By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung declared in his keynote address at the UN that "South Korea will fulfill its responsibility and role to end the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula and contribute to global peace and prosperity through the 'E (Exchange), N (Normalization), and D (Denuclearization) Initiative." President Lee made these remarks in his keynote address at UN Headquarters in New York on September 23 (local time), stating, "We must end the era of hostility and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula through comprehensive dialogue centered on the 'END' initiative and ush
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, who is in New York to attend the 80th UN General Assembly High-Level Session, held a South Korea, the US, and Japan Foreign Ministers' Meeting on September 22 with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. They discussed pending issues on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, as well as ways to enhance trilateral economic and security cooperation, and adopted a joint statement. Minister Cho expressed his gratitude for attending the meeting for the first time since taking office, at a time when the commitm
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Celebrating the 34th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence and the 33rd anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea, the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul held a reception in the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 19, 2025. Delivering welcome address, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Korea Alisher Abdusalomov, said, “The Uzbek government is boldly investing in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs to lead the future of our nation. Uzbekistan is also deepening its engagement with the world. We are building br
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung met with Professor Michael Sandel of Harvard University, author of “"Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do?" in his office on September 18. President Lee, who had previously engaged in a video discussion with Professor Sandel on ‘Justice and Fairness’ during his 2021 presidential campaign, met with him again after about four years to exchange views on ‘Democracy and Peaceful Coexistence’. President Lee emphasized that Professor Sandel's concepts of a just society and peace dividends hold particular significance for the Korean people, noting t
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Hyun held talks and a dinner with Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, in Beijing, China, on September 17. They exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, including South Korea-China relations and issues on the Korean Peninsula. Minister Cho emphasized, “Today's meeting, as the first South Korea-China Foreign Ministers' Meeting since the inauguration of our new government, holds significance for the development of bilateral relations.” He expressed hope that, taking the Gy
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo The Seoul Olympic Memorial Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO), led by Chairman Ha Hyung-joo, held a reoperation ceremony on September 16, 2025 for the fountain donated by Korea’s brother nation, Turkiye, during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Held near the Turkiye Fountain in Olympic Park, the event was attended by Chairman Ha Hyung-joo; Ambassador Salih Murat Tamer of the Republic of Turkiye to the Republic of Korea; Songpa-gu Mayor Seo Kang-seok; Songpa Forum Chairman Hong Jae-sung; Kim Yong-jong, Superintendent General of the Songpa Police Station; Kim Na-mi, Secret
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations (DPO) at the United Nations, who is visiting South Korea, on September 15. They exchanged views on ways to strengthen South Korea-UN cooperation and the future development direction of UN Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). Minister Cho emphasized Korea's commitment to continue contributing to enhancing the adaptability and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations as a major troop- and finance-contributing nation. He also called for further strengthening cooperation betwee
By UN Journal Kayla Lee The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) will hold the 14th Workshop for Overseas Honorary Consuls of the Republic of Korea from September 15 to September 20. Launched in 2010, this Workshop aims so that they can provide more effective support in protecting overseas Koreans and in promoting Korea’s diplomatic activities. This year’s Workshop, the 14th of its kind, will bring together honorary consuls from 12 countries. This six-day event will kick off with a welcome reception, followed by a seminar to share best practices, special lectures on Korea’s economy and security,
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Minister Bae Kyung-hoon of the Ministry of Science and ICT met with Kazakhstan's Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, in Seoul on September 11 to discuss measures to expand bilateral cooperation in science and technology, including artificial intelligence. Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1992, Kazakhstan has actively engaged with Korea across diverse fields including politics, economy, society, culture, and education, building on multiple rounds of summit diplomacy. In particular, it actively cultivates talent through inter-state exchange
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, currently visiting the United States, met with U.S. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio on September 10 (local time). They exchanged views on the swift resolution of the situation involving Korean nationals detained in Georgia by U.S. authorities, follow-up measures to the Korea-U.S. summit (August 25), high-level Korea-U.S. diplomatic schedules, and North Korea issues. Minister Cho conveyed President Lee Jae-myung's special regards to President Donald Trump and expressed the expectation that the strong ROK-U.S. allian
By UN Journal Kayla Lee Early morning on September 5, at the Chinese Embassy in Jung-gu, Seoul. Though still early, the air outside the embassy is thick with a peculiar mix of tension and excitement. Twenty-six youth reporters, notebooks in one hand and passports in the other, board the bus bound for China. They were participants in the ‘6th Korea Youth Journalists’ Visit to China’ program, the protagonists of a bilateral youth friendship exchange initiative organized by the Korea China Economy & Culture Educational Association (KCCEA, Chairperson Shin Kyung-sook) and co-hosted by the Chin
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung held his first phone call with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on September 4, following his inauguration. President Lee expressed his gratitude for the Mongolian President's congratulatory message upon his inauguration and for once again extending congratulations during this call. The two leaders assessed that cooperation across all fields between the two countries has significantly developed over the past 35 years since establishing diplomatic relations in 1990. They agreed to further deepen and develop the ‘strategic partnership’ bet
By UN Journal Lee Jon-young President Lee Jae-myung accepted letters of credence from seven new resident ambassadors to South Korea during a credential presentation ceremony held at the Presidential Office on Sept. 3. The credential presentation ceremony is the procedure whereby the head of state of the sending country presents the letter of credence, issued to the ambassador by their head of state, to the head of state of the receiving country. This ceremony marks the first such event held since the inauguration of the new administration. The ambassadors presenting credentials this time are a
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo On the occasion of the bicentenary of the declaration of independence of Uruguay, the Embassy of Uruguay in the Republic of Korea held a reception at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul on August 25. Delivering a speech at the gala reception, Ambassador Pablo Scheiner of Uruguay to Korea said, “In 2025, the Oriental Republic of Uruguay commemorates the 200th anniversary of its independence—a moment of profound national pride and reflection. It is an occasion to honor the women and men who shaped our nation, and to reaffirm the values that have defined our country over two centur
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo From August 5 to 8, 2025, the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC3) took place at the Awaza National Tourist Zone along the Caspian Sea in Turkmenistan. The Conference transformed this picturesque coastal destination into a vibrant hub of global diplomacy, as leaders from around the world gathered to chart a development path for the 32 landlocked developing countries (LLDCs). The opening ceremony, held on August 5, was a compelling display of international solidarity. His Excellency Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, National Leader of the