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From oil to AI: Inside Kazakhstan’s tech awakening at Astana Hub
ASTANA, Kazakhstan — Inside a brightly lit classroom filled with rows of iMacs, students hunch over their keyboards, with code flashing across their screens. On the other side of the room, another group of students gathers around a whiteboard, sketching innovative ideas and plans for their next AI project. The classroom is part of Tomorrow School, an education program focused on artificial intelligence housed within Astana Hub, the country’s flagship technopark for IT startups. Here, young progr
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Uzbek Embassy teams up with UN tourism agency in Busan
The Embassy of Uzbekistan in Seoul and the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities, a Busan-based agency affiliated with the United Nations, have agreed to strengthen tourism exchanges, linking the TPO member cities with Silk Road heritage destinations such as Samarkand. The agreement was signed on October 27 on the sidelines of the first-ever Global City Tourism Summit held in Busan. Uzbek Ambassador Alisher Abdusalomov said Uzbekistan and the UN agency were developing specialized cult
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Korea, Central Asia discuss tourism
South Korea and five Central Asian nations discussed sustainable tourism at the Global City Tourism Summit in Busan on Tuesday. The session, co-hosted by the Korea Foundation and the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities, a Busan-based agency affiliated with the United Nations, sought to integrate Central Asia’s tourism resources with Korea’s industry expertise for a sustainable joint tourism network. In her remarks, Lee Bang-bok, deputy secretary-general of the KF Korea-Central Asia
Nov. 4, 2025 -
Turkmenistan promotes peace, neutrality in Seoul
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in Seoul reaffirmed its commitment to global harmony and cooperation on Monday. The embassy hosted an event promoting peace and neutrality ahead of the High-Level International Forum in Ashgabat on Dec. 12, marking key global peace and neutrality observances. Turkmenistan was declared a permanently neutral state on Dec. 12, 1995, through UN General Assembly Resolution 50/80, making Turkmenistan the only country whose neutrality is officially recognized by the UN. Acco
Nov. 3, 2025 -
Lee says summit with China's Xi put bilateral ties back on track
President Lee Jae Myung said Sunday his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping helped put the two countries' relations back on track. In a Facebook post uploaded in both Korean and Chinese, Lee noted the significance of his talks with Xi, held Saturday during the latter's first visit to South Korea in 11 years. "The South Korea-China summit was quite meaningful in that it helped fully restore our bilateral relations and put us back on the path of mutual prosperity as strategic cooperati
Nov. 3, 2025 -
Thailand, S. Korea can work together on cybercrime, economy: Thai PM
Thailand has long been one of South Korea’s key trading partners, maintaining strong economic ties since the Korea-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement came into effect in 2010. Now, Bangkok seeks to take the relationship a step further through the swift conclusion of a bilateral trade pact that could serve as a new pillar for cooperation. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said Bangkok hopes to accelerate negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, saying the deal would help bo
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Lee, Singaporean PM set to hold summit to discuss security, technology
President Lee Jae Myung was set to hold summit talks with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in security and technology, the presidential office said. Wong, who is on an official visit to South Korea, has attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and other related events in the southeastern city of Gyeongju last week. During their talks, to be held at the presidential office, the two leaders are expected to have in-depth discu
Nov. 2, 2025 -
Lee gets Xiaomi smartphones as gift from China's Xi, quips about security
President Lee Jae Myung has received a set of Xiaomi smartphones and traditional Chinese calligraphy tools from Chinese President Xi Jinping following their first summit talks, as the two leaders shared a lighthearted exchange about communication security. As the two sides exchanged their gifts on Saturday, Xi presented Lee with two smartphones made by Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, noting that the displays on the phones are Korean-made. "Is the line secure?" Lee quipped. Xi replied through an inter
Nov. 2, 2025 -
APEC leaders' summit kicks off amid global trade uncertainties
World leaders gathered at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit Friday as they seek ways to boost resilience and spur growth amid global trade uncertainties, with President Lee Jae Myung calling for "cooperation and solidarity" among APEC member economies. The two-day gathering has brought together the leaders of 21 APEC member economies, guest nations and representatives of international organizations, with discussions on sustaining free trade and bolstering regional economic integration
Oct. 31, 2025 -
Korea, New Zealand to strengthen strategic partnership
President Lee Jae Myung and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral summit on Thursday, reaffirming their commitment to deepen cooperation across trade, defense and education as the two countries agreed to establish a “comprehensive strategic partnership.” Meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Lee praised New Zealand’s historic contribution during the Korean War, noting that the country “sent many troops to defend South Kor
Oct. 30, 2025 -
S. Korea, Thailand to deepen ties in trade, energy, health
President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday held his first face-to-face summit with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, pledging to strengthen cooperation across their economic, diplomatic and health sectors, as they met on the sidelines of the 2025 APEC Summit. The two leaders met at the Gyeongju International Media Center, where they were joined by officials including Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan and national security adviser Wi
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Trump's 25 hours in S. Korea
US President Donald Trump wrapped up a tightly scheduled 25-hour visit to South Korea on Thursday, departing from Busan after a high-stakes summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The 100-minute meeting, held at Gimhae Air Base, was their first in over six years and came amid ongoing efforts to ease trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Trump arrived Wednesday in the historic city of Gyeongju for a one-night state visit ahead of the APEC summit. He met with South Korean Pre
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Lutnick says chip tariffs not part of Korea-US trade deal; Korea agrees to open markets '100%'
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Thursday that semiconductor tariffs are not part of a trade deal with South Korea, and the Asian country has agreed to "fully" open its markets "100 percent." In a social media post, Lutnick enumerated details of the trade deal, indicating some differences from what the Korean government explained after the two countries finalized the specifics of Seoul's $350 billion investment pledge under the deal during Wednesday's summit between Presidents Lee Jae M
Oct. 30, 2025 -
FM Cho calls for keeping Asia-Pacific 'open, connected' amid economic, geopolitical headwinds
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun called on Asia-Pacific partners on Thursday to work together to keep the region "open" and "connected" amid economic and geopolitical challenges testing regional resilience. Cho made the call as he co-led the plenary of a top foreign and trade ministers' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, highlighting that the Asia-Pacific remains the engine of global growth and the "best hope" for a more prosperous future. "Economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensio
Oct. 30, 2025 -
Trump, Xi set for high-stakes summit amid trade war
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Thursday for a high-stakes summit that will be watched closely for signs of a reprieve in the two countries' escalating trade war marked by tit-for-tat tariffs. The two leaders met for the first time since 2019 at Naraemaru, a reception hall inside an Air Force base in the southeastern city of Busan, shortly after Xi arrived in the country for a three-day state visit. Trump arrived at the venue beforehand after departing the nearby c
Oct. 30, 2025