Azerbaijan marks Victory Day in Seoul

The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Seoul on Nov. 6 commemorated Victory Day, marking the recapture of Shusha in 2020 and Azerbaijan’s victory in the Second Karabakh War.

Speaking at the ceremony, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Korea Ramin Hasanov said the 2020 outcome ended decades of contested control over Azerbaijani territories and helped create “conditions for regional peace.”

The ambassador also discussed ongoing peace efforts, noting progress following President Ilham Aliyev’s 2023 visit to Washington, while acknowledging ongoing challenges, including humanitarian demining, accounting for missing persons and restoring the rights of the Western Azerbaijani community.

In a press release shared with The Korea Herald, the Azerbaijani Embassy said more than 50,000 former internally displaced persons have returned to their homes under the “Great Return Program,” which supports reconstruction in territories affected by the conflict.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, spanning nearly four decades, has been one of the most enduring and complex disputes in the South Caucasus. Azerbaijan views the conflict as a matter of territorial integrity, while Armenia emphasizes the self-determination of the region’s population. Victory Day is officially commemorated on Nov. 8.

Efforts toward a lasting peace have advanced this year. In March 2025, both governments signaled their willingness to resolve the dispute, culminating in an August 8 peace agreement signed by President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Nikol Pashinyan at the White House.

The two leaders jointly nominated US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the mediation.

The Victory Day celebration in Seoul featured video presentations, a concert by Korean musicians and a banquet, blending cultural and artistic performances to honor the occasion.