8 new ambassadors present priorities to president for Korea postings

Eight newly appointed ambassadors presented their credentials to President Lee Jae Myung on Oct. 12 in the sixth credential presentation ceremony since the launch of the Lee administration, each arriving with distinct priorities and a shared ambition to deepen ties with one of Asia’s most dynamic economies.

The Korea Times spoke with several of the envoys about their visions for their postings, ranging from renewable energy opportunities in Central America to K-pop fans from Lithuania.

Honduras

Viviane de Pierrefeu Midence brings more than 15 years of diplomatic experience in Europe, including postings in France and Belgium and as Honduras' permanent delegate to UNESCO in Paris.

During her tenure in Korea, Midence aims to attract Korean investment in manufacturing, ports, energy and infrastructure. With 27 Korean companies employing up to 25,000 Hondurans, she hopes to position Honduras as Korea's manufacturing hub for North America.

"As supply chains are reorganized, that nearshoring model is our strongest offer," she said.

She highlighted opportunities under Honduras' new Energy Justice Law, opening electricity procurement to international tenders totaling 1,600 megawatts in 2027 and 2028, including renewable energy and battery storage.

Midence hopes to further leverage the Korea-Central America Free Trade Agreement to diversify exports, particularly coffee, shrimp and other agricultural products, following a 21 percent increase in Honduran exports to Korea in 2025.

Beyond economic ties, Midence seeks to expand academic and institutional exchanges in aquaculture, digital government and smart agriculture, building toward the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027.

"It is an opportunity to agree on the next stage of the relationship: more trade, more Korean investment in Honduran infrastructure and energy and more exchanges between our people," she said.

Slovenia

Miriam Teresa Možgan is Slovenia’s second ambassador to Korea, a posting she arrived at after a career that began in journalism at Radio Television Slovenia and included stints as deputy head of mission in Washington and Paris.

In her first diplomatic posting in Asia, she was impressed by the warm reception Slovenia received at the Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival, where she discovered cultural affinities between the two countries.

"That experience showed me how much our two countries share, particularly a deep appreciation for culture, tradition and language," she said.

Her priorities are future-oriented — artificial intelligence (AI), biopharmaceuticals and hydrogen. "As only the second Slovenian ambassador to Korea, I would like to see our political relationship mature into a strategic partnership," she said.

She hopes to promote Slovenia as a gateway to the EU market for Korean businesses, particularly in the cosmetics sector, which she is personally eager to explore. She also looks forward to introducing more Koreans to Slovenia’s natural beauty, from the Julian Alps to its Mediterranean coast.

Norway

Espen Frederik Larsen comes to Seoul from a diplomatic career spanning postings in Canberra and Copenhagen and a stint as minister counsellor at Norway’s NATO delegation.

Impressed by Korea’s unique balance of elegance and practicality, he looks forward to learning more about the country’s rich history and culture. "There is great attention to beauty and detail, but at the same time, things are remarkably efficient and practical. That balance has really impressed me," he said.

During his tenure, Larsen hopes to deepen cooperation in key sectors, including maritime industries, defense and especially AI, where Norwegian government has keen interest in. He also sees opportunities for the two countries to work more closely in promoting a rules-based international order through dialogue and respect for human rights.

"My vision is to build on that strong foundation and create an even closer partnership between our countries where the geographical distance between us is overcome by the friendship between our peoples, by our common values and by our joint efforts to, no less, make the world a better place for everybody," he said.

Kyrgyzstan

Having first been posted to Korea in 2008 and served as first secretary, counsellor and chargé d'affaires ad interim, new Kyrgyz Ambassador Melis Mamadaliev sees his return to Seoul as a personally and professionally meaningful milestone.

"One of our priority objectives will be to facilitate the translation of these agreements into concrete joint projects," he said, referring to commitments reached during Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov’s September visit to Korea and the inaugural Korea-Central Asia Summit.

He hopes to expand bilateral trade and investment, emphasizing opportunities for Korean businesses in Kyrgyzstan, whose economy grew 10.8 percent in the first nine months of 2026.

"One of our important goals is to attract more investment into Kyrgyzstan's economy, expand business ties and implement the agreements reached at the highest level," he added.

He sees particular potential in renewable energy, especially in hydropower sector, infrastructure development and critical minerals. He also seeks to attract Korean technologies to develop higher-value mineral processing industries and strengthen cooperation on climate change through carbon market mechanisms under the Paris Agreement.

Beyond economic ties, Mamadaliev hopes to strengthen educational and cultural exchanges, with approximately 3,000 Kyrgyz students currently studying in Korea, a fivefold increase over six years.

"We see this important occasion as a good opportunity to review our achievements, give new momentum to bilateral dialogue and identify promising areas for future cooperation," he said, looking ahead to the 35th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2027.

Iran

As a veteran diplomat, Ahmad Erfanian has served in various diplomatic posts abroad and held senior positions at Iran’s foreign ministry, with previous experience serving as Iran’s ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2017 to 2020.

"Although this is my first visit to Korea, I have always admired its remarkable progress, rich culture and hardworking people," he said, expressing enthusiasm to strengthen bilateral relations in various areas of mutual trust.

Emphasizing the potential for expanded bilateral cooperation, he expressed optimism about the future of the relationship. "I look forward to a brighter future for friendship and cooperation between Iran and the Republic of Korea," he said.

Lithuania

Donatas Tamulaitis has a personal connection to the country, having previously studied at the KDI School of Public Policy and Management. Fond memories of Korea’s people, culture and food inspired him to return. His daughters, both K-pop fans, are also excited to experience life in Korea.

With a background in economic diplomacy, he aims to strengthen bilateral ties by connecting Lithuania’s expertise in specialized technologies with Korea’s industrial capabilities.

"While Korea excels in large-scale industrial manufacturing and global commercialization, Lithuania contributes high-tech research and acts as a strategic gateway to the European single market," he said.

His priorities include expanding cooperation in lasers and photonics, fintech, biotechnology and other advanced technologies, while encouraging Korean investment in Lithuania, as a gateway to the European single market. He also sees potential for closer collaboration in the creative industries, including film, gaming and design, as well as security and defense, scientific research, education and cultural exchange.

Marking the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Korea in October, Lithuania also seeks to strengthen EU and NATO engagement with Korea, through its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027 and its designation as a NATO Contact Point Embassy for 2027-28.

"For our bilateral relations, my ambition is simple: more Lithuania in Korea and more Korea in Lithuania — more business partnerships, more cultural exchanges and more contacts between our people," he said.

Turkey

Having previously served as Turkey's ambassador to Iraq and Sudan, Fatih Yildiz describes Korea as "a brotherly country with deep cultural and historical ties," rooted in shared history and the sacrifices of Turkish soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War.

He has been particularly impressed by how Korea blends its rich traditions with a forward-looking vision. Having learned the Korean language before his arrival, he is eager to explore the country beyond Seoul and connect directly with Korean people to gain a deeper understanding of Korean culture and society.

His agenda focuses on translating the two countries’ longstanding friendship into a stronger strategic partnership, with cooperation targets in defense, energy, biotechnology and advanced technologies. "My foremost priority is to help facilitate translating the joint vision of our leaders into concrete results," he said.

He further hopes to strengthen economic ties by combining Korea's technological and industrial capabilities with Turkey's strong manufacturing base and expanding joint projects in third countries. Looking ahead to the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, Yildiz sees an opportunity to reinforce the two countries’ historic bond and give it greater strategic significance for future generations.

Senegal

Fatou Gaye Ngom also presented her credentials as Senegal’s newly appointed ambassador to Korea. The embassy was not immediately available for comments to The Korea Times.