UNJournal Kayla Lee | “Any Korean company, which might be interested to invest in tourism and hospitality industry in Croatia, can find a very attractive business opportunity,” said Ambassador H.E. Damir Kušen of Croatia in Seoul. Delivering welcome speech at the Croatian-Korean Business Forum held at Coryo Daeyeongak Tower in Seoul, Amb. Kusen said, “Let me remind you that Croatia has more than 1700 kilometers of the coastline with a lot of space. With an introduction of the new direct flights between Seoul and Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, the two countries are becoming neighbors.” Noting
UNJournal kayla Lee | President Yoon Suk-yeol on June 3 held a series of bilateral meetings with African leaders who are in South Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit to discuss issues of mutual interest. From morning to afternoon, Yoon held bilateral talks with the leaders of 10 African countries, according to the presidential office. In the morning, Yoon held separate meetings with six African leaders: Lesotho Prime Minister Ntsokoane Samuel Matekane, Côte d'Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara, Mauritius President Prithvirajsing Roopun, Zimbabwe President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, Togo Presid
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee hosted an official welcome dinner on June 3 at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul for more than 60 heads of state and delegates from 48 African countries, who are visiting Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit (June 4-5). Prior to the dinner, the President and Mrs. Yoon received the African heads of state and government, exchanged pleasantries and took commemorative photos. The President couple then entered the dinner hall together amid the applause of the guests. “Korea's economic growth is the result of a trinity of efforts: leaders
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo President Yoon Suk-yeol held his first bilateral meeting with Sierra Leone on the sidelines of the Korea-Africa Summit on May 31. During the meeting with Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio at the Yongsan Presidential Office, President Yoon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Trade and Investment Promotion Framework (TIPF) to expand bilateral trade and investment cooperation. In addition, the 'K-Rice Belt' project, which is underway since 2023, will contribute to improving agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone, as well as education and health secto
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on June 2 to announce the start of negotiations on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and discuss strengthening cooperation on key mineral resources. President Yoon held a luncheon meeting with President Hassan, who is visiting South Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit, at the Yongsan Presidential Office later in the day. It has been 18 years since former President Jakaya Kikwete visited Korea in 2006. “Today, I am pleased to announce the start of negotiations on an Economic Partnership Agreement (
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who is visiting South Korea for the Korea-Africa Summit, on June 2 and agreed on the need to thoroughly implement sanctions against North Korea to block its nuclear and missile development in violation of UN Security Council resolutions. According the presidential office, the two leaders discussed the issue during a dinner meeting at the Yongsan presidential office. The two leaders plan to cooperate closely on the international diplomatic stage, including Ethiopia's support for South K
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Prime Minister Han Deok-soo received Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, who is on an official visit to Korea (May 30-June 1), at Government Complex Seoul, and exchanged views on issues of mutual interest on May 31. Prime Minister Han congratulated Vietnam on the recent election of President To Lam, and emphasized the importance of strategic communication and exchanges between the two countries to further develop the comprehensive strategic partnership in all fields. Foreign Minister Son thanked Han for his hospitality and praised the high-level exchanges, includ
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The ongoing reform to enhance the democratic state governance system in New Uzbekistan is being implemented under the principle of "The state serves the people, not vice versa." Indeed, today, social advancement is inseparable from the consolidation of the state, fostering active societal engagement, shaping positive attitudes of the state servant towards society, serving the people, ensuring individual satisfaction, promoting honesty, and establishing justice, all of which are essential in modernizing social progress. The enactment of the Law "On Public Service" repr
UNJournal Jon Lee | “Georgia aims to conclude two important economic framework agreements with Korea this year,” said H.E. Tarash Papaskua, Ambassador of Georgia to the ROK on May 27,2024. At a reception to celebrate the Independence Day of Georgia held at Grand Hyatt Seoul on May 27, Amb. Papaskua said, “I am delighted to highlight the progress we have achieved together with our Korean partners in our talks on two important economic framework agreements, the Georgia-Korea Economic Partnership Agreement and the Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments, which we aim to conclude alre
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is calling on partners to assist them in supporting about 185,000 Sudanese who have journeyed into Chad and are trying to escape dangerous borders, specifically in Adre border town,the UN News reported. Laura Lo Castro, UNHCR's representative in Chad, said that expected rains have started in Adre, leaving tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees without shelter suitable for protection. The rains also impede humanitarian access due to catastrophic flooding, she added. “It's paramount that we scale up the response now and immediately relocate a
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo North Korea fired a large number of short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea on May 30, it was confirmed. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “At around 6:14 a.m. on May 30, we captured about 10 suspected short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) fired into the East Sea from the Sunan area of Pyongyang, North Korea.” North Korea has a history of ballistic missile provocations, including test launches, but this is unusual. The missiles traveled more than 350 kilometers before landing in the East Sea. Based on the distance, it is believed to be an intermediate-
UNJournal Jon Lee | Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted a luncheon to welcome visiting ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn on May 28 and exchanged views on: the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations this year; the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP); the implementation of the Korea-ASEAN Solidarity Initiative (KASI); and ways to advance ASEAN-ROK practical cooperation. Cho noted that ASEAN and South Korea have been inseparable partners since the establishment of dialogue relations in 1989, and stressed that South Korea will continue to deepen
Bu UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The 11th Kia Skill World Cup has taken place at Kia Osan Training Center and JW Marriott Hotel Seoul in Korea. Held between May 21-23, the competition marked the first offline event after the pandemic since 2018, gathering 42 national winners from 40 countries to compete in the finals. The Kia Skill World Cup is a celebrated global mobility engineering competition for Kia technicians. First hosted in 2002, the competition highlights outstanding technical experts from around the world and enhances the brand’s customer service capabilities. The 42 national winners compe
UNJournal Kayla Lee | Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul met with visiting International Crisis Group on May 28 and exchanged views on the importance of the Global South, which encompasses developing countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, as well as cooperation measures, the international situation, and the situation on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. As the strategic position of the Global South is strengthening under the geopolitical transformation, including the intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition, the war in Ukraine, and the crisis in the Mid
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Yoon Suk-yeol held a summit with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahayan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on May 29, reaffirming the UAE's pledge to invest USD 30 billion (approx. KRW 40 trillion) in Korea. Korea and the UAE signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on the occasion of the summit. The UAE is the first Arab country to sign a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Korea. The presidential office said that the summit confirmed the achievements of the UAE's sovereign wealth fund's $30 billion investment pledge. “Currently