![[Contribution] Three decades of friendship: Egypt, Korea moving forward together](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F04%2F28%2Fnews-p.v1.20250424.e25f5757dc3040918a085c18ec10b653_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
[Contribution] Three decades of friendship: Egypt, Korea moving forward together
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Republic of Korea — a significant milestone in the history of cooperation between our two friendly nations.
This anniversary reflects the enduring strength of our bilateral ties, built on mutual respect, shared interests and a joint commitment to development, regional stability and international peace. This occasion highlights the strong and dynamic partnership that has been nourished between our two nations over the years.
Together, we have built enduring bridges of friendship and mutual understanding between our peoples, and today we not only honor our shared history but also look ahead with a firm commitment to deepening our cooperation across a wide range of fields. Egypt regards Korea as a valued partner in the pursuit of sustainable development, and we are eager to further strengthen our strategic relationship by exploring new avenues of collaboration. By so doing, we aim to shape a future that reflects our shared aspirations and continues to serve the mutual interests of both our nations.
Korea's emergence as a leading economic and technological hub has earned the admiration of many nations, including Egypt. At the same time, Egypt's strategic location, dynamic population and ongoing reforms present a wealth of opportunities for Korean investors and partners. This mutual recognition of potential has paved the way for an expanding agenda of cooperation that brings tangible benefits to both our nations. We take pride in the high-level visits and strategic dialogues that have deepened trust and strengthened alignment between Cairo and Seoul. By leveraging innovation, shared expertise and political will, we can collectively address some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from climate change to regional stability, and strive towards a more sustainable and secure future. Over the past three decades, the partnership between Egypt and Korea has flourished across a wide range of sectors. Korean investments in Egypt have grown significantly, with major Korean companies playing an active and vital role in the country's development.
We have also witnessed the successful implementation of impactful bilateral cooperation projects through the Korea International Cooperation Agency and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund of the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
With its strategic geographic position, Egypt serves as a regional hub for trade and investment, connecting Africa, the Middle East and Europe. As Egypt advances on its development path under Vision 2030, I take this opportunity to invite our Korean partners to further explore the vast investment opportunities available in Egypt's ongoing national projects — particularly in infrastructure, manufacturing, green energy, digital transformation, education, creative industries and smart cities.
ln parallel, we highly value the vibrant cultural cooperation between our two nations, as reflected in the agreement between Korea's Cultural Heritage Administration, the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Korean Cultural Center in Egypt has also played a pivotal role in advancing Korean language education and sharing the richness of Korean arts and heritage with the Egyptian public. In addition, the growing number of tourists between our countries is another testament to the deepening people-to-people connections that underpin our bilateral relations. Egypt's active participation in tourism events hosted in Korea further demonstrates our shared dedication to fostering a meaningful cultural and economic exchange.
As we commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and Korea, I wish to convey my deepest gratitude to the government and people of the Republic of Korea for their steadfast friendship. We look forward to a year of celebrations that will showcase our shared journey through a series of cultural and economic events. We hope that this milestone will not only celebrate our rich past but also mark the beginning of a stronger strategic partnership for many years to come.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
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Korea Herald
34 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
[Wang Son-taek] Keys to success for the Lee administration
President Lee Jae-myung, who took office on June 4, has been busy. He is working to resolve the six-month national crisis that left the country without a president because of the martial law declaration by former President Yoon Suk Yeol. It is also urgent for Lee to appoint high-ranking officials to help him run the government over the next five years. Though he is very busy right now, he might hope to see his administration succeed -- in other words, to reestablish governance. Since the democratization of the Republic of Korea in 1987, there have only been two successful cases where the government has been wholly rebuilt -- specifically, the elections in 1992 and 2002. However, it is necessary to put aside the 1992 election of President Kim Young-sam, given that it resulted from a political trick -- the merger of three major parties. On the other hand, the election of President Roh Moo-hyun in 2002 can be evaluated entirely as the result of public judgment. His election as president was mainly due to the public's relatively positive evaluation of his predecessor, President Kim Dae Jung. The other presidents were all subject to public criticism but failed to lay the groundwork for a successful transfer of power to the opposition. The newly launched Lee Jae-myung administration should closely examine the background of the Kim Dae-jung administration's success and the causes of other governments' failures. Three variables might be derived by analyzing the successes and failures. The first is the zeitgeist, or the spirit of the times; the second is communication and the third is unity. President Kim Dae-jung always tried to grasp the zeitgeist, and once it had been understood, he demonstrated his utmost efforts to bring it to fruition. Until the 1990s, he focused on the struggle for democratization and political development. In the 2000s, he raised national topics such as national unity, informatization and technology, inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation. What might be the zeitgeist President Lee is facing? The first priority is overcoming insurrection. Efforts should be made to heal the psychological wounds of the people, shocked by the insurrection, by establishing institutional arrangements to prevent it from occurring again. The second most important task is to proceed with national reconstruction, which Korea must elevate to the next level by reforming and improving policies the state completely reversed during the three years of the Yoon Suk Yeol government. To this end, we propose a new Korean-style national development model and a national reconstruction campaign. To upgrade our democracy, it is necessary to introduce additional systems that guarantee popular sovereignty and to march with the people toward a future in which national integration can take place naturally. In terms of the economy, we need a national campaign to become a creativity-oriented society in which diversity, inclusiveness and tolerance are respected and where people can try again after failure. It is true that governments other than the Kim Dae-jung administration acknowledged the spirit of the times. The problem is that their actions went in different or opposite directions. The second task in succeeding as a government is effective communication. President Kim Dae-jung's communication method was surprisingly simple. First, to understand what policies the people wanted, he referred to opinions expressed in newspapers and broadcasts as much as possible. The next step was to candidly explain to the public the background of his policies and seek support. Even if a policy did not get 100 percent support, a candid explanation helped lessen the degree of rejection by the people. While pursuing his policies as the next step, Kim admitted to errors when things went wrong and sought understanding by explaining what happened. Listening to public opinion, explaining policies in advance and elucidating policy failures were key elements of Kim Dae-jung's successful communication. Although these elements seem simple, they are not easy to implement. If officials in charge of state affairs neglect the people and focus only on the struggle for power, they will not achieve public acceptance because frank communication would mean political defeat. Ironically, this is a key factor that led to the success of the Kim Dae-jung administration and the failure of other governments. The last of the three successful elements of the Kim Dae-jung government is that it made every effort to unify the people. National unity is also easy to talk about but challenging to achieve. This is because "the people" are ultimately the voters who support a leader in today's situation of severe political polarization. In a sense, voters who do not support the winner of an election might not count as citizens. Kim never discriminated against the people who did not support him, which was one of the great secrets to his success. For President Lee Jae-myung, achieving national unity will be more difficult than it was for President Kim because political polarization has become so extreme. Nevertheless, if President Lee repeatedly reaches out to and embraces the conservatives who oppose, fear and despise him, antipathy toward him will undoubtedly lessen. Then, the energy he would have spent attacking the opposition can be put into developing the policies that the majority of people want. In that scenario, there would be no reason for him not to succeed. The Lee Jae-myung administration has a much greater chance of success than its predecessors. This is because most of the negative images of President Lee are simply illusions. Within the next three months or so, it is certain that the baseless slanders against him will disappear. However, improving Lee Jae-myung's image does not guarantee success. The administration must work hard to grasp the zeitgeist, communicate strategically and achieve national unity as the great Kim Dae-jung did. These may well be sufficient conditions for success.
Korea Herald
10 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Lee silences border loudspeakers
Decision aimed at easing tension with Pyongyang: presidential office South Korea on Wednesday suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at North Korea, as part of the liberal Lee Jae-myung administration's efforts to ease tension with Pyongyang. According to the presidential office, President Lee ordered the broadcasts, via loudspeakers installed in border area, to be halted starting 2 p.m. Wednesday. 'This decision reflects President Lee's commitment to restoring trust with North Korea and advancing his peace policy for the Korean Peninsula,' Lee's spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a press briefing held Wednesday afternoon in Yongsan, Seoul. Kang further described the suspension as a 'step to ease the burden on residents in border areas who have long suffered from noise broadcasts targeting the North.' She added that the decision was made as a gesture of goodwill, particularly in light of the absence of any major provocations from North Korea in recent weeks. President Lee had pledged during his campaign ahead of the June 3 presidential election to halt the operation as part of broader efforts to ease inter-Korean tensions and rebuild trust. According to an official from the presidential office, the decision was made during a Cabinet meeting held the previous day. It came exactly a week after the Lee administration took office on June 4. The broadcasts had been resumed by the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus. The decision came as North Korea continued sending waste-filled balloons across the border, prompting Seoul to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.
Korea Herald
13 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Seoul halts loudspeaker broadcasts to North Korea
South Korea on Wednesday suspended its loudspeaker broadcasts aimed at North Korea, in a move that comes just a week after the liberal Lee Jae-myung administration took office. According to government and military officials, the decision was made by the presidential office. President Lee had pledged during his campaign ahead of the June 3 presidential election to halt the operation, as part of broader efforts to ease tensions and improve inter-Korean relations. The broadcasts had been resumed by the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration in June 2024 after a six-year hiatus. The decision came as North Korea continued sending waste-filled balloons across the border, prompting Seoul to suspend the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement.
