Seoul Jung-gu Awards Honorary Citizen Certificate to Colin Crooks, British Ambassador to Korea

Contributing to the Successful Hosting by Actively Participating in 'Jeongdong Night Walk'

Seoul Jung-gu awarded an honorary citizen certificate to Colin Crooks, the British Ambassador to Korea, on the 28th. Provided by Jung-gu.

Jung-gu District, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-seong) announced on the 29th that it awarded an honorary citizen certificate to Colin James Crooks, the British Ambassador to Korea, on the 28th.

Ambassador Colin Crooks established his connection with Korea while serving as First Secretary at the British Embassy in Korea from 1995 to 1999. After postings in Indonesia, China, and North Korea, he has been serving again as the British Ambassador to Korea since 2022. He is known as the only diplomat to have served as ambassador to both South and North Korea, and is reputed to have a special affection for Korea.

The awarding of the honorary citizen certificate is also a token of appreciation for Ambassador Crooks opening the British Embassy to the local community during Jung-gu’s representative festival, ‘Jeongdong Night Tour.’ The embassy was opened to citizens during the festival last fall and this spring, and especially during the resident pre-tour program ‘Pre-Jeongdong Night Tour’ held in May this year, Ambassador Colin Crooks personally welcomed residents and guided them inside the ambassador’s residence.

The British Embassy in Korea, built in 1890 with the laying of its cornerstone, is the only Western diplomatic mission that has continuously used the same building since establishing diplomatic relations with Joseon. Preserving its modern cultural heritage intact for over 130 years, the embassy has become a symbol of the friendly cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Official diplomatic relations between Korea and the United Kingdom began with the Korea-Britain Treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1883. During the Korean War, the UK dispatched the second largest UN force after the United States, and in 1953, the Republic of Korea sent a delegation to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1999, Queen Elizabeth II visited Korea, further strengthening the friendly ties between the two nations.

At the awarding ceremony, Ambassador Colin Crooks said, “It is an honor to become an honorary citizen of Jung-gu,” adding, “I will cherish the honorary citizen plaque and certificate for a long time.”

Mayor Kim Gil-seong responded, “We are pleased to welcome Ambassador Crooks as an honorary citizen for his communication with Jung-gu residents during the Jeongdong Night Tour festival,” and added, “We will continue to foster exchanges to share our cultures and deepen our friendship.”

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