There are endless opportunities to build the ties between Maldives and Korea, on many spheres, says Ambassador of Korea to the Maldives, Woonjin JEONG.
In his message to commemorate the National Foundation Day of the Republic of Korea celebrated on October 3, the Korean Ambassador expressed pleasure in being able to celebrate the occasion together with the government and people of Maldives.
Highlighting that the globe has reached a critical stage in the battle against Covid-19, Ambassador JEONG stated that “no one and no country” is strong enough, alone.
With this being said, he shed light on the “Stay Strong” campaign initiated by the government of Korea and, under which anti-Covid collaboration has been strengthened with the Maldivian government.
The Republic of Korea, the Land of the Morning Calm, had once suffered from extreme poverty in the aftermath of the Korean War in the 1950s. Despite these challenges, Korean people have achieved full-fledged democracy and noteworthy economic growth simultaneously within a few decades with their indomitable diligence, hard work, and passion for education. Korea witnessed a remarkable growth in the gross national income per capita which had increased nearly 500-fold, 67 US dollars in 1953 to 31,489 dollars in 2020.”Woonjin JEONG, Ambassador of Korea to the Maldives.
Ambassador JEONG said that Korea has now become an aid donor and the first donor country coming from recipient countries, adding that the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development had unanimously raised Korea's status from a developing country to a developed country on July 2, which is the first case of upgrade by the agency since inception in 1964.
Highlighting that this achievement would not have been possible without international support, the ambassador expressed gratitude to the international community including Maldives for the support and cooperation extended over the years.
A grateful ambassador noted that the time has come for Korea to repay, by joining the global efforts to assist developing countries currently.
Maldives and Korea mark 54 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties on 30 November 1967, this year. The ambassador said that long-standing diplomatic relations have been enjoyed since then, with both countries having come a long way together, to form a cordial bilateral partnership.
As such, he noted that both countries have progressed into important key partners in economy, trade as well as investment over the years. These ties have been continuing to build on the solid cooperation and trust over the years.
The Korean Ambassador, who presented his credentials to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on August 15, revealed that he envisions endless opportunities to build the relations between Maldives and Korea on many spheres including economy, culture, the promotion of Korean language as well as public health cooperation.
Further, the ambassador stated that Maldives “is on the path to achieve greater success and economic prosperity in the near future”.
The ambassador in his message, went on to extend felicitations to the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on his election.
The Republic of Korea was in strong support for his candidature as he is best qualified to preside over the General Assembly of 193 nations of the world. The Republic of Korea firmly upholds the values of the United Nations as a centerpiece of its policy goals. In 2021 I am happy to welcome the 30th anniversary of Korea's membership in the United Nations. During the last 30 years, both the United Nations and the Republic of Korea have made enormous strides in international cooperation. The Republic of Korea is committed to contribute to the common interests in the multilateral arena.”Woonjin JEONG, Ambassador of Korea to the Maldives.
Adding that engagements in the tourism sector have also been commendable in recent years, the ambassador said that Maldives has emerged as “one of the tourism industry’s biggest success stories amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic”.
This greatly contributes to the economic progress of the Maldives, said the ambassador, who expressed appreciation for the government’s commitment to revive the country’s economy, which was immersed in chaos after borders were shut down in March 2020.
While our level of cooperation today is unprecedented, there is always more progress to be made. As the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea I reaffirm my commitment to continued cooperation in advancing interests of mutual concerns. I would like to felicitate Gaecheonjeol with the Republic of Maldives and Maldivian people.”Woonjin JEONG, Ambassador of Korea to the Maldives.
The ambassador, commending continued close collaboration between both government to protect the people and eradicate the pandemic together, stated that Korea will stand in solidarity with the Maldives to successfully combat the battle against Covid-19.
