Azerbaijani Ambassador to South Korea Ramin Hasanov and Lee Kyung-chul, South Korea’s special representative for Middle East peace affairs, attend Azerbaijan’s Independence Day celebration in Seoul on Tuesday.(Sanjay Kumar/The Korea Herald) Azerbaijan celebrated its 108th Independence Day in Seoul on Tuesday, underscoring ties with South Korea and Baku’s growing role in regional and international affairs.
The national day marks the founding of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on May 28, 1918 — regarded as the first democratic republic in the Muslim world — ending nearly two centuries of Iranian and Russian rule.
Addressing diplomats, government officials, members of civil society and the Azerbaijani community in Seoul, Azerbaijani Ambassador to South Korea Ramin Hasanov spoke of the country’s modern history, noting that the republic’s democratic and secular principles survived despite Soviet occupation in 1920 and were revived after Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991.
Hasanov said Azerbaijan is advancing energy cooperation and reconstruction efforts while boosting ties with South Korea through “peace, dialogue and cooperation.”
Calling Azerbaijan South Korea’s largest economic and trade partner in the South Caucasus, the ambassador stressed the “vast potential for cooperation” between the two countries.
Representing the South Korean side, Lee Kyung-chul, special representative for Middle East peace affairs, praised Azerbaijan’s role in “multilateral diplomacy and international cooperation,” citing the country as “a trusted hub for international events.”
Recalling cooperation between Seoul and Baku during their simultaneous terms on the United Nations Security Council in 2013, Lee said it had been “a great honor” to work with the Azerbaijani delegation on international peace and security issues.
Lee also commended Azerbaijan’s “visionary and forward-looking approach” in hosting major international gatherings and thanked Baku for its “prompt and voluntary support” in helping evacuate South Korean citizens during last year’s Middle East crisis.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has surpassed $150 million annually, Lee noted, adding that growing cultural and educational exchanges have become a “driving force” behind the expanding partnership.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com