By UN Journal Kayla Lee Director-General for Northeast and Central Asian Affairs Kang Young-shin held a consultation in Seoul with the Director-General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Liu Jinsong on July 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The previous ROK-China director-general-level consultation was held on December 30, 2024, in China. Both sides agreed to maintain communication at all levels, building on their shared understanding of the need to seize the opportunity of the upcoming APEC Summit in Gyeongju to furt
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “We’re here in Sevilla, Spain to change course,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders on June 30, calling on them to grasp a once-in-a-decade opportunity to close a $4 trillion financing gap facing developing countries to meet sustainable development goals – and build a better world for all. According to the UN News, António Guterres issued his clarion call noting that sustainable development powered by international cooperation, is now facing “massive headwinds.” Addressing the opening session of the 4th Financing for Development Conference (FFD4) i
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll,” said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Celeste Saulo on June 23. Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, according to a report released on June 23 by the WMO. This rate of warming – which shows no signs of stopping – is leading to devastating consequences for lives and livelihoods across the region, and no country is exempt from the consequences, the UN News reported. The WMO report said that Asia is warming twice as fast as global averages because of its large landmass
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Governor Oh Young-hoon of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province met with Director-General Qu Dongyu at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy, to discuss international cooperation on Jeju's globally important agricultural heritage system on June 25, 2025. Qu Dongyu is from Hunan Province, China, and holds a PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. He has served as Director-General of the FAO since August 2019. The main agenda of the meeting was the sustainable preservation and utiliz
By UN Journal Kayla Lee UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on June 18 that he remains “profoundly alarmed” by the ongoing military escalation between Israel and Iran, as the sides continued to trade airstrikes, the UN News reported. “I reiterate my call for immediate de-escalation leading to a ceasefire,” Mr. Guterres said in a statement in which he strongly appealled against any further internationalization of the conflict. “Any additional military interventions could have enormous consequences, not only for those involved but for the whole region and for international peace and secu
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Korean Ambassador for Climate Change Chung Kee-yong attended the 3rd UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, France from June 9 to 13 (local time) as the alternate chief representative and emphasized the Korean government's policy of linking climate and ocean issues and its willingness to cooperate internationally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on June 15. The 3rd UN Ocean Conference was held under the theme of “Accelerating action and mobilizing all actors to conserve and sustainably use the oceans.” Approximately 15,000 people, including heads of state from 75 c
By UN Journal Kayla Lee In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, a South Korean man fearlessly defeated Japan, the world's strongest team, and won a gold medal in judo, raising the flag of hope for South Korea. He was Ha Hyung-joo, known as the “Star of the Nation.” At the end of last year, he was selected as a South Korean sports hero and inducted into the Hall of Fame, demonstrating the significant impact he has had on South Korean sports. His victory was not simply about winning a medal. It was a spark that boosted the morale of the Korean people and a symbol of national joy that turned around the
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Busan International Boat Show cohosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan Metropolitan City is set to return in April 2026 in Busan, Korea’s leading marine city. The event will offer a wide range of activities and hands-on experience marine leisure programs, already creating a buzz among industry professionals and tourists alike. The last show, held in April 2025, concluded successfully with 140 participating companies and 800 booths. It showcased a variety of marine leisure products and activities like surfing, SUP, diving, fishing, and maritime safety
By UN Journal Kayla Lee With the election of Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party as the 21st president, South Korea has seen a power transition after three years. As of 2:30 a.m. on June 4, with 97% of the votes counted, Lee Jae-myung had secured 48.8% of the vote, effectively securing his election, which corresponds to approximately 16,012,000 votes. Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party came in second with 42.1% of the vote. This presidential election was the second early presidential election held against the backdrop of unprecedented political turmoil, including the first state of emerg
By UN Journal Kayla Lee | UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a message on the occasion of Africa Day on May 25, 2025. In the message, he said, “On Africa Day, we celebrate a continent rich in heritage, vibrant in diversity and remarkable in its contributions to our global community. Africa is home to the world’s youngest population and fast becoming a powerhouse in renewable energy and technological innovation. “Yet, Africa bears the scars of historic injustices. The legacies of slavery, colonialism, apartheid, and systemic racism still cast long shadows, and entrenched inequaliti
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea, together with representatives of the Belarusian diaspora, took part in the 17th Seongbuk Global Food Festival – Nurimasil on May 18,2025, organized by the administration of the Seongbuk district of Seoul. Belarusian diplomatic mission delighted the guests of the festival with traditional potato pancakes, crepes and other dishes of national cuisine, while both adults and children appreciated the Belarusian culinary delights. As part of the event, Ambassador of Belarus Andrew Chernetsky and his Spouse Marina
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), and the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced that the five-day Korea Week (May 13–17) took off on May 13 at 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, starting with Korea Day. Approximately 350 visitors attended the Korea Day event launched on May 13, including a total of 30 government officials and business leaders of both countries. The Korea Day event consisted of a series of progra
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The 41st APEC Automotive Dialogue (AD) opened on May 9–10 at the International Convention Center Jeju (ICC Jeju) on the sidelines of the APEC Second Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM2), the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced. The APEC AD is a public-private forum for the sharing of major policy issues and industrial trends among APEC members’ governments and auto industries to seek measures for cooperation. Launched in 1999, it serves as APEC’s major communication channel on diverse automotive areas spanning electric mobility, aut
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Korean government awarded former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Philip Goldberg the Gwanghwa Order, the highest diplomatic honor, on May 6. (local time) Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong handed over the crown to Goldberg at the U.S. Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Order of Diplomatic Friendship is the highest award given to those who have contributed to diplomatic relations. Goldberg arrived in South Korea in July 2022, during the administration of former President Joe Biden, and served until January of this year, just before the U.S. re
By UN Journal Kayla Lee In June this year, the U.S.-Korea Cultural Exchange Exhibition will be held at the Helen Keller Park Gallery in Los Angeles to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance. The exhibition will bring together artists from Korea and the U.S. to paint peace with brushes and colors in a cultural diplomacy. The event is co-organized by the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee (Damwha Chairman Lee Jon-young) and the Federation of Arts and Cultural Organizations of the Americas (Chairman Kim Jun-bae), and hosted by the Damwha Cultural Foundation and the