President of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbeyli met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Korea to Azerbaijan, Kang Kymgu.
Speaking at the meeting held at the Presidium of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbeyli said that South Korea is a reliable partner country for Azerbaijan and that relations have continued to expand in all areas, including science and education, over the past 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. He noted that our country attaches special importance to relations with Asian peoples and states, and South Korea also has an important place among these states.
Providing information about Azerbaijan-South Korea scientific relations, Academician Isa Habibbeyli said that during the past period, international symposiums were held twice jointly organized by the Nizami Ganjavi Institute of Literature of ANAS and the Institute of Eurasian Turkic Studies of Dongduk Women's University of Korea. Professor Eunkyung Oh, head of the Korean Institute of Eurasian Turkic Studies, has made special contributions to the development of scientific relations between our countries.
Academician Isa Habibbeyli, who said that Azerbaijani archaeologists and specialists from South Korea were also participating in the international scientific conference on "Urbanization Processes in the Caucasus and Surroundings in Antiquity" held at ANAS these days, said that archaeological research is currently being conducted in Gabala as a result of the joint activities of archaeologists from both countries and that he will visit that area soon.
Academician Isa Habibbeyli said that there are relations between the scientific institutions of Azerbaijan and South Korea in literature, history, archeology, philosophy and other areas, and that the signing of a cooperation agreement between the academies of both countries will be useful in expanding joint research.
Stating that he is also closely interested in South Korean literature, the head of ANAS noted that he was influenced by the work of South Korean writer Han Kang, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2024, "Vegetarian" and wrote an article about the novel entitled "The Heavy Burden of Understanding" and published it in "Literature Newspaper" in Azerbaijan and "Literature Newspaper", which is famous in the field of literature in the world.
The head of ANAS also shared a number of his memories of South Korea and expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation with the scientific institutions of this country.
In turn, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of South Korea to Azerbaijan Kang Kymgu expressed his gratitude for the sincere hospitality and said that he was impressed by the love of academician Isa Habibbayli for South Korean culture.
Saying that he first visited our country in 2006, Ambassador Kang Kymgu emphasized that he knows Azerbaijan well and that it is important to expand the relations between our peoples along with the development of relations between our states. Stating that he will get acquainted with the archaeological research conducted in Gabala on site, the ambassador said that the joint expedition has given impetus to the strengthening of our relations in the humanitarian field, and on this occasion expressed his gratitude to academician Isa Habibbayli and the chairwoman of the SEBA (Seoul-Baku) Azerbaijan-Korea Cultural Exchange Association Ruhangiz Heydarova.
The ambassador emphasized that he will provide the necessary support in establishing relations between ANAS and the Academy of the Republic of South Korea. He also said that he had read Han Kang's "Vegetarian" and was glad that such a novel had been translated into Azerbaijani. He said that Azerbaijan has an ancient history and culture, world-famous poets and writers, and that one day Azerbaijanis will also win the Nobel Prize.
After the speeches, mutual gifts were presented, the ambassador got acquainted with the building of the Presidium of ANAS and commemorative photos were taken.
