By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “Vietnam is a very attractive market because it's a market of 100 million people and it's an open market in formation. So a lot of sectors are being considered by businesses from Korea with such large corporations like Samsung, LG and Hanwha,” said Ambassador of Vietnam to South Korea Vu Ho. In an exclusive interview with Diplomacy journal at the Embassy of Vietnam in Bukchon-dong, Seoul on Feb. 27, Amb. Vu Ho said, “In Vietnam, there is also one community that is no less important for the small and medium-sized enterprises. So all of them are trying to get som
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo SK bioscience announced on February 28 that it has successfully secured additional orders for its self-developed chickenpox vaccine in the largest international procurement market in Latin America. This order comes as a result of prior notification from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), a UN agency, to supply its chickenpox vaccine, 'SkyVaricella,' to the Latin American region through 2027. The order was secured during PAHO's preliminary bidding process, and depending on the volume of orders from PAHO, SK bioscience will supply the chickenpox vaccine
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo On the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly genocide, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan organized the 2nd symposium hosted in the Yongsan Art Hall on February 26, 2025. The event was co-organized by the Korea-Azerbaijan Association of Daegu-Gyeongbuk and EdunietyLab of Korea. The high-level event was attended by numerous ambassadors and representatives of embassies, scholars of Korean universities, journalists, as well as diverse actors of cultural, academic-scientific and humanitarian relations between Azerbaijan and Korea. Delivering his we
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Iran in Seoul to Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. Nowruz is the most important Iranian tradition and the largest annual celebration of the people living in the cultural and civilizational sphere of the great Iran which is celebrated every year at the beginning of spring—at the moment when the earth enters the vernal equinox. Nowruz is celebrated on the occasion of the end of the cold season and the beginning of the period of reproduction when nature is renewed and the working season begins, especial
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo “Ethiopia, often called the "Land of Origins," has a rich cultural heritage and history that has rapidly transformed into one of Africa's most dynamic economies. With a population of over 126 million, Ethiopia represents a vibrant and youthful market full of potential for investors looking to capitalize on emerging opportunities,” said Ambassador of Ethiopia to Korea Dessie Dalkie Dukamo. Delivering welcoming speech at the Ethiopia Investment Promotion Forum hosted by the Ethiopian Embassy in Seoul on Feb. 25, Amb. Dukamo said, “Ethiopia's economy has been one
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo SK bioscience, a global innovative vaccine and biotech company committed to promoting human health from prevention to cure, on Feb. 25 announced the commencement of global Phase 1/2 clinical trials for its mRNA-based Japanese encephalitis vaccine candidate, GBP560. SK Bioscience’s development of vaccine for Japanese encephalitis could not only help to protect against Japanese Encephalitis but also pave the way to the development of an mRNA technology that could be potentially adapted in a matter of weeks to develop a vaccine against a novel as-yet-identified in
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Mayor Yoo Jung-bok of the Incheon Metropolitan City received the Ambassador of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Korea Alisher Abdusalomov at Incheon City Hall on Feb. 24. The meeting was held at the request of the Uzbek ambassador to Korea and was organized to discuss exchange and cooperation between Incheon and Uzbekistan. At the meeting, Mayor Yoo said, “Incheon is strengthening various international cooperation to become a global top 10 city.” “We need cooperation in various fields such as economy, logistics, and culture between Incheon, which has the world's b
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on Feb. 24 that DAPA Minister Seok Jong-gun visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt from March 17 to 21 (local time) to expand defense exports. DAPA Minister Seok attended IDEX in the UAE, the largest defense exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa, where he met with senior defense officials from various countries. He met with key defense officials from the UAE to discuss ways for Korean defense companies to participate. In particular, at IDEX, Seok signed a Memorandum of Understand
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo "Turkmenistan has proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Peace and Trust. This year, we also take pride in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Turkmenistan's Permanent Neutrality," said Turkmen Ambassador to Korea Begench Durdyyev. Delivering a speech at a diplomatic briefing held at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Seoul, on Feb. 20, Amb. Durdyyev said, "One of the recent major diplomatic milestones is the adoption of the UN resolution entitled "2025 - International Year of Peace and Trust." On March 21, 2024, during the 63rd plenary meeting of the 78th se
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Korea and Japan held a lighting ceremony at Namsan Seoul Tower and Tokyo Tower on February 15, 2025, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries. At 6:30 PM on February 15, the lighting of Namsan Seoul Tower began, with the upper section illuminated in alternating red and blue - the colors representing the national flags of Korea and Japan. Meanwhile, the lower section featured a projection of the official 60th-anniversary logo, which was selected through a publi
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania Ričardas Šlepavicius hosted a concert performed by the Čiurlionis Quartet of the National Philharmonic of Lithuania at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on Feb. 17. The event was held on the occasion of the 107th Anniversary of the Restoration of the State of Lithuania and the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of the Lithuanian artist Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. Delivering a welcoming speech, Amb. Šlepavicius said, "Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis is a Lithuania painter, composer, public figure, father of Lithuanian nat
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Korea Andrew Chernetsky delivered a lecture to high-school students at the 29th Diplomatic International Forum of Seoul organized by the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Korea (HOBY Korea) at the Hoseo University Seoul campus on February 15, 2025. In his lecture, the Ambassador paid the attention of the audience to current challenges and new prospects for cooperation between countries and regions against the backdrop of high volatility of international contacts and a rapidly changing world order. During his
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul to Diplomacy Journal for publication. --Ed. Kuwait formally recognized the independence of Uzbekistan on December 30, 1991, and in July 1994, two nations established diplomatic relations, affirming a shared commitment to fostering mutually beneficial and constructive partnership grounded in equality and respect for each other’s interests. The high-level reciprocal visits to Kuwait in 2004 and Uzbekistan in 2008, respectively, laid a solid foundation for the advancement of collaboration.
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines last year, Hansae Yes24 Foundation published three volumes of the Philippine Anthology of Southeast Asian Literature. The books are “Love on the Second Read” by Filipino national author Mica De Leon and “The Woman with Two Bellybuttons,” and “Tropical Gothic Tales,” by Nick Joaquin. The Southeast Asian Literature Anthology is a series in which the Foundation presents a selection of acclaimed contemporary literary works from Southeast Asia. In 2022,
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee As the respiratory health of modern humans is under threat, hand-harvested wild balloon flowers (Meokdoraji) collected by a Simmani (wild ginseng digger) with 30-year experience is gaining attention. The essence of the long-lived balloon flower, which has been growing for decades in the deep mountains, has gained great popularity among consumers for its excellent effects on immunity and lung health. Unlike conventionally cultivated balloon flowers, Meokdoraji are those that have grown in nature for 20 years to over 100 years without being affected by pesticides o