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AzerNEWS Staff

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An official reception dedicated to Azerbaijan’s Independence Day was held in Seoul on 27 May 2026, organised by Azerbaijan’s embassy in the Republic of Korea, AzerNEWS reports, citing the Embassy.

Addressing the event, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to South Korea, Ramin Hasanov, spoke about the restoration of Azerbaijan’s state independence 108 years ago and highlighted that the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was among the most progressive states of its time.

The ambassador noted that although the republic collapsed after only two years due to Soviet occupation, its secular and democratic values were preserved in the memory of the Azerbaijani people. He stressed that when Azerbaijan restored its independence in 1991, it declared itself the legal successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The diplomat emphasised that Azerbaijan experienced a difficult period in the early 1990s, and that stability, development and international cooperation were achieved thanks to National Leader Heydar Aliyev. According to the ambassador, Azerbaijan has since transformed into a regional leader and an influential international actor through the continuation of the Heydar Aliyev strategy.

In this regard, he highlighted Azerbaijan’s successful implementation of transnational energy and transport projects, as well as its efforts to contribute to solving global challenges. He also referred to Azerbaijan’s successful hosting of major international events over the past two years, including COP29 and the World Urban Forum.

Ramin Hasanov also touched upon the process of normalising relations with Armenia and referred to the outcomes of President Ilham Aliyev’s historic visit to Washington, stressing that a real opportunity has emerged for achieving lasting peace in the region.

He additionally highlighted the large-scale reconstruction efforts underway in the liberated territories of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, while also drawing attention to the ongoing landmine problem.

Speaking about Azerbaijan–South Korea relations, the ambassador noted the existence of a constructive political dialogue based on mutual interests, as well as expanding cooperation in cultural and humanitarian fields. He stated that Azerbaijan is South Korea’s largest economic and trade partner in the region and added that both countries’ active engagement in international affairs creates new opportunities for deeper cooperation.

Representing the South Korean government at the event, the Republic of Korea’s Special Representative for Peace in the Middle East, Lee Kyung-chul, congratulated the Azerbaijani people and government on the 108th anniversary of independence.

The South Korean diplomat praised Azerbaijan for becoming a trusted venue for major international events and commended the country’s successful hosting of COP29 and WUF13. He expressed confidence that the upcoming summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Baku would also prove highly successful.

Touching upon bilateral relations, Lee Kyung-chul stressed that Azerbaijan has consistently been a warm and supportive partner for South Korea in international affairs. He also highlighted recent high-level exchanges between the two countries.

The diplomat expressed gratitude for Azerbaijan’s assistance during the recent Middle East crisis, particularly in helping evacuate South Korean citizens from the region.

Praising humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, he noted that the publication of the first standard Azerbaijani-language textbooks in Korea, as well as the translation of the Book of Dede Korkut into Korean, had contributed to strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The reception continued with an official banquet, during which promotional videos about Azerbaijan were screened.

The event brought together officials from South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other government institutions, representatives of political, business, academic and cultural circles, members of the media, diplomats accredited in Korea, representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora, and Azerbaijani students studying in South Korea.