December Mission: Friends of Korea Make Bold Progress at 2025 Korea Embassy Close-Out Gathering.
2025-12-16The Embassy of Korea in Nigeria hosted the Korea Friends for a close-out cocktail dinner to unify and celebrate various Korean-related partnerships, exchanges, and diplomatic efforts on 11th December, 2025.
The occasion attracted industry captains from the private sector, MDAs, and Korean entities, including I, hallyu creators, and KCC in Nigeria.
Addressing guests, the Charge d’Affaires, H.E. Namguk Tak, highlighted the growing importance of MIKTA, a multilateral forum comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Türkiye and Australia, which is currently chaired by the Republic of Korea. He pointed to a recent strategic meeting held on the margins of the G20 summit in South Africa as evidence of the bloc’s increasing relevance in global diplomacy.
“Throughout the year we have made progress, especially with MIKTA,” Mr Tak said. “As a forum, we are strengthening peace-building, multilateralism, and elevating the execution of the Sustainable Development Goals.” He also expressed gratitude to Nigerian partners for their cooperation in advancing innovation, cultural diplomacy and economic growth throughout 2025.
The evening also carried a personal note of recognition. As Korea.net’s honorary reporter in Nigeria, I received warm commendation alongside fellow contributors Stellamaris Okwuaka, Winifred Eziuloh, and Jennifer Ezeonyeasi in acknowledgement of our sustained efforts to promote Korean-Nigerian understanding. Mr Tak encouraged us to maintain the momentum and assured continued embassy support as a new ambassador prepares to take up post.
Beyond the ceremony, the gathering provided an opportunity for dialogue on development cooperation. The Director of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) in Nigeria, Mr Kim Eunsub, spoke with characteristic energy about ongoing initiatives that link Korean expertise with Nigerian priorities. KOICA’s partnerships span a national digital identity programme through the National Identification Number (NIN), quality education, youth development and climate change, working in collaboration with bodies such as NIPOST, the NIN office, the United Nations Development Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
A highlight of the evening was an interview with Uke Gabriel Tersoo, winner of the Republic of Korea Minister of Foreign Affairs Award at the inaugural KOREAZ Content Contest. Gabriel described drawing inspiration from everyday encounters with Korean food and films to craft a story that felt “real and relatable”.
“Korea can be far, but it can still feel close,” he said, recalling the disbelief when he learned he had won. “It felt like a big ‘keep going’ moment, and I just started smiling like a kid, knowing that people really saw my work, not just the editing, but the story and the heart behind it, which is a proof that even from Nigeria, your voice can reach far.”
As guests sampled Korean dishes such as bibimbap, japchae and kimchi, and exchanged photographs and conversations late into the evening, the atmosphere was one of quiet confidence. Looking ahead to 2026, the close-out gathering reinforced a sense that Korea-Nigeria relations are no longer confined to formal diplomacy alone, but are being shaped by people, culture and shared ambitions, laying a sustainable pathway towards deeper cooperation and mutual prosperity.
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