By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Kazakh President Tokayev received the CEO of KIA Corporation, Song Ho-sung on April 23, 2024. During their meeting, it was emphasized that the production of cars is one of the key areas of Kazakhstan’s industrial policy. CEO Song talked about the progress of construction of a full-cycle car production plant in Kostanay, which will be built in 2025. This ambitious project has already attracted over 200 million US dollars in investment and is expected to create 1,500 permanent jobs. The plant is designed with a capacity to produce 70,000 cars annually, with 50,00
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo K-water has decided to expand global cooperation to jointly respond to the climate crisis and expand water industry exports. Related to this, K-water CEO Yun Seog-dae visited Kyrgyzstan to meet with high-level government officials, sign business agreements and discuss ways to expand cooperation in the water sector in April. Kyrgyzstan is a key partner country of Korea. Kyrgyzstan and South Korea have been cooperating mainly in the fields of environment and health and hygiene. As the lead agency for the Ministry of Environment's International Greenhouse Gas Redu
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Robb Pitts, Chairman of Fulton County, USA, and a delegation visited the Seongnam City Council on April 22 to promote exchanges between the two regions. The delegation met with Vice Chairperson Park Eun-mi and Culture and Welfare Committee Chairperson Ahn Geuk-soo to discuss ways to promote friendship and exchange between the two regions. “We are looking to establish partnerships with Korean companies that are interested in expanding into Fulton County,” said Chairman Robb Pitts, “and we would like to establish industrial exchanges with tech-savvy small and med
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul to Diplomacy Journal for publication. __ Ed. Since gaining sovereignty, Kazakhstan has navigated a complex international landscape with a foreign policy strategy rooted in pragmatism and proactive engagement. Embracing a multi-vector approach, the nation has become a pivotal player in shaping global and regional agendas while steadfastly defending its national interests. This approach has not only bolstered Kazakhstan's standing on the world stage, but has also fostered cooperation and
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Avazbek Kholbekov, expert of the Development Strategy Center, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed. Over the past five years in Uzbekistan, a number of laws have been adopted in our country to ensure the priority of private property and strengthen its legal protection. Most importantly, based on the principle of "From Action Strategy to Development Strategy" there was adopted the "Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026", as a logical continuation of Action
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Yeongnam University announced that Ambassador Kirom Salohiddin of Tajikistan to the Republic of Korea, visited the university and met with Choi Oe-chool, president of the university on April 19. The purpose of his visit was to discuss educational cooperation for the development of Yeongnam University and Tajikistan. The meeting was also attended by Lee Ok-ryun, chairwoman of the Korea/Central Asia Friendship Association. Ambassador Kirom Salohiddin served the President of Tajikistan upon the establishment of the Embassy of Tajikistan in Korea in April 2015, and
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Nurlan Abdirov, Chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Kazakhstan, visited Seoul on April 4-12, 2024, to participate in the Seoul International Forum on Elections (SIFE), observe parliamentary elections and meet his counter partners. His visit underscored Kazakhstan's commitment to enhancing electoral processes through bilateral cooperation and knowledge exchange. He also held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Noh Tae-ak, Chairman of the National Election Commission (NEC) of Korea. During the talks, Chairman Abdirov expressed a keen interest in exchang
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Changwon City, Gyeongnam Province announced on April 22 that Philippine Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega visited the city to discuss the direction of the 2024 MAMF and exchange programs. The visit came as the Philippines was selected as the host country of the 19th MAMF this year. Changwon City plans to hold a high-quality festival by appointing the Philippine ambassador to Korea as the co-chair of MAMF. Changwon Mayor Hong Nam-pyo and Ambassador Dizon-De Vega will discuss economic cooperation between companies in the Philippin
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mi-ryung met with U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip S. Goldberg at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul on April 19 to request his special attention and cooperation in expanding Korean agri-food exports to the United States, and to discuss ways to promote trade and expand future cooperation in the agri-food sector between the two countries. Ambassador Goldberg noted that food and cultural exchanges between the two countries are now more active than ever, with the popularity of K-food in the U.S. and the establishment of "K
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Ambassadors from four Nordic countries visited Pohang City Hall on April 18 and discussed mutual cooperation in new industries with Pohang City Mayor Lee Kang-deok. The ambassadors visited Pohang were those from Denmark, an offshore wind power powerhouse; Norway, the world's No. 1 electric vehicle penetration rate and the largest possessor of smart aquaculture technology; Sweden, Europe's largest battery manufacturer and clean power source; and Finland, which has become a key producer of the battery value chain. Their visit was organized at the suggestion of Da
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Munich Re today announced the appointment of Ajeet Phatak as CEO Korea Branch on April 18. His appointment is subject to regulatory reporting procedures. Phatak will report to Hitesh Kotak, who will be Chief Executive - Japan, India, Korea and South-East Asia as of 1 August 2024. As CEO Korea, Ajeet Phatak will be responsible for Munich Re’s Branch and Property and Casualty (P&C) reinsurance business in Korea. Ajeet Phatak succeeds Michael Hauer, who will be Head of P&C South-East Asia based in Singapore as of 1 September 2024. Roland Eckl, Chief Execut
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan has enacted the laws of Kazakhstan “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan Regarding the Protection of Women’s Rights and Children’s Safety” and “On Amendments and Additions to the Administrative Offenses Code of Kazakhstan Regarding the Protection of Women’s Rights and Children’s Safety” on April 15, 2024 in Astana, Kazakhstan. These laws significantly strengthen protections for women and children. The Kazakhstan Senate passed the legislation on April 11, following its
Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Kazakhstan, under the leadership of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has embarked on a transformative journey of political and economic modernization. Since his election in 2019, President Tokayev has implemented a series of comprehensive reforms aimed at reshaping the country's political landscape and driving economic diversification and growth. Political Reforms Kazakhstan's political reforms have been multifaceted, addressing various aspects of governance and representation. Four comprehensive packages of political reforms were introduced between 2019 and 2021,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul hosted a reception at the Lotte Hotel, Seoul on April 15, 2024 to commemorate the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh. A great number of foreign ambassadors, senior diplomats, high-ranking Korean and foreign government officials, business leaders, and their spouses attended the event filled with great fervor and festivity. Among the VIP guests at the reception were Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Kim Tae-jin and David Kim, Honorary Consul General of Bangl
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following is the full-text of the speech by Chairperson of the IFAS Executive Committee Askhat Orazbay on the commencement of Astana's Chairmanship in the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea. It was contributed by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul to Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. Dear readers! My name is Askhat Orazbay and I am the Chairperson of the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), in which Kazakhstan holds the chairmanship for 2024-2026. I would like to share with the audience information abou