António de Sá Benevides
Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the Republic of Korea
H.E. António de Sá Benevides is a distinguished diplomat and public servant, currently serving as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the Republic of Korea. He presented his credentials on January 7, 2025, alongside eight other newly accredited ambassadors, and has since been dedicated to deepening the bilateral relationship between Dili and Seoul.
- Born: September 2, 1979, Becora, Dili
- Credentials: January 7, 2025
- Academic: Degree in Philosophy
- Expertise: Public Finance, Civil Rights
Legislative & Political Leadership
With an academic background in Philosophy, Ambassador Benevides built a resilient political career in Timor-Leste. He was President of the PUDD (Partido Unidade e Desenvolvimento Democrático) and, in that capacity, led the FDD (Frenti Dezenvolvimentu Demokrátiku) — a coalition of PUDD, Frenti-Mudança, União Democrática Timorense, and Partido Desenvolvimento Nacional — into the 2018 parliamentary elections, winning a seat in the National Parliament. As a deputy, he sat on parliamentary commissions including the Commission for Public Finance (Commission C) and the Commission for Education, Youth, Culture, and Civil Rights (Commission G).
Diplomatic Vision
His parliamentary experience, defined by rigorous oversight and strategic negotiation, now serves as the foundation for his mission in Korea. Ambassador Benevides focuses on fostering innovation-led cooperation, economic growth, and the strengthening of cultural ties between the peoples of Timor-Leste and the Republic of Korea — including recent engagements such as a courtesy call with Malaysia's Ambassador to Korea (June 2025) and discussions with the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-Koo Foundation on scholarship cooperation for Timorese students (October 2025).
Academic & Public Diplomacy
Ambassador Benevides has represented Timor-Leste in South Korean academic circles, delivering guest lectures on Timor-Leste's political system as part of the Southeast Asian Politics course at Seoul National University, followed by a second lecture at Korea University in June 2025, hosted by the Korea University Institute for Sustainability and attended by nearly 100 students.