By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Hyundai Motor Group held a topping-out ceremony for its Future Mobility Battery Campus in Anseong, Korea on Nov. 28, marking a major milestone in the Group’s commitment to advancing battery technology and enhancing global electric vehicle (EV) competitiveness. The event, held at Anseong’s Fifth General Industrial Complex, celebrated steady construction progress since breaking ground in January 2025 and reaffirmed the Group’s vision to lead future mobility through next-generation battery research and development infrastructure. Representing a KRW 1.2 trillion in
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju Park Il, the Seoul government representative for the protection of overseas Koreans in Cambodia, visited Sihanoukville, a major hotspot for online scams in Cambodia, on November 27. He met with Police Chief Sar Ratha and Governor Mang Sineth to discuss responses to online scams and cooperation measures against Korean nationals. He was also accompanied by Korean police officers from the "Korea-Cambodia Joint Task Force for Korean Nationals" (abbreviated as the "Korea Task Force"). Park stated that the Korean government is paying particular attention to the ongoin
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju Jeong Kwang-yong, Director-General for African and Middle Eastern Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held the 8th Korea-Iran Director-General-Level Policy Consultation with Ali Asghar Mohammadi, Director-General for Asia and the Pacific Affairs at the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Tehran on November 30, local time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Both sides recognized the holding of the 8th Consultation, held just six months after the 7th, as a testament to the efforts of both foreign ministries to sustain friendly relations. They exchan
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The “EU Food Market & Networking” event was held under the sponsorship of the European Union (EU) on November 25 at the Floating Island Convention Hall on Sebitseom in Banpo, Seoul. Under the slogan of “Colours by Europe, Tastes of Excellence,” the event brought together experts from Korea’s food and beverage industry as well as media representatives to explore the quality and appeal of European agri-food products and discuss future cooperation opportunities. The event began with opening remarks by Kim Mi-kyung, Trade Officer at the EU Delegation to Korea, fo
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Measles deaths have dropped by 88 per cent since 2000 – yet an estimated 95,000 people, mostly children, still died from the virus last year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Nov. 28. Officials said global outbreaks are accelerating as millions of children remain under-immunized following years of COVID-19 pandemic-related disruption, according to the UN News. “Measles remains one of the most contagious respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO’s Director of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals. “One person can infect up to 18 others. Man
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The ECCK Christmas Dinner took place at the Nuri Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul on Nov. 20, bringing together more than 150 guests for an evening filled with festive spirit. The venue’s holiday atmosphere was elevated by a special Christmas tree installation by Mercedes-Benz Korea, designed as a modern take on the traditional bokjumoni. The programme opened with a live Classical Performance featuring Oboe, Violin, and Piano by Dulwich. Following the performance, ECCK Chair Philippe van Hoof delivered the opening remarks. H.E. Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Gil-ju First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Park Yoon-joo, currently visiting the United States, held a with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau at the US Department of State on December 1 (local time), and exchanged views on follow-up measures to the ROK-US summit. This Vice-Ministerial Meeting marked the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the two leaders' mutual visits in August and October. The two Vice Ministers commended the adoption of the Joint Fact Sheet (November 14), which outlines the agreements reached between the two leader
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The K-Folk Painting Invitational Exhibition, "Folk Painting, the Beauty of Korea," held in Minsk, Belarus, was more than just a simple exhibition. With over 6,000 local residents in attendance, it was a vivid testament to cultural diplomacy, demonstrating how the warm sensibility and artistic spirit of Korean folk painting transcends borders and permeates the hearts of a nation. Folk painting is a painting born from the everyday lives of nameless people, yet it embodies wisdom, hope, and the desire for peace. Tigers, lotuses, the sun and moon, fortune and longevi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) with the Korea Venture Business Association hosted the 2025 Venture Billion Ceremony on 27 November, at EL Tower in Seoul. ”Venture Billion” refers to Korean venture companies that record annual revenues of at least KRW 100 billion (approximately USD 70 million). The ceremony served as a signature event on the second day of Korea’s inaugural Venture Week (November 26 – December 2), bringing national recognition to companies that achieved and maintained annual revenues of KRW 100 billion as of the end of 2024. Since the ve
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Park Jung-sung, Deputy Minister for Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR), met with Nazar Aziz Savzali, Deputy Minister of Industry and New Technologies of the Republic of Tajikistan, on November 24, at the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation in Seoul to discuss expanding bilateral economic cooperation in trade and investment, official development assistance (ODA), and critical mineral supply chains. The Tajik delegation also included Abdugaffor Jamolzoda, Deputy Director of the Export Agency, and Shamsullo Khairullozoda, Deputy Minister
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Hanwha Aerospace, a subsidiary of Hanwha Group, has signed a 705 billion won contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for the mass production of the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, a central component of South Korea’s layered air and missile defense architecture. Under the pact, Hanwha Aerospace will manufacture and deliver L-SAM launchers and anti-ballistic missiles to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces through 2030. By adding a higher-altitude interception layer, the system enables earlier engagement of incoming ball
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo LG Electronics signed a strategic partnership with Expo City Dubai – a city borne out of the Dubai government-backed 2020 World Expo – to collaborate on the development of a next-generation smart city on Nov. 19. The agreement was signed by William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics and Ahmed Al Khatib, Chief Development and Delivery Officer, Expo City Dubai. The partnership builds on discussions at the Korea–UAE Business Roundtable, where both governments agreed to deepen cooperation in AI-powered service development and AI infrastructure. It also further deepens LG’s