Korea and China have maintained a close relationship since 1992, when they reestablished diplomatic ties that had been severed after the Communists came to power in Beijing in 1949.  Historical and cultural bonds over two millennia underlie their ties, which are evolving into a more mature, substantive and multidimensional partnership based on their growing geopolitical and economic interdependence.

Pope John Paul II was widely regarded as a great global diplomat – working for peace and attempting to unite citizens of the world. This reputation did not end at his death, and followed the pope through his own funeral. The funeral, reputed to be the largest in modern history, also became the diplomatic event of 2005. Ceremonies for the pope brought numerous world leaders together, including many that would not normally appear in the same country, let alone the same room.