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| Hungarian Ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma, center, poses for a photo with Dankook University president Kim Soo-bok, first from left, after receiving an honorary doctorate in political science from Dankook University, Friday. Courtesy of Embassy of Hungary to Korea |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Hungarian ambassador to Korea Mozes Csoma received an honorary doctorate in political science from Dankook University, Friday, in recognition of his contribution to promoting friendship between Korea and Hungary based on his understanding of Korea's history.
Csoma is Korean studies scholar in Hungary, specializing in Korean history and political affairs of the Korean Peninsula. He taught at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest from 2008 and played a key role in establishing the first Korean Department at a university in Hungary.
He has been serving as Hungary's ambassador to Korea since September 2018.
Csoma recalled how he began learning the Korean language and research on Korea.
"It dates back 25 years to when I was a freshman at university. I was very interested in modern history and international politics regarding the Korean peninsula as the situation is similar to Hungary, which is also surrounded by world powers. I wondered how Korea kept its language, culture and identity amid numerous invasions by the big powers for decades," Csoma said in his acceptance speech.
"About 40 years ago, Hungary transitioned from a socialist regime to liberal democracy and there was an identity crisis over the political system. So I wondered how Korea's identity developed after the division of the country."
When Csoma took interest in Korea, there was no Korean studies course or department in Hungary, so he learned the Korean language from a Hungarian teacher who studied in North Korea and later at Yonsei University in Seoul, receiving a fellowship from the Korea Foundation.
He mentioned his research on the Koreas from Hungarian Bishop Peter Vay's accounts of the last days of the Joseon dynasty in 1902 to the relations between and Hungary and North Korea after World War II, which are included his book, "The first Hungarian Koreanist scholar meets North Korea," published by Dankook University.
He continued his study on the Korean peninsula after assuming the ambassadorship in Seoul and published more books in Korean and English, including, "The relations of the Korean Peninsula and Hungary seen through rare photos" and "From Budapest to the Korean War: Hungarian Physicians in North Korea, 1950-1957."
Csoma donated 40 copies of four of his books to the Dankook University library last year to provide materials for students who are interested in Korea-Hungary relations.
"I hope to continue exchanges with Dankook University through academic conferences and forums," Csoma said.
