By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs successfully hosted the “14th Workshop for Overseas Honorary Consuls of the Republic of Korea” from September 15 to September 20.

This workshop has taken place since 2010, in order to deepen the participants’ understanding of Korea and their role as honorary consuls so that they can provide more effective support in protecting overseas Koreans and in promoting Korea’s diplomatic activities.

This year’s workshop, the 14th of its kind, brought together overseas honorary consuls from a total of 12 countries. They are the Kingdom of Sweden, the Russian Federation, the Republic of India, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the Kingdom of Thailand, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States of America, the Republic of Finland, the Kingdom of Tonga, the Republic of Liberia, Romania and the Federative Republic of Brazil.

They were given the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Korea and their roles through diverse programs which included: Welcome Reception hosted by the Director-General for Public Diplomacy and Cultural Affairs, Seminar on exchanging best practices, Luncheon and a dinner meeting with the Director-General for Consular Affairs and Safety and the Directors-General for the relevant regional affairs, Special lectures on the Korean economy and security and Field visits to cultural sites and industrial facilities including Gyeongju.

Jeong Ki-hong, the Ambassador and Deputy Minister for Public Diplomacy, hosted a farewell dinner on September 19 and expressed gratitude for the Overseas Honorary Consuls’ dedication. He also asked them to continue their active support for the protection of overseas Koreans and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.

Stephan Müchler, who has served as the Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Malmö, Sweden since February 2011, said that the program offered valuable insights into Korea’s history, culture, economic development, and foreign policy. He expressed his commitment to using this knowledge to further assist in protecting overseas Koreans and supporting Korea’s diplomatic efforts.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support 154 honorary consuls in 64 countries worldwide through invitation workshops like this, enabling them to proactively support the protection of overseas Koreans and Korea’s diplomatic activities.