UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | High-level meeting with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport discusses establishment of an international flight training center Expansion of dual-degree programs with Tashkent State Transport University to jointly foster aviation experts Korea Aerospace University, Korea’s aviation-specialized university, is moving forward in earnest to expand cooperation in the Central Asian aviation industry in partnership with the government of Uzbekistan. On April 29 (local time), President Heo Hee-young met with Ilkhom Makhkamov, Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, at the Ministry
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | DigiPen, a global leader in game and AI education, joins hands with Korea Aerospace University to build a “Global Education Ecosystem” A new turning point for Korea-U.S. educational cooperation as Korea Aerospace University and DigiPen fully pursue joint campus establishment Korea Aerospace University announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DigiPen Institute of Technology, a world-renowned university specializing in games and software located in Washington State, USA, to strengthen global education and research cooperation. The signing cer
UNJournal Kayla Lee | From 3 to 6 May 2026, Samarkand will host the 59th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The event is expected to bring together heads of banking and financial institutions from 69 member countries, as well as representatives of international organizations. Discussions will focus on the key development challenges facing the countries of Asia and possible ways to address them. The holding of such a high-level forum in Uzbekistan reflects the growing recognition of the country’s ongoing economic reforms and the strengthening of its position within the global f
UNJournal Kayla Lee | In recent years, cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Czech Republic in the fields of higher education, science, and innovation has been enriched with new content and has been steadily developing. Previously formed mainly within the framework of individual projects, grant programs, and short-term initiatives, this relationship has now reached a new stage — a well-thought-out, systematic, and long-term strategic partnership. Today, this cooperation is being shaped based on clear goals and priority areas. Links between universities are strengthening, transforming not only
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Stolen cultural property dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD has been returned to Uzbekistan following a large-scale investigation involving law enforcement agencies and scholars from across Europe. A number of artefacts, illegally smuggled from the Central Asian republic that was once the heart of the Bactrian and Kushan empires, were presented by the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiquities Unit at the Embassy of Uzbekistan. They will subsequently be transported back to their homeland, where they will take a prominent place in the exhibition of the recently ope
UNJournal Kayla Lee | The Fifth Tashkent International Investment Forum will take place on June 16–19, 2026. This year’s theme - “Investment Resilience: New Frontiers, New Partnerships” – frames the agenda around a set of pressing questions: how to protect capital amid global uncertainty, what institutional mechanisms enhance investment resilience in frontier markets, and where the new partnership routes lie. The forum’s context is set by macroeconomic results. According to the National Statistics Committee, Uzbekistan’s GDP grew by 7.7% in 2025 and exceeded $147 billion – the fastest pace sin
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Today, climate change stands as one of the most urgent and complex global challenges, with its negative effects being particularly acute in ecologically fragile regions under high anthropogenic pressure. One such area is the Aral Sea region, where the consequences of climate change are having a far-reaching impact on the state of natural resources, the living standards of the population, and economic activities. The desiccation of the Aral Sea has led to a sharp change in the region's microclimate, an increase in air temperature, a decrease in precipitation, intensifie
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun| The legacy of the Seoul Olympic Games is expanding beyond a mere record of the past into a living platform that connects present diplomacy with future cultural exchange. The Korea Sports Promotion Foundation for the Seoul Olympics (Chairman Ha Hyung-joo) invited Ambassador Emilia Gatto of Italy in Seoul to host the ‘Seoul Olympic Sculpture Park Tour Program,’ showcasing a new model of cultural diplomacy that combines sports and art. Held on April 28 in the area around Seoul Olympic Park, this program was attended by officials from the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation a
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun| The history of mankind demonstrates that great civilizations rest upon a synthesis of intellectual achievements, spiritual values and cultural heritage. Since ancient times, Central Asia has served as a pivotal hub of science, art and philosophy, shaping the foundational elements of a civilization that has influenced the entire world. Today, this profound potential is embodied in a monumental project - Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent. This institution does not merely preserve historical artifacts; it serves as a living platform for science, education and spir
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun| The tragedy of 6-year-old Hind Rajab, who cried out, “I’m so scared. Please come and take me,” while isolated among the corpses of her family amidst the horrors of war, left a deep shock on the entire world. The “23 minutes of silence” highlighted by the film 'The Voice of Hind Rajab' continues to resonate deeply within our society. In the Gaza Strip, another young life is waiting for a desperate rescue. Recently, as President Lee Jae-myung of South Korea emphasized international humanitarian principles regarding the situation in the West Bank, messages of support and g
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | President Lee Jae-myung met with Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, at 3 p.m. on April 27th this year. During the meeting, they engaged in an in-depth discussion regarding the recent rapid advancements in AI technology, future directions of change, responsible AI utilization, and global cooperation strategies. CEO Hassabis is a world-renowned scholar who oversaw the historic "AlphaGo" match against Go grandmaster Lee Se-dol in 2016 and was awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his development of "AlphaFold," an AI model for predicting protei
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Korea Aerospace University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the DigiPen Institute of Technology, a world-renowned university specializing in games and software located in Washington State, USA, to strengthen global education and research cooperation. The signing ceremony took place on April 27 at 3:00 pm in the JB Industry-University Cooperation Agency Industry-Industry Cooperation Seminar Room on campus. Attendees at the ceremony included President Heo Hee-young, Dean of the College of AI Convergence Ahn Jun-sun, Dean of the College of Engineeri
UNJournal Kayla Lee | On April 22, the next Summit of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) – one of the region's prominent organizations – will take place in Astana. The upcoming meeting of the Heads of the Founding States acquires special significance, as it marks the transition of the Fund's chairmanship to Uzbekistan for 2027–2029 period. This will be our country’s third mandate, following leadership terms in 1997–1999 and 2013–2016. It is worth noting that Tashkent was at the forefront of the creation of IFAS. Yet, resuming this leadership role after a decade takes place i
UNJournal Kayla Lee | In today’s rapidly evolving scientific landscape, international collaboration has become a key driver of innovation and discovery. No single institution or country can fully address the complex challenges of modern science alone. In this context, the long-term partnership between the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and the Silesian University in Opava (Czech Republic) stands as a strong example of how collaboration can accelerate scientific progress and foster the development of new generations of researchers. This cooperation, which has be
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The ‘K-Seoul International Singer Festival & Global Top Leader Awards Presentation Ceremony,’ a convergence-type global festival where music, culture, cutting-edge technology, and leadership coexist, was successfully held on the 23rd at the Seocho Arts Center in Seoul, attended by distinguished guests from both Korea and abroad. Serving as a platform for exchange that eliminates industry boundaries and strengthens global networks, the event featured high-quality performances by artists from over 30 countries of the world, as well as an awards-presentation ceremony