By UN Journal Kayla Lee In the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, a South Korean man fearlessly defeated Japan, the world's strongest team, and won a gold medal in judo, raising the flag of hope for South Korea. He was Ha Hyung-joo, known as the “Star of the Nation.” At the end of last year, he was selected as a South Korean sports hero and inducted into the Hall of Fame, demonstrating the significant impact he has had on South Korean sports. His victory was not simply about winning a medal. It was a spark that boosted the morale of the Korean people and a symbol of national joy that turned around the
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Busan International Boat Show cohosted by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Busan Metropolitan City is set to return in April 2026 in Busan, Korea’s leading marine city. The event will offer a wide range of activities and hands-on experience marine leisure programs, already creating a buzz among industry professionals and tourists alike. The last show, held in April 2025, concluded successfully with 140 participating companies and 800 booths. It showcased a variety of marine leisure products and activities like surfing, SUP, diving, fishing, and maritime safety
By UN Journal Kayla Lee With the election of Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party as the 21st president, South Korea has seen a power transition after three years. As of 2:30 a.m. on June 4, with 97% of the votes counted, Lee Jae-myung had secured 48.8% of the vote, effectively securing his election, which corresponds to approximately 16,012,000 votes. Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party came in second with 42.1% of the vote. This presidential election was the second early presidential election held against the backdrop of unprecedented political turmoil, including the first state of emerg
By UN Journal Kayla Lee | UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a message on the occasion of Africa Day on May 25, 2025. In the message, he said, “On Africa Day, we celebrate a continent rich in heritage, vibrant in diversity and remarkable in its contributions to our global community. Africa is home to the world’s youngest population and fast becoming a powerhouse in renewable energy and technological innovation. “Yet, Africa bears the scars of historic injustices. The legacies of slavery, colonialism, apartheid, and systemic racism still cast long shadows, and entrenched inequaliti
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Korea, together with representatives of the Belarusian diaspora, took part in the 17th Seongbuk Global Food Festival – Nurimasil on May 18,2025, organized by the administration of the Seongbuk district of Seoul. Belarusian diplomatic mission delighted the guests of the festival with traditional potato pancakes, crepes and other dishes of national cuisine, while both adults and children appreciated the Belarusian culinary delights. As part of the event, Ambassador of Belarus Andrew Chernetsky and his Spouse Marina
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism (MCST), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), and the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) announced that the five-day Korea Week (May 13–17) took off on May 13 at 2025 Osaka-Kansai World Expo, starting with Korea Day. Approximately 350 visitors attended the Korea Day event launched on May 13, including a total of 30 government officials and business leaders of both countries. The Korea Day event consisted of a series of progra
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The 41st APEC Automotive Dialogue (AD) opened on May 9–10 at the International Convention Center Jeju (ICC Jeju) on the sidelines of the APEC Second Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings (SOM2), the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced. The APEC AD is a public-private forum for the sharing of major policy issues and industrial trends among APEC members’ governments and auto industries to seek measures for cooperation. Launched in 1999, it serves as APEC’s major communication channel on diverse automotive areas spanning electric mobility, aut
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Korean government awarded former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea Philip Goldberg the Gwanghwa Order, the highest diplomatic honor, on May 6. (local time) Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong handed over the crown to Goldberg at the U.S. Embassy in Washington, D.C. The Order of Diplomatic Friendship is the highest award given to those who have contributed to diplomatic relations. Goldberg arrived in South Korea in July 2022, during the administration of former President Joe Biden, and served until January of this year, just before the U.S. re
By UN Journal Kayla Lee In June this year, the U.S.-Korea Cultural Exchange Exhibition will be held at the Helen Keller Park Gallery in Los Angeles to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the U.S.-ROK alliance. The exhibition will bring together artists from Korea and the U.S. to paint peace with brushes and colors in a cultural diplomacy. The event is co-organized by the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee (Damwha Chairman Lee Jon-young) and the Federation of Arts and Cultural Organizations of the Americas (Chairman Kim Jun-bae), and hosted by the Damwha Cultural Foundation and the
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul exchanged congratulatory letters with Bolivian Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa Lunda on April 25 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Korea and Bolivia forged diplomatic relations on April 25, 1965. In his letter, Minister Cho highlighted that the two countries have steadily enhanced bilateral cooperation across various fields since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1965. He also recalled the recent visit of his Special Envoy to B
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Too many indigenous peoples are still being excluded from decisions that directly affect their lands, territories, cultures, and the future of their communities, a top UN forum heard on April 21, the UN News reported. Indigenous Peoples are still excluded from decisions regarding “the very foundation of our identity, survival, and self-determination,” said Aluki Kotierk, Chair of the 24th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII). According to the UN News, this year’s theme is focused on implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peop
By UN Journal Kayla Lee “Mother Earth is running a fever. Last year was the hottest ever recorded: The final blow in a decade of record heat,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a message for International Mother Earth Day on April 22, 2025. According to the UN News, he said in the message, “We know what’s causing this sickness: the greenhouse gas emissions humanity is pumping into the atmosphere – overwhelmingly from burning fossil fuels.” We know the symptoms: devastating wildfires, floods and heat. Lives lost and livelihoods shattered. And we know the cure: rapidly reducing green
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor, has died on April 21 at the age of 88, the AP reported. The pope, who had recently been hospitalized and recovered due to severe pneumonia, was resuming his activities after returning to the Vatican. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in an announcement. Francis, who suffered
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea hosted the opening ceremony for the 5th KOREAZ Supporters Program on April 18, 2025. During the event, 32 participants (16 Korean and 16 international students) were officially appointed as the newest cohort of KOREAZ Supporters. KOREAZ is the name of the Foreign Ministry's digital public diplomacy channel on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X. In her welcoming remarks, Ms. Seo Bihn, Director-General of the Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs Bureau, highlighted the growing importance of digital public diplomacy
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Young people from across the globe are meeting at UN Headquarters on April 15 to share their recommendations to transform the world into a fairer, greener and more sustainable place, the UN News reported. Putting sustainable change and social inclusion at the forefront of its effort, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum is the UN’s yearly largest gathering of young people. “The urgency of shaping a more sustainable, inclusive and just future for all has never been clearer,” said the President of ECOSOC, Bob Rae, during the opening plenary session. Conven