By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Lotte Chemical held a completion ceremony for Lotte Chemical Indonesia (LCI) in Cilegon, Banten Province, Indonesia on November 6 (local time), the company announced. Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended the LCI completion ceremony. Delivering congratulatory remarks, Chairman Shin stated, "This project is one of the largest investments by a Korean company in Indonesia. It symbolizes the strong partnership between our two countries and will serve as a crucial foundation for strengthening Indonesia's petrochemical
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The "Indonesia Business Matching 2025" hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (MoTCE) successfully finished at the Lotte Hotel in Busan on Nov. 4. The tourism promotion event attracted over 50 travel industry professionals from the Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam regions, significantly exceeding the initial capacity of 30. The event was attended by key figures from the Indonesian Tourism Board, including Bayu Aji, Chief of Staff to the Indonesian Minister of Tourism; Ali Andika Wardhana, Chargé d'Affaires of the Indonesian Embassy in Kore
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Uzbek Ambassador to Korea Alisher Abdusalomov visited the Gyeongsan Dongui Korean Medicine Village at Daegu Haany University and experienced 15 Korean medicine wellness programs on Oct. 28. Gyeongsan Dongui Korean Medicine Village, operated by Daegu Haany University, invited Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Abdusalomov and embassy officials on October 28 to a Korean medicine wellness experience program. This visit was designed to showcase the excellent management practices of Gyeongsan Dongui Korean Medicine Village, a "cultural tourism landmark combining education, hi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Dunyo IA Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzebekistan in Seoul. –Ed. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has arrived in Washington on a working visit to participate in the “C5+1” summit of the leaders of Central Asian countries and the United States and to hold meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as heads of U.S. government departments and agencies. The
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young held a meeting with the new EU Ambassador to South Korea Ugo Astuto on Nov. 5 and requested the EU Ambassador to appoint an EU-level special envoy for the Korean Peninsula. During a meeting with Ambassador Astuto at the Government Complex Seoul that morning, Minister Chung explained the Seoul government's policy initiatives to restore trust and foster a peaceful environment between the two Koreas. He stated, "Dialogue and negotiation are necessary to transform the Korean Peninsula into a peaceful environment," and reques
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Kim Dae-sik, Former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of Kazakhstan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul. –Ed. On November 6, 2025, the C5+1 Summit between the United States and the five Central Asian nations will be held in Washington, D.C. The gathering will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the C5+1 framework and explore new avenues for cooperation. Currently, there are six major countries or regions that maintain similar C5+1 mechanisms with the Cent
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, jointly held the “2026 Ausbildung Information Session” with BMW Group Korea, MAN Truck & Bus Korea, Mercedes-Benz Korea, Porsche Korea, Star Truck Korea, and Volkswagen Group Korea at the ibis Ambassador Suwon on November 4, 2025. The Ausbildung Program is dual vocational training education from Germany, where on-the-job training and theoretical education from school are carried out simultaneously. The training is a 36-month educational progra
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Kangdong University's Startup Education Innovation Center held an event titled "Regional Problem-Solving Project: Global Cultural Convergence and Design Thinking Approach" in the main auditorium on Oct. 29. Laotian Ambassador to Korea Songkane Luangmuninthone delivered a special lecture on the topic of "Global Cooperation for Community Coexistence and Startup Innovation" as an invited speaker. He presented examples of economic and startup cooperation between Laos and Korea, highlighting the impact of global cultural convergence on local startup innovation and s
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Ambassador of the Republic of Tajikistan to the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Salohiddin Kirom to the Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. November 6 is celebrated across Tajikistan as Constitution Day of the Republic of Tajikistan., On November 6, 1994, the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan was adopted through a national referendum. Since then, amendments and additions have been introduced via national referendums on September 26, 1999, June 22, 2003, and May 22, 2016. These changes were dictated by the demands
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik and Indonesian Ambassador to South Korea Cecep Herawan held a meeting at the National Assembly on Nov. 4. Noting that the first bilateral meeting since the inauguration of the two leaders took place in Gyeongju last week, Speaker Woo stated, "The MIKTA (Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey, and Australia) National Assembly Speakers' Meeting will be held in Seoul next week, and I look forward to the visit of House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani to South Korea." Woo continued, "Indonesia has approximately 2,300 Korean
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa held a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who visited POSCO's Pohang Steel Mill, which represents economic cooperation between Korea and Australia, on Oct. 30, 2025. Prime Minister Albanese, who came to Korea on the occasion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, visited the Pohang Steel Mill's raw material dock, where he observed the actual use of Australian iron ore and coking coal. POSCO Group began purchasing Australian iron ore in 1971 and has used over 1.5 billion tons of Australian i
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The final satellite in the ‘425 Reconnaissance Satellite’ program, which is South Korea's first surveillance and reconnaissance satellite project, have launched on October 2 (US time) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA. Hanwha Systems announced that it supplied the SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) payload for the program’s fifth satellite, following its contributions to satellites No. 2, 3 and 4. While the program is led by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), Hanwha Sy
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Goryeong County, North Gyeongsang Province, discussed cultural, tourism, and arts cooperation with the Italian city of Cremona at the Seoul residence of Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto. Cremona, located in Lombardy, Italy, is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is renowned as the home of the world-renowned Stradivarius violin. Goryeong County has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on mutual exchange and cooperation with Cremona, in 2014 and 2023. This meeting was attended by approximately ten officials from both countries,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Meeting with French Ambassador to South Korea Philippe Bertoux on October 15, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said, "I ask for your active involvement in the issue of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula." At a meeting with Ambassador Bertoux in the Minister's Office at the Government Complex Seoul, Chung said, "Just as North Korea's deployment of troops to Russia and the war in Ukraine directly impact the security of the European Union (EU), the issue of peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula is directly linked to the peace and stability of
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The world’s leading travel publication Lonely Planet has included Tajikistan in its prestigious list of “25 Best Travel Experiences for 2026 (Best in Travel 2026)”, recognizing the country as one of the most inspiring destinations for hiking and mountain adventures. In the feature titled “Hike and Wild Camping in Tajikistan”, Lonely Planet encourages travelers to discover the country’s majestic mountain scenery, pristine nature, and the warm hospitality of its people, which together make travel in Tajikistan a truly unforgettable experience. The annual Best in