By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju Lured investors with false advertising of a NASDAQ listing... Withdrawals currently suspended - Damages estimated at hundreds of billions of won, with serious impact on ordinary citizens, including the elderly and housewives. Recently, Aifeex LTD, which lured investors with promises of high returns under the guise of an "AI-based automated fund system," has been revealed to be facing a massive redemption suspension, marking the end of a typical Ponzi scam. Aifeex operates in Korea, the United States, China, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, raising concer
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo First Vice Minister Park Yoon-joo held the "Korea-Thailand Strategic Dialogue" with Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Eksiri Pintaruchi in Seoul on November 26. Vice Minister Park extended condolences to both sides regarding the death of Queen Sirikit of Thailand (October 24) and the recent human and material damage caused by heavy rains in southern Thailand (including Songkhla). Vice Minister Eksiri expressed her gratitude and congratulated Korea on the successful hosting of the Gyeongju APEC Summit. The two vice ministers commended t
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hanwha Ocean, the shipbuilding affiliate of Korea’s Hanwha Group, has won a 757.7 billion-won (US$515 million) order to construct four very large crude carriers (VLCCs) for an Africa-based shipping company, it announced on Nov. 24. According to the regulatory filing, the vessels are scheduled for delivery by November 2028. The name of the client has not been disclosed. With this latest contract, Hanwha Ocean’s order intake for the year has reached US$6.97 billion. The company secured US$8.98 billion in total orders in 2024, demonstrating continued momentum in l
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Korea-Africa Foundation held an Af-PRO (Africa Professional) lecture on November 18 at Busan University of Foreign Studies. This lecture, delivered by Yang Moon-hee, CEO of Lili, was presented under the theme “Dance, Community, and Life: The Power of Art from West Africa,” reflecting her deep passion for West African dance and artistic expression. Yang began her journey in dance through classical ballet in elementary school, later developing a strong interest in Black music and dance during her junior year of university in the United States. This experience i
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The East Sea Regional Coast Guard Headquarters announced that it held a working-level meeting at the Indonesian Embassy in Korea on Nov. 24 to discuss crime prevention and cooperation measures for foreign seafarers. This meeting was requested by the East Sea Coast Guard in response to the growing need for information exchange on crime prevention and human rights policies, particularly given the high proportion of Indonesian nationals among foreign seafarers working on the East Coast amid increasing attention to the human rights of foreign workers. The meeting d
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The final participating teams of the '2025 Korea-Africa Startup Competition' visited Nairobi, Kenya, for a week-long local bootcamp from November 7 to 14, the Korea-Africa Foundation said. During the bootcamp, the teams visited various relevant organizations, including Kenyan unicorn startup M-Pesa, fintech startup Pezesha, the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (a government organization), and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. This provided an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Kenyan business ecosystem and explore mar
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Unification Minister Chung Dong-young met with U.S. Chargé d'Affaires in Korea Kevin Kim on Nov. 25 and discussed cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. regarding the situation on the Korean Peninsula and policies toward North Korea and unification. Meeting with Ambassador Kim at the Government Complex Seoul that day, Minister Chung stated, “South Korea and the U.S. will closely cooperate to resume North Korea-U.S. dialogue.” He also remarked, “The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju has opened a window of opportunity to initiate d
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg, held a meeting on November 26 with Woo Won-shik, Speaker of the National Assembly, together with the French-Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI). The meeting focused on the business environment for foreign-invested companies, key regulatory issues, and ways to deepen bilateral economic cooperation. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the recently passed “Yellow Envelope Act,” Korea’s energy transition policy, and measures
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo KB Bank Indonesia ("KBI"), a subsidiary of KB Kookmin Bank, held "KB Bank Economic Outlook 2026," a forum in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 27 to forecast Indonesia's economic and political landscape ahead of 2026. The forum was held under the theme "Navigating Indonesia's Next Growth Wave: Economic Outlook and Political Landscape 2026." Key speakers included Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC/DEN) and Special Advisor to the President; Pandu Patria Sjahrir, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of the Indonesian sovereign wealth fund
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) held the 29th Korea–Latin America Business Forum on November 28, at COEX in Seoul, together with the Korean Council on Latin America and the Caribbean and other private sector organizations. The forum brought together diplomatic representatives from 18 Latin American countries in Korea, Korean companies operating in the region, and officials from trade and investment support institutions. Established in 1997, the forum is held annually. This year’s session examined the Latin American business environment in
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The government held a ceremony to commemorate International Development Cooperation Day at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on Nov. 25. International Development Cooperation Day, commemorating Korea's accession to the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on November 25, 2009, was designated as a statutory holiday under the Framework Act on International Development Cooperation this year. Approximately 250 people, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, foreign ambassadors to Korea, heads of international organizations in Korea, the Chairman of the Korea Interna
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young First Lady Kim Hye-kyung, accompanying President Lee Jae-myung on his visit to Türkiye, held a social engagement and conversation with Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, the First Lady of Türkiye, on Nov. 24. Following their visit to the Museum of Civilizations, the focus was on touring the National Library and attending cultural and artistic events. First, the two ladies visited the Korea Corner within the National Library of Türkiye. In the space stocked with various Korean books, including Korean language and Korean novels, Mrs. Erdoğan introduced, “The popularity of the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Yeungnam University hosted the "2025 Global Saemaul Undong Forum" at the Cheonma Art Center on Nov. 28. This year's forum, themed "Challenges and Directions for Global Sharing of the Saemaul Movement and Saemaul Studies," brought together experts and practitioners from around the world to share the development experiences of the Saemaul Movement and Saemaul Studies with the international community and present the university's future vision of nurturing talented individuals who will contribute to the advancement of human society. The event was graced by the pres
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM), led by Chairman and CEO James Kim, hosted National Tax Service Commissioner Lim Kwang-hyun at a roundtable at the IFC Forum in Yeouido on Nov. 28 for a wide-ranging discussion on how to further enhance Korea’s attractiveness as a global investment destination. The AMCHAM delegation shared insights on the tax and regulatory challenges foreign companies encounter in Korea and emphasized the need for greater predictability and clarity in the business environment. Commissioner Lim outlined the administration’s tax
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Lotte Hotel & Resort announced on Nov. 24 that it hosted a “Kimchi Day Diplomatic Luncheon” at Signiel Seoul on Nov. 21, inviting ambassadors from over 20 countries including Canada, New Zealand, and Thailand. This event was organized to widely share the history and significance of kimchi, Korea's representative food, and to expand private-sector exchanges and friendly relations between nations. The event featured a lecture on the types and history of kimchi, along with a menu themed ‘Kimchi Harmonizing with Each Country's Cuisine’. Modern reinterpretations