By UN Journal Kayla Lee The following article was contributed by Ozodbek Nazarbekov, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to UN Journal for publication through the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul. --Ed. From the very beginning of his tenure, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has prioritized strengthening ties with foreign nations. Uzbekistan is steadily fostering constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries and international organizations. The practical steps in our foreign policy are rightfully recognized by representatives of the global communit
By UN Journal Kayla Lee UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for making 2025 “a new beginning” in his message for the New Year, issued on Dec. 30, 2024. Reflecting on 2024, Guterres stated that “hope has been hard to find”, with wars causing enormous pain, suffering and displacement, and inequalities and divisions fuelling tensions and mistrust., the UN News reported. “And today I can officially report that we have just endured a decade of deadly heat,” he said. The Secretary-General noted that the top 10 hottest years on record have occurred in the past decade. “This is climate breakd
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “Welcome to the New Year (Byeoksachobok) Sehwa Exhibition,” a large-scale exhibition of folk paintings with traditional Korean values of bringing good luck and wishing for the beginning of the year and warding off bad luck, gets underway through Jan. 6, at the Korea Museum of Art, Insa-dong, Seoul. The exhibition showcases the works of more than 100 folk painters from across the country and seven invited artists from the Korea Masters Association, and is attracting great response and interest. The event was co-hosted by the monthly K Folk Paintings and the Diplomacy Jou
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The General Assembly on Dec. 24 adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats, the UN News reported. The agreement on the legally binding treaty marked the culmination of a five-year effort by UN Member States, with inputs from civil society, information security experts, academia and the private sector. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the adoption of the Convention – the first international criminal just
UNJournal Kayla Lee | “Thailand-ROK’s people-to-people and cultural ties continue to grow. For instance, Sawasdee Seoul Thai Festival held in October proved a resounding success, with over 50,000 visitors,” said H.E. Amb. Tanee Sangrat of Thailand to South Korea at the national day reception. Delivering welcoming speech at the reception held at the Crystal Ballroom, Lotte Hotel Seoul, on Dec. 4, Amb. Tanee Sangrat said, “The Embassy also initiated an unprecedented special passport project this year, issuing over 37,000 passports for Thai nationals in the ROK. Our efforts to elevate tourism and
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The ceasefire agreement in Lebanon represents “the first ray of hope for peace” in the regional war “amidst the darkness of the last few months”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Nov. 27 in Lisbon. “It is a moment of great importance, especially for the civilians who were paying an enormous price for the fact that this conflict is not only dragging on, but is also gaining increasingly worrying dimensions,” he said. The Secretary-General was speaking in the Portuguese capital at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, a day after Israel
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul attended the second Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, to discuss diplomatic and security issues in the region, including Russia’s illegal military cooperation with North Korea, and to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between Korea and the G7 on Nov. 25~26.. The meeting, which was attended by foreign ministers from G7 member and guest countries and representatives of invited international organizations, discussed major diplomatic and security issues in Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific region, and the Middle East,
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted a welcome dinner on Nov. 22, 2024, for key participants of the Boao Forum for Asia Seoul Conference 2024. During the dinner, he exchanged views on international issues and ways to strengthen regional cooperation, while also introducing the efforts and plans of the Republic of Korea to realize its vision of becoming a Global Pivotal State. The dinner was attended by notable figures, including Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia Ban Ki-moon (former UN Secretary-General), Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia Zhang Jun
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The leaders of the three countries – South Korea, the U.S. and Japan--, who are visiting Lima, Peru, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, held a trilateral meeting at the Lima Convention Center on Nov. 15. President Yoon expressed his gratitude to U.S. President Joe Biden, saying, “Since last year's Camp David Summit, which was held under the leadership of President Biden, trilateral cooperation has been growing stronger day by day.” “High-level consultations between the three countries, including at the summit level, have become annualized, and expe
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Democratic Party of Korea leader Lee Jae-myung has been sentenced to one year in prison and two years of probation and disqualified from holding office in the first trial for violating the Public Offices Election Act. The Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Division 34 (Deputy Chief Judge Han Sung-jin) sentenced Lee to one year in prison and two years of probation on Dec. 15. If the ruling is confirmed by the Supreme Court, Lee will lose his seat in the National Assembly and will be barred from voting for five years, making it impossible for him to run for President.
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Daegu Detention Center (Director Kim Young-gwang) held a donation ceremony for 15 artworks from the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee (Chairman Lee Jon-young) on Nov. 11. The event was held in response to a proposal by the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee to donate artworks to help inmates' psychological stability and correctional edification. “I hope that the donated artworks will provide a small comfort and sanctuary for those who are living in prison,” said Chairman Lee at the donation ceremony. He said he decided to make the donation
By UN Journal Kayla Lee This is an impressive piece of writing that uses symbolic language implying the possibility of Trump winning the U.S. presidential election. It is not just a political debate, but a reflection and prediction of how a figure with great power, like a Yellow Dragon, will lead the era in the flow of history. In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, former President Donald Trump once again defied the world’s expectations by winning. Many media outlets reported that he was at a disadvantage in a tight race against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, but Trump managed to hold o
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Author Shin Kyung-ae, whose novel Strange Albergue tells the story of finding answers to life's problems through fantasy techniques, has now published an art practical book on the theme of celebrities. The Entertainer is a textbook and guidebook for those who dream of becoming an entertainer, and it seriously deals with the reality of the entertainment industry, problems, and social concerns from the perspective of a parent. In particular, this book is expected to be a guide that combines both fun and practicality, as many people dream of becoming an entertainer, but th
UNJournal Jon Lee | Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held the first Korea-EU Strategic Dialogue with Josep Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy on Nov. 4, discussing Korea-EU relations, Russia-North Korea cooperation and the situation on the Korean Peninsula, as well as regional and international affairs. Minister Cho and High Representative Borrell agreed that the Strategic Dialogue is very timely and important under the current geopolitical situation, where the security situation in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region is closely linked, as evide
By UN Journal Kayla Lee A special cultural exchange exhibition commemorating the 32nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan opened at the Korea Museum of Art in Insa-dong, Seoul, on Nov. 1. The exhibition was co-organized by Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, and Diplomatic Journal Chairman Lee Jon-young, and was designed to promote cultural ties and artistic exchanges between Korea and Kazakhstan. The exhibition ran from October 30 to November 5, and the awards ceremony was held on November 1 at 3 p.m., with several ambassadors