The new government launched this year with President Park Geun-hye’s swearing in on February 25.

In her inauguration speech titled, “Opening a New Era of Hope,” Park promised to work her hardest to make South Korea a strong country with happy people. She pledged to do so by reviving the economy and by making culture thrive.

During her first year as president, Park made five trips overseas and held 30 summits.

The president first visited the U.S. to hold a summit with U.S. President Barack Obama. In June, she visited China and met Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In September, Park attended the G20 summit in Saint Petersburg, her first multilateral gathering. On the sidelines of the G20 summit, Park held summits with the leaders of Italy, Germany, Kazakhstan and Russia. She also made a state visit to Vietnam and held talks with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang.

In early October, Park visited Indonesia to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three Summit. On the sidelines of those meetings, Park met with the leaders of China, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Brunei, Singapore, Australia, Myanmar and Indonesia.

Park’s busy scheduled continued into November when she met with the leaders of France, Britain, Belgium and the European Union during a tour of Western Europe.

The South Korean president also hosted many summits in Seoul. Leaders from ten countries including Uganda, Mozambique, the Philippines, Poland, Germany and Greece visited the capital to meet with Park.

During her first year, the president focused her diplomacy on explaining Seoul’s North Korea policies to her counterparts and received their support. She also tried to boost South Korea’s economic cooperation with foreign leaders.

1. Launch of Park Geun-hye Government & Park’s Sales Diplomacy

2. Jang Song-thaek’s Execution & Kim Jong-un’s Monolithic Leadership

3. Strained Inter-Korean Ties & Normalization of Gaeseong Complex after 133 Days

4. China’s Newly Claimed Air Defense Zone Tests S. Korea’s Diplomacy

5. S. Korea’s Trade Volume Tops $1 Tln for 3rd Straight Year

6. Controversy over 2007 Inter-Korean Summit Transcript

7. Controversy over State Agencies’ Alleged Intervention in Presidential Race

8. UPP Rep. Lee Seok-ki’s Arrest & Petition Seeking to Disband UPP

9. Corruption Scandal in Nuclear Power Plant Industry

10. S. Korean Athletes’ Splendid Achievements in 2013