By UN Journal Kayla Lee On the sidelines of the 4th Conference on Financing for Development (June 30-July 3, Seville), Kim Jina, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a joint meeting on July 1, with the high-level representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) to announce the ROK government’s humanitarian assistance initiatives and its key project plans for this year. The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development was the first high-level meeting convened by the UN in a decade si
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Climate Change in Seoul on July 1, 2025. It was organized by the Korea Institute of Energy Research and supported by the Seoul Center for Creative Economy & Innovation, the Korea Startup Accelerator and Early Stage Investors Association, and the Chungnam Content Agency. As AI technologies play an increasingly significant role in addressing climate change and accelerating the energy transition, this conference brought together over 450 participants—including representa
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
UNJournal Jon Lee | Nkubito Manzi Bakuramutsa, the Rwandan Ambassador to South Korea, visited the Chungcheongbuk-do province and met with Governor Kim Young-hwan on June 30, 2025. This visit was part of mutual exchanges that began with the visit of Kim Soo-min, Vice Governor of Chungcheongbuk-do Province, to the Rwandan Embassy in South Korea in March. During the meeting, they discussed ways to strengthen economic cooperation, cultivate bio talent, and develop the bio industry. Vice Governor Kim emphasized, “Chungbuk Province is the heart of K-Bio and a forward base for life science innovation
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
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea held an event dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Great Patriotic War and the Genocide of the Belarusian People, co-organized by the South Korean news media Diplomacy Journal on June 20, 2025. In his opening remarks, the Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Korea Andrew Chernetsky pointed out the need to defend the historical truth about the crimes of Nazi Germany against the Belarusian population and the peoples of the former Soviet republics, to preserve the memory of
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “Ecuador is truly a gem in the heart of South America and offers an incredible variety of attractions that appeal to all kinds of travelers. Whether you are drawn to tropical beaches, majestic mountains, rich rainforests, or unique islands, Ecuador has it all—often described as offering four worlds,” said Ambassador Patricio Esteban Troya Suárez of Ecuador to South Korea on June 23. In an exclusive interview with the Diplomacy Journal held at the Embassy of Ecuador in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Amb. Suarez said, “The coastal region is a tropical paradise with stunning beaches
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “Turkmenistan is home to a wealth of stunning natural landmarks. The picturesque landscapes of the Kopetdag Mountains, the diverse flora and fauna of the Karakum Desert, the banks of the Amu Darya River, Koytendag, the subtropical regions of southwestern Turkmenistan,” said H.E. Begench Durdyyev, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea. In an exclusive interview with the Diplomacy Journal held at the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Yonsan-gu, Seoul on June 12, Amb. Durdyyev said, “The Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea, particularly the "Avaza" resort, are all ma
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung, who arrived in Canada to attend the G7 summit, held consecutive meetings with the South African president and Australian prime minister. President Lee Jae-myung held a summit meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at around 2:40 p.m. of June 16 (local time). South Africa was invited to the G7 summit as an observer country, along with South Korea, India, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and Ukraine. President Lee then held a summit meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at a hotel in Calgary, Canada, at around 3:30 p.
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article is the excerpts from the statement by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Astana International Forum, which was released by the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Seoul to the Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. Kazakhstan approaches today’s turbulent world with a spirit of constructive engagement. Our foreign policy is based on the belief that dialogue is more powerful than division, and that sovereign rights must be respected. There should be no room for nationalistic hubris and ignorance of historic and cultural traditions of the pe
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping by phone on June 10, 2025, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized a partnership for strategic cooperation during his first phone conversation with President Lee Jae-myung. This is the third time President Lee has held a phone conversation with a foreign leader since taking office, following conversations with US President Donald Trump on June 6 and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba the day before. According to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi congratu
UNJournal Jon Lee | From June 5 to 8, 2025, Almaty proudly represented Kazakhstan at one of Asia’s largest tourism exhibitions — the Seoul International Tourism Fair (SITF 2025) in Seoul. The booth of Kazakhstan’s southern capital drew significant attention from visitors and industry experts, and was ultimately awarded the honorary title of “The Best Booth Design of SITF 2025.” Visitors had the chance to experience the vibrant spirit of Kazakh culture and the essence of Almaty through a dynamic and interactive program, including: • Live performances of traditional Kazakh music by dombra player
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “Filipinos and Koreans share a common love for family and festivals or festivities where the family gathers together. Many of these festivities involve both the preparation of and the enjoyment of traditional food which we also share,” said Ambassador Theresa Dizon-de Vega of the Philippines to Korea on May 26, 2025. In an exclusive interview with the Diplomacy Journal at the Embassy of the Philippines in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Amb. Dizon-de Vega said, “There are just some differences in the way we prepare them. I often focus more on similarities between the Philippines a
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul to the UN Journal for publication. –Ed. Today, Uzbekistan is demonstrating positive progress in the field of public service reform. Initiatives focused on digitalization, transparency, and professionalism are contributing to the overall improvement in the quality of civil service delivery. It is no coincidence that the United Nations Public Service Forum 2025 will be held in Uzbekistan from June 23 to 25. Beyond its primary mission, the forum will also serve as a platform to present Uzbekistan
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul to the UN Journal for publication. –Ed. In recent years, Uzbekistan has undertaken large-scale reforms aimed at transforming its public administration and civil service systems. The primary goal has been to build an efficient, transparent, and citizen-oriented governance model. The progress and potential achieved in this area will be showcased at the UN Public Service Forum, to be held in Samarkand in June 2025. This will be the first time Uzbekistan hosts this prestigious forum, which reflect