Lee discusses ways to bolster cooperation with Australia, South Africa
President Lee Jae-myung met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canada on Monday and agreed to bolster security cooperation to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and address North Korea's nuclear issue, the presidential office said.
In their first in-person meeting in Calgary on the margins of the Group of Seven summit, the two leaders also pledged to work together for a successful hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in South Korea's Gyeongju later this year.
"The two leaders agreed to continue strengthening communication and cooperation to make tangible progress on peace on the Korean Peninsula and the North Korean nuclear issue," the presidential office said in a release.
During the talks, Lee called Australia "a trusted ally" that participated in the 1950-53 Korean War and a key partner working with South Korea to promote stability and prosperity in the region and the international community, the office said.
Albanese expressed hope that the two countries would further deepen cooperation across a range of areas, including defense, the arms industry, clean energy and supply chains for critical minerals, it noted.
On the same day, he also held a summit with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment and energy.
In their first meeting, held on the margins of the Group of Seven summit in Calgary, Lee noted that the two countries have deepened collaboration since establishing diplomatic ties in 1992, and highlighted South Africa's dispatching of troops to the 1950-53 Korean War.
"Lee suggested that the two countries work closely to further enhance practical cooperation in areas such as trade, investment and energy," the presidential office said in a release.
Ramaphosa described South Korea as a valuable partner that shares democratic values, and expressed hope for increased investment and business activities by Korean companies in South Africa.
During the talks, Ramaphosa said he hopes to meet Lee again at the Group of 20 summit scheduled to take place in Johannesburg in November, while Lee wished the African nation a successful hosting of the global summit. (Yonhap)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
16 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Seoul hosts 1st remembrance ceremony for Korean War abductees, vows to address humanitarian issues
The government on Saturday held its first official memorial ceremony for those abducted by North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War, reaffirming its commitment to resolving long-standing humanitarian issues stemming from the country's division. The inaugural Korean War Abductees Remembrance Day event was held at Imjingak Peace Park in the border city of Paju, north of Seoul. It marked the first official observance of Korean War Abductees Remembrance Day, which was designated by law last year to be held annually on June 28. "Resolving humanitarian issues caused by the division of the Korean Peninsula is a fundamental duty of the state and a top priority," Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-jung said during a speech at the event. Kim described the issue of wartime abductions as "one of the darkest legacies of division and war," stressing that any future-oriented approach to inter-Korean peace and coexistence must also include efforts to heal past wounds. "We can no longer delay the urgent task of confirming the fate of abducted loved ones and easing the pain carried by their families," Kim said. He added that the unification ministry under the new Lee Jae Myung administration will do its utmost to reduce military tensions on the Korean Peninsula and establish sustainable peace, ensuring that the tragedy of war is never repeated. "We will address the problems born out of national division and war one by one by reopening channels of communication with the North and work to resume dialogue," Kim said. "In moving from confrontation to reconciliation, we will make efforts to heal the pain of national division and suffering of families of wartime abductees." The Seoul government estimates that nearly 100,000 South Koreans have been kidnapped by the North since the war. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Soprano Strengthens Security Posture After Achieving SOC 2 Compliance
Soprano Underlines Its Market-Leading Position in Secure Enterprise Messaging After Achieving SOC 2 Compliance SYDNEY, June 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian automated communications technology company, Soprano Design, has reinforced its position as a market leader in secure enterprise messaging after successfully achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance, a globally recognised benchmark for security and operational excellence. The achievement highlights Soprano's ongoing commitment to meeting the highest standards of data security and underlines why world-leading enterprise and government organisations have trusted its platform for the delivery of critical communications for more than three decades. Dr Richard Favero, Founder and Chairman of Soprano Design, expressed his pride at the achievement, adding that SOC 2 compliance is further evidence of the organisation's long-standing commitment to safeguarding the sensitive data of its enterprise and government customers. "Achieving SOC 2 Type II compliance is an important milestone for Soprano Design and a reflection of the standards we hold ourselves to. It not only demonstrates that we meet the strictest requirements, but it also affirms the role we've played for over 30 years as the security-first partner of choice for some of the world's largest enterprise and government organisations." – Dr. Richard Favero, Founder and Chairman, Soprano Design Soprano's Chief Technology Officer, Mohamed Odah, echoed Dr. Favero's words, sharing that the achievement reflects the strength of the company's platform architecture and the maturity of its internal processes. "SOC 2 compliance validates the depth and discipline behind how our platform is built, maintained and monitored. It provides our customers — particularly those in high-risk, high-compliance environments — with the confidence that data security is not just a feature, but a foundational part of our technology and our culture at Soprano." – Mohamed Odah, Chief Technology Officer, Soprano Design Soprano's Director of Corporate IT and Security, Simon Tipple, added that the successful audit reflects the collective effort behind Soprano's compliance journey and the strength of its operational controls. "This achievement is a proud moment for all of us at Soprano Design. It is result of sustained effort across teams, systems and processes over many months. It validates that the controls we have in place are not just well-designed, they are consistently applied and independently tested. For our customers, especially those operating in high-compliance environments, that level of assurance really matters," he said. The achievement also carries practical benefits for customers operating in highly regulated industries, where compliance assurance is a critical part of vendor selection. Chief Revenue Officer, Antony Sault, said SOC 2 compliance is the latest example of why leading enterprise and government organisations continue to choose Soprano as their trusted communications partner. "For many of our customers, demonstrating compliance with globally recognised standards like SOC 2 is an essential requirement," he said. "Achieving this milestone reinforces our ability to meet those expectations and reflects our commitment to delivering secure, dependable communications at scale." SOC 2 Type II is a globally recognised standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) that assesses how effectively an organisation protects customer data over time.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Lee honors 'extraordinary' sacrifices in lunch meeting with bereaved families at Cheong Wa Dae
President Lee Jae Myung on Friday invited family members of those who made "extraordinary" sacrifices for the country throughout its decades of modern history, at a lunch held in Cheong Wa Dae, former presidential compound in Seoul. Reiterating a need for "extraordinary rewards and respect for extraordinary sacrifices," albeit not elaborating what that would be, the president said a proper compensation for sacrifice will encourage people to be willing to make their own sacrifices when the country is in danger. "No matter whether it was an independence movement (against Japan's colonial rule), the Korean War or a battle in a foreign country due to the country's troop dispatch, anyone who sacrificed for South Korean citizens' better quality of life and safety ... must be rewarded with special attention and care from the community," Lee said at the event at the state guest house inside Cheong Wa Dae. Before some 160 participants in the event, Lee said those who made such sacrifices deserve a greater level of compensation and respect than what they are now. "Unfortunately, South Korea's modern history suggests that the country has insufficiently treated those who sacrificed for the people of the country," Lee told participants. "It's often said that the poverty of a freedom fighter's family will pass three generations, and the wealth of a pro-Japanese collaborator's family will last for three generations. This should not happen again," Lee added. Among the participants were families of independence fighters during Japan's colonial rule, the Korean War, a democratic movement in 1960, soldiers dispatched to the Vietnam War, the Gwangju uprising in 1980 and, most recently, a battle in the West Sea in early 2000s. Attending the event were Lee Chun-ja, a veteran who fought against communist forces during the Korean War, parents of the soldiers who perished due to North Korea's attack against South Korean forces on the West Sea border zone. Also at the event was Kim Gil-ja, mother of late Moon Jae-hak who was an inspiration for a character in Nobel literature laureate Han Kang's novel "Human Acts." Moon was a 17-year-old high school student when he was killed during the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Lee was accompanied by his wife Kim Hea Kyung at the event. Friday's event was the first occasion Lee officially visited Cheong Wa Dae, as the Lee administration is working to relocate his office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul near the Ministry of National Defense headquarters back to where it used to be.
