“Preach the word; be persistent in or out of season.”
The number of Koreans visiting Mongolia and Mongolians visiting Korea last year was 141,000 and 148,000, respectively, reaching the largest numbers in the history of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently reported that after the Mongolian government approved visa-free visits for tourism purposes for Koreans in June 2022, more than 140,000 Koreans visited Mongolia last year, more than doubling from the previous year and hitting a record high, resulting in active people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
To this, Yoon Ju-seok, Director of the Consular Security Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and held the 11th Korea-Mongolia Consular Council on the 9th. The two countries discussed consular matters at the meeting, including ▲ the entry, departure, and staying of Mongolian nationals in Korea▲ the protection of Korean nationals in Mongolia ▲ visa cases for Mongolian citizens visiting Korea.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude to Mongolia for their active cooperation when incidents and accidents involving Korean nationals occur in Mongolia and asked the Mongolian government to cooperate for the safe stay of Koreans visiting Mongolia, which has continued to increase since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response, Mongolia also requested simplification of visa issuance procedures for Mongolian nationals visiting Korea, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs discussed close cooperation by explaining the Korean government’s efforts to improve the system, including expanding the scope of multiple entry visa issuance.
Meanwhile, following the consular council, Director Yoon Joo-seok met separately with Gombojav Ariunbuyan, head of the Mongolian Disaster and Disaster Management Agency, on the 10th and expressed gratitude for the prompt response to the Bogd Mountain disaster, located south of Ulaanbaatar last year, and addressed the incident of Korean nationals in Mongolia. He requested continued attention and support for the safety of Korean citizens in the event of an accident.
In addition, regarding the recent increase in visits by Korean citizens to Mongolia, they evaluated the correspondence and cooperation between the Mongolian and Korean governments, and discussed continuous cooperative relationships in the event of disasters, search, and rescue, etc.
Because of the Mongolian government’s revised visa system in 2018, Korean missionaries had to leave the country when they failed to obtain a further extension of visa, or some had to change their visa to a travel visa. (Source: Gospel Prayer Newspaper)
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. (2 Timothy 4:1-2)
God, we thank You and pray for the news that the recent active human exchanges with Korea reached an all-time high in Mongolia, where the revised visa system put difficulty in the ministry of missionaries. May the cooperative relationship between the two countries continue and improve through the grace of the Lord, so that the door of the gospel will be wide open in Mongolia, where there were many obstacles to missionary work, and the gospel of Jesus Christ will spread throughout the land of Mongolia. Above all, at this opportune time, let the day of the completion of the mission for the coming of the Lord be swift through obedience to Your command to spread the Word in and out of season.
Prayer 24·365
prayer@prayer24365.org
