By UN Journal Lee Jon-young Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul hosted the 18th Iftar dinner to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on March 29. The dinner brought together Koreans and foreigners from relevant fields, including the diplomatic corps from the member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In his welcoming remarks, Foreign Minister Cho said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been holding the Iftar dinner for 20 years. He noted that what started as a gathering of some 20 participants from the diplomatic corps has now become an annual tradition de
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Hungarian Ambassador to Korea István Szerdahelyi visited the King Kong Gallery (CEO Lee Soo-min) in front of the Daegu Arboretum on March 28, accompanied by the head of the Hungarian Cultural Center in Korea, and viewed the works of 150 children aged 5 to 10. The visit to the King Kong Gallery in Daegu was a promise made by Ambassador Szerdahelyi to Daegu Nam-gu Cultural Center Director Lee Jae-nyeong in January, and he visited Daegu with the hope of expanding cultural exchanges with the Daegu region starting in 2024, the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan met with Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations, and President of the Assembly of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) on March 28 in Boao, China. Tokayev expressed gratitude to Ban Ki-moon for the invitation to take part in the BFA and noted his considerable contribution to the world community as one of the best Secretaries-General in UN history. Ban Ki-moon emphasized the substantial contribution of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the development of international coo
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young Busan Nam-gu announced on March 26 that Mayor Susan Sonne of Buena Park City, USA, visited the United Nations Memorial Park on March 23 and laid a wreath at the gravesite of UN soldiers who sacrificed their lives for world peace. Mayor Susan Sonne said that the UN Memorial Park was one of the places she always wanted to visit when she visited Korea, and she was impressed by how Busan's Nam-gu is also making great efforts to protect world peace, centered on the UN Memorial Park. "I hope today's meeting will be an opportunity for the city of Buena Park and Nam-gu to i
UNJournal Jon Lee | “The Armed Forces of Myanmar is constantly engaged in protecting and preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country. They have made enormous sacrifices to make our country safe so that our future generation is secure,” said H.E. U Thant Sin, Ambassador of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Delivering welcoming remarks at an event to mark the 79th Anniversary of Myanmar Armed Forces Day held at the Riverside Hotel in Seoul on March 27, Amb. U Thant Sin said, “The Armed Forces Day serves as an opportunity for the government and military leadership to r
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol received Caroline Kennedy, President Emeritus of the John F. Kennedy Foundation (JFK Foundation) and current U.S. Ambassador to Australia on March 27. The meeting was held at the special request of Mrs. Kennedy, who wanted to personally deliver the trophy (lantern) of the Profile in Courage Award to the President. The JFK Foundation honored President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida last year with the 2023 Profile in Courage Award, recognizing their contributions to improving relations between South Korea and Japan. "Both leaders have done the
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Mayor Choi Min-ho of Sejong Special Self-Governing City met with a delegation of high-ranking government officials, including Alexandre Marie and YOMO, the director of the National Civil Registration Agency of Cameroon, at Sejong City Hall on March 21 to discuss cooperation plans. The visit was made at the request of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Cameroon as part of the Korea International Cooperation Agency's (KOICA) 'Invitation Training Program for the Pilot Project to Establish a Computerized Civil Registration System in Cameroon'. This is the third visit
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Korea, Nurgali Arystanov, took part in the event “Forest and Innovation - New Solutions for a Better World” to mark the International Day of Forests on March 21. It was organized by the Korea Forest Service and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) and attended by Ambassadors of AFoCO countries such as Chile, Brunei, Myanmar, the Philippines and Tajikistan. While delivering the remarks, the Kazakh Ambassador noted the positive dynamics of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Korea Forest Service and AFoCO in the field of f
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul held his first meeting with Uzbekistan Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor SAIDOV since taking office at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 20. The two sides discussed bilateral relations between the two countries. Foreign Minister Cho said that Uzbekistan and Korea have developed a special partnership, suggesting that they continue to cooperate closely in various fields. Foreign Minister Saidov said that Uzbekistan, a special strategic partner of Korea, greatly values its relations with the country and intends to
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo “Korea-Pakistan diplomatic ties, established forty-one years ago, have blossomed into a partnership, based on respect, cordiality, and mutual interest,” said Amb. Nabeel Munir of Pakistan to Korea. Delivering a speech at the Pakistan’s National Day reception held at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on March 21, Amb. Munir said, “From socio-economic development to trade and investment, from defense cooperation to cultural exchanges, this partnership continues to blossom. “The ‘Miracle on Han River’ continues to inspire us. We want to learn from Kore
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Martin Henkelmann) in cooperation with the Korea Energy Economic Institute (KEEI), Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), German policy consultancy think tank adelphi and Hydrogen Convergence Alliance held the 6th Korean-German Energy Day (KGED) conference on March 21 at Grand Hyatt Berlin, Germany. The KGED is the flagship event of the Korean-German Energy Partnership, co-hosted by German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and Korean Mini
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young The third meeting of the U.S.-led 'Democracy Summit' concluded in Seoul on March 20. The meeting was held for three days from March 18 under the theme of "Democracy for Future Generations. It was the first time the summit, which was launched by U.S. President Joe Biden in 2021, was held exclusively outside the United States. "The Republic of Korea, together with all democracies in the world, will continue its efforts to advance global democracy to the next level by consolidating the outcomes of this summit," said President Yoon Suk-yeol in his closing remarks, which
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol received British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who is in Korea for the 3rd Democracy Summit on March 20. The President welcomed the UK's active participation in the Democracy Summit as the originator of parliamentary democracy and looked forward to lively discussions on the theme of the Summit, 'Promoting Democracy for Future Generations'. The President also noted that the Downing Street Agreement, which he signed with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his state visit to the UK last November, marked a new milestone in the development o
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Diplomacy Journal for publication. –Ed. The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, delivered an address at the National Kurultai (National Congress) on March 15. He primally focused on Kazakhstan’s development, outlining key tasks and priorities for the country. The President stated that addressing economic issues alone does not suffice for becoming a genuinely developed nation, adding that Kazakhstan must take a comprehensive approach, outlining guidelines not only in the socio-economic re
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Yoon Suk-yeol received a group of ministers and vice ministers from five African countries who are visiting Korea to attend the Ministerial Meeting on the first day of the 3rd Democracy Summit at the Presidential Office on March 19. The five African countries are Gambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Mauritius and Botswana. The President assessed that the five countries share the universal value of democracy with Korea and have formed close and friendly relations, and expressed his hope that they will strengthen cooperation in various fields to develop democracy for