The Polish ambassador here received an honorary academic degree from Keimyung University in an official ceremony in Daegu on April 17.

Polish Ambassador to South Korea Krzysztof Majka received the degree, a doctorate in law, from the university for his “numerous significant contributions, promoting economic, political, artistic and cultural exchange between Korea and Poland,” according to a statement from the Polish Embassy.

The envoy was actively involved in the summit meeting between President Park Geun-hye and Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski that took place when the Polish head of state visited Seoul last October, and Majka was also active in resolving legal issues related to revising both nations’ import-export policies and laws. Komorowski was the first European leader to visit Seoul after Park took office.

Poland and South Korea have upgraded bilateral ties from a so-called “future-oriented partnership” to a “strategic partnership.” The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1989.

Majka was his country’s ambassador to India from 2001 to 2008. He then served as the deputy director of the department of Asia and the Pacific at his country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Warsaw. He has been Poland’s top diplomat here since May 2011.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)