Hungary-South Korea relations
Encyclopedia
Hungary–South Korea relations date back to the exchange of permanent missions between the two countries, announced during the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
. The announcement made Hungary
the first Eastern Bloc
country to exchange ambassadors with South Korea
. At the time, a large number of officials from various Communist countries were in Seoul, having ignored North Korea
's call for a boycott of the Olympics; along with Hungary, they also made various formal and informal contacts with the South Korean government.
Trade with Hungary was already valued at US$18
million at the time; expansion of economic contacts was widely viewed as Hungary's motive in the establishment of relations. Full diplomatic relations were formally established on 29 January of the following year. At the time, Kim Pyong-il
, the son of Kim Il-sung
and half-brother of future North Korean leader Kim Jong-il
, had just arrived in Budapest
as ambassador; in response to Hungary's moves towards ties with the South, the North transferred him to Bulgaria
. Bulgaria soon followed Hungary's example and moved to open relations with the South.
In 2006, a North Korean diplomat in Hungary and his family members defected to South Korea
by entering the South Korean embassy there and requesting political asylum. By 2007, bilateral trade had grown by nearly ninety times to $1.6 billion; major South Korean investors in Hungary included Samsung
and Hankook Tire
. The Hungarian ambassador to South Korea, Miklos Lengyel, who began his service in October 2007, had previously worked in his government's mission in Pyongyang
in the 1980s.
Hungary has an embassy in Seoul
and an honorary consulate in Incheon
. South Korea has an embassy in Budapest
.
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. The announcement made Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
the first Eastern Bloc
Eastern bloc
The term Eastern Bloc or Communist Bloc refers to the former communist states of Eastern and Central Europe, generally the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact...
country to exchange ambassadors with South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. At the time, a large number of officials from various Communist countries were in Seoul, having ignored North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
's call for a boycott of the Olympics; along with Hungary, they also made various formal and informal contacts with the South Korean government.
Trade with Hungary was already valued at US$18
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
million at the time; expansion of economic contacts was widely viewed as Hungary's motive in the establishment of relations. Full diplomatic relations were formally established on 29 January of the following year. At the time, Kim Pyong-il
Kim Pyong-il
Kim Pyong-il is the half-brother of the current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, and the son of former leader Kim Il-sung.-Family background and early life:Kim was born to Kim Il-sung and Kim Song-ae, Kim Il-sung's former secretary...
, the son of Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung
Kim Il-sung was a Korean communist politician who led the Democratic People's Republic of Korea from its founding in 1948 until his death in 1994. He held the posts of Prime Minister from 1948 to 1972 and President from 1972 to his death...
and half-brother of future North Korean leader Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il
Kim Jong-il, also written as Kim Jong Il, birth name Yuri Irsenovich Kim born 16 February 1941 or 16 February 1942 , is the Supreme Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea...
, had just arrived in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
as ambassador; in response to Hungary's moves towards ties with the South, the North transferred him to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Bulgaria soon followed Hungary's example and moved to open relations with the South.
In 2006, a North Korean diplomat in Hungary and his family members defected to South Korea
North Korean defectors
A number of individuals have defected from North Korea. Since the division of Korea after World War II and the end of the Korean War , many people have defected from North Korea, mainly for political, ideological, religious and economic reasons...
by entering the South Korean embassy there and requesting political asylum. By 2007, bilateral trade had grown by nearly ninety times to $1.6 billion; major South Korean investors in Hungary included Samsung
Samsung
The Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea...
and Hankook Tire
Hankook Tire
The Hankook Tire group, based in Seoul, South Korea is the seventh largest tire company in the world. Established in 1941 as the Chosun Tire Company, it was renamed Hankook Tire Manufacturing in 1968....
. The Hungarian ambassador to South Korea, Miklos Lengyel, who began his service in October 2007, had previously worked in his government's mission in Pyongyang
Pyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
in the 1980s.
Hungary has an embassy in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
and an honorary consulate in Incheon
Incheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
. South Korea has an embassy in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
.