Month: February 2026

Source: Government of the Republic of Korea

Along with fellow Koreans, I would like to sincerely welcome President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his Brazilian delegation to Korea.

Today will be recorded as a historic day marking a new leap forward in our two countries’ relations.

Despite the geographical distance between Korea and Brazil, which are situated on opposite sides of the globe, our two countries have maintained close cooperation based on our complementary economic structures.

Our bilateral trade has steadily increased, exceeding US$10 billion annually over the past five years. The scope of our cooperation has been expanding to include promising future-oriented sectors such as space, biohealth and pharmaceuticals, as well as the culture industry.

Building on this solid foundation of cooperation, President Lula and I agreed to elevate our bilateral ties to the level of a Strategic Partnership.

The Action Plan to Implement the Brazil-Korea Strategic Partnership 2026-2029 adopted today will serve as a roadmap for developing our relations across a wide range of areas, including political and economic affairs as well as substantive cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

Allow me to elaborate on the outcomes of today’s summit.

First, President Lula and I agreed on the importance of further expanding mutually beneficial economic cooperation between our two countries.

Brazil is a key member of MERCOSUR.

I explained the need to promptly resume negotiations for the Korea–MERCOSUR Trade Agreement, and President Lula shared the view that concluding the Agreement is an urgent and important task.

We also concurred that, based on our mutual trust, we should work together to create a breakthrough.
Second, at this summit, we adopted ten Memoranda of Understanding and Arrangement, committing to establishing a framework for implementing substantive cooperation by sector.

The MOU on bilateral cooperation in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurship will serve as a crucial opportunity for expanding our bilateral trade and investment that were mostly focused on large businesses, to include SMEs.

I believe that the MOU on regulatory cooperation in the field of health-related products, will enable K-cosmetics, already gaining wide popularity in Brazil, to attract even more Brazilian consumers.

Three MOUs were also signed in the agricultural sector. Brazil is one of the largest agricultural powerhouses with advanced farming technologies. Cooperating with Brazil is vital for the Republic of Korea’s food security.

I believe that the MOUs concluded on this occasion will help strengthen cooperation on next-generation agricultural technologies and foster the growth of both our countries’ rural economies in a sustainable, mutually beneficial way.

We will also expand the horizons of bilateral cooperation in such future-oriented sectors as outer space, defense, and aviation.

The attempt to launch Korea’s first-ever commercial launch vehicle, Hanbit-Nano, at Brazil’s Alcântara Space Center last December, has played an integral role in advancing our two countries’ space cooperation. We are confident that Hanbit-Nano will be launched successfully in the near future.

We are also engaging in supply chain cooperation for the aviation sector, with Korean parts manufacturers participating in the production of Brazilian transport aircraft.

Going forward, our bilateral cooperation will be elevated further still, including through jointly developing next-generation commercial aircraft.

Third, with Brazil being a long-standing partner for Korea and a leader of the Global South, we agreed to consult closely on global affairs and regional issues.

I highly commend Brazil for taking the lead on global agendas such as addressing climate change and restoring multilateralism, under the steadfast leadership of President Lula.

We two leaders shared the view that peace on the Korean Peninsula carries profound implications not only for peace in Northeast Asia but throughout the entire world.

As I always emphasize, true peace – a state where there is no need to fight – is indeed the strongest form of security, though difficult to achieve.

I fully conveyed to President Lula our government’s unwavering commitment to resuming inter-Korean dialogue and cooperation, and to ushering in a future of peaceful coexistence and shared growth.

I am confident that our two countries will work together to uphold the values of peace – not only on the Korean Peninsula but around the world.

Fourth, I expect that this State Visit to Korea will serve as an opportunity to further deepen the trust and friendship between our two peoples.

Last year, the number of Brazilians visiting Korea increased by over 25 percent, and Brazilians’ interest in learning the Korean language continues to grow. As this shows, K-culture is connecting our countries, crossing continents and oceans. Brazilian culture, in turn, has had a significant influence on Korea. Bossa nova classics like The Girl from Ipanema have inspired many K-pop songwriters.

We two leaders agreed to further strengthen friendly relations between our peoples by promoting Korean language education in Brazil and boosting bilateral student exchanges.

Moreover, by building on the strong competitiveness of our two countries’ film industries, we will also pursue content exchanges through coproduction of films and other types of audiovisual productions.

Above all, today’s summit was truly significant in that we were able to share a common vision and goals for improving our peoples’ lives.

President Lula presented a prominent role model for “inclusive growth” which demonstrated that economic development and the eradication of poverty can be achieved in tandem. He successfully put that idea into practice.

This aligns with our government’s key initiative of creating a model for sustainable growth while also fostering a dynamic economy based on a society where basic livelihoods are assured.

In this respect, I elaborated on a vision for an “AI Basic Society” where everyone can benefit from advances in AI technology. I also proposed that our two countries conduct joint research into policies that will create synergy between welfare and economic growth. We will explore specific measures to increase cooperation and exchanges in policy research between our two countries.

Once again, I deeply welcome President Lula and First Lady Janja on their State Visit to Korea. I look forward to seeing you again soon and continuing today’s discussions in an even more constructive manner.

Thank you – Muito Obrigado!

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Home Affairs Department today released the Work Reports of the 2023 to 2025 District Services & Community Care Teams, stating that the teams met or surpassed their service targets.

The first-term teams completed their terms in October 2025.

The department explained that the work reports cover the services and activities provided by the care teams from 2023 to 2025, including visits to elderly households and other households in need, assistance in handling emergencies and other incidents, dissemination of government information, and organisation of district activities.

The reports provide details on the performance of each team, including the number of services delivered and the number of beneficiaries involved. They also lay out financial expenditures under three categories: essential services, additional services, and other expenses.

The Government provided the care teams with part of their funding. Operating organisations were required to use these funds prudently in accordance with guidelines, while supporting the teams’ services through sponsorships, donations, and their own resources.

The department said total expenditure for the first-term care teams was $444 million, of which $411 million was covered by government funding. The remainder was met via community resources gathered by the care teams.

The Government in fact allocated $452 million in funding, but only 91% of this amount was ultimately utilised, even as services exceeding Key Performance Indicator requirements were delivered.

The department said this indicates the care teams’ prudent use of public funds and their effective mobilisation of community resources.

The work reports also include case studies demonstrating the teams’ deep community engagement and effectiveness in weaving together caring networks. 

Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak said care team members and volunteers had responded to the needs of residents with considerable care and dedication.

“The first-term care teams have made around 610,000 visits to elderly households and other households in need, provided around 100,000 instances of basic home or other support services, and organised around 50,000 district activities,” she said. “Their achievements are to be applauded.”

Miss Mak added that care teams assisted in various emergency and incident response scenarios.

She mentioned that in response to the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, the discovery of wartime bombs in Quarry Bay, Super Typhoon Ragasa, and successive heavy rainstorms affecting Hong Kong, care teams swiftly mobilised their members and volunteers to attend to the needs of affected individuals and give them adequate assistance.

“I hope that through this report, the public can gain a deeper understanding of the care teams’ work, enhance their knowledge of community services, and be encouraged to participate in the care teams’ work.”

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Court of Appeal of the High Court today delivered its judgment on the appeals in a case of conspiracy to commit subversion, dismissing the appeals against convictions or sentences lodged by 12 defendants.

Regarding one defendant against whom the evidence was insufficient for the trial court to be sure of his participation in the conspiracy offence, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s verdict.

In its judgment on the appeals in the case, the Court of Appeal rejected each of the grounds of appeal against convictions or sentences raised by the defendants.

Regarding the appeals against convictions, the Court of Appeal noted that provisions of the Basic Law establish an executive-led system headed by the Chief Executive, recognising that the Chief Executive, the Government, the Legislative Council and the Judiciary have different constitutional roles.

The judgement added that interaction and co-ordination between them are inevitable in areas where both the executive and legislative authority are required.

It also pointed out that LegCo’s primary function under Article 73(2) of the Basic Law is to evaluate the merits of the budget through fiscal considerations before granting approval.

The judgement clarified that LegCo must exercise its powers and functions in accordance with the Basic Law. It cannot contravene the fundamental provisions establishing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s constitutional order, nor can its members violate their constitutional duty under the LegCo oath to uphold that order.

The Court of Appeal said that, in this case, as envisaged and publicised by the first defendant Tai Yiu-ting and known to any participant who chose to join it, “Project 35+” was a “constitutional mass destruction weapon” that aimed to compel the Chief Executive to resign, paralyse the Government and force the Central People’s Government to declare an end to the “one country, two systems” policy, which constituted an unlawful means of subverting the constitutional order of the Hong Kong SAR.

The Court of Appeal said that pursuing that aim under the pretext of examining budgets necessarily amounted to a breach of a LegCo member’s duty to uphold the Hong Kong SAR’s constitutional order.

The judgement also noted that the defendants agreed to join “Project 35+” and participate in conduct aimed at achieving subversive consequences, and therefore constituted the offence of conspiracy to commit subversion.

The Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s findings based on the totality of the evidence adduced. It added that when considered in context, the conclusion that each defendant joined the conspiracy was sound and that the trial proceedings were conducted fairly.

Regarding the appeals against sentences, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s decision to categorise the defendants in the “primary election” as “active participants”. It found that “Project 35+” sought to undermine the Hong Kong SAR’s constitutional order through the defendants’ election bids.

The Court of Appeal further noted that the defendants exploited the system to bring about potentially devastating consequences to the Hong Kong SAR. Accordingly, it ruled that “ignorance of the law” was not a valid mitigating factor, and any sentencing discounts given by the trial court on this basis were entirely gratuitous.

In a statement, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government noted 45 defendants were convicted in this case. The trial court’s verdict clarified that by early 2020, the clear objective of “Project 35+” was to undermine, destroy or overthrow the Hong Kong SAR’s existing political system established under the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle.

 

The statement highlighted that the court pointed out that the defendants, led by Tai Yiu-ting, spent considerable time and money planning the “primary election”, while other defendants actively worked to ensure the success of “Project 35+”.

The statement added that had the plan been fully implemented, it would have resulted in profoundly negative consequences as severe as the overthrow of the Government.

The Government also noted that the trial had revealed that the people concerned put forward the “10 Steps to mutual destruction” which would bring Hong Kong society to a standstill through large-scale street riots and other means. Coupled with international political and economic sanctions, “mutual destruction” would be achieved, causing suffering to the public.

The Government clarified that the severity of the crime was supported by irrefutable evidence and the convicted individuals deserved their punishment.

It added that the Court of Appeal’s dismissals of relevant appeals against convictions and sentences demonstrate that any person who intends to subvert and endanger national security will be punished in accordance with the law.

As for the decision to uphold the verdict for a defendant against whom there was insufficient evidence for the trial court to be sure of his participation in the conspiracy, the Department of Justice will study the judgment carefully and consider whether to lodge an appeal.

The Government emphasised that Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law. The Hong Kong National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance clearly stipulate that the principle of the rule of law shall be adhered to in preventing, suppressing and imposing punishment for offences endangering national security.

The statement said the court’s judgment in this appeal case shows that the Judiciary of the Hong Kong SAR exercises judicial power independently in accordance with the law, and everyone charged with a criminal offence will receive a fair trial in accordance with laws applicable and as protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights.

The statement noted that courts decide cases strictly based on evidence and applicable laws. It clarified that legal proceedings are never influenced by the profession, political beliefs or backgrounds of those involved.

It added that the prosecution must prove an offence beyond reasonable doubt for a defendant to be convicted.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

    Following is the speech by the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, at the Hong Kong Reception of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) 2026 Conference and Exhibition today (February 23):

Professor Dennis Lo (Vice-Chancellor and President of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Convenor of the Heads of Universities Committee), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Birthday! Tonight’s gathering is especially auspicious as it falls on the seventh day of 正月, the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar. This day is known as 人日 which legend says is “everyone’s birthday”. It is fitting that we celebrate this day of shared humanity here, as we come together to shape the future of education for our youths. 

It is a great pleasure to join you this evening at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, one of our city’s iconic cultural landmarks. I am pleased to welcome educators and friends from across the globe to Hong Kong for the APAIE 2026 Conference and Exhibition. We are honoured that Hong Kong once again has the privilege of hosting this important gathering of leaders and practitioners in international higher education.

Over the coming days, the APAIE will serve as a platform for meaningful global dialogue on the future of international education, while also offering participants a special opportunity to experience Hong Kong during the vibrant Chinese New Year period. I hope you can feel the positivity and energy that the Chinese New Year brings – a spirit that also guides our approach to education – to groom our next generations with innovative ideas and future-ready skills.

Tonight, I would like to highlight Hong Kong’s evolving role as an international education hub, and how we can deepen our collaboration with you at all levels – from undergraduate education, postgraduate study, research and beyond. As a super-connector of global education networks, we have been maintaining our academic environment highly internationalised and diversified. Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong enjoys the distinctive advantages of being part of China with strong support from our Motherland and at the same time being centrally located in Asia. Our universities are globally recognised, with five of them within the world’s top 100 and the Asia’s top 20. Hong Kong claimed all top four spots in the ranking of the world’s most international universities last year. Indeed, one in every four of our students come from outside Hong Kong. The proportion is even higher for academic staff, with around 70 per cent from elsewhere. 

To further promote higher education in Hong Kong to the world, we are dedicating this week as the “Study in Hong Kong” Week, during which we will share our success stories and connect more closely with partners worldwide. The key highlight is of course the APAIE. Our Economic and Trade Offices (ETOs) around the world will also promote “Study in Hong Kong” at their Chinese New Year celebratory events worldwide. We warmly encourage our overseas partners to approach our ETOs if you need support or facilitation in exploring new opportunities to study, teach, or collaborate with institutions in Hong Kong.

At the post-secondary level, we will continue to promote quality and expand opportunities for non-local students to pursue our high-quality and internationally recognised programmes in Hong Kong. We are welcoming more non-local students whose number has been growing and developing deeper research collaborations with institutions from around the world. We certainly appreciate the support from our partner universities, especially those of you present here tonight. While Hong Kong is highly popular among students from the Chinese Mainland, those from other parts of the world, especially in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Belt and Road countries or regions, have increased significantly in recent years. Hong Kong is also playing a pivotal role as a knowledge and innovation hub through our extensive research partnerships in the Chinese Mainland as well as North America and Europe. Meanwhile, we have expanded collaborations with institutions in African and Central and South American regions. 

At the same time, the Government is extending Hong Kong’s role as an international education hub with a more comprehensive approach. We are recruiting more non-local students in our primary and secondary Direct Subsidy Scheme schools to enrich our classrooms by bringing in more students from Asia and other regions, as well as providing more schooling options for expat families. We are therefore building up a larger pool of students with more diverse backgrounds for higher education opportunities here. As we welcome more non-local students to our schools and universities, we hope Hong Kong can serve as a springboard for them to engage with the Chinese Mainland and the wider Asia-Pacific, and as a pathway to widen collaborations across this vibrant region. 

In a moment, you will see a short video that encapsulates the essence of “Study in Hong Kong” – a place where world-class education, cultural diversity and opportunities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area converge. The tagline of the video is “Live the Future”, and it speaks directly to the aspirations of our students. By choosing Hong Kong, overseas students are not just selecting a university, they are securing a front-row seat to the rapid growth of Asia. They are equipping themselves with the networks and insights necessary for a glorious career, ensuring they do not just witness what comes next, but actively live and shape the future. I invite your students, your faculty and your institutions to embark on an exciting journey together with us in the years ahead.

I would like to thank the Heads of Universities Committee for bringing us together in this magnificent setting tonight. To all our guests, thank you for your support, your partnership and your commitment to international education. We look forward to working with you beyond the exciting activities this week at the APAIE and our “Study in Hong Kong” Week to build even stronger and more impactful partnerships for our students and our shared future.

Finally, let me wish you a most enjoyable evening and a rewarding week at the APAIE and in Hong Kong. Thank you.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Court of Appeal of the High Court today (February 23) delivered its judgment on the appeals in a case of “conspiracy to commit subversion”, dismissing the appeals against conviction or sentence lodged by 12 defendants. Furthermore, with regard to one defendant against whom the evidence was insufficient for the trial court to be sure of his participation in the conspiracy offence, the Court of Appeal upheld the trial court’s verdict.

     The Court of Appeal, in its judgment on the appeals in this case, rejected each of the grounds of appeal against conviction or sentence raised by the respective defendants. With regard to the appeals against conviction, the Court of Appeal noted that the relevant provisions of the Basic Law establish an executive-led system headed by the Chief Executive (CE), recognises that the CE, the Government, the Legislative Council (LegCo), and the Judiciary have different constitutional roles. Interaction and co-ordination between them is inevitable in areas where both the executive and legislative authority are required. As seen from the budgetary process, examining the merits of a budget by reference to fiscal considerations to see if it warrants approval must form the core of the LegCo’s powers and functions under Article 73(2) of the Basic Law. The LegCo must exercise its powers and functions in accordance with, and not in contravention of, the provisions of the Basic Law. In particular, it cannot act in contravention of the fundamental provisions of the Basic Law which establish the constitutional order in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and the LegCo members cannot contravene the constitutional duty to uphold the constitutional order in the HKSAR under the LegCo Oath. In this case, as envisaged and publicised by the first defendant Tai Yiu-ting and known to any participant who chose to join it, the “Project 35+” was a “constitutional mass destruction weapon” aiming to compel the CE to resign, to paralyse the Government and to force the Central People’s Government to declare an end to the “one country, two systems” policy, which constituted an unlawful means of subverting the constitutional order of the HKSAR. Pursuing that aim in the pretext of examining budgets necessarily amounted to a breach of a LegCo member’s duty to uphold the constitutional order in the HKSAR. The defendants agreed to join the “Project 35+” and participate in the relevant course of conduct with the intent to achieve the subversive consequences, and therefore constituted the offence of “conspiracy to commit subversion”.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Highways Department promulgated the Hong Kong Railway Standards and also announced the official establishment of the Railway Checking Unit today to expedite implementation of new railway projects.

The establishment ceremony was officiated by Director of Highways Tony Yau, with numerous railway experts and representatives of relevant government departments in attendance.

In his address, Mr Yau remarked that capitalising on the opportunities brought by two cross-boundary railway projects, namely the Northern Link and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Rail Link, we formulated the Hong Kong Railway Standards in collaboration with relevant government departments and railway experts.

In addition to retaining the prevailing railway standards in the city, the Hong Kong Railway Standards have introduced suitable railway standards of the nation and various places in the world, including European Norm, Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers’s standards, International Electrotechnical Commission’s standards and International Organization for Standardization’s standards, with adaptation to local circumstances, as a result of detailed analyses and comparisons on the premise of ensuring railway safety, quality, and performance‑based outcomes.

He further stated that the new Hong Kong Railway Standards could facilitate the use of a broader selection of advanced construction technologies, construction materials, equipment, and railway systems for railway projects, provide clear technical specifications as the approval basis of the supervisory authorities, and also facilitate the development and optimisation of work processes by the industry.

This move helps to leverage and introduce the extensive experience and world-leading technologies in railway construction of our nation, as well as the recognised standards in other parts of the world, with a view to driving the new railway projects of Hong Kong with enhanced speed and efficiency, and striving for shorter construction times and lower costs, Mr Yau added.

Under the Hong Kong Railway Standards, the industry could flexibly apply suitable standards to different railway projects on account of their individual needs and characteristics, after holistic consideration of factors such as cost-effectiveness, technical requirements, supply chain conditions, site environment and labour and machinery resources.

The standards encourage the use of innovative construction machinery, technologies and materials, such as use of larger or more extensive use of standardised prefabrication technology, high-strength structural steel and ultra-high-performance concrete, as well as advanced equipment and construction specifications, such as the model selection, design, construction, and control of tunnel boring machines.

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) announced today that the Tsing Yi Nature Trails would reopen from this evening following the completion of environmental remediation work.

Owing to the fact that five local cases of Chikungunya Fever (CF) were contracted on the Tsing Yi Nature Trails or surrounding areas in late November, the CHP announced the temporary closure of the trails to the public on December 9.

The CHP highlighted that the last CF patient to contract the disease in the area visited the trails on November 30 and that no subsequent local cases have been recorded.

It also confirmed that infections connected to the trails did not result in the further transmission of CF in the community. 

Over the past two months, relevant government departments have conducted multiple inspections to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites and remove waste conducive to mosquito breeding.

In addition, intensive fogging operations have been conducted to eliminate adult mosquitoes and mosquito trapping devices have been installed along the trails.

Moreover, the Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has been monitoring mosquito infestation levels using mosquito traps along the trails. Data recorded over the past month indicates infestation levels remain at a low level.

The CHP today held an interdepartmental meeting to assess the situation. After evaluating environmental hygiene on the trails, it believes that they no longer pose a threat to public health.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region