Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | According to the Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Research 2026 report published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Central Asia was the world's fastest-growing tourism region in 2025. WTTC conducts its annual research by dividing the world into 13 major regions. Based on the 2025 results, Central Asia ranked first globally across several key tourism performance indicators. Uzbekistan emerged as the regional leader, recording the strongest performance among the Central Asian countries across all of these indicators. According to the report, t
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | On the morning of August 12, President Lee Jae-myung received at the Office of the President in Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul credentials from the newly appointed resident ambassadors of four countries--the United States, Portugal, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ireland. The presentation of credentials ceremony is an official diplomatic procedure in which the Head of State of the sending country conveys credentials, conferred by their own new ambassador, to the Head of State of the host country. This ceremony marked the fifth such event held since the launch of t
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Relations between Uzbekistan and the United States of America have reached a new level in recent years. Today, this cooperation encompasses strategic areas such as transport and logistics, aviation, infrastructure, digital technologies, financial services, industrial cooperation, and the development of international transport corridors. As a nation located in the heart of Central Asia, Uzbekistan places special emphasis on accessing international markets, expanding its export geography, and actively integrating into global supply chains. From this standpoint, m
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Korea and Uzbekistan have begun full-scale preparations to expand substantive economic cooperation ahead of the summit between the two leaders and the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit meeting scheduled for this coming September. The ‘Korea-Uzbekistan Business Roundtable’ was held on the 11th at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul, attended by high-ranking government officials and key business leaders from both countries. This event is a preliminary economic cooperation meeting organized ahead of the 1st Korea-Central Asia Summit, to be held in Seoul on September 16 to 17, an
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has laid out a wide-ranging diplomatic agenda for the second half of 2026, linking summit diplomacy to supply chain strategy, strengthening protections for overseas Koreans, and expanding the country's international profile in advanced technology and cultural diplomacy. The plans were presented at a ministerial policy briefing chaired by President Lee Jae-myung at the Blue House State Guest House on August 5, covering both the major achievements of the first half of the year and the priority tasks for the months ahead.
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | President Lee Jae Myung held his first Summit Meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on October 27 last year. The Korean and Malaysian leaders welcomed the conclusion of the Korea-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, focusing on future strategic industries such as the defense industry, digital technologies, and AI. As part of his first ASEAN tour since taking office, President Lee visited Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair that year, and held a bilateral summit with Prime Minister Anw
Diplomacy Journal John Lee | Let’s light a lamp again in our society! There is a saying that as the autumn night deepens, it is good to be close to a book under a lamp. This is the concept of 'Deunghwa Gachin' (燈火可親), which meansm "Fraternity grows near candle light. To the people of age, a lamp was not merely a light to dispel darkness. It was a light of hope that illuminated the path of learning, allowed for self-reflection, and enabled preparation for the future. What is a lamp to us today? For a student preparing for an exam, it could be a single book spread out late into the night; for pa
Diplomacy Journal Kim Tae Yeon | Artist Jeon Byung-Hee, winner of the Grand Prize and Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award at the World Peace Art Exhibition, is holding her twentieth solo exhibition entitled, "Drawing with Heart." The exhibition will be held from August 21 to September 13, 2026, at the gallery located within Dream Church at 131 Yongsin-ro, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do, with the opening ceremony taking place on August 22 at 1:00 PM. Artist Jeon Byung-hee is a mid-career artist who has established her own unique sculptural language over a long period of time. The a