8 new ambassadors present priorities to president for Korea postings

Eight newly appointed ambassadors presented their credentials to President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul on Oct. 12, outlining priorities for their postings. Their agendas include attracting Korean investment, expanding trade, and developing cooperation in energy, infrastructure, advanced technologies and defense. The envoys also emphasized cultural, educational and institutional exchanges. Senegal’s ambassador presented her credentials but was unavailable for comment.

Honduras plans to use its Energy Justice Law to open electricity procurement to international tenders totaling 1,600 megawatts in 2027 and 2028.

Honduran exports to Korea increased 21 percent in 2025, while 27 Korean companies employ up to 25,000 people in Honduras.

Kyrgyzstan’s economy grew 10.8 percent in the first nine months of 2026, and about 3,000 Kyrgyz students are currently studying in Korea.

Lithuania will hold the presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027 and serve as a NATO Contact Point Embassy for 2027-28.

Korea and Turkey will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027, while Korea and Honduras will mark 65 years of ties and Korea and Kyrgyzstan 35 years.

Published Oct 19, 2026 2:51 pm KST

Updated Oct 19, 2026 3:42 pm KST

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.

Viviane de Pierrefeu Midence

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.

Miriam Teresa Možgan

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.

Espen Frederik Larsen

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

10月12日，八位新任大使在首尔向韩国总统李在明递交了国书，阐述了各自任职期间的工作重点。他们的工作议程包括吸引韩国投资、扩大贸易以及在能源、基础设施、先进技术和国防领域发展合作。大使们还强调了文化、教育和机构交流的重要性。塞内加尔大使递交了国书，但未能就此事发表评论。

洪都拉斯计划利用其《能源正义法》，在 2027 年和 2028 年向国际招标开放总计 1600 兆瓦的电力采购。

到 2025 年，洪都拉斯对韩国的出口增长了 21%，而 27 家韩国公司在洪都拉斯雇佣了多达 25,000 名员工。

2026 年前九个月，吉尔吉斯斯坦经济增长了 10.8%，目前约有 3000 名吉尔吉斯斯坦学生在韩国留学。

立陶宛将于 2027 年担任欧盟理事会轮值主席国，并于 2027-2028 年担任北约联络点大使馆。

2027年，韩国和土耳其将庆祝建交70周年；韩国和洪都拉斯将庆祝建交65周年；韩国和吉尔吉斯斯坦将庆祝建交35周年。

发布于2026年10月19日下午2:51（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月19日下午3:42（韩国标准时间）

10月12日，八位新任命的大使向李在明总统递交了国书。这是李在明政府上任以来举行的第六次国书递交仪式。每位大使都有不同的优先事项，但都怀着深化与亚洲最具活力的经济体之一——韩国——之间关系的共同愿望。

《韩国时报》采访了几位特使，了解他们对各自岗位的愿景，内容涵盖了从中美洲的可再生能源机遇到立陶宛的 K-pop 粉丝群体等方方面面。

薇薇安·德·皮埃尔弗·米登斯

薇薇安·德·皮埃尔弗·米登斯在欧洲拥有超过 15 年的外交经验，曾在法国和比利时任职，并担任洪都拉斯常驻联合国教科文组织巴黎代表。

米登斯在韩国任职期间，致力于吸引韩国对洪都拉斯制造业、港口、能源和基础设施领域的投资。目前已有27家韩国企业在洪都拉斯就业，雇佣了多达25000名洪都拉斯人。她希望将洪都拉斯打造成为韩国面向北美市场的制造业中心。

“随着供应链的重组，这种近岸外包模式是我们最强有力的优势，”她说。

她重点介绍了洪都拉斯新《能源正义法》带来的机遇，该法将2027年和2028年向国际招标开放总计1600兆瓦的电力采购，其中包括可再生能源和电池储能。

Midence 希望进一步利用韩国-中美洲自由贸易协定实现出口多元化，特别是咖啡、虾和其他农产品，此前洪都拉斯对韩国的出口在 2025 年增长了 21%。

除了经济联系之外，Midence 还寻求扩大在水产养殖、数字政府和智慧农业领域的学术和机构交流，为 2027 年两国建交 65 周年做准备。

“这是一个就两国关系的下一阶段达成共识的机会：增加贸易，加大韩国对洪都拉斯基础设施和能源领域的投资，以及加强两国人民之间的交流，”她说。

米里亚姆·特蕾莎·莫日甘

米里亚姆·特蕾莎·莫日甘是斯洛文尼亚第二任驻韩国大使，此前她曾在斯洛文尼亚广播电视台从事新闻工作，并在华盛顿和巴黎担任过副大使。

在她首次被派往亚洲担任外交职务时，斯洛文尼亚在蔚山蔚州山地电影节上受到了热烈欢迎，这给她留下了深刻的印象，她也因此发现了两国之间的文化亲缘关系。

“那次经历让我明白了我们两国有很多共同之处，特别是对文化、传统和语言的深厚情谊，”她说。

她的工作重点着眼于未来——人工智能、生物制药和氢能。“作为斯洛文尼亚第二位驻韩国大使，我希望看到我们的政治关系发展成为战略伙伴关系，”她说。

她希望将斯洛文尼亚打造成为韩国企业进入欧盟市场的门户，尤其是在她个人非常渴望开拓的化妆品领域。她也期待着向更多韩国人介绍斯洛文尼亚的自然美景，从朱利安阿尔卑斯山脉到地中海沿岸。

埃斯彭·弗雷德里克·拉森

埃斯彭·弗雷德里克·拉森 (Espen Frederik Larsen) 来到首尔之前，曾在堪培拉和哥本哈根担任外交职务，并在挪威北约代表团担任公使衔参赞。

韩国兼具优雅与实用性的独特风格给他留下了深刻的印象，他期待着深入了解韩国丰富的历史文化。“韩国人非常注重美感和细节，但同时，他们的产品又非常高效实用。这种平衡真的让我印象深刻。”他说。

拉尔森希望在其任期内深化在关键领域的合作，包括海事产业、国防，尤其是挪威政府高度关注的人工智能领域。他还认为，两国有机会通过对话和尊重人权，在促进以规则为基础的国际秩序方面开展更紧密的合作。

他说：“我的愿景是在此坚实的基础上，在我们两国之间建立更加紧密的伙伴关系，通过我们人民之间的友谊、我们共同的价值观以及我们共同的努力来克服我们之间的地理距离，让世界变得更美好。”

吉尔吉斯斯坦新任大使梅利斯·马马达利耶夫于 2008 年首次被派驻韩国，先后担任一等秘书、参赞和临时代办，他认为重返首尔是他个人和职业生涯中一个意义重大的里程碑。

“我们的首要目标之一是促进将这些协议转化为具体的联合项目，”他说道，指的是吉尔吉斯斯坦总统萨德尔·扎帕罗夫9月访问韩国以及首届朝鲜-中亚峰会期间达成的承诺。

他希望扩大双边贸易和投资，强调韩国企业在吉尔吉斯斯坦的机遇。吉尔吉斯斯坦经济在 2026 年前九个月增长了 10.8%。

他补充说：“我们的重要目标之一是吸引更多投资进入吉尔吉斯斯坦经济，扩大商业联系，并落实最高级别达成的协议。”

他认为可再生能源，特别是水力发电领域、基础设施建设和关键矿产资源具有巨大的潜力。他还希望引进韩国技术，发展高附加值矿物加工产业，并通过《巴黎协定》下的碳市场机制加强在气候变化领域的合作。

除了经济联系之外，马马达利耶夫还希望加强教育和文化交流。目前约有 3000 名吉尔吉斯斯坦学生在韩国学习，六年内增长了五倍。

“我们认为这是一个重要的契机，可以回顾我们取得的成就，为双边对话注入新的动力，并确定未来合作的有前景的领域，”他展望2027年双边建交35周年时说道。

作为一名资深外交官，艾哈迈德·埃尔法尼安曾在海外担任过各种外交职务，并在伊朗外交部担任过高级职务，此前曾于 2017 年至 2020 年担任伊朗驻津巴布韦大使。

“虽然这是我第一次访问韩国，但我一直很钦佩韩国取得的显著进步、丰富的文化和勤劳的人民，”他说道，并表示热切希望在各个互信领域加强双边关系。

他强调了扩大双边合作的潜力，并对两国关系的未来表示乐观。他说：“我期待伊朗和韩国的友谊与合作拥有更加美好的未来。”

多纳塔斯·塔穆莱蒂斯与韩国有着特殊的渊源，他曾在韩国开发研究院公共政策与管理学院就读。对韩国人民、文化和美食的美好回忆促使他重返故土。他的两个女儿都是韩流粉丝，也对即将到来的韩国生活充满期待。

他拥有经济外交背景，旨在通过将立陶宛在专业技术领域的专长与韩国的工业能力相结合，加强双边关系。

他说：“韩国在大规模工业制造和全球商业化方面表现出色，而立陶宛则在高科技研究方面做出贡献，并作为通往欧洲单一市场的战略门户。”

他的优先事项包括扩大在激光和光子学、金融科技、生物技术及其他先进技术领域的合作，同时鼓励韩国对立陶宛的投资，因为立陶宛是通往欧洲单一市场的门户。他还认为，在电影、游戏和设计等创意产业，以及安全与国防、科学研究、教育和文化交流等领域，也存在加强合作的潜力。

为纪念与韩国建交 35 周年（10 月），立陶宛还寻求通过其即将于 2027 年担任欧盟理事会轮值主席国以及被指定为 2027-28 年北约联络点大使馆，加强欧盟和北约与韩国的合作。

“对于我们的双边关系，我的目标很简单：让立陶宛更多地参与韩国事务，也让韩国更多地参与立陶宛事务——建立更多的商业伙伴关系，促进更多的文化交流，加强我们两国人民之间的联系，”他说。

曾任土耳其驻伊拉克和苏丹大使的法提赫·耶尔迪兹将韩国描述为“一个有着深厚文化和历史渊源的兄弟国家”，这种渊源植根于共同的历史以及土耳其士兵在 1950-53 年朝鲜战争期间做出的牺牲。

韩国将丰富的传统与前瞻性的视野完美融合，这给他留下了深刻的印象。在抵达韩国之前，他已经学习了韩语，因此他渴望探索首尔以外的韩国各地，并与韩国民众直接交流，以更深入地了解韩国的文化和社会。

他的施政重点是将两国长期友谊转化为更牢固的战略伙伴关系，合作领域涵盖国防、能源、生物技术和先进技术。“我的首要任务是帮助推动两国领导人的共同愿景转化为具体成果，”他说道。

他进一步希望通过结合韩国的科技和工业实力与土耳其强大的制造业基础，并扩大在第三国的合作项目，来加强两国的经济联系。展望2027年两国建交70周年，耶尔德兹认为这是一个巩固两国历史纽带，并赋予其对未来世代更具战略意义的契机。

法图·盖伊·恩戈姆也递交了她作为塞内加尔新任驻韩国大使的国书。韩国大使馆暂未对此事向《韩国时报》发表评论。