Offered by the President of the Republic of Poland
Ambassador and Mrs. Krzysztof Majka of Poland in Seoul hosted a decoration ceremony and luncheon at their residence in Seongbuk-dong, Seoul on Feb. 19, 2014 on the occasion of conferring the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland to President Park Chul of the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). The decoration was offered by President Bronislaw Komorowski of the Republic of Poland.
The decoration ceremony was attended by many civic figures from Korean society as well as from the faculty of HUFS. Among the guests from the Seoul Diplomatic Corps were Ambassador Manuel Lopez Trigo of Costa Rica and Lady Ambassador Grecia Fiodalicia Pichardo of Dominican Republic, and from the Korean society came many close friends of Ambassador Majka, who included President Park Jin of the Asia Future Institute, former KOIMA Chairman Kwon Soon-han, Publisher-Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post and Managing Director Kim Do-hyun of Samsung Electronics.
Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Majka said, “This is the day when snow melts and becomes rain which is the sign of forthcoming spring. The Knight’s Cross is a civilian, high decoration which is awarded by a decision of the President of the Republic of Poland to Poles living abroad and to the citizens of other countries for their distinguished contribution to cooperation between Poland and their countries.” (See excerpts from the speech towards the end of this Article.)
In response to Ambassador Majka’s speech, President Park Chul of HUFS said, “I believe that the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit is not just awarded to me personally, but to my university, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, for its contribution to Polish education for twenty seven years. The Polish Department was established in 1987 at HUFS as first of its kind in Korea and has been focusing on nurturing human resources with a deep understanding on Poland as well as refined language skills for about 30 years.” (See excerpts from the speech at the end of this Article.)
The medal presentation ceremony was followed by a buffet luncheon hosted by Ambassador and Mrs. Majka of Poland. Among the fine spread of Korean and international foods were Korean Kimchi and Polish Kimchi Jjigae (named in Polish Bigos). Ambassador and Mrs. Majka are known as great lover of Korean Kimchi whereas Mrs. Majka once told Chairman Lee Kyung-sik of The Korea Post, “We cannot eat our meal without Kimchi!” Kimchi Jjigae is a typical Korean Kimchi stew with vegetables and meat and sometimes pork.
On the Polish Kimchi Jjigae, there is an introduction by Mrs. Majka:
“Bigos is a traditional Polish national dish known since XVI century. Typical ingredients of this meat stew include white cabbage, sauerkraut (kapusta kiszona), various cuts of meat, mushroom and onion. The combination of these ingredients cooked together make for a clean and sour taste. The meats may include pork (often smoked), bacon, beef, veal, and sausage. It may be seasoned with pepper, caraway, allspice, bay leaf, marjoram, dried or smoked plums and other ingredients. There is no single, specific recipe for a bigos, as recipes vary considerably from region to region and from family to family.”
Perhaps, out of consideration for the non-Korean guests, there was no too much red pepper powder used whereas Bigos was not very hot, as hot as Korean Kimchi Jjigae.
Excerpts from the speech of Ambassador Majka:
It is my great pleasure and honor, on behalf of the President of Republic of Poland HE Bronisław Komorowski, to confer the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland to Professor Park Chul. I am very happy that I can fulfill my honorable task of decorating Mister President in front of such a distinguished guests on this special day - ‘Usu’.
This is the day when snow melts and becomes rain which is the sign of forthcoming spring. The Knight’s Cross is a civilian, high decoration which is awarded by a decision of the President of the Republic of Poland to Poles living abroad and to the citizens of other countries for their distinguished contribution to cooperation between Poland and their countries.
Professor Park Chul is the President of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the only Korean university with the Department of Polish Studies. It was established in 1987 which makes it the oldest Department of Polish Studies in the whole Asia. Since 2006 as the president of HUFS, Professor Park Chul actively supported various initiatives promoting Polish culture and language in South Korea.
During 8 years as the president, Hankuk University has been supporting various initiatives related to promoting Poland in Korea and in Asia, such as organizing and taking part in “Meetings of Polish Studies Department of three countries: China-Korea-Japan” and supporting activities of the only Polish traditional students dance group “Mazurka”. Another important area, in which the university promotes Polish culture, is publishing books related to Poland. Hankuk University Publishing House has released the first and only Polish-Korean Dictionary and Polish national epic Pan Tadeusz, among others.
There is also a permanent regular student exchange program between Hankuk University and a Polish university within its frames, every year, many students from Poland have a chance to study the Korean language at HUFS and, at the same time, Korean students can go to study Polish in Poland.
Moreover, in October last year the President of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Komorowski paid state visit to the Republic of Korea. Our President, thanks to Professor Park Chul, had an opportunity to give a lecture at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and to meet with professors and students. To commemorate his visit one of the halls of Hankuk University will be named after President Komorowski this year in June.
The biggest result of President Komorowski’s visit is that Poland and South Korea adopted a declaration on strategic partnership which is the next step in Polish-Korean relations after 1989 when diplomatic relations were established between our two countries. This year we celebrate 25th anniversary of this event and I think today's conferring the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland to Mister President Park Chul is a great beginning of the celebrations of the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Poland and Korea.
Following the decision of the President of Poland, HE Bronisław Komorowski I have an honor to confer the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland to Mister President Park Chul in a gesture of acknowledgement of his outstanding contributions to developing closer ties between Poland and Korea. I have also a pleasure of conveying my own congratulations and I wish him all round success in all their future endeavors.
Excerpts from the speech of President Park Chul of HUFS:
It is the greatest honor for me to receive the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit, the most honorable medal awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland. As I know this represents the highest distinction recognized by the President of Poland, I feel more honored and humbled.
I believe that the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit is not just awarded to me personally, but to my university, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, for its contribution to Polish education for twenty seven years. The Polish Department was established in 1987 at HUFS as first of its kind in Korea and has been focusing on nurturing human resources with a deep understanding on Poland as well as refined language skills for about 30 years.
In the name of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and in my personal name, I deem it a great honor today to be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. I know that I have been designated as beneficiary of the Order on behalf of our University which established the only Polish Department in Korea. During the past 27 years, the University and the Department have contributed to the promotion of the Polish literature in Korea and the cultural exchanges between our two countries.
I am sure that the Department will become an ever greater window to Poland from now on in the growing relations of friendship and common prosperity between our two countries. We will open our doors wider to the scholars and students of your country and we expect you to do the same for us.
Appreciating again the significance of the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit that I had the honor of being decorated today, I would like to wish for the sparking development of the Polish Department of our University and the everlasting relationship of prosperity between our two countries. and I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all the guests who have come to be with us today at this honorable occasion, and I hope you all do your best for the promotion of the friendship between Korea and Poland, and the development of the Polish language and literature.
