On March 13, the KDI School welcomed the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic, Angie Shakira Martinez, along with Minister-Counselor Nelson Ramon Ortega, for an official visit that highlighted the growing relationship between South Korea and the Caribbean nation. The visit included a campus tour, a meeting with Dean Kim Joon-Kyung, and a warm reunion with Dominican students currently enrolled at KDI School. 

At the heart of the visit was a formal meeting between Ambassador Martinez and Dean Kim Joon-Kyung, where both sides explored ways to strengthen the school’s relationship with the Dominican Republic. Discussions centered on fostering academic exchanges, encouraging future collaboration, and deepening institutional cooperation between KDI School and Dominican public institutions. 

As a leading institution specializing in public policy, development, and management, KDI School has welcomed students from around the world, including many from Latin America and the Caribbean, as part of its mission to train future leaders from developing and emerging economies. The Dominican students currently enrolled at the school also serve as representatives of their country's commitment to building human capital through international education. 

The visit underscored KDI School’s commitment to fostering global partnerships and creating bridges between nations through education. Through exchanges with governments, embassies, and international organizations, the school continues to expand opportunities for cooperation while strengthening its role as a hub for future policymakers. 

Ambassador Martinez was warmly welcomed by Dominican students, who personally guided her around the campus. During the tour, students shared their academic experiences, research interests, and daily life in Korea. Conversations also focused on how they hope to use the knowledge and skills gained at KDI School to contribute to the future development of the Dominican Republic upon returning home. 

The tour offered the ambassador an opportunity to see firsthand the environment in which Dominican students are pursuing graduate studies in public policy and management. It also created a meaningful moment of connection, allowing students to engage directly with a representative of their homeland while proudly showcasing the international academic community they now call home. 

“It was a very meaningful experience to be welcomed by our students here”, Ambassador Angie Shakira Martinez said during the visit. 

For many students, the occasion was both inspiring and encouraging. Studying overseas often comes with challenges, and moments such as this serve as a reminder of the support and pride carried from home. The students were also able to reflect on how their education may contribute to the future progress of the Dominican Republic in areas such as governance, economic development, and public administration. 

Lolibel Hernandez (MDP 2026) said, “The visit was a proud and emotional moment”, adding that “it was encouraging to see our home country represented on campus”.

The tour also included students from other Latin American countries, creating opportunities for new friendships and dialogue for future regional events alongside the Latin America and the Caribbean Forum. Their participation reflected the close-knit international community at KDI School and the value of cross-cultural exchange among students from diverse backgrounds. 

“It made me feel proud to show the ambassador everything we are building here as students,” said Esmeralda Taveraz (MPP 2025). “Even though we are far from home, we are carrying our country with us every day.” 

Currently at KDIS there are three Dominican students enrolled in the MDP and MPP programs. 

Last year for the December graduation, two Dominican students graduated from KDI School, Eduardo Del Castillo Ho (MPP 2024), one of them, Patria Reyes (MPP 2024),  being on the Dean’s List. 

Beyond the formal meetings, the ambassador’s presence on campus symbolized the importance of international friendship and educational diplomacy. It also reflected the steadily growing connections between South Korea and the Dominican Republic in areas such as development cooperation, policy exchange, trade, and human capital development. 

Such visits demonstrate how education can serve as a bridge between nations. By bringing together students, academic leaders, and diplomatic representatives, universities create spaces where lasting partnership and future collaboration can begin. 

The visit served as a positive signal for the continued growth of KDI School’s global network. Both the school and the Dominican Embassy expressed interest in continued collaboration, with the shared goal of supporting more Dominican professionals accessing world-class education in public policy and management. 

More than a diplomatic occasion, the visit was a celebration of shared aspirations for collaboration, learning, and progress. It also stood as a reminder that meaningful international partnerships are often built not only through official meetings, but through the connections formed between students, institutions, and nations.