South Korean envoy keen to promote bilateral cultural ties

Islamabad : Ambassador of South Korea to Pakistan Suh Sangpyo expressed keen interest in promoting bilateral and cultural ties with Pakistan.

Ambassador Sangpyo, who took over the office in Islamabad last December said that there is a lot of potential to be explored for enhancing bilateral relations between Pakistan and South Korea, especially in technical and cultural fields.

He was talking to a select group of journalists at a dinner reception he hosted at his residence Thursday evening.

Ambassador Sangpyo was keen to establish a cultural and religious institution in Taxila and expressed optimism that a large number of followers of Budhism would love to come to Pakistan and visit, or even stay for a while at Taxila, the cradle of Budhism, which has a lot to offer.

In the past the Pakistan Government was interested in establishing a research and meditation center in Taxila to facilitate the followers of Budhism from all over the world. However, that project was shelved for some inexplicable reasons, most probably because of the wave of terrorism that was rife a few years back, creating uncertain law and order situation in the country and badly damaging tourism industry.

Ambassador Sangpyo said that a couple of days ago he was scheduled to inaugurate a ‘Technical Center’ in Islamabad in collaboration with the Pakistan government where the Prime Minister Imran Khan was expected to be the chief guest.

He said that there are some 14,000 Pakistanis working in South Korea including workers, businessmen and students.

“I believe the Pakistani workers are very hardworking and successful in whichever field of work they are engaged in South Korea. I had a meeting with the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis, Zulfi Bukhari, as well to discuss the potential of sending Pakistani workforce to Korea,” Ambassador Sangpyo said.

June Seo Park, the Counsellor (Deputy Chief of Mission), Lt. Col Kyungsoo Kim, the Defence Attache and Jeonghun Byeon, Political and Economic Officer, were also present at the reception.

Lt. Col. Kyungsoo Kim said that he was part of the UNMOGIP (United Nations Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan) back in 2005 and was based in Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir when the devastating earthquake struck the region, leaving over 70,000 people dead and hundreds of thousands injured.

“I was working in the UN Compound in Muzaffarabad and was busy monitoring and reporting and relief and rehabilitation work after the earthquake,” recalled Lt. Col. Kyungsoo Kim.

“I and my family had fond memories of Pakistan from our last stay and I as well as my family is very happy to be here once again,” he added.