Yesterday, 10th December, the first Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Korea was inaugurated in Malaga. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Spain, Lim Soosuk, the Mayor of the city of Malaga, Francisco de la Torre and the Professor of East Asian Studies at the UMA, Antonio J. Domenech, among others. The new Honorary Consulate will be headed by lawyer Javier Cremades and will have jurisdiction over the provinces of Granada, Almería and Jaén, thus consolidating South Korean influence in southern Spain.
During the event, both Ambassador Lim Soosuk and Mayor de la Torre highlighted the relevance of the Degree in East Asian Studies – Korean Studies at the University of Malaga. They also highlighted the figure of Professor Antonio Domenech, Coordinator of the Degree for his work in the development of Korean Studies in Spain.
In an emotional speech, Professor Doménech highlighted the importance of the Korean Jeong concept, which symbolises emotional connection and mutual understanding, as a reflection of the bridge between Spain and South Korea. This term, he explained, reflects the values that unite both cultures and reinforce bilateral collaboration.
Ambassador Lim also visited the students of the Korean Performing Arts, Dance and Music course of the bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies-Korea, where he also met with exchange students from various South Korean universities. Finally, he visited the Window on Korea Library funded by the National Library of Korea.
The opening of the Honorary Consulate marks a milestone in the relationship between Malaga and South Korea, consolidating the city as a strategic point of reference for cultural and academic exchange. Malaga thus continues to strengthen its relations with the Asian country with which it has collaborated in business, research and cultural exchange initiated with the creation of the Representative Office of the Incheon National University at the University of Malaga and directed by Professor Antonio Domenech.