The Azerbaijani Embassy in Seoul marked the 33rd anniversary of the Khojaly massacre, hosting a symposium on Wednesday.
Remembering the victims, the embassy reiterated that massacre was carried out by Armenian forces, killing 613 Azerbaijani civilians, including 106 women and 63 children, in the tragic event of 1992. Azerbaijan views the attack as a deliberate act of genocide, referencing the 1948 UN Convention on Genocide.
The massacre occurred during the 1990s Azerbaijan-Armenia war, with Armenia disputing the death toll and blaming Azeri soldiers and poor civilian evacuation.
"Commemorating the innocent victims of this genocide is a moral duty," stressed Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramin Hasanov in his remarks at the symposium.
"Unfortunately, we had to wait more than 30 years for justice to prevail for the tragedies and crimes committed against our people," he said.
Meanwhile, the ambassador urged Korea to step up cooperation with Korean expertise in the Garabagh and East Zangezur regions of Azerbaijan, which have been declared “green zones.”
"Infrastructure and all activities over there will be exclusively facilitated only with green energy. Numerous smart villages, smart cities, wind energy parks, and solar energy systems are currently under construction," stressed the ambassador.
Azerbaijan declared 2024 as the Year of Solidarity for a Green World and hosted COP29, attended by 80 heads of state and government, affirming its strong commitment to global climate action.
"These developments have created momentum for Azerbaijan and Korea to combine their willingness and strengths towards close cooperation in the said fields, both in a bilateral format and within multilateral institutions," he said.
"Amid the ongoing geopolitical challenges and conflicts in the world, Azerbaijan and Korea, as loyal supporters of international law and advocates for international commitments, could closely cooperate and coordinate their endeavors in terms of regional and global affairs."
"Korea, in its capacity as a nonpermanent member of the UN Security Council, which will last till the end of this year, can count on my country’s cooperation in its efforts to this end," he added.
The event was attended by over 100 guests, including members of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, Azerbaijani community members in Korea, and media representatives.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
