Minister of Communications and Information Technology H E Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai and Ambassador of South Korea to Qatar Joon-ho Lee, jointly cutting a cake during the Korean National Day celebrations held at the InterContinental Hotel in Doha on Thursday. The Director of Department of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H E Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhroo (second right) and the Dean of Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador of Eritrea to Qatar, H E Ali Ibrahim Ahmed (right) and several other diplomats and dignitaries were present at the event. Pic: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula
Doha: The Embassy of South Korea in Qatar celebrated country’s National Day attended by Minister of Communications and Information Technology H E Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Mannai, ambassadors, and diplomats.
Director of Protocol Department, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Ambassador Ibrahim Fakhroo, former Ambassador of Qatar to South Korea, Mohammed Al Hayki, and Ambassador of Eritrea to Qatar and Dean of Diplomatic Corps H E Ambassador Ali Ibrahim Ahmed, were also present during the event.
In his speech, Ambassador Joon-ho Lee said the National Foundation Day honours the establishment of Gojoseon, the first state of the Korean Peninsula 4,300 years ago. “Gaecheonjeol (National Foundation Day) means ‘the day heaven opened its door’, symbolising the birth of the Korean nation. We hope today’s celebration will be a good day to strengthen our bilateral relations.”
Speaking to The Peninsula, Ambassador Lee said Qatar- South Korea bilateral relations have grown.
“We have expanded our cooperation into new areas so we have huge potential of areas to cooperate between two countries including healthcare, information and communication technology, cultural fields and climate change.”
He explained: “There are lots of windows between the two countries to exchange and boost cooperation and people to people exchange and cultural ties are the basis for two countries to enhance relations.”
Former Ambassador Al Hayki told The Peninsula: “The relationship are solid and excellent, it is also improving and Ambassador Lee commented on that, they’ve signed a big export deal for the next 20 years and this came in a perfect time. Qatar also signed pacts with Korea to build 100 megaships to transport gas we are producing to all corners of the world.
“The trade between Qatar and Korea amount to $14bn a year which makes Korea Qatar’s most important trade partner. The relationship is excellent and developing,” he added.
South Korea’s National Day falls on October 3, but due to COVID-19 restrictions it was held on a later date.
