Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Norway
– March 2015
Dear Reader,
In News from Korea this month, we present the following articles:
Korea, Japan and China: Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ meeting
Korea to join Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
The 2015 meeting of chiefs of overseas diplomatic missions
Korea deploys new science satellite
“Right Now Music 2015” festival in Seoul
The soul of Korea lies in its food
Previous Norwegian owners visit the Korean Embassy
Korea, Japan and China: Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ meeting
The Seventh Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ meeting between Korea, Japan and China was held on 21 March 2015 in Seoul. The Foreign Ministers' meeting was the first of its kind in nearly three years. The Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Korea, Japan and the People’s Republic of China released their press release as following:
"By facing history squarely and advancing toward the future, the three foreign ministers also agreed that the three nations should address related issues properly and to work together to improve bilateral relations and to strengthen trilateral cooperation,"
The top diplomats of Korea, Japan and China agreed to continue efforts to hold a trilateral summit of their leaders at an early date as they seek to revive cooperation amid history and territorial rows. "The three ministers decided to continue their efforts to hold the trilateral summit at the earliest convenient time for the three countries," says a joint statement.
"The three ministers decided to continue their joint efforts to resume meaningful six- party talks to make substantial progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," a joint statement showed.
Ahead of the foreign ministers' trilateral meeting, President Park Geun-hye met with them at the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae. President Park discussed with the foreign ministers ways to promote cooperation among the three countries, the Northeast Asia Peace and Cooperation Initiative and the latest developments surrounding the Korean Peninsula.
For more information, see
http://news.mofa.go.kr/enewspaper/mainview.php?mvid=2021&master= and http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150322000092
Korea to join Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
The Republic of Korea has decided, on 27 March 2015, to apply to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as a prospective founding member and has informed the Chinese authorities of this decision, which is a move that can bolster the Asian neighbor's growing clout in the region as well as further Seoul's own economic interests.
Press Release from Ministry of Strategy and Finance of Korea has it that much of the Asian region has largely remained on the sidelines of development. Against this backdrop, the AIIB, as a regional multilateral development bank (MDB), will effectively channel infrastructure investment into the region to facilitate sustainable growth and social development.
"Once AIIB begins operations, it will likely spur large scale infrastructure work in Asia that can help Korean companies with extensive experience in construction,
communication and transportation to expand their market presence," the Ministry said, emphasizing that the decision to join was made with the best interest of the country in mind.
"Joining the AIIB will further strengthen Korea-China economic ties as well as making it possible for the country to directly participate in infrastructure development in
developing economies," said Lee Moon-ki, a professor of China trade and commerce at Sejong University in Seoul.
For full articles, see http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150326000687 and http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150327000869
The 2015 meeting of chiefs of overseas diplomatic missions
The Foreign Ministry is holding the 2015 meeting of chiefs of overseas diplomatic missions at the Ministry from 30 March through 4 April. For the first time in ten years since 2005, the meeting will bring together the chiefs of all the overseas missions, including the Ambassadors and the Consul-Generals, all at once.
The event will consist largely of thematic discussions, visits to the Agency for Defense Development and other relevant agencies, meetings with entrepreneurs and
discussions on various regions and fields of the world. The Foreign Ministry has chosen the following as main agendas: ways to implement global multi-faceted diplomacy, achieve economic innovation and ensure safety and happiness of the people of the Republic of Korea.
Press release of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.mofa.go.kr/ENG/press/pressreleases/index.jsp?menu=m_10_20&sp=/webm odule/htsboard/template/read/engreadboard.jsp%3FtypeID=12%26boardid=302%26seq no=315038
Korea deploys new science satellite
The Korea Multipurpose Satellite-3A (KOMSAT-3A) was launched
Thursday 26 March at 3.08 a.m. from the Yasny Launch base, about 1,800 kilometers southeast of Moscow. “We may conclude that the launch and deployment of the KOMSAT-3 have been successful following its
successful communication with the country’s ground station in Daejeon,”
Choi Seok-won, a KARI official in charge of the satellite program, said.
Beacon signals from the satellite were previously picked up by Norway’s Troll Satellite Station and then by Svalbard Satellite Station, illustrating that the satellite has reached its target orbit.
The science satellite is designed to complement Korea’s three other multipurpose science satellites that are operational at the moment. It is equipped with an optical lens with the highest resolution that exists on any Korean satellite that is capable of providing clear images of any object greater than 0.5 meter in diameter of the Earth’s surface.
The satellite also has an infrared sensor that can detect alterations in temperature, which enables it to monitor any volcanic movements or forest fires.
The KOMSAT-3A will circle the Earth about 15 times a day in a concurrent rotation for the next four years.
For full article, see http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150326000928
“Right Now Music 2015” festival in Seoul
From classical and traditional Korean music to avant-garde and modern rock, Seoul’s upcoming festival “Right Now Music 2015” is catching up to the contemporary music scene in Europe and America. The two-day music marathon concert will be held 11-12 April at the old Seoul Station building and it will showcase a combination of modern music and live performance art that will push the boundaries of non-mainstream exhibitions.
The lineup for the festival includes unique performances by local as well as overseas acts, including Germany’s “Ensemble U3,” Slovenian guitarist Mak Grgic and Alarm Will Sound, which is one of the main headlining acts. “We want to create an event so that people do not have to leave the country to be able to enjoy and immerse themselves in contemporary music,” said Kim In-hyun, CEO of the organizer Ear To Mind. “Hopefully one day we will have people outside the country who want to come to Korea to hear modern acts.”
For original article, see:http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20150325000805
The soul of Korea lies in its food
Kimchi expert Lee Hyo-jae says that “Kimchi is for Korea what Coca-Cola is for
America.” In other words, it is difficult to find a meal in Korea without kimchi, a traditional fermented dish made of vegetables (usually cabbage) with a selection of seasonings. In hypermodern Seoul, food is culture. And although the 12 million citizens have a busy lifestyle, they always have time to enjoy food. In this sense, Koreans can perhaps seem similar to Italians, who are known for a great food culture.
Although the city has countless restaurants, for a real culinary adventure, you would need to go to the food stalls of Gwangjang. The smoke covers the stalls like a mystical blanket. Older women are dishing up delicacies, one after the other. Some are serving stews and noodles, others their characteristic sweet, sour or spicy pancakes. The Korean kitchen has been hiding behind China’s and Japan’s, however, over the last few years, the national dish kimchi has become increasingly popular outside Korea’s
country borders. Kimchi is culture.
See: http://www.dagbladet.no/2015/03/21/tema/reise/sor-korea/seoul/ferie/38242959/
Previous Norwegian owners visit the Korean Embassy
Wednesday 4 March, the Korean Embassy in Oslo had the honor to receive the family of Mørch-Reiersen, the previous owners of the Embassy’s estate. The estate was in their family for almost 75 years and they had a desire to see the building again for a trip down memory lane. The Ambassador was very pleased to receive them.
To their family, the building is simply known as No. 3 – short for Inkognitogaten 3.
Ingeborg Elsrud (born Mørch-Reiersen) presented us with the history of her family’s ownership of the estate. Her grandparents owned the estate from 1896 until 1944. They had six children. Her grandparents died during the war and their eldest daughter Maggy took over the house. From 1944, the building was divided into several apartments due to the war and around 30 people lived in the building at the same time. Maggy owned the house until the late 60s and sold it to someone who wanted to remodel it. In the early 70s, he had to give up the project and sold the building to the Korean Embassy.
The family of Mørch-Reiersen enjoyed their visit to the Embassy and were very grateful for the opportunity of a tour and a talk with the
Ambassador.
