Embassy of Luxembourg opens in Seoul

Diplomacy

Published: 03 Jul. 2024, 10:04 Updated: 03 Jul. 2024, 10:42

Embassy of Luxembourg opens in Seoul

Officials from Luxembourg and Korea unveil the grand duchy's coat of arms during the official opening ceremony of the Luxembourgish Embassy on Tuesday evening at the Shilla Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul. From left stands Xavier Bettel, vice prime minister of Luxembourg; Stephanie Obertin, Luxembourg's minister for research and higher education; Jacques Flies, Luxembourg's ambassador to Korea; and Lee Se-jin, director of the Foreign Ministry's Western Europe division. [PARK SANG-MOON]

Officials from Luxembourg and Korea on Tuesday unveiled the grand duchy's coat of arms during the official opening ceremony of the Embassy of Luxembourg in Seoul on Tuesday evening.

Xavier Bettel, vice prime minister of Luxembourg; Stephanie Obertin, Luxembourg's minister for research and higher education; Jacques Flies, Luxembourg's ambassador to Korea; and Lee Se-jin, director of the Foreign Ministry's Western Europe division, were at the event.

The ceremony, which took place at the Silla Hotel's Yeongbin Hall, included speeches by both Flies and Bettel, who served as Luxembourg's prime minister until last year.

Other attendees included former Foreign Minister Park Jin, members of Seoul's diplomatic community and the United Nations Command, to which Luxembourg dispatched 110 troops during the 1950-53 Korean War.

During his speech, Bettel expressed hope that Luxembourg's contribution to Korea's defense during the war would serve as a reminder to other nations to help Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.

Korea is also due this year to open an embassy in Luxembourg.

BY MICHAEL LEE [lee.junhyuk@joongang.co.kr]