UNJournal Kayla Lee | Samsung Electronics will distribute 1.3 trillion won in special dividends based on its fourth-quarter 2025 results. The move further strengthens the company's shareholder return policy in conjunction with the implementation of the separate taxation system for dividend income, and satisfies the government's requirements for listed companies that are designated "high-dividend" providers. Samsung Electronics announced through a disclosure on January 29 that "in accordance with our 2024–2026 shareholder return policy, we have decided on a Q4 special dividend in addition to ou
UNJournal Kayla Lee | In a new step to strengthen its presence in global tourism markets, the Sultanate of Oman, represented by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and in cooperation with the Embassy of the Sultanate of Oman in Seoul, hosted representatives from leading Korean travel agencies as part of an exceptional familiarization tour held from 15 to 22 January 2026. The tour provided representatives of Hana Tour, Mode Tour, Very Good Tour, MyRealTrip, and Yanatrip with a unique opportunity to discover the diversity of Oman’s tourism product, which combines cultural authenticity, stunning
By UNJournal Kayla Lee | When someone wakes up at age 103, the day is normally a quiet one. A quiet day can still be productive; one such centenarian routinely reaches for a writing brush. Born in 1923, Master Nam Sang-jun has lived as a hyeokpil (leather brush) calligrapher for over 60 years since studying under Master Dong Ji-seong in 1961. The hyeokpil held in his fingertips is not limited to Hangeul. It embraces Chinese characters and even extends to the Roman letters of English. He teaches his disciples not just how to wield a leather brush when writing art, but also how to make and use a
By UNJournal Kayla Lee | On the occasion of the 77th Republic Day of India, Ambassador Gourangalal DAS hosted a reception on January 26, 2026, at Sebitseom, the cluster of small man-made islands beside Seoul’s Banpo-daegyo Bridge. The event was graced by the guest of honor, H.E. Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, Mr. Lim Sang-woo, from Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The celebration drew approximately 500 distinguished guests, including members of the National Assembly, various diplomatic missions, business leaders, and academia. Cultural figures and representatives from the Indian com
By UNJournal Kayla Lee | The Korean-Vietnamese Business Association (BAVIK) held its New Year event on January 25, bringing together major business leaders from both Korea and Vietnam. The event was organized by Jeon Yong-heon, Chairman of the Korea-Vietnam Forum, and was particularly notable for the large attendance of young Vietnamese entrepreneurs, creating a warm and friendly atmosphere. Vietnamese attendees included Vietnam’s Ambassador to Korea Vu Ho, BAVIK Chairman Dao Tuan Hong, Vice Chairman Nguyen Viet Phong, and Vice President Won Jeong-min. Tran Khanh Van, Vietnam News Agency Seoul
UNJournal Jon Lee | On January 19, Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released the following statement: “The government of the Republic of Korea welcomes the United States’ recent announcement of the launch of Phase Two of the Gaza Peace Plan as well as the formation of the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG). The ROK government appreciates President Trump’s initiative in advancing peace in Gaza, along with the efforts of mediators including Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye. “The government hopes that the parties thoroughly and swiftly implement the Peace
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy will implement an industrial infrastructure development project worth KRW 268.5 billion this year to support the development and rapid commercialization of ultra-gap technologies through facility and equipment construction projects. This is the largest-ever initiative, and it aims to support the technological independence and competitiveness of our industries amidst the rapidly evolving global technological competition. The Industrial Equipment Installation Project supports equipment needed for testing, evaluation, certification, d
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Paralympic Winter Games, where athletes with disabilities can compete for their dreams and skills, will be held in Gangwon Province. This Paralympic Winter Games is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, organized by the Korea Paralympic Committee, and hosted by the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province. It will run from January 27th to 30th. A total of 1,127 athletes from 17 cities and provinces will compete in seven sports. Cross-country skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing, and snowboarding events will be held at the Pyeongchang Alpensia Biathlon Stad
UNJournal Jon Lee | Nurgali Arystanov, Kazakhstan's ambassador to South Korea, met with Chungcheongbuk-do Governor Kim Young-hwan in Cheongju on January 20 to discuss ways to advance regional cooperation between their respective states. During the meeting, both sides broadly reviewed cooperation plans across trade, economics, culture, and humanitarian fields. In particular, they agreed that exchanges and tourism cooperation between the two countries are seeing positive developments. Chungcheongbuk-do is considered one of Korea's most dynamically developing regions, with high potential in indus
UNJournal Jon Lee | Today, one of the priority areas of state policy in Uzbekistan is focused on expanding forested areas, increasing green coverage, mitigating the negative impacts of climate change, and ensuring environmental sustainability. To achieve effective results in these areas, studying advanced foreign experience and adapting it to the country’s climatic conditions is of particular importance. In this context, the participation of a delegation of representatives of the Forestry Agency under the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan in a training and practica
UNJournal Jon Lee | On January 23, 2026, Damhwa Media Group, parent company of Diplomacy Journal, filed patent applications with the Korean Intellectual Property Office for the brands "K-minhwa" and "K-graphy." Beyond simple trademark protection, the filing represents the first official branding of uniquely Korean art and brush cultures. "K-minhwa" and "K-graphy" are already the mastheads of Damhwa publications and organizations as well as terms that have entered cultural discourse. The patent registration, however, is not merely about protecting media titles. The core message is clear: "This
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Teachers' International Education Cooperation Society (TIES) visited Uzbekistan's Fergana region from January 12 to 16 to conduct practical exchanges with local educational institutions. The aim is a new model of international education cooperation led directly by teachers, going beyond simple overseas training. TIES is an international education cooperation network centered on pre-service, in-service, and retired teachers that has continued global citizenship education and education development cooperation activities in Nepal, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, and elsewhere i
UNJournal Jon Lee | Deputy Prime Minister Koo Yoon-chul visited a hub for the implementation of a hyper-innovative economy as the first step toward a "performance-oriented economic operation" in 2026. Review of National Growth Fund support, support for technology development and demand creation to accelerate "power efficiency innovation." On the 23rd, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Koo Yoon-chul visited DB HiTek, a next-generation power semiconductor company located in Eumseong, North Chungcheong Province, to inspect the foundry site and hold a meeting with employees
UNJournal Jon Lee | hat is the India Stack? It is a collection of open Application Programming Interface (APIs) and Digital Public Goods forming India’s foundational digital infrastructure. Its components collectively enable various entities, including governments, businesses and individuals to interact and conduct transactions digitally. The India Stack components like Aadhaar (identity), UPI (payments), DigiLocker (documents), e-Sign (digital signature), e-KYC (know your customer), DBT (direct benefit transfer), Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (healthcare), etc, enable citizens, businesses a
UNJournal Jon Lee | Before ever speaking of enlightenment, Buddha taught the power to reflect on one's own mind. Today in Korea, we call that power su-o-ji-sim (羞惡之心), having a conscience and sense of shame. Su-o-ji-sim means the ability to be ashamed of one's own mistakes and to face the mistakes of others—not with a sense of anger but a desire to rectify. Mencius said: "A person lacking su-o-ji-sim is not truly human." He was not calling for a strict moral code but merely warning that a society whose conscience is fading will hasten its own collapse. Looking at society today, one can see the