Azerbaijani scholar made honorary citizen of Seoul

BAKU, Azerbaijan (MNTV) — Leyla Masimli, an Azerbaijani Ph.D. student who has spent years studying and working in South Korea, has been named an honorary citizen of Seoul for her contributions to cultural and academic cooperation between the two countries, AZTV reported.

Masimli is among 17 recipients of the 2025 title, awarded to foreign nationals who have made notable contributions to Seoul’s development and quality of life. Since its inception in 1958, the designation has been granted to 968 people from 100 countries.

After completing both her master’s and doctoral studies in South Korea, Masimli has remained active in academic life.

She previously worked as a researcher at the Institute of Eurasian–Turkic Studies, helped organize Korean–Azerbaijani scientific seminars and conferences, contributed to an encyclopedia of Turkic peoples, and published research on Azerbaijan’s multicultural traditions. She currently teaches Azerbaijani multiculturalism at Inha University.

Masimli has also introduced Azerbaijani culture to younger audiences through lectures in Seoul’s schools and kindergartens.

With support from the Azerbaijani Diaspora Support Fund, she co-translated seven Azerbaijani folk tales into Korean last year with writer Yu Su-jin. In 2025, the pair translated six chapters of the epic Kitabi-Dede Gorgud, presented in November.

She is now working on translating 20 Korean folk stories into Azerbaijani, a collection set for publication in 2026.

Masimli continues to collaborate with the State Committee for Work with Diaspora on Azerbaijan Days, cultural festivals, academic lectures, and other initiatives promoting Azerbaijani heritage in South Korea.