KRI president welcomes new Korean envoy to Kurdistan Region  

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday received the newly inaugurated South Korean Consul General Cho Kijoung in Erbil, according to a presidency statement.

Barzani extended his appreciation to the Korean diplomat for his country’s humanitarian support for Iraq’s Kurdish region through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and Zeitun Military Team, a statement from the Kurdish presidency read.

The envoy described Seoul-Erbil ties as “special”, expressing his desire to enhance the diplomatic relations, according to the statement. They also spoke about developing cultural, educational as well as business ties.

Extending his congratulations on his appointment, Barzani expressed his full support for the success of his diplomatic mission.

Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Thursday similarly met with the diplomat in Erbil.

Read More: PM Masrour Barzani welcomes new Republic of Korea Consul General

Funded by South Korea, a new primary school named Coexistence was inaugurated in early August inside Erbil’s Qushtapa Camp, hosting Syrian refugees.

Read More: South Korean-funded primary school inaugurated in Erbil 

The Korean diplomatic mission wrote in a statement during the same time that it would continue its support for the Kurdistan Region under the banner "Ema Dosti Ewayin" (We are your friends).

The Asian country funded the building of a significant number of schools across the Region, and South Korean doctors ran a hospital where they treated Kurdish patients free of charge. Seoul also gifted the Region’s educational authorities with school buses and opened libraries following the 2003 Iraq occupation that toppled Saddam Hussein.