Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Head of world's honorary consuls check on preparation for Seoul's 2021 gathering
World Federation of Consuls Aykut Eken speaks during a media interview at Millennium Hilton Seoul hotel, Nov. 19. / Korea Times photo by Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
Aykut Eken, the president of World Federation of Consuls, visited Korea from Nov. 17 to 20 to discuss the country's first hosting of the World Congress of Consuls in 2021.
Held every three years, the congress is governed by the U.N.-recognized federation comprised of about 90 countries.
The meeting is to promote networking among honorary consuls worldwide.
Many of them are former entrepreneurs. They are tasked with promoting the diplomatic missions that they are serving in their respective countries, in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961.
The Seoul gathering, scheduled from Oct. 9 to 13 in 2021, is expected to draw up to 500 participants worldwide, according to Eken.
“As the president of the federation, I am trying to bring all the honorary consuls together,” he told the media at Millennium Hilton Seoul hotel, Nov. 19. “I am sure the 2021 meeting will be profitable in many areas.”
During his three-day visit here, he met relevant officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Seoul Metropolitan Government among others.
A dual citizen of Belgium and Turkey, Eken is an honorary consul general of St. Kitts and Nevis to Belgium and also of Jamaica to Turkey.
He has serving his second three-year term as the federation's president since 2015.
The federation was founded in 1982.