"Irap-Korea Exchange shall be enhanced."

The official residence of Mr. Mustafa M. Taufik, the Iraqi ambassador to Korea, is decorated with many Korean antiques, clearly showing his love for Korea. His lovely wife joined the interview.

Mr. Taufid said that he was full of hope and happiness when he was dispatched to Korea three year ago. He had been well aware of Korea even since the 1980s when he had active exchanges with Korean firms and Koreans during the construction boom in the Middle East.


According to him, the mutual exchange between Korea and Iraq is brisk in diverse areas including hospitals, pharmacies, national defense, and IT because this many Iraqis have become familiar with Korean firms and products since the 1980s.
"When the Iraqi President, Jalal Talabani, visited Korea in Febuary, I felt proud of the discussions between he and his Korean counterpart, President Lee Myung-bak, on the reconstruction of Iraq," said the ambassador. "In particular, all Iraqi people are greatly thankful for the volunteer work in many sectors such as construction, medicine, and education performed by Korean soldiers sent to Iraq after the Iraq war," he added.

All Iraqi Workers go to the Embassy to Learn Korean daily at 16:00
Exchange since the 1980s with Korean firms and people.

"In 2007, when some Koreans were kidnapped in Afghanistan, many Arabian women wearing hijab went through difficulties in the streets of Seoul. said the ambassador' s wife next to him. " I hope all Koreans can distinguish the different countries in the Middle East. Many Koreans cannot distinguish Arabian countries. But the identity and existence of Arabian countries are totally respective, especially those of Iran and Iraq." she said.

"Though only a few Iraqis are living in Korea, whenever I see the children of Iraq-Korean parents looking happy wearing the Muslim hijab, I hope that the mutual exchange between the who countries will enhance," said the ambassador.

"Last year, when President Talabani visit Korea, he saw all Iraqis, including the ambassador working at the Embassy, learning Korean from a Korean teacher who works as a driver for the embassy, daily at 16:00. Since then, our president has ordered all Iraqi ambassadors to diverse countries a across the world to learn the native language of the countries concerned. And thanks to the presidential order, I became a star, getting lots of e-mail messages and phone calls, complaining, 'Because of you, now I have to learn foreign languages even under this tight schedule,' he said and laughed.

Interview with the president of PPCWC & ICFW / Mr. Kwang yul Shin