The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Egypt, Kim Yonghyon, met with Ahmed Hanno, Egypt's Minister of Culture, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of culture. The meeting focused on deepening cultural exchanges ahead of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. Ambassador Kim congratulated the Minister on his appointment and highlighted the advancement of bilateral relations since the establishment of the Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership between the two countries in 2016, particularly in the cultural sector. Ambassador Kim noted the growing popularity of Hallyu (Korean wave) in Egypt and highlighted the steady increase in cultural exchanges between the two countries across various fields such as language, culture, tourism, and sports. He also briefed the minister on the activities of the Korean Cultural Center (KCC), celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. He highlighted the King Sejong Institute, operated by the KCC, which has taught Korean language to 5,135 Egyptian students from 2021 to 2023. Looking ahead to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Ambassador Kim expressed his willingness to further strengthen cultural exchanges. He provided an overview of the cultural events planned for this year and next, including K-Pop performances and cultural exchanges themed around Hanbok (Korean traditional clothing), calligraphy, and Samulnori (Korean traditional percussion music) to commemorate this significant milestone. He also introduced Korean Culture Week, scheduled to be held from September 22 to 28 at the Opera House. Ambassador Kim noted that the event, themed around "Korean Sound," will include a performance by the renowned Korean band LEENALCHI at the opening ceremony. Minister Hanno expressed his appreciation for Ambassador Kim's efforts and acknowledged the steady strengthening of people-to-people and cultural exchanges since the establishment of diplomatic ties. He conveyed his hope that the 30th anniversary would serve as an opportunity to deepen and expand cultural cooperation between the two countries. Both sides discussed the possibility of designating 2025 as the 'Year of Korea-Egypt Cultural Exchange' and explored areas for cooperation, including intellectual property rights related to culture and cultural Official Development Assistance (ODA). The two sides agreed to continue strengthening bilateral cooperation and to maintain close communication to explore future opportunities for collaboration.
