| Kazakhstani cyclist Damir Kusheyev, who is making a bike trip from Busan to Seoul on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Korea, is seen in this file photo. Courtesy of Embassy of Kazakhstan to Korea |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Kazakhstani Damir Kusheyev embarked on a bicycle trip across Korea, from Busan to Seoul, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan.
Kusheyev began his trip at Haeundae Beach in the southern port city of Busan on Saturday and plans to arrive in Seoul by Jan. 16. Kusheyev will cycle for 793.8 kilometers over nine days, passing through Samnangjin, Daegu, Mungyeong, Jeungpyeong, Daejeon and Jincheon before arriving in Seoul.
"This is my first visit to Korea. I wish to introduce beautiful sites of Korea to Kazakh people while I ride bicycle throughout the country. I am also excited to contribute to the amicable relations between Kazakhstan and Korea on the 30th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations," Kusheyev was quoted as saying by the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Korea.
During his trip, Kusheyev will make some special stops to promote ties between the two countries.
In Daejeon, he will pay tribute to Hong Beom-do, a Korean independence fighter whose remains were returned from Kazakhstan to Korea last year, at the Daejeon National Cemetery. He will also meet with Korean students learning Kazakh language at the Yongin Campus of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
He will wrap up his tour at Seoul Cyber University in Gangbuk District, Seoul, where the bust of Kazakh poet Abai Qunanbaiuly is installed. The statue was unveiled during Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's visit to Seoul in August 2021.
Kusheyev, a former cyclist, is known for his bike trips, including a 36-day trip across Kazakhstan last year on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the country's independence.