By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Park Jang-ho, Director-General for Diplomatic Intelligence, and Brett Holmgren, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, signed the “Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Bureau of Diplomatic Intelligence (BDI), and the United States Department of State, Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) concerning Analytic Intelligence Cooperation” in Washington, D.C., the United States on June 24, 2024. The diplomatic authorities of the ROK and the U.S. have shared a common understandi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin met with Uzbekistan's Prime Minister Abdullah Arifov to discuss economic cooperation on June 13. According to Lotte Group, Shin visited Uzbekistan as part of President Yoon Suk-yeol's three-nation tour of Central Asia. While there, Shin met with Prime Minister Arifov and discussed ways to strengthen joint projects related to energy, tourism, and the food industry. "Lotte Group is one of Asia's largest conglomerates," said the Uzbek government, "and this high-level dialogue will lay the foundation for the development of our two
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo | The following is the full-text of the joint statement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Republic of Korea. –Ed. On June 11-13, 2024, President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol paid a state visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan at the invitation of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. On June 12, 2024, the Heads of two states (hereinafter referred to as the Parties) held negotiations in the city of Astana. During the negotiations, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, the Parties highly appreciated the dynamics of th
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee K-POP fans around the world will pay attention to ‘BlingOne’, the first K-POP Peruvian girl group selected in the Peruvian season of the global K-pop audition ‘Click the Star’, makes its official debut. For their first performance, they will participate in the recording of ENA Channel's 'K-Pop Up Chart Show' music broadcast on June 26, and perform their debut song 'Kiss & Call'. 'Click the Star' is a global K-POP audition project hosted by the World K-Pop Center. It is a program that selects national representatives from 32 countries around the world and trai
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo ISTE signed an agreement with VILDUJA, a Lithuanian energy company, on March 27 to jointly promote various hydrogen projects, including the construction of on-site hydrogen refueling stations. VILDUJA has decided to cooperate with ISTE on technical cooperation and joint business in line with Lithuania's focus on developing the renewable energy and hydrogen industries. In recent years, Lithuania has been investing heavily in the renewable energy and hydrogen industries at the national level. As part of this, it is promoting the construction of on-site hydrogen r
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Seoul City Mayor Oh Se-hoon met with Xin Changxing, Party Secretary of Jiangsu Province of China, at the main building of Seoul City Hall to discuss friendly exchanges and cooperation between Seoul and Jiangsu Province on June 20. Elected in January 2023, Xin Changxing is a member of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the highest leadership body of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), with voting rights in the 205-member CPC Central Committee, and the number one person in Jiangsu Province. The meeting was organized to discuss ways to revitalize friendly exchanges betw
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “Kazakhstan is a wonderful place to visit. We have a golden triangle that any Korean should go and visit,” said Ambassador Nurgali Arystanov of Kazakhstan in Korea on June 19. Delivering welcoming remarks at the Kazakhstan Tourism Roadshow held at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Amb. Nurgali Arystanov said, "Korea and Kazakhstan have a visa-free agreement and are close siblings with a six-hour direct flight," introducing Kazakhstan's accessibility and attractiveness as a travel destination. The ambassador highlighted three cities, known as the "Golden Triang
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Uzbek Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Vitaliy Fen, a Goryoin (ethnic Korean), passed away on June 18 at the age of 76. "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Vitaliy Fen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea," the Uzbek Embassy in Seoul said on June 19. "For 25 years, Ambassador Fen led the diplomatic mission of Uzbekistan to the Republic of Korea and made a significant contribution to the development of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea," the embassy sa
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “The Adinkra symbols of Ghana, which encapsulate wisdom, philosophy, and life lessons, resonate deeply with the artistic expressions found in Korean art,” said Esi Han, the organizer of Harmony in Symbols Exhibition and a writer as well as a cross-cultural coach. In an interview with the Diplomacy Journal, Esi Han said, “Korea hosted the Africa-Korea Summit on June 4-5 this year. We wanted to create an event that not only celebrates this important occasion but also bridges these two vibrant cultures. “The Adinkra symbols of Ghana, which encapsulate wisdom, phil
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee World-renowned vocalist Kim Dong-kyu attended the 77th anniversary 'Your Voice Open My Heart' love concert at Jamwon-dong Cathedral Archdiocese in Jamwon-dong, Seoul on June 15, and sang famous songs with the voice of God, receiving a standing ovation and great praise from the audience. "Music is a common language," said Father Lee Kang-koo (Marco), pastor of Seoul's Jamwon-dong Cathedral. "Playing and singing beautiful melodies unites people across borders, generations, and cultures, and has a synergistic effect that unites us all in love," he said. "The reason
Diplomacy Journal Jon Lee | The First Lady of South Korea Kim Keon-hee met with the First Lady of Uzbekistan, Mrs. Ziroat Mirziyoyeva, at the Kuksaroy Presidential Palace on June 14, and attended a traditional Uzbek cultural event organized by Mrs. Mirziyoyeva herself. Mrs. Mirziyoyeva's second daughter, Shahnoza Mirziyoyeva, First Deputy Head of the Social Security Agency, who has lived in Korea for over six years and has a special connection to the country, also made a surprise appearance at the event to welcome Mrs. Kim. Mrs. Kim first expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Mirziyoyeva, saying tha
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Yoon Suk-yeol attended the Korea-Uzbekistan Business Forum at the Tashkent City Congress Hall in Tashkent on June 14. The President, who is on a state visit to three Central Asian countries -- Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan-- attended the business forum to encourage businessmen from both countries. In his keynote speech, the president said that economic cooperation between the two countries began 30 years ago in 1994, when the first Daewoo Motor plant was built in Asaka, and that Uzbekistan has become a leading player in Central Asia's autom
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “As we continue on the path towards lasting peace and sustainable development, Korea remains a steadfast partner with the Philippines through more than seven decades,” said Amb. Theresa Dizon-de Vega of the Philippines in Seoul on June 11. Delivering toast remarks at a reception on the occasion of the 126th anniversary of Philippine Independence and 75th anniversary of Philippines-Korea Relations held at Lotte Hotel in Seoul on June 11, 2024, Amb. Dizon-De Vega said, “Korea is the Philippines’ 5th top trading partner, 5th export destination, 4th largest import
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart K. Tokayev on June 12 (local time) and signed 37 memorandums of understanding (MOUs), including supply chain cooperation. The MOUs laid the institutional foundation for strengthening bilateral cooperation on key minerals such as uranium, chromium, titanium, and bismuth, including lithium, a core material for batteries, from joint exploration to end-use. Yoon arrived in Kazakhstan the night before and held a meeting with compatriots before holding a summit at the Akorda Presidentia
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk-yeol will pay a state visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on 13-15 June. Established on 29 January 1992, Uzbek-South Korean relations have become an example of successful cooperation between the two countries in various fields. In more than thirty years of interaction, the relations have developed and strengthened, passing through several key milestones. In 2006, the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership was signed, and in 2019, the relationship was elevated to a special strategi