UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Jolla Bukdo Special Self-Government Province has set out to expand talent exchange and policy cooperation with Uzbekistan. The Korean provincial government has received a training delegation of high-ranking officials from the central and local governments of Uzbekistan and shared support policies for international students as well as examples of digital administrative innovation. Jeolla Bukdo Special Self-Government Province announced on June 11-13 that high-ranking officials from central and local governments, including Rustam Karimzonov, Deputy Minister of Digita
UNJournal Kayla Lee | From June 16th to 19th, the capital will host the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum, the country's primary investment platform and one of the region's largest business forums. Tashkent International Investment Forum (TIIF-2026) has solidified its position as a key investment platform in Central Asia, bringing together states, international investors, and representatives of global business. The forum serves not merely as a platform for dialogue, but as a space where the region's practical investment agenda is actively shaped. The core idea of the forum lies in th
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Mountains are silent. And yet, the mountains harbor the oldest history. For the past 15 years, South Korean K-Mountain Photographer Cho Myeong-Hwan has climbed up and down the Bukhan-san Mountain throughout all four seasons, capturing the silent time on camera. As the fruit of these records, he has released a photobook entitled, "170 Million Years of Bukhan-san" to the world. This photobook is not merely a collection of landscape photographs. It is a record that interprets, through art, the magnificent geological time, in which granite formed deep underground during th
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | That name is K-Folk Painting. Just as the popular K-Pop, K-Drama and the K-Food have become the global language today. Minhwa, which captures the beauty of traditional Korean painting, now needs a new name for the world. This writer has long asserted that Minhwa should not be merely a painting of the past, but a cultural content that represents the Republic of Korea. For this reason, I have consistently used the term, the K-Folk Painting, in news media articles, and furthermore, I have even pursued trademark registration under the name "The Beauty of Korea, K-Folk Pain
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Republic of Korea Defended Together by the World" Solidarity amidst the smoke of battle, records of peace achieved by 63 nations of the world. The Korean War was not a tragedy confined solely to the Korean Peninsula. Beginning with a surprise invasion by the North Korean armed forces at dawn of June 25 in 1950, the war claimed countless number of human lives and homes. The Armed Forces and the people of the Republic of Korea and the United Nations endured to defend the Republic of Korea (south), and the world gathered on the side of the Republic of Korea to protect
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Life is a series of encounters and partings. We live with our beloved families and share happy times, but eventually, everyone faces the moment of separation. However, true love does not end with departure. That bond continues within a heart that remembers, prays for, and reveres. The "Garden of a Thousand Years Columbarium" at Cheongju Byeoksachobul Jeongsa Temple, erated by the Damhwa Cultural Foundation, is not merely a space for enshrining cremated remains. It is a total Buddhist memorial cultural space that shares the lives, deaths, and subsequent bonds of Buddhis
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Embassy of India in Seoul, in collaboration with Viveka Yoga, will host a public celebration of the 12th United Nations International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2026, at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. First proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2014 and observed annually on June 21, the International Day of Yoga has grown into one of the world's most widely participated wellness observances. This year's Seoul event marks the 12th edition of the global commemoration. The programme will guide participa
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Since ancient times, Central and South Asia have been closely connected through trade, cultural exchange and political processes. Geographical proximity and ancient trade routes contributed to active dialogue between peoples and civilizations, the exchange of goods and culture as well as the formation of a shared historical and cultural identity in the region. Following the acquisition of independence, the Central Asian states began gradually developing their own foreign policy and economic strategies toward South Asia. Given the significance of Central and South Asia,
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | (Seoul, May 26, 2026) The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI, President & CEO Marie Antonia von Schönburg) will co-host “Guide Walkers” joint CSR event on June 13, 2026, at Sangam World Cup Park in Seoul, South Korea, engaging in a meaningful corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative. Now in its fourth year, the initiative brings together approximately 1,000 employees and family members from about 30 member companies and partners who will serve as guide walkers for individuals with visual impairments at the 12th Harmony Marathon with Visua
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Today's events and developments in the international arena once again demonstrate the growing need for the states of the Central and South Asian regions to achieve mutual understanding, solidarity, and a common goal. In this regard, the main goal of the Termez Dialogue on Connectivity between Central and South Asia, held on May 19, 2025, on the theme "Building a Common Space of Peace, Friendship, and Prosperity," was to strengthen regional connectivity and bring cooperation to a new level. It can be said that over the past year, significant results have been achieved o
UNJournal Kayla Lee | The city of Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, will participate in one of Asia’s leading international tourism exhibitions-Seoul International Travel Fair (SITF 2026), taking place from June 4 to 7, 2026, in Seoul, South Korea. SITF is recognized as a key tourism platform in the Asia-Pacific region, annually bringing together national tourism organizations, convention bureaus, cities, and travel companies from around the world. The exhibition serves as an important gateway for destinations seeking to strengthen their presence in the Asian outbound travel market and expand
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The President emphasized that the Golden Horde maintained advanced administrative and diplomatic systems, developed extensive relations with major powers across Eurasia, and exerted a lasting influence on the emergence of later states in the region. Its strength, he said, rested not only on territorial scale, but also on effective institutions, discipline, justice, and social cohesion. A major theme of the symposium was the economic and trade dimension of steppe civilization. The Golden Horde controlled key Eurasian trade routes and transformed the steppe into a secure
UNJournal Kayla Lee | The contemporary system of international relations is being shaped by rapid geopolitical changes, growing fragmentation, disruptions in transport and supply chains, climate change, and increasing risks to food and energy security. Under these conditions, trust, dialogue and practical cooperation among states are becoming more important than ever. For Central and South Asia — two historically interconnected regions with significant yet not fully realized potential-connectivity has acquired not only economic, but also strategic, political and civilizational significance. Th
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered remarks at the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States held in Turkistan. Welcoming the participants to the spiritual capital of the Turkic world, the Head of State highlighted Turkistan’s special historical and civilizational significance for the brotherly nations. In his address, President Tokayev noted that amid a complex and unstable geopolitical environment, the unity of Turkic states is of particular importance. He stressed the need to intensify economic and investment cooperatio
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | On May 16, Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul was transformed into a vibrant 'Mini India,' filled with the captivating colors, rhythms, and soul of Indian heritage. The inaugural 'India Day 2026,' organized by the Embassy of India, Seoul, concluded in grand success, drawing enthusiastic crowds from both the Korean public and the Indian diaspora. The festival was specially envisioned to celebrate the deep friendship and close people-to-people exchanges between Korea and India, offering visitors an immersive, multi-sensory journey into India’s rich cultural heritage that exem