President Maithripala Sirisena was conferred ‘Honorary Citizenship’ of the Seoul Metropolis, according to a statement from the President’s Media Unit (PMU), and as such is officially a ‘Dual Citizen‘.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government usually awards honorary citizenship to non-Koreans who have demonstrated their love and dedication to the city of Seoul each year.
Sirisena, like the other 600 other honorary citizens now has the opportunity to participate in events hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and has free admission to the Seoul Museum of Art , the Seoul Museum of History, Seoul Grand Park and other public facilities operated by Seoul City.
Amarasiri / November 30, 2017
“Dual Citizen”
Does, President Sirisena, “Dual Citizen” still need a Visa to get into South Korea?
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Silva / December 1, 2017
The look on his face if I decline the dual citizenship I come across as a power hungry individual as Mahinda Rajapaksa and betray my election promise to not contest again, if I accept it’s the end of my political career haha…
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Rajash / December 1, 2017
well when he lands in Colombo he will kiss the earth of Mother Lanka…mimicking Mara.
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M.H.Sharef / December 1, 2017
Mara learnt to kiss ground from JVP late leader Somawansa.
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thuththiri / December 3, 2017
Gonwansa learnt from the previous pope.
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punchinilame / December 1, 2017
He definitely can be accepted as a refugee – as the time for such a
status is drawing near – the family can join. Good planning by MS?
(A joke)
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Leonard / December 2, 2017
Tinynilame you still think its all a western conspiracy to destabilize Sri Lanka.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 1, 2017
If Geetha Kumarasinghe a dual citizen cannot continue to be an MP, How can Sirisena a dual citizen continue to be the President. Is this just a gimmick by South Korea.
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roy / December 1, 2017
No No No! only into A’ Seoul.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 2, 2017
No Amarasiri, MS is a “Thuwala Citizen”.
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Sibar / December 2, 2017
Sirisena is only a honorary citizen of the Seoul Metropolis. That is all.
He was not granted Korean Citizenship. That is final.
He can frame that piece of paper and hang it in his kitchen. That is forever.
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Anonymous / December 1, 2017
Now he can’t contest in any Sri Lankan elections!
Good he has not kept any of his election promise…
Still the executive presidency has not been removed.
No action has been taken against the Rajapaksas criminal network.
By the way he said he will do all this within his term as president and won’t contest for a second term.
He said he will put things right within his term and has been a huge disappointment…
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sam nandasena / December 1, 2017
This is nothing new in Sri Lanka. No one takes their promise seriously.
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thrishu / December 1, 2017
Agreed. Lost his eligibility to vote or to stand for election Follow Geetha out of the mud house!
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Nimal / December 1, 2017
Let’s wait and see, he has about another three years before he close shop, sure we can give him that chance. The problem now we are facing is, can he continue the three years as he is a dual citizen now.
May be someone will file a case and that will drag on with appeals and what not and go for the next few years, in Srilanka we do that type of appeals and get away with.
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K.Soysa / December 2, 2017
Anonymous. This is a “Honorary Citizenship” and has no indigenous rights of a Korean citizen. Its like the Nobel Peace price and other awards by foreign governments in recognition of unusual contribution from the recipient and his/her nation to the donor, and vice versa. Even though we are very disappointed with My3 I must say I am impressed.
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PoorCitizen / December 1, 2017
I only saw from the newspapers.
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mohamath mubeen / December 1, 2017
Good
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douglas / December 1, 2017
Mr. President: Please use your good offices and get our Prime Minister also a “Dual Citizenship” in South Korea?. North Korea will love it; because they are waiting for a chance to bring down South Korea. Why not get Arjuna Mahendran; his son-in-law and few others who have now taken residence at the Ministry Finance, like that of Mr. Paskaralingam together with our Parliamentarians representing the “JO”. North Korea need not try out all these “Long Range” missiles. This is another way to find much wanted “Foreign Exchange” . We have a good SUPPLY of this “Finished Product” for export. Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, this is food for thought to amend your Budget Proposals.
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Amarasiri / December 1, 2017
douglas,
Is this a conspiracy by North Korea to being down South Korea?
The Koreans have a high average IQ of 106, whereas the Sri Lankans have an average IQ of 79.
National IQ Scores – Country Rankings
https://photius.com/rankings/national_iq_scores_country_ranks.html
The intelligence scores came from work carried out earlier this decade by Richard Lynn, a British psychologist, and Tatu Vanhanen, a Finnish political scientist, who analysed IQ studies from 113 countries, and from subsequent work by Jelte Wicherts, a Dutch psychologist.
Countries are ranked highest to lowest national IQ score.
Rank
——– Country
———————– %
————-
1 Singapore 108
2 South Korea 106
28 Sri Lanka 79
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Native Vedda / December 2, 2017
douglas
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Will you please arrange Dayan to receive a full North Korean citizenship, failing at least a Cuban one and a one way ticket to either of these countries.
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The Korean citizenship is perhaps an insurance policy in case in the next election Dr Gota (DSc) is elected as the president. You know the former national hangman Dr Gota (DSc) will find Sirisena guilty and hang him.
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It is interesting, people are being hoodwinked by developing unimportant news on a minute basis. Dr Gota’s other alleged crimes (war crimes, crime against humanity, human right violations, …………..murders ) have been pushed aside and buried under bond scam. Similarly the bond scam will be buried under another scandal.
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Well being stupid the people will elect the same politicians in the next elections. Now the crooks have created a formula which benefits both parties, the corruption is being legitimised by considerable bipartisan support.
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Perhaps Dr Mahinda Rajapaksa (LLD) is waiting in the wings with his files on every politicians cajoling them into supporting him while the national hangman is playing his noose close to his chest.
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Burt / December 1, 2017
This is just a political gimick like receiving the key to a city.
In USA there are eight in total and six of them were dead when they got this honour, Canada in total there are about five or six Honorary Citizens, Korea has about 770. This is not the same as being a dual citizen.
“The honour is symbolic. Honorary citizens do not have any rights or privileges associated with Canadian citizenship, such as a passport or the right to vote.”
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Lanka Don / December 1, 2017
Will he loose his Sri Lankan citizenship like the rest of us who obtained citizenship elsewhere?
Sri Lanka takes away your Sri Lankan citizenship once you get a citizenship elsewhere, and makes you reapply and pay $2000 as application fees to get dual citizenship. That’s just plain money grab. Sri Lanka has lost so many good citizens due to this stupid policy.
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Burt / December 1, 2017
LD:
NO
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WalaGemba Raja / December 1, 2017
The man can get many accolades in Seoul. In truth, he is a useless, soulless and spineless imbecile. CBK for once is right when she called him out as being “kondha panna naha, oakkata” (Spineless fellow)! In “duality” and in reality, MS is like a crustacean that has a thick shell and has used his “shell” to conceal his modus operandi that off-sets for his weak spine. The man is hypocrite and thick skinned imbecile who covertly and selectively protects the Rajapaksha family of the previous regime knowing well that GR has now decided to run as the next presidential candidate and will be a serious adversary to him. Sirra is quick to point fingers and blame UNPer’s who I admit are overtly defending a different set of croockish, elitist and clannish Maharaja family. This is nothing new in this filthy political swamp to be associated with this notorious family that has always gone rogue since establishing their Indian-ink business in Pettah. The family have always remained loyal to the feeding hand. I was a very close associate and adviser to the Maharaja Group of companies and have experienced over many decades their entrepreneurial skill, the cunningness, skullduggery and risk taking by playing power politics that even stellar businessmen like the late Mr. Gnanam used to distance himself quite prudently. Irrespective of the UNP loyalty to this family, MS has much to gain. He has proved one thing and that is in perfecting the art of shame by learning to live off this “duality” of evil that feeds off both sets of MAHA-RAJA-HORRA’s. Either family is willing to bank roll and pay any price to stay in the fight from being indicted for any financial misappropriation or alleged crime. Unfortunately, the victims of these ugly spectacle is the poor and hapless citizens that are stuck with no political third force that can liberate the country from this cesspit.
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Legal Eagle (not GL) Pieris / December 1, 2017
A super headline by CT has made many rush to wrongful and hasty judgment
.The operative factor here is that this very symbolic ” citizenship ” (note the inverted commas)has been confirmed by the city of Seoul and NOT the state of South Korea.
Therefore the President is not a Dual Citizen by any stretch of the imagination.Hope Geetha Kumarasinghe or any other in the foolish Rajapaksa led and so called Joint Opposition do not even dream of filing an FR case.
Well done CT Editor for the headline!It did catch some of your readers flat footed !
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Native Vedda / December 2, 2017
Legal Eagle (not GL) Pieris
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If you are not GL, are you Namal baby?
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Good Sense / December 1, 2017
This presentation is just a photo-opportunity and has nothing tangible for the people of Sri Lanka. It is customary for mayors of various cities to confer honorary “citizenship” for dignitaries and nothing dramatic. However, this is something fine for a mendacious publicity machine in the Presidential Palace of Sri Lanka to trumpet about, perhaps slightly better than Joseph Goebbels. Remember it is the present man who called MARA as “Maharajano” and elated the man to his downfall. A sensible leader should keep his cool to this type of honorifics.
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Rajash / December 1, 2017
My3 has three citizenship. He was made Honorary Citizen of Tamil Eelam when he visited NE. The honour was conferred to him by Karuna Amman in the presence of gliterring personalites such as KP, Pillaiyan, Douglas D and Gota and senior army officials of North and East. Wiggie was invited but he was visiting his son in law Colombo.
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Atticus / December 1, 2017
A big fuss about nothing. Honorary citizenship of a city like Seoul is not the same thing as being made a citizen of South Korea.
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Burt / December 1, 2017
Like Gota’s and Mervyn Silva’s Honorary doctorate.
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Mano Ratwatte / December 1, 2017
Absurd Tabloid journalism. Being made an “Honorary Citizen” is a typical State Visit protocol. That does NOT make President Sirisena a Citizen of the Republic of Korea nor does it give him a Korean Passport. Please this is silly much ado about nothing. Very much like a National Enquirer story with lot of hot-hair but no meat.
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razi / December 1, 2017
The headline is misleading and guys who does not know what is honorary citizenship
are commenting. poor journalism
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citizen / December 1, 2017
If HE received citizenship of heaven according to Phil.3,20 he would have had the total protection of Almighty Creator to govern as king, with legislature of parliament and justice system according to the flawless courts of heaven. No North Korean or other missile can touch this nation except for our Luciferian false worship which cracks earth and atmosphere in natural disasters. Change mind.
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Real Revolutionist / December 1, 2017
Oh boy,
We can ask our friendly countries to offer honorary citizenships for those unwanted & deprive them of their rights of contesting elections thus get rid of them.
In case of their refusal?
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Clean Slate / December 1, 2017
Purely honorary and unasked. Our prez doesn’t become a citizen of South Korea any more than the people of Colombo don’t become citizens of England if the mayors of Colombo and Hampshire decide to twin their cities for mutual benefit.
Pity the poor heads above which so elementary a matter as this goes past.
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Rishard / December 1, 2017
Good, at least now he does not have to worry about being buried under 6 feet, if he looses an election
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Plato. / December 1, 2017
He is no longer Aiyo Sirisena. The South Koreans conferred this on him for the WARNING he had given to North Korea regarding their Missile tests.Further, he had told them in no uncertain terms not to try any Hanky Panky!
Great; He is now Aha Sirisena.
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SJ / December 1, 2017
Mano and Razi above are right.
Some seem to specialize in trivializing matters, either for ignorance or silly prejudices.
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There is a serious issue with people not declaring dual nationality and getting themselves elected to office in state bodies as well as being appointed to in policy making bodies, based on divided loyalty.
To take honourary citizenship seriously as lawful citizenship is like taking honourary degrees seriously as academic qualification.
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By condemning N. Korea, the man scored Brownie Points not just in S. Korea, but also in the US, where it matters more.
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Mallaiyuran / December 2, 2017
SJ’s nightmare is Tamil diaspora with other countries Citizenship. It doesn’t matter if it is a SLFPyer. As long as Tamils who have another citizenship is not allowed walk into UOJ, anything is fine with SJ. (But it is said Deva’s all investments are in Swiss) Election law is talking about “Dual Citizens”. The law is not grading the external citizens, unlike it is doing in Lankawe for Tamils, categorized as the second class citizens under the Lankawe constitution. There is nothing about passport or honorary mentioned. After all the Lankawe law knows, the Lankawe EPs are out of control, even for ICC and not honorable people, that is why it says if they do crimes it is not counted.
Did Lankawe Supreme Court say Geetha had foreign passport that is why she is not eligible to stand in election? You are bring that passport, honorary and other stories, because of your mastership in putting tail, head and mustache for dummies & make them to get up and walk. Nobody can bring a case against your EP. Feel happy nobody can dethrone your New King with his New Korean Citizenship.
If CV had got this Honor Army and STF would have used PTA to arrest him. Double talking you would be the first one where argue that “All the citizenship are Citizenship”. Didn’t you make your best at Prof.T’s case, standing up and shouting loud during the meeting deciding the VC?
Seoul gave honorary citizenship this for non-honorable soul is because the Sinhala diaspora working in Korea bought that for him. Seoul (even South Korea) doesn’t care about North Korea; North Korea is America’s and Japan’s nightmare only.
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SJ / December 3, 2017
Mallungs
Vidiya vidia Ramayanam vidintha piraku Seetyhaikku Ramar siththappaa enraanam!
He listened to the narration of Ramayana all night and declared Rama was Sita’a uncle (punchi thaathaa).
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Brilliant.
Carry on Regardless.
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K.Pillai / December 1, 2017
That was symbolic only and that too ‘honorary citizen of Seoul Metropolis’.
Sensationalising? Et tu CT?
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Mallaiyuran / December 2, 2017
The entire hegemony world demanded CV stopped from travelling to Foreign Countries because he went to Kingston and Markham to accept their honors.
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Percy / December 4, 2017
Cut off the unwanted half of the dual citizen and send it to Seoul for safe keeping.
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