President Moon Presents Credentials to New Ambassadors from 13 Countries: "Priority is Protecting Overseas Koreans' Health" (Comprehensive)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the afternoon of the 1st, President Moon Jae-in presented letters of credence to 13 newly appointed ambassadors at the Blue House State Guest House and handed them bouquets of marigold flowers symbolizing "diplomacy centered on national interest." President Moon instructed, "Prioritize protecting the health of overseas Koreans during the COVID-19 situation."

Attending the event were 13 newly appointed ambassadors and their spouses: Lee Tae-ho, Ambassador to the Permanent Mission in Geneva; Park Jun-yong, Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Lim Ki-mo, Ambassador to Brazil; Choi Hoon, Ambassador to Singapore; Kim Hyeong-tae, Ambassador to Ukraine; Kim Seong-eun, Ambassador to Brunei; Kim Pil-woo, Ambassador to Norway; Lee Ho-sik, Ambassador to Bulgaria; Jeong Byeong-ha, Ambassador to Kuwait; Kim Gi-hong, Ambassador to Bolivia; Lee Jun-ho, Ambassador to Qatar; Kim Jin-hae, Ambassador to Costa Rica; and Lee Won-jae, Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan.

The ambassadors wore suits with ties, along with "Love for the Country Big Tree" badges and masks.

President Moon presented letters of credence individually to the 13 new ambassadors and gave bouquets to their spouses before conducting a photo session. The bouquet consisted of marigolds symbolizing "friendship," alstroemeria representing "new beginnings and meetings," and coral peonies symbolizing "prosperity." According to the Blue House, this was meant to convey a message to conduct diplomacy centered on the people and national interest through communication and empathy with the public.

Before presenting the letters of credence and bouquets to the ambassador couples, President Moon bowed in greeting and occasionally applauded. After the photo session, he held a private conversation with the new ambassadors.

During the subsequent discussion, President Moon said, "The importance of diplomacy in state affairs has increased, and its scope has recently expanded to include quarantine, vaccines, and climate crisis response," urging, "Please play a leading role that the international community expects from our country."

Lee Tae-ho, Ambassador to the Permanent Mission in Geneva, said, "Geneva is the center of multilateral diplomacy and home to many international organizations. Through international cooperation, we will work to build global supply chains and strive for inclusive advancement."

Choi Hoon, Ambassador to Singapore, pledged, "Since Singapore is a financial hub, I will actively support our fintech companies entering the Singapore market," and Kim Gi-hong, Ambassador to Bolivia, said, "I will work on three things: protecting overseas Koreans, development cooperation, and resource cooperation."

In his closing remarks, President Moon urged, "Seek cooperation with each assigned country across various fields, and especially prioritize protecting the health of overseas Koreans during the COVID-19 situation."

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