Seo Jeong-hyeop Acting Mayor Awards 'Honorary Citizenship Certificate' to Saudi Ambassador to Korea

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 26th, Seo Jeong-cheop, Acting Mayor of Seoul, will present the Seoul Honorary Citizenship Certificate to Riyad Almubaraky, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Korea, at a meeting room.

Ambassador Riyad Almubaraky spent a total of 10 years in Seoul during his first diplomatic term (1990?1995) and his last term (2016?2021), forging a special bond with the city. During his first assignment in Korea, he earned a master's degree in international politics from Myongji University Graduate School in 1993, making him one of the leading Korea experts in Saudi Arabia.

Based on his long-standing affection for Seoul, the ambassador has actively served as a bridge to promote Seoul in Saudi Arabia. He attended the 4th Kimchi Culture Festival hosted by Seoul City in 2017, promoting kimchi as a Korean culture enthusiast who enjoys Korean cuisine, and recently has been working to establish a friendship agreement between Seoul and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

He is also recognized for his role in revitalizing exchanges between Korea and Saudi Arabia. In April 2018, he led the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on visa issuance simplification between Korea and Saudi Arabia, which helped activate people-to-people exchanges and resolve difficulties faced by citizens of both countries. The enforcement of the visa issuance simplification MOU alleviated issues such as complicated visa procedures and expensive issuance fees.

The ambassador will conclude his diplomatic career of over 35 years at the end of this term and retire next month to return to his home country. As he has shown continuous interest in establishing a Korean language department and a Korea-related research institute at the prestigious King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, he is expected to continue playing an active role connecting the two countries.

Acting Mayor Seo said to Ambassador Riyad Almubaraky, “I hope the time you spent in Seoul will be a good memory and a gift,” adding, “As an honorary citizen of Seoul, I believe you will continue to cherish Seoul with unwavering affection even after returning to your home country. Now, I look forward to you serving as a promotional ambassador to introduce Seoul as a civilian diplomat.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.