Deputy Speaker Hawrami and Korea’s Consul General discuss recent visit to Korea National Assembly and events in Rojava

Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Hemin Hawrami on 21 October met with Korea’s Consul General in Kurdistan Region, Mr. Choi Kwang-jin. They discussed a Kurdistan Parliament delegation’s recent visit to the Korean National Assembly in Seoul, the military operations in Rojava, Western Kurdistan, and the grave concern for the civilians and refugees.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami said that the Kurdistan Parliament’s recent visit to the Korean National Assembly (KNA) in Seoul was very useful to garner new ideas and understand the working practices from Korea’s parliament, and to strengthen ties with Korean MPs. Mr. Hawrami also thanked the Speaker of the KNA Moon Hee-sang, for meeting the delegation. He hopes that Kurdistan Parliament can visit the KNA regularly to benefit more from their experience and consolidate their relations.

The Kurdistan Parliament delegation to Korea comprised Deputy Speaker Hawrami, head of the KDP parliamentary block Omed Khoshnaw, and head of the PUK block Jamal Haruty.

Consul General Choi thanked the Presidency of the Kurdistan Parliament for issuing a congratulatory statement this month conveying best wishes on the 15th anniversary of the dispatch of Korea’s Zaytun Division forces to Kurdistan, who were here for four years, on the 15th anniversary of Kurdistan Region-Korea bilateral relations, as well as the 30th anniversary of Iraq-Korea diplomatic relations. 

Deputy Speaker Hawrami said that the Kurdistan Parliament on 15 October overwhelmingly voted in favour of 12 recommendations on the current situation in Rojava, Western Kurdistan (northeastern Syria). MPs called for an immediate halt to the military operations and for conflicts to be resolved through dialogue and peaceful means. Deputy Speaker Hawrami said that the Kurdistan Parliament is extremely alarmed by the harm to civilians, their displacement and the threat of demographic change in Rojava.

The Kurdistan Regional Government is making preparations to provide shelter and relief to the refugees, and Parliament has called on the Iraqi government and the international community to shoulder their responsibility of financially supporting Kurdistan’s humanitarian relief efforts.