UNJournal Jon Lee | Uzbekistan and Belarus are deepening their tourism partnership at a time when Uzbekistan is recording some of the fastest international visitor growth in the world, with both countries moving beyond simple tourist exchanges toward a more structured, institutionally grounded relationship. According to the UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer, Uzbekistan ranked among the top five countries globally for international tourism growth in the first quarter of 2026, with inbound visitor numbers rising 37 percent year-on-year against a global average of just 2 percent. The country wel
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Bilateral relations between Uzbekistan and Georgia are underpinned by profound, centuries-old historical ties, and are undergoing a systematic, dynamic evolution across the political, economic, cultural and humanitarian spectrums in the contemporary era. Two nations are bound not only by ancient trade routes but also by a comprehensive cooperation firmly anchored in mutual respect, trust, and a profound alignment of strategic interests. In recent years, high-level exchanges, substantial expansion of trade and economic ties and intensification of cultural exchange have
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Ten years of anti-corruption cooperation achievements are expected to be shown along with presentation of the future of integrity governance in the AI era. The "Korea-UNDP International Anti-Corruption Forum," co-hosted by the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Seoul Policy Centre, is slated to open at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul beginning today (July 2) through tomorrow. This forum is organized to review the achievements of the Anti-Corruption Technical Assistance (SDG Partnership) project, which has been pursued
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | Relocating an operational office to a new jurisdiction is invariably a complex undertaking, involving unfamiliar regulatory environments and concerns regarding continuity of team management and internal processes. Uzbekistan addresses the majority of these challenges — and this article examines the factors underpinning that proposition and the reasons why more than 1,000 technology companies have chosen the country as their base of operations. Why Companies Choose Uzbekistan For businesses originating from CIS countries, Uzbekistan offers a familiar business culture, a
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The development of tourism in Uzbekistan is one of the priority areas of state policy being implemented under the leadership of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The country is consistently establishing new tourism centers, improving infrastructure, expanding transport accessibility, attracting investment, and supporting entrepreneurship in the tourism sector. As a result, Uzbekistan continues to strengthen its position in the global tourism market and demonstrates steady growth in its tourism industry. In 2025, the country welcomed 11.7 million internationa
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Lee Jae-myung Government, launched in June 2025, is concluding its first year in office. At the time of its inauguration, the diplomatic environment surrounding the Republic of Korea (south) was more complex than ever before. Strategic competition between the United States and China intensified, centering on semiconductor and artificial intelligence (AI) supply chains, while President Donald Trump's re-election heralded a new diplomatic reality where even alliances are viewed as bargaining chips. Added to this were instability in the Middle East, the rapprochement
UNJournal Kayla Lee | As the international community simultaneously faces a complex crisis of war, climate change, and the spread of infectious diseases, the United Nations (UN) has called on governments, international organizations, and private sector partners to respond more swiftly and decisively. In a recent briefing, UN leaders expressed deep concern over the worsening armed conflicts in Sudan, Lebanon, and the Palestinian territories. At the same time, they emphasized the urgent need for a joint international response to the Ebola virus, which is showing signs of resurgence in Africa, an
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The United States Senate confirmed Michelle Park Steel, President Donald Trump's nominee for US Ambassador to South Korea, in a floor vote on June 17, ending a vacancy that had persisted for roughly 15 months since the departure of former Ambassador Sung Kim. The Senate approved Steel's confirmation by a vote of 55 to 39, completing the process approximately 65 days after Trump formally nominated her on April 13. With her confirmation, Steel becomes only the second Korean American to serve as US Ambassador to South Korea, following Sung Kim, who held the post from 2011
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | The Embassy of Peru in Seoul will host a reception commemorating the 205th anniversary of Peruvian independence on July 28, 2026, at the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu. The event is organised by Ambassador Paul Duclos and his wife, Jeanette Somocurcio, and is intended to celebrate Peru's independence milestone while reinforcing the friendship and cooperative ties between Korea and Peru. The Embassy plans to welcome diplomatic representatives from across the international community, government officials, figures from the busines
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | President Lee Jae-myung made an official visit to the Vatican for two days and one night. During the visit, he held his first private meeting with Pope Leo XIV since taking office and discussed cooperation measures for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the successful hosting of the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul. This visit marks the first official visit by the South Korean government leader to the Vatican in five years and is considered a significant diplomatic step in sharing the government’s commitment to international peace, solidarity and sustainable development wi
UNJournal Lee Sung Jun | President Lee Jae-myung, during his European tour, agreed with the European Union (EU) to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including security, defense, trade, investment, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges. In addition, by elevating bilateral relations with Italy to a 'Special Strategic Partnership' for the first time in eight years, the two sides agreed to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and jointly respond to global challenges amidst geopolitical instability. National Security Advisor Wi Sung-rak announced these inter
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 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 | 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