲ community engagement (encouraging participation from local communities) ▲ environmental conservation (administration and facility
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Global governance in its present form is entrenching divisions and fuelling discontent, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders attending the Munich Security Conference in Germany on Feb. 16, the UN News reported. “Our world is facing existential challenges, but the global community is more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years,” he said, highlighting the need for “a global order that works for everyone”. Mr. Guterres said if countries fulfilled their obligations under the UN Charter, every person on Earth would live
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Ambassador of Kazakhstan to South Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, met with Mayor of Busan, Park Heong-joon in Busan on Feb. 16, 2024. During the meeting, the Ambassador emphasized Kazakhstan's special relationship with Busan, noting the presence of the Consulate General of Kazakhstan and the signing of the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Almaty and Busan. In this regard, the Kazakh diplomat invited the Mayor of Busan to visit Almaty this year. In turn, the Mayor of Busan accepted the invitation with gratitude expressed an interest in expanding bilater
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held a meeting with Koo Cha-yol, Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on February 13, to discuss ways to enhance the responsiveness and vitality of Korean businesses in the face of a rapidly changing and uncertain global landscape. This is the fifth engagement with business associations since Minister Cho took office. Minister Cho participated in the New year event hosted by the innovative venture industry (January 19) and met with leaders of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI, January 22), K
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Samsung announced on Feb. 12 that eight product series1 in its 2024 Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED 4K, OLED, and The Frame lineups have received the “Product Carbon Reduction” certification from TÜV Rheinland, the international independent third-party testing, inspection, and certification organization. The certification demonstrates the carbon footprint reduction ratio of these products compared to the previous year’s model, serving as a testament to the company’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions year-over-year. “As the world’s leading TV manufacturer, it is our resp
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo As part of the IV Winter Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, a meeting was held between the Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ermek Marzhikpayev and the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea Yu In-chon. They discussed the main directions for developing mutual cooperation between the two countries, strengthening ties and exchanging experience in the fields of sports, tourism and sports pharmacology. The Kazakh Minister expressed hope for strengthening mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. Also, during the me
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Kim Eun-mee, the President of Ewha Womans University, has been appointed as a National Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women in the Republic of Korea, the UN Women announced on Feb. 5. Kim has been a trailblazer in the field of international development studies, dedicating her research efforts to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. During her tenure as a professor at various prestigious institutions, including the University of Southern California, Brown University, Harvard University, and Ewha Womans University, she has paid special at
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo "As a person who served as president, I wrote my memoirs with the hope that they would serve as a lesson for future generations by revealing what I regretted and what I did well," said former President Park Geun-hye at the launch of her memoirs, "Park Geun-hye Memoirs: Past the Darkness and into the Future. On the same day, Park also released for the first time a handwritten memo she wrote in late fall 2021, when she was imprisoned for more than four years and nine months. At a book release ceremony held at a hotel in Daegu, Park said that in late 2021, about h