UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | "Endless self-strengthening" is the power to constantly illuminate oneself. This saying resonates particularly painfully with us today. We feel tired too often, give up too easily, and live our lives confused about when to rest and when to stop. Modern society constantly demands speed. We are pressured to achieve immediate results, see visible results, and quantify our efforts. Consequently, many people push themselves to become stronger. However, self-strengthening and non-stop in the Buddha's teachings is not about such compulsion. It is not about the power to outdo
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Blue House announced that President Lee Jae-myung will visit Nara Prefecture, Japan, for a two-day, one-night trip on January 13th and 14th to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi. This visit was made at the invitation of the Japanese government, following the suggestion during the summit with Prime Minister Takaichi at last year's Gyeongju APEC summit that "the next shuttle diplomacy should be held in Nara, the Prime Minister's hometown."This marks the third meeting between President Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi, less than three months after his inaug
UNJournal Jon Lee | Hanwha Corporation is implementing a spin-off into two entities: one corporation comprising the existing defense, shipbuilding, energy, and finance operations and a new entity encompassing Hanwha’s tech and lifestyle businesses. The strategy aims to simultaneously enhance corporate value and shareholder value by establishing strategic planning tailored to each business group's characteristics and building a rapid decision-making system. Hanwha Corporation announced on January 14 that its board of directors has approved the spin-off. The process is scheduled to be completed
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | On November 28, 2025, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed a dialogue platform for rural akims (mayors), outlining his vision for the long-term development of remote areas. Kazakhstan’s Political Reforms: Evolution Instead of Shock Change President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is implementing a large-scale transformation of Kazakhstan’s political system by pursuing an evolutionary path of development based on institutional reform and a carefully calibrated sequence of actions. Since 2019, Kazakhstan has adopted around twenty laws aimed at modernizing its political system
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will pay an official visit to South Korea from January 17 to 19, Cheong Wa Dae announced, marking the first visit by a European leader since the inauguration of Lee Jae-myung. The visit will also be the first time South Korea welcomes a foreign leader at Cheong Wa Dae since the presidential office returned there, and the first bilateral summit visit by an Italian prime minister in 19 years. President Lee and Prime Minister Meloni are scheduled to hold summit talks and an official luncheon on January 19. Expanding Cooperation in Tra
UNJournal David Kendall Editor | NARA, Japan (Jan. 13) — Lee Jae-myung on Monday became the first South Korean president to visit Nara Prefecture, holding a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and calling for a “new era” of strategic cooperation between the two neighboring countries. The visit was marked by unusually warm hospitality from the Japanese side. From Lee’s arrival in Osaka to his transfer to Nara, Japan provided top-level security and protocol. In a surprise gesture, Prime Minister Takaichi personally greeted President Lee at his lodging—an appearance not included in
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung hosted a luncheon meeting with leaders of South Korea’s major religious denominations at Cheong Wa Dae (The Blue House) today at noon to mark the New Year of 2026. Under the theme "Toward National Unity with Religion," the meeting brought together leaders from seven major religious groups—Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondogyo, and Korean Native Religions—to seek wisdom on overcoming social divisions. In his opening remarks, President Lee stated, "National unity is the President's most paramount duty, yet there a
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung will visit Nara, Japan, on January 13 for a summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This summit, where South Korea and Japan will discuss complex issues—past history, the economy, trade and regional security—is seen as both a catalyst for improved relations and a source of new tensions. Nara Prefecture, chosen as the venue for the summit, is the birthplace of ancient Japanese culture and a historically symbolic venue for East Asian exchange. The Korean media has called this "a crossroads between forward-looking messages and historical awareness."
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | In his recent interview published on January 5, 2026, in the newspaper Turkistan, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev offered a comprehensive and candid assessment of the country’s development trajectory, laying out his vision for Kazakhstan’s path towards modernization. His remarks reflect not only impressive economic achievements, but also deep structural changes shaping the future of our nation. He stated that “This year will be pivotal for our country, as a number of critically important events will take place that will define Kazakhstan’s
UNJournal Jon Lee | Seoul, January 14, 2026, Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Nurgali Arystanov, paid a call on Maeng Seong-gyu, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and Chair of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. During the meeting, the sides discussed prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of transport and logistics, which constitutes a strategic priority of the policy pursued by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The interlocutors also emphasized the relevance of cooperation in the development of the Alatau Smart City. In this cont
UNJournal Jon Lee | Seoul, January 12, 2026 , A lecture by Nurgali Arystanov, Ambassador Kazakhstan, entitled “Kazakhstan’s Multi-Vector Foreign Policy and Its Growing Relations with the Republic of Korea” was held in Seoul. The event was organized with the support of the Korean Culture Association as part of a training program for future diplomats. Over 80 middle and high school students of the Republic of Korea – young leaders interested in international relations and diplomacy – took part in the lecture. In his remarks, the Kazakh diplomat provided a detailed overview of the key points rais