The Seoul Metropolitan Youth Center (SMYC) has published six research reports verifying the effectiveness of Seoul's 2025 youth policies and presenting directions for future development. The research covers core youth policy agendas, including mental health support programs (2 reports), the Youth Stipend (1), youth policy delivery systems (1), issue research (1), and social impact measurement (1). In the first such social impact measurement conducted this year, Seoul Youth Centers were found to have generated approximately 108 billion won in social value through policy dissemination and connec
The Korea Local Finance Association (LOFA) and Chungcheongbuk-do Province held a discussion forum on February 6 at the Chungbuk Research Institute to assess progress made through “Local Extinction Response Fund” projects and address current challenges. The forum was attended by LOFA Chairman Jeong Seon Yong and officials responsible for population decline initiatives across Chungcheongbuk-do Province. Following presentations of outstanding local government achievements, LOFA's Regional Vitality Support Team explained the evaluation framework for the 2027 fund investment plan and gathered feedb
The Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA) and Korea Veterans Health Service (KVHS) chose February 4 to deliver food and other goods to marginalized Wonju residents in two separate acts. Both public institutions are based in the Gangwon-do Province city, about 130-km southeast of Seoul. The KVHS normally provides “medical care, rehabilitation, and welfare services to persons of distinguished service to the state,” according to its website, but 10 days before the start of this year’s five-day Lunar New Year (Seollal) holiday, its Director, Yun Jong-jin, and employees opted to
The Heungsadan Support Center for Descendants of Independence Patriots (HSCDIP) announced the successful completion of its "2026 Overseas Independence Movement Historical Sites Tour." From January 26 to 30, high school and university students and other descendants of independence patriots visited Korean Provisional Government (KPG) and independence movement sites in China that date back to the 1910-1945 Japanese colonial period. This program was planned ahead of the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Movement and the establishment of the KPG to trace the footsteps of independence activists and
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) announced on January 29 that Korea’s 2025 seafood exports reached USD 3.33 billion (preliminary), representing a 9.7% increase from the previous year and the highest level on record. The top seafood export was once again gim (dried laver). According to the MOF, USD 1.13 billion worth of gim products was exported last year, a 13.7% increase year-on-year and a new all-time high. The Ministry added, “Gim has continuously strengthened its international competitiveness by developing a range of products tailored to overseas
Lee Jon-young | In 1992, a clear milestone was established when World Buddhist Peace Day was officially established and proclaimed. At the center of this historic declaration stood His Holiness Il-bung Seo Kyung-bo (一鵬 徐京保), First World Supreme Buddhist Leader. In the early 1990s, Cold War tensions had not fully dissipated; the world remained shaken by war, division, and inter-religious conflict. Supreme Leader Il-bung Seo Kyung-bo was keenly aware of the problems facing this era. He determined that Buddhism must no longer remain confined within the walls of temples and practice. His firm conv
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall 기자 | January 23, 2026 -- The Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA), a 40-year-old policy research institute held a Korea-Japan seminar—"Understanding Hometown Love Donation Systems and Their Implications"—on Thursday, January 22, in collaboration with Japan's Mitsubishi Research Institute (三菱総合研究所) and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The seminar featured presentations on "Performance and Challenges in Operating the Hometown Love Donation System" by Associate Research Fellows Yoo Bo-ram and Jeon Young-joon from KRILA's Hometown Love Researc
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | The story of a couple who donated a well instead of holding a wedding ceremony is touching hearts. International relief and development NGO WorldShare announced that the couple Seo Hanna and Ryu Hyun (both 33) donated 5 million won of their wedding funds instead of holding a wedding ceremony. The donation was used to install a well in a stilt house slum community in Hmaubi Township, Myanmar. The two met while majoring in social welfare at university. As they prepared for marriage, they contemplated a "meaningful beginning" and chose sponsorship instead of a we
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall 기자 | The Korea Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Information Agency (KAFARIA) has released its 26th FATI (Farm Trend & Issue) Report. The online analysis examines the need for and ways to expand the "1,000 Won Breakfast" program, a government initiative to provide quality rice-based breakfasts to universities and industrial complexes to provide students and workers a 1,000 won meal for approximately $0.70. The report confirms through data that skipping breakfast and avoiding rice are not merely matters of personal choice but structural issues involving tim
Diplomacy Journal David Kendall | President Lee Jae-myung announced a comprehensive restructuring of South Korea's growth strategy during his January 21 New Year press conference, presenting a new vision for national development amid a major realignment of the global order. In the morning at Cheong Wa Dae's Yeongbingwan guest house, President Lee emphasized that "as the world order undergoes a massive transformation … If South Korea becomes mired in the ‘formula for past success,’ it too could fall back into a similar vicious cycle." This was the third press conference of his tenure, following
Diplomacy Journal shJung 기자 As the city bus strike enters its second day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it is further strengthening its emergency transportation measures to minimize inconvenience to citizens. The Seoul Metropolitan Government established an emergency transportation headquarters with relevant organizations even before the strike began, maintaining a rapid response system. Starting on the 14th, the second day of the strike, the city implemented measures such as increasing the number of subways, taxis, and other transportation modes, and temporarily disabling b
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo Yeungnam University hosted the "2025 Global Saemaul Undong Forum" at the Cheonma Art Center on Nov. 28. This year's forum, themed "Challenges and Directions for Global Sharing of the Saemaul Movement and Saemaul Studies," brought together experts and practitioners from around the world to share the development experiences of the Saemaul Movement and Saemaul Studies with the international community and present the university's future vision of nurturing talented individuals who will contribute to the advancement of human society. The event was graced by the pres
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young The government held a ceremony to commemorate International Development Cooperation Day at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul on Nov. 25. International Development Cooperation Day, commemorating Korea's accession to the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on November 25, 2009, was designated as a statutory holiday under the Framework Act on International Development Cooperation this year. Approximately 250 people, including Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, foreign ambassadors to Korea, heads of international organizations in Korea, the Chairman of the Korea Interna
By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young Trust. When this one word is broken, even the strongest national power loses its persuasiveness, and even the most eloquent diplomatic messages return as empty echoes. Today's international society is a complex web of intertwined national interests. Consequently, "consistency between words and actions" plays a greater role in diplomacy than ever before. However, reality is different. A "Myeonjongbokbae (面從腹背 outwardly obedient, yet inwardly betraying) attitude— is evident throughout international relations. This duplicity in diplomacy recurs not only between
By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced the Namdaemun Market Innovation Project to transform Namdaemun Market into a Global Heritage Traditional Market. The market boasts 600 years of history and is Korea’s largest traditional marketplace with about 20,000 wholesale and retail shops. At the center of Namdaemun Market, an arcade inspired by the eaves of a hanok will highlight its history and identity. A multi-level pedestrian path overlooking Sungnyemun Gate will guide visitors through the area. The path between Namsan Mountain and Namdaemun Market will