UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | "Endless self-strengthening" is the power to constantly illuminate oneself. This saying resonates particularly painfully with us today. We feel tired too often, give up too easily, and live our lives confused about when to rest and when to stop. Modern society constantly demands speed. We are pressured to achieve immediate results, see visible results, and quantify our efforts. Consequently, many people push themselves to become stronger. However, self-strengthening and non-stop in the Buddha's teachings is not about such compulsion. It is not about the power to outdo
UNJournal Jon Lee | Hanwha Corporation is implementing a spin-off into two entities: one corporation comprising the existing defense, shipbuilding, energy, and finance operations and a new entity encompassing Hanwha’s tech and lifestyle businesses. The strategy aims to simultaneously enhance corporate value and shareholder value by establishing strategic planning tailored to each business group's characteristics and building a rapid decision-making system. Hanwha Corporation announced on January 14 that its board of directors has approved the spin-off. The process is scheduled to be completed
UNJournal Jon Lee | Seoul, January 14, 2026, Ambassador of Kazakhstan, Nurgali Arystanov, paid a call on Maeng Seong-gyu, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea and Chair of the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Committee. During the meeting, the sides discussed prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of transport and logistics, which constitutes a strategic priority of the policy pursued by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The interlocutors also emphasized the relevance of cooperation in the development of the Alatau Smart City. In this cont
UNJournal David Kendall Editor | NARA, Japan (Jan. 13) — Lee Jae-myung on Monday became the first South Korean president to visit Nara Prefecture, holding a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and calling for a “new era” of strategic cooperation between the two neighboring countries. The visit was marked by unusually warm hospitality from the Japanese side. From Lee’s arrival in Osaka to his transfer to Nara, Japan provided top-level security and protocol. In a surprise gesture, Prime Minister Takaichi personally greeted President Lee at his lodging—an appearance not included in
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung hosted a luncheon meeting with leaders of South Korea’s major religious denominations at Cheong Wa Dae (The Blue House) today at noon to mark the New Year of 2026. Under the theme "Toward National Unity with Religion," the meeting brought together leaders from seven major religious groups—Buddhism, Protestantism, Catholicism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondogyo, and Korean Native Religions—to seek wisdom on overcoming social divisions. In his opening remarks, President Lee stated, "National unity is the President's most paramount duty, yet there a
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung will visit Nara, Japan, on January 13 for a summit with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This summit, where South Korea and Japan will discuss complex issues—past history, the economy, trade and regional security—is seen as both a catalyst for improved relations and a source of new tensions. Nara Prefecture, chosen as the venue for the summit, is the birthplace of ancient Japanese culture and a historically symbolic venue for East Asian exchange. The Korean media has called this "a crossroads between forward-looking messages and historical awareness."
UNJournal Jon Lee | Seoul, January 12, 2026 , A lecture by Nurgali Arystanov, Ambassador Kazakhstan, entitled “Kazakhstan’s Multi-Vector Foreign Policy and Its Growing Relations with the Republic of Korea” was held in Seoul. The event was organized with the support of the Korean Culture Association as part of a training program for future diplomats. Over 80 middle and high school students of the Republic of Korea – young leaders interested in international relations and diplomacy – took part in the lecture. In his remarks, the Kazakh diplomat provided a detailed overview of the key points rais
UNJournal Jon Lee | The 29 years of Diplomatic Journal are not simply a testament to its experience. They represent an asset built on the accumulated records and trust of the diplomatic field. Throughout this time, Diplomatic Journal has documented diplomacy not in the "language of power," but in the language of people and culture. Its records have captured the expressions of the field, rather than the words of agreements, and the weight of attitude, rather than the rhetoric of declarations. Now, the purpose of the 2026 K-Diplomatic Cultural Center is to pass this asset on to the next generati
UNJournal Jon Lee | President Lee Jae-myung will hold a New Year's press conference for 2026 at the Blue House Guest House on the morning of the 21st, with 160 domestic and foreign reporters in attendance, according to the Blue House's Senior Secretary for Public Relations and Communications. This will be his first official press conference since moving from the Presidential Office in Yongsan to the Blue House, and is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. The slogan for the New Year's press conference is "A Great Transformation Achieved Together, A Great Leap Forward for All." President L
UNJournal Jon Lee | The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it will begin recruiting companies for the K-Export Star 500 project on the 16th of this month, aiming to foster 500 star companies with exports exceeding $10 million, the backbone of Korea's exports. ▲ "Photo - Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy" Recently, South Korea's exports have surpassed $700 billion for the first time, demonstrating quantitative growth. However, 84% of exports are concentrated in the top 1% of companies, highlighting the urgent need to improve the export structure through systematic foster
UNJournal Jon Lee | On January 15, two men— President Lee Jae-myung and Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Affairs Authority—shook hands in the reception room of Cheong Wa Dae. Held before a wall covered with traditional symbols for longevity emblazoned in gold, their meeting reaffirmed a “century-long companionship,” one that began around 16 years earlier when a delegation led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) won a contract to build a nuclear power plant complex in Barakah, UAE, in 2009. Chairman Khaldoon’s smile in the photograph is genuine; he consider
UNJournal Jon Lee | The first letter, "K," is the national flag, "K" is not a letter of the alphabet. "K" is the accumulation of time that is Korea, a symbol condensed with the breath of history, spirit, and craftsmanship. "K" is no longer an adjective. "K" is the center, the starting point, the face of Korea facing the world. We put "K" first because it is not a matter of pride, but of responsibility. Graphy is language. Graphy is not the act of writing. Graphy is the way thought is expressed through lines. Lines before letters, shapes before words, the oldest language in which human thought