ERBIL, Kurdistan Region -“Kurdistan lenaw dilma [Kurdistan is in my heart]” was the final parting message of outgoing South Korean Consul General Seungcheol Lim as he concluded his diplomatic mission in Erbil.
“Kurdistan stays in my mind forever,” Lim told Rudaw’s Vazhin Murad in an interview aired May 18.
Lim developed a close bond with Kurdish society and culture during his tenure, praising the population's core traits. He said Kurds possess “resilience, hospitality, harmonizing diversity and smartness” - characteristics he labeled as the “key four factors of the Kurdistan people.”
“If I have another chance, definitely someday, I want to return to Kurdistan, and to see all the colleagues and to see the development of the Kurdistan society and economy, politics, and education and the government capability,” Lim said.
Beyond his diplomatic duties, Lim plays the guitar and sings in Kurdish. His favorite piece is "Baran Barana," a classic Kurdish song by the influential singer Mohammed Mamle. The diplomat notably performed the song in front of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani.
Transcription of full interview:
Seungcheol Lim: I started my foreign service in Libya. Arabic country. And from that time, I was acquainted with Middle East culture. Uh, there was some Korean lady who married the Libyan gentleman. And the lady visited the consulate at the embassy. I was consul at that time. And I wanted to identify whether she's Korean or not. So I ask the lady, please show me your face. I said that. But at that time, she hid her face with the Burka. You know Burka? Uh, so I just have a pure mind. As a consul, I wanted to see her face to verify if she's Korean or not. She speaks Korean. But when I said, please show your face, her husband was shocked. I decided to study more about Middle Eastern culture. So now nearly 20 years have passed since I started to become familiar with Middle Eastern countries.
These people have good characteristics. Yeah, I found a lot of things. I cannot say all things here, but the main characteristics are like this: resilience, hospitality, and harmonizing diversity and smartness. These are the key four factors of the Kurdistan people.
Today, like Thursday afternoon, I came here with my colleagues for exercise. But this exercise is not so tough, not so hard. Just walking around.
Rudaw: Where did the idea come from about the song that you played, Baran Baran and Kurdish?
Seungcheol Lim: I play Barana Barana. In front of Kak Nechirvan and many honorable ministers and leaders of the society. I record my place, my working place. And my residence. And I post on my Facebook with the title, My home. But 9 hours later, my wife sent me a message. Please, my husband, can you change that title? Your home is here. Why did you say home here? So I realized, ah, I feel home here, but also I have another family. If I have another chance, definitely someday, I want to return to Kurdistan, and to see all the colleagues and to see the development of the Kurdistan society and economy, politics, and education and the government capability.
I have two boys.
Rudaw: Two boys? Are they waiting for you? Are they passionate?
Seungcheol Lim: Uh, they are waiting for me, but they are busy with their own work. Oh, own uh, business. They both are students. Uh, my first son is already more than 20 years old. The second one is also more than 20 years old. Yeah. Uh, they are all boys. They are not married. So I wanted to recommend Kurdish ladies, but, okay.
The last message to the Kurdistan people is like this. Kurdistan, Lenaw dilma. Kurdistan stays in my mind forever. That's my last message.