Former Hungarian ambassador awarded Gwanghwa Medal

Diplomacy

Published: 24 Nov. 2023, 12:10 Updated: 24 Nov. 2023, 13:44

Former Hungarian ambassador awarded Gwanghwa Medal

Former Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma, right, receives the Gwanghwa Medal for diplomatic merit from Korean Ambassador to Hungary Hong Kyu-dok, left, in an award ceremony at Karoli Gaspar University in Budapest on Nov. 8. [KOREAN EMBASSY IN HUNGARY]

Former Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mózes Csoma received the Gwanghwa Medal for diplomatic merit from the Korean government earlier this month in recognition of his efforts to develop relations between the two countries.

Korean Ambassador to Hungary Hong Kyu-dok transferred the Gwanghwa Medal to Csoma on behalf of the Korean government on Nov. 8 in an award ceremony at Károli Gáspár University in Budapest, Hungary.

The Gwanghwa Medal is the highest level of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit, awarded to foreign individuals by the Korean government in recognition of contributions to promoting friendship between Korea and their countries through diplomatic activities.

Csoma served as ambassador to Seoul from 2018 to 2022. During this period, he contributed to establishing a direct flight from Budapest to Seoul in 2019, launching the Liszt Institute, a Hungarian cultural center in Seoul the same year and arranging then-President Moon Jae-in's visit to Hungary in 2021.

Csoma was awarded honorary Seoul citizenship in July last year in recognition of his contributions to developing bilateral ties.

As an expert in Korean studies fluent in the language, he also wrote a number of books about the history of Korean-Hungarian relations.

After completing his term in July of last year, Csoma established the Department of Korean Studies at Károli Gáspár University in Budapest in May and is currently serving as the head of the department.

This is Hungary's second Korean department.

Csoma previously established the first Korean department in Hungary in 2008 at his alma mater, the Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]