 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The International Conference on Artificial Intelligence, AI Conf 2025, held on Oct. 25, 2025, successfully concluded in Dushanbe, solidifying Tajikistan's position as a key player in Central Asia’s technological and sustainable development. The event convened representatives from government, technology companies, international organizations, and venture capital funds. The conference served as a platform to underscore the country's strategic commitment to AI development, which is seen as crucial for achieving sustainable economic, social, and technological goals
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The traditions of Korea, the easternmost tip, are blossoming in Minsk, Belarus, the heart of Eastern Europe. The "World's First K-Folk Painting Exhibition," held from October 30 to November 16, is the first overseas special exhibition of Korean folk painting, officially invited by the National Museum of Folk Art of Belarus. This exhibition, co-hosted by the World Culture Promotion Foundation and the Diplomacy Journal, features 52 Korean folk painting artists, opening a forum for cultural diplomacy where tradition and modernity, East and West, converge. Under
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Second Vice Minister Kim Dae-hyun of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) attended the Team Korea Send-off Ceremony for the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics held on October 22 (Wednesday), at Olympia Hall, Seoul Olympic Parktel, to deliver words of encouragement to the national para-sports athletes team competing in the Games. Deaflympics is an Olympic-level international sporting event for athletes with hearing impairments, hosted by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD). The Summer Games started in 1924, with the Winter Games from 1949, and both are hel
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung presented the highest order of honor to US President Donald Trump during his state visit to South Korea on October 29, along with a replica of a gold crown. President Lee demonstrated the highest level of courtesy and meticulous hospitality, demonstrating the government's commitment to strengthening the relationship with President Trump and the ROK-US alliance. President Lee presented the Grand Order of Mugunghwa to President Trump following an official welcoming ceremony held at the Gyeongju National Museum, the venue for the ROK-US s
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Belarus Correspondent Kim Sun-ah Nesvizh, the ancient capital of Belarus, is called the heart of Eastern European culture. At its heart stands the Nesvizh Palace, embodying the glory and spirit of the Radziwill family. This place is considered a culmination of human culture, a place where knowledge, art, and faith have intertwined for centuries. This palace, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, is now a museum and cradle of art, symbolizing the intersection of Belarusian identity and European civilization. The history of Nesvizh is synonymous with the history o
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Belarus Correspondent Kim Sun-ah Minsk, Belarus -- A masterclass on traditional (K-Minwha) Korean folk painting was held ahead of the opening of the exhibition "K-Folk Painting: The Art of Korea" at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, located in the heart of Minsk, Belarus. This program, a special opportunity to experience traditional Korean painting, Minhwa, firsthand, was well-received by approximately 30 local art enthusiasts and citizens. Participants experienced the colors and meaning of K-folk painting through hands-on practice painting traditional Ko
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) held the Korea–Saudi Vice-Ministerial Meeting on Industry with Abdullah bin Ali Al-Ahmari, Assistant Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Planning and Development of Saudi Arabia, at the Government Complex Seoul on October 27, to discuss ways to strengthen industrial cooperation between the two countries and Saudi Arabia’s support for Korean business projects underway in the Kingdom. The meeting was also significant as it reviewed progress on major industrial cooperat
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, led by Governor Lee Cheol-woo, held a "Meeting with the Vietnamese Leader" event at the K Hotel in Gyeongju on October 30, 2025. This event commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Saemaul Globalization Project, which began with the establishment of the first Saemaul pilot village in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam, in 2005. The event was attended by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, who was visiting Korea for the APEC Summit; Gyeongsangbuk-do Council Speaker Park Sung-man; National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee Cha
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun met with Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane on October 27, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. The two sides exchanged views on bilateral relations, countering online scams, and other issues of mutual interest, including Korean Peninsula issues. The two ministers congratulated South Korea and Laos on the 30th anniversary of the reestablishment of diplomatic ties and agreed to actively pursue cooperation in future industries, including the establishment of key mineral supply chains, digital transformation
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Belarus Correspondent Kim Sun-ah Minsk, Belarus -- On October 30, 2025, the invitational exhibition "Minwha: Искусство Кореи (Korean Beauty, K-Folk Painting)" opened with great fanfare at the National Art Museum of the Republic of Belarus, located in the heart of Minsk, Belarus. This exhibition was co-hosted and sponsored by the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee (Chairman Lee Jong-young), the Belarusian Ministry of Culture, the Belarusian Embassy in Korea, and Diplomacy Journal. Admission is free and open to the public until November 16. This event, a signifi
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Belarus Correspondent Kim Sun-ah Minsk, Belarus -- On October 29, 2025, an official meeting was held in the conference room of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus. Five officials, including Deputy Minister Oleg Andreychik, and a delegation from the Republic of Korea were present. This meeting was a meaningful opportunity to discuss expanding tourism exchanges and cultural cooperation between Korea and Belarus. In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister Andreychik introduced Belarus as "a treasure trove of culture and nature located in the heart of
 
								
				Diplomacy Journal Belarus Correspondent Kim Sun-ah A crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site Located in the heart of Belarus, Mir Castle exudes a beauty reminiscent of a medieval legend. With its red bricks, white decorations, and five majestic towers, its majestic and elegant appearance resembles a historical painting. This is not just a building; it is a symbol of Belarus and a treasure trove of human culture, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traveling back in time, Mir Castle lives on today as a symbol of "peace" and "harmony." A fo
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The signing ceremony was attended by approximately 30 key figures from both cities, including Jinju City Mayor Cho Kyu-il, Columbus Mayor Skip Henderson, Jinju City Council Chairman Baek Seung-heung, and business leaders. Located in Georgia, Columbus is known as a manufacturing hub in the southeastern United States, where pro-business policies have led to active new corporate investment and a large number of Korean manufacturing plants. This sister city agreement between Jinju and Columbus stems from a shared understanding of strengthening friendship and expandin
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo RM of 21st century pop icons BTS premiered a new global digital feature as part of its ongoing collaboration with Samsung Electronics and his continuing role as global ambassador for Samsung Art TVs. The short film, released during the week of Art Basel Paris (Oct. 24-26), offers an intimate look at RM’s personal connection to art and shows how Samsung Art TVs bring museum-quality visuals into everyday spaces. Building on his conversations from Art Basel in Basel 2025, where Samsung served as the Official Art TV Partner, RM shares how art can bring joy and mean
 
								
				By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by Eldor Tulyakov, Executive Director, Development Strategy Centre, Uzbekistan, to the Diplomacy Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. –Ed. On 24 October 2025, Uzbekistan and the European Union signed the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (EPCA)—a comprehensive framework that culminates negotiations launched in February 2019 and initialled in July 2022. More than a ceremonial milestone, the EPCA codifies a strategic upgrade in our relationship with the EU. It is broad in scope—nine
 
												 
												 
												 
												 
												