Luxembourg’s envoy shares diplomatic insights with students

Luxembourg Ambassdaor to Korea Jacques Flies gives speech to students at the University of Utah Asia Campus in Incheon, Tuesday. Courtesy of University of Utah Asia Campus

The University of Utah Asia Campus (UAC) welcomed Luxembourg Ambassador to Korea Jacques Flies for a special lecture in Incheon on Tuesday, aimed at deepening students’ understanding of global diplomacy and the relationship between Luxembourg and Korea.

Titled “From Luxembourg to Seoul: A Diplomatic Journey & Luxembourg-Korea Relations,” the lecture drew students, faculty and staff eager to gain insights from the ambassador, whose decadeslong career in diplomacy has taken him from West Africa to the United Nations and now Seoul.

Speaking at the university situated in Incheon Global Campus, Flies reflected on Luxembourg’s unique diplomatic identity as a small but influential European state and its evolving strategic ties with Korea.

“Diplomacy goes beyond state-to-state relations — it’s about connecting people, cultures and building trust,” Flies said. “It’s a pleasure to share Luxembourg’s experience, especially as our relationship with Korea continues to grow stronger.”

Flies emphasized the critical role of multilateral diplomacy, noting that smaller states like Luxembourg often rely on coalition-building and consensus within institutions such as the European Union and the United Nations. He also pointed to increasing bilateral cooperation between Luxembourg and Korea in fields such as green technology, finance and space development.

“It’s a rare and valuable opportunity for our students to hear directly from a diplomat working at the forefront of global affairs,” Gregory Hill, chief administrative officer of the UAC, said. “The Utah Asia Campus remains committed to expanding students’ international perspectives through firsthand engagement with global leaders.”

Students responded enthusiastically to the lecture, many of them encountering European diplomatic perspectives for the first time.

“Even though I wasn’t very familiar with diplomacy, the lecture was incredibly eye-opening,” Lee Min-seok, a student in the information systems program, said. “Hearing how countries build trust and cooperation through dialogue helped me view international relations from a completely new perspective.”

The ambassador’s visit marks another step in the UAC’s mission to bridge global experiences and perspectives, a theme that aligns closely with Luxembourg’s own diplomatic ethos — one that values dialogue, partnerships and the power of soft influence in an interconnected world.

Currently serving as Luxembourg’s top envoy to Korea, Flies has held several senior positions within the Luxembourg government and diplomatic service.

His past roles include secretary general of the government of Luxembourg, deputy director for defense and political coordinator at Luxembourg’s permanent mission to the United Nations. He also served as head of development cooperation in Senegal.