By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic held the “Color of Asia” concert successfully at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul at 7:30 p.m. on April 16, celebrating the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Kyrgyzstan. The event was co-hosted by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture (SFAC) and the Soliall Philharmonic Orchestra, with support from the Embassy of the Kyrgyz Republic in Korea. The performance was directed by Artistic Director Ahn Joo-eun and conducted by Diego Crovetti, presenting a diverse lineup that captivated the audi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province signed a business agreement with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to cooperate in the field of alternative proteins at the provincial capital on April 15. The agreement was signed between Kim Kwan-young, governor of Jeonbuk, and Ambassador of the Netherlands to Korea Peter van der Vliet who made his first visit to Jeonbuk since his appointment. The main contents of the agreement include ▲ joint analysis of the status of the alternative protein industry ▲ expanded exchange of delegations between the two co
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Bahk Gyurng-goog, CEO of Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) met with Ambassador of the Republic of Mongolia to Korea Sukhbold Sukhee at the KGS headquarters in Chungbuk Innovation City to discuss ways to strengthen gas safety cooperation between Korea and Mongolia. The visit was organized as a follow-up to CEO Bahk's visit to the Embassy of Mongolia last year to expand cooperation in the energy and gas safety fields between the two countries. KGS is supporting Mongolia's energy transition from coal to gas in response to severe air pollution. During the meeting,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), in collaboration with Busan Metropolitan City, hosted the KGCCI Economic Outlook 2025 on April 15 at Paradise Hotel Busan, South Korea. The event was followed by a special reception, jointly organized by KGCCI and the German Embassy, bringing together around 130 business leaders, government officials, industry experts and members of the German community in Korea. The event aimed to deliver in-depth insights into the evolving landscape of Korean-German business relations, alongside an analysis of the cu
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Acting President Han Duck-soo attended a concert by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in the capital, Seoul, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Korea. The event was organized by the Embassy of the State of Qatar in South Korea, in cooperation with the Goyang Culture Foundation. Under the baton of by Maestro Wilson Ng and featuring world-renowned pianist Jae Hong Park, the orchestra performed a selection of international classical works, concluding with musical pieces drawn from
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Genesis BBQ hosted an official tea time event, “Strawberry Afternoon Tea,” with the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) at its Songridan-gil branch in Seoul on April 11. The event was a communication event organized by the BCCK and was attended by about 50 key figures, including British Deputy Ambassador to Korea Gareth Weir and BCCK CEO Lucinda Walker. YouTuber Josh, who is known for his K-food content, was also present. BBQ introduced the 'Love in London' promotion centered on the strawberry afternoon tea set to coincide with the event. The promotion,
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo UNESCO has designated Danyang-gun County, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, and Donghaean, or the eastern coastal region of Gyeonsangbuk-do Province, as Global Geoparks, the Ministry of Environment said on April 14. In an executive board meeting on April 10 in Paris, UNESCO designated Danyang-gun and Donghaean, which spans Pohang, Gyeongju, the counties of Yeongdeok-gun and Uljin-gun, as Global Geoparks. The designation comes through a comprehensive evaluation of not only geological value, but also connections to ecological, historical and cultural resources, coopera
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is accepting nominations for this year’s Seoul Honorary Citizenship program from Mar. 24 to Apr. 21, targeting foreign nationals who have helped improve Seoul’s global status in various fields, such as economy, culture, welfare, science, and AI. Established in 1958, the Seoul Honorary Citizenship program expresses gratitude and respect to foreign dignitaries who have served to bridge Seoul and the world. This also includes everyday foreign residents who have contributed to the city’s development and quality of life. So fa
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Governor Kim Tae-heum of Chungcheongnam-do Province received Japanese Ambassador to Korea Mizushima Koichi at the provincial government office on April 11 and discussed ways to expand exchanges and cooperation between local governments in Korea and Japan. The meeting between Kim and Ambassador Mizushima was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan, and to discuss practical ways to expand friendly and cooperative relations between local governments in various fields, including economic, cultura
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Korea Importers Association (KOIMA) Chairman Youn Young-mi met with Czech Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Ivan Jančarek and Canadian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Tamara Mawhinney at the association's reception room in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on April 11 to discuss ways to expand bilateral trade and strengthen cooperation, the KOIMA said. “The Czech Republic is competitive in various fields such as machinery, electricity and electronics, precision equipment, and food, but it is unfortunate that various Czech products are not sufficiently known in the Korean
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Executives of Kwangdong Pharmaceutical Co., led by CEO & Chairman Choi Sung-won, visited the Embassy of New Zealand in Seoul on April 10 to strengthen industrial cooperation. Park Il-beom, head of the R&D Center for Natural Product Convergence, visited the embassy and met with New Zealand Ambassador to Korea Dawn Bennet and Richard Dunsheath, head of the Trade and Industry Promotion Agency. The meeting was organized through the medium of deer antler, and the participants expressed their confidence in New Zealand's systematic raw material management syst
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do, held the second lecture of this year's Gyeongju Global Citizenship Education by inviting Chilean Ambassador to Korea Mathias Francke on April 8. The civic education is an educational program that Gyeongju City invites key figures from APEC member economies every year to raise the international sensitivity and global awareness of its citizens. Ambassador Francke shared his views on 'Chile's Foreign Policy and a Shared Vision for APEC Korea 2025' with the participants through a Q&A session. Prior to the lecture, Gyeongju City
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo | The second Kurultai (Assembly) of Kazakhs of Asian countries took place in Seoul, South Korea on April 5~6, bringing together over 200 participants, including members of the Kazakh community from Korea, Malaysia, Japan, China, and Mongolia. The event was organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Korea, the "Otandastar Foundation," and the "Qazaq Nomad" Kazakh Association in Seoul. The gathering was held at the Global Campus of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. The main goal of the Kurultai was to strengthen cultural ties an
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Tajikistan in Korea to Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. Organized by the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, in collaboration with an international expert and the Asian Development Bank, the seminar was titled "Strengthening Scientific Reporting on the Issues of Melting and Glacier Protection" held on April 8th in Dushanbe. The training seminar, "Strengthening Scientific Reporting on the Issues of Melting and Glacier Protection," was conducted w
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) hosted the official visit of Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy to Korea on March 25-26. During this pivotal visit, Governor Dunleavy and his delegation engaged with key Korean government officials, senior leaders of AMCHAM member companies to strengthen commercial and strategic partnerships between the United States and Korea. As the leading advocate of the U.S. business community in Korea, AMCHAM has arranged high-level meetings with influential stakeholders, including Charge d’Affaires Joseph Y. Yun of the U.S. E