The Dean of the Corps of Honorary Consuls in Korea, Cho Hae-hyeong, met with the Icelandic president on a trip to Nordic countries last month.

He traveled to Norway, Greenland and Iceland as part of a Korean delegation to the region in June.

Cho, who has served as the consul general of Iceland to Korea since 1978, met with President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson. The 69-year-old was reelected for his fifth term as president on Saturday.

The chairman and CEO of Nara Holdings Corp. said that the trip supported by the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade aimed to observe what is happening in the region which is rapidly changing due to climate change. 

“We made this trip because we were interested in the effects of weather change and how fast it is happening in the North Pole Zone,” he said.

Korea is seeking permanent observer status on the Arctic Council, a multinational forum on energy, shipping, exploration and other crucial issues in the North Pole region.

Also joining Cho on the trip were the honorary consuls to Korea for Haiti and Guatemala.

There are about 120 members in the Corps of Honorary Consuls in Korea including consuls, vice consuls and honorary consuls general, representing 105 nations here.

Many honorary consuls act on behalf of countries without diplomatic missions in Korea, such as Iceland. Other countries with embassies here appoint honorary consuls to help with diplomatic matters in locations outside of Seoul, such as in Incheon and Busan.

The consuls are not involved in governmental matters, but help on other bilateral issues such as business, culture and education.

Consuls appointed by the Korean government overseas will come to Korea for a meeting with their counterparts here on July 11. And the Corps is hosting its 13th Annual Friendship Golf Tournament with ambassadors on June 28 at Adonis Country Club.

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@heraldcorp.com)