By Lee Jon-young, publisher-chairman of Diplomacy Journal True communication between people begins with a desire to understand differences, and when it comes to people with disabilities, we need to have the courage to put aside our prejudices and preconceived notions. Many of us tend to unconsciously distance ourselves from people with disabilities when we encounter them. But we need to remember that what they're looking for is not special consideration, but simply an everyday attitude of equal respect. Treating people with disabilities the same as everyone else and engaging in natural, casual
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young In the spring of 2025, Diplomacy Journal, a diplomacy-specialized publication that has been at the center of Korea's diplomatic history, celebrated its 28th anniversary. In 1997, when diplomacy was still an unfamiliar and distant concept to many Koreans, Diplomacy Journal took its first steps with a single mission: to “record the scene of diplomacy.” From scenes of establishing diplomatic relations to embassy openings, international conferences, diplomats' on-the-ground essays, and the stories of consular officers who work behind the scenes, Diplomacy Journal
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young In the heart of Seoul's Changgyeonggung Palace, Chundangji (春塘池) is a tranquil spot where cherry blossoms bloom in spring and mallards float in the pond. Amidst this peaceful scene, a strangely disparate stone pagoda stands out. It is the seven-story octagonal stone pagoda of Changgyeonggung Palace, Treasure No. 1119. Many visitors pass in front of it. They read the small sign and think, “Since there is a pagoda, it must be an old cultural property,” and they pass it by. However, this stone pagoda is not just an old treasure. It was not built on Korean soil,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The Central Council of Correctional Officers (Chairman Kim Hak-sul) and the Correctional Federation of Daegu Regional Correctional Office (Chairman Shin Jeong-ki) delivered emergency relief supplies worth 22 million won ($15,000), including cup noodles and bottled water, to the Gyeongbuk Northern Correctional Facility in Jinbo-myeon, Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk, which was damaged by a wildfire in March 28. The Central Council of Correctional Officers and the Correctional Federation of Daegu Regional Correctional Office are private volunteer organizations commis
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By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Former Constitutional Court Judge Lee Young-jin (64) has been appointed as the new chairman of the Sports Fairness Commission of Korean Sport and Olympic Committee. Korean Sport and Olympic Committee held a board meeting on the afternoon of March 27 at the Grand Hyatt Seoul Grand Ballroom in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. The board agreed to appoint former Constitutional Court Justice Lee Young-jin as chairman of the Sports Fairness Commission. Lee will succeed Kim Byung-chul and will begin his two-year term as soon as the appointment process is completed. Lee, a 22nd cl
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Incheon Metropolitan City announced that Incheon City Mayor Yoo Jung-bok met with Acting U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Joseph Yun at the Incheon Global Campus Operations Foundation Support Center on March 26. Acting Ambassador Joseph Yun was appointed in January 2025 and has served as Special Representative for North Korea Policy at the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, and Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. Mayor Yoo Jung-bok welcomed the appointment o
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The Correctional Federation of Daegu Regional Correctional Office, led by Chairman Shin Jeong-ki, held its first quarter 2025 executive meeting at Chipalseon in Jincheon-dong, Daegu on March 25. The Daegu Correctional Federation is a correctional volunteer organization that helps inmates reintegrate into society at 19 correctional facilities in Daegu, Gyeongbuk, Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam. More than 60 people attended the event, including Kim Dong-hyun, the head of the Daegu Regional Correctional Office, correctional officials, Shin Jung-ki, chairman of the
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The following article was contributed by Choi Keong-ju, a professor of Keimyung University (Ph.D) and advisor of Korea-Saudi Friendship Association, to Diplomacy Journal for publication.—Ed. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is a comprehensive strategy for the kingdom to diversify its economy and achieve social reforms as it moves away from its oil-dependent economy. The plan was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in April 2016 and provides a blueprint for the Kingdom's long-term economic and social development. Its main objectives are as follows. Firstly
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Cooperation between Korea and Spain in the field of intellectual property, including policies to support SMEs, will be accelerated. The outcome of the meeting will also be used to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on comprehensive cooperation in the field of intellectual property. Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Commissioner Kim Wan-ki held a bilateral meeting with Elisa Rodríguez Ortiz, head of the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office (SPTO), in Madrid, Spain, on March 6 to exchange views on major issues in the field of intellectual prope
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young A court has granted a request to revoke the detention of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was indicted and detained on charges of being the "ringleader of a rebellion" related to the martial law crisis. The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 25 (Head Judge Ji Gui-yeon) granted Yoon's request to cancel his detention on March 7. Revocation of detention is a system that allows prosecutors, defendants, defense lawyers, and others to ask the court to remove a person from detention when the reason for detention no longer exists or has been eliminated. Pre
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The Korean coffee market is gaining global attention. It is now more than just a trend, but a new category called 'K-Coffee' is forming alongside K-Food. At the center of it all is Kim Jin-koo, CEO of COFFEE NINE, who raised the profile of Korean coffee by winning 6th place at the 2012 SCAE WCIC World Championships in Vienna, Austria as a Korean national team member. He is leading the innovation of Korea's leading K-Coffee brand by exploring the essence of coffee. Kim Jin-koo, a pioneer of K-Coffee franchise With a deep understanding and research of coffee, K
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The following is the English version of the full text of President Yoon Suk-yeol’s closing statement at the impeachment trial, which was translated by 'Deepl.” It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation. — Ed. Honorable members of the Constitutional Court and beloved people who have been following this trial with interest, it has been 84 days since I declared emergency martial law on December 3 last year. These have been some of the most difficult days of my life, but they have also been a time of gratitude and reflection. As I took sto
Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon Young | Commemorating the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Uzbekistan
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young To mark the successful journey as a global leap forward, the Al-Asa Forum focuses on investing in the present and predicting the future in line with the national direction. The forum sought to enrich and empower events to promote promising investment opportunities, forge strategic partnerships and alliances, and launch sustainable development projects. These initiatives highlight Al-Asa's resources, competitive advantages, and investment potential, and these efforts will undoubtedly promote regional prosperity and support the development journey in line with