By Kim Bo-eun
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) has named an auditorium after U.S. President Barack Obama, who spoke there in March last year.
The school held a ceremony to name the auditorium Obama Hall on its campus in northeastern Seoul, Monday. The hall used to be called Minerva Hall.
"We have decided to name the auditorium Obama Hall, in order to commemorate the venue where he spoke last year, and to congratulate him on his re-election as President of the United States," said HUFS President Park Chul.
The ceremony was attended by Brent Byers, minister counselor for public affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul; Margaret Hawley, cultural attache at the embassy; Vitali. V. Fen, ambassador of Uzbekistan to Seoul; Kim Tae-won, a lawmaker of the ruling Saenuri Party; and Kwon Soon-han, president of HUFS’ alumni association.
Park sent a letter to the White House in November last year congratulating Obama on his re-election and stated the school's plans to rename the auditorium.
President Obama spoke at the university on March 26 last year on the sidelines of the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
He spoke on Korea’s role in promoting world peace and the removal of nuclear weapons in the presence of some 1,000 students.
The university has already created an “Obama Trail” which traces the footsteps of the President from the school’s entrance to the auditorium.
The school hopes that along with the Obama Trail, the Obama Hall can become a place widely visited by alumni, high school students and visitors.
Obama was the first U.S. president to visit a local university and deliver a speech.