UNJournal Jon Lee | Minister for Trade Dukgeun Ahn and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi concluded and signed the joint statement for the Korea-GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on December 28 in Seoul. The Korea-GCC FTA is Korea’s 25th FTA (by concluded order), and the second FTA with an Arab country following the Korea-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) concluded in October. Trade Minister Ahn assessed, “Alongside the CEPA concluded with the UAE in October, this FTA signed with GCC is a major catalyst for the
UNJournal Jon Lee | Delivering the New Year address to the nation, President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Jan. 1, 2024, "The center of all national affairs is the people. I will make the year of 2024 a year of civil recovery where the warmth of economic achievements and economic recovery reaches every corner of people's lives." President Yoon said in his address, which was broadcast live from the Yongsan presidential office on the morning of the same day, "I will go into the field of people's lives, listen to even the smallest voices, and promote true people's policies that change people's lives." Pr
UNJournal Jon Lee | (Exclusive Interview) "In the upcoming year of 2024, I will do my best to build a predictable audit environment and encourage active management to innovate the organizational culture of KSPO," said Ha Hyung-joo, the standing auditor of Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), on Dec. 28. In an exclusive interview with Diplomacy Jopurnal, Ha said, "It has been five months since I was appointed as the standing auditor of the KSPO, and I have improved my understanding of the KSPO's business through reports from each business unit, and I have set the audit philosophy and direc
UNJournal Jon Lee | GS E&C (Engineering & Construction) is still reeling from the aftermath of the 'Incheon Geomdan Apartment collapse incident'. The company's financial health has been put on red alert as the cost burden of rebuilding the entire complex has increased, and profitability has declined due to the downturn in the housing market and rising cost rates. According to the industry sources, GS E&C's growing debt and deteriorating financial strength are weighing on its creditworthiness. Korea Ratings recently downgraded GS E&C's unsecured bond rating to 'A/stable' from 'A
UNJournal Jon Lee | Hyundai Motor Company and Mubadala Investment Company “Mubadala”, an Abu Dhabi-based global sovereign investor, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly explore potential business opportunities and synergies for future mobility and technologies. The signing ceremony, which took place on Dec. 15 in Abu Dhabi, was attended by Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company, and Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer of Mubadala Investment Company. This marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration that will drive pro
UNJournal Jon Lee (New Year Message) Dear readers of the Diplomacy Journal, I wish all readers of Diplomacy Journal all the best in the coming year 2024. The year 2023 was a very special year for us as it marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and Switzerland. It was also the 70th anniversary of Switzerland's presence on the Korean Peninsula as a member of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. Over the past six decades, our two countries have cultivated a solid partnership in politics, economics, science, technology, business, art and design. On
By Lee Jon-young, Publisher-Chairman of Diplomacy Journal President Yoon Suk-yeol's government has about 120 national tasks. Under the national vision of "Korea again, a country of new people," the Yoon administration has been going all-out to achieve six big national goals with the attitude of Korea’s No. 1 salesman. However, the government is facing serious difficulties due to stiff opposition from the giant opposition party and is under some pressure to fulfill the national tasks. However, the Yoon administration has been actively earning foreign currency for its goals by holding a series o
UNJournal Jon Lee Ambassador of Kazakhstan Nurgali Arystanov held a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs of Korea Chung Byung-won, during which the parties compared notes on the agenda of Kazakh-Korean cooperation, on Dec. 14. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the schedule of upcoming bilateral events, interaction within the framework of multilateral structures, including the CICA and the Central Asia - Republic of Korea format. In the context of further enhancing trade and economic cooperation in promising areas such as energy, technology trans
UNJournal Jon Lee Ambassador of Kazakhstan Nurgali Arystanov gave a special lecture for students of the Central Asia Department of the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) on Dec. 13. The Kazakh diplomat spoke of the positive dynamics of the political dialogue, especially noting regular meetings between the leadership of the two countries, including between Presidents Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Yoon Suk-yeol, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan Murat Nurtleu and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Korea Park Jin as well as between the Chairman of
UNJournal Jon Lee | The reporter met with Chief Jung Young-jin of Busan Coast Guard and interviewed him about his experiences with the maritime police. This article is based on an interview with Chief Jung Young-jin of the Busan Coast Guard about his experience in rescuing a coastal patrol ship carrying 25 police officers. — Ed. Chief Jung Young-jin said, "I joined the marine police directly and spent many years at sea for 34 years. First of all, I would like to thank my wife and children for believing in me and following me all these years. I could have neglected my family because I spent mor
UNJournal Jon Lee | Jeju Special Self-Governing Province held a 'Jeju Global Policy Briefing' at the Grand Mercure Bangkok Atrium Hotel in Bangkok to share Jeju's core values and vision on Dec. 1, along with the 'Jeju-ASEAN Plus Alpha' policy. This briefing, organized to explore the path of ASEAN common prosperity by sharing Jeju's core values and vision with key local figures in Bangkok, one of the major cities in ASEAN, highlighted Jeju's policies for economic and trade activation through future new industries. In particular, the province presented its achievements in a short period after an
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Seoul held an event dedicated to the Memorial Day of Azerbaijan’s national leader Heydar Aliyev at Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 11. Delivering welcoming remarks at the event in honor of its national leader Heydar Aliyev, Amb. Ramin M. Hasanov of Azerbaijan to Korea said, “We celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Heydar Aliyev, the National Leader of Azerbaijani people, the founder and architect of the modern, mighty, independent state of Azerbaijan. “Heydar Aliyev, with his charismatic personality, successfully saved Azerbaijani
UNJournal Jon Lee | A world-renowned investor Jim Rogers, chairman of Rogers Holdings, said on Nov. 11, "If the Military Demarcation Line (DML) is opened, I would like to invite people like the K-pop girl group Blackpink and have a big party." After meeting with Unification Minister Kim Young-ho at the Government Complex in Sejong-ro, Seoul, later in the day, he also said, "I would also invite bands from North Korea." "If Martians came, they would have a hard time believing (the reality of the North-South division)," he said, adding, "They would say, 'We speak the same language, we're in the s
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on Dec. 11 that its German chairperson, Holgar Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea, and Susanne Woehrle, Senior Executive Director of KGCCI, have been appointed as an Honorary Foreign Citizen of Seoul. This honor recognizes their outstanding contributions to the city and leadership in both business and community spheres. The honorary citizenship ceremony took place at the Seoul City Hall on December 8, 2023, as part of the city's initiative to acknowledge individuals who have significantly contributed to the developmen
By Lee Kap-soo Dear readers of Diplomacy Journal, The year 2023 has come to an end, and with it many of the dreams we had hoped to achieve during that period. Therefore, and on the occasion of the New Year 2024 - which is now beginning, giving us a new opportunity to renew our plans and look to the future, hoping to be promising, especially with regard to Angola and Korea relations - I would like to extend, on behalf of the Angolan Embassy in Korea, the warmest greetings and best wishes to the Korean people, especially the business-class! This is the fourth time I have celebrated the New Year