The Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Thailand (Ambassador: H.E. Mr. Moon Seoung-Hyun) and the Korean Cultural Center held a donation ceremony of Taekwondo supplies and a special lecture to about 200 students at the Pattani Campus, Prince of Songkla University on September 14, 2022.

At this ceremony, Instructor Khwanchai Wattanasak, who has been teaching Taekwondo in Pattani since 1979, demonstrated the Taekwondo Poomsae, a defined pattern of defense-and-attack motions, with Taekwondo trainees representing the three regions from Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat.

H.E. Mr. Moon presented uniforms, mats, and mitts for Taekwondo, and he said, “I heard that Taekwondo has established itself as a sport where people of all ages can exercise together regardless of religion, in the southern region of Thailand. We hope that Taekwondo will contribute to the local development as a bridge between Korea and Thailand.”

Afterwards, Coach Choi Young-seok and Coach Chanatip Sonkham from Thailand National Taekwondo Team introduced the sparring techniques in Taekwondo competition to the students and gave lectures on the posture and effort to become a national taekwondo team player.

H.E. Mr. Moon then met about 50 students studying Korean language at the University, which has adopted a Korean language as the major in Thailand for the first time in 1986 and talked about their motivation to learn Korean and their future career path for about an hour.

On September 13, the Embassy and the Korean Cultural Center held an event for 150 students, cooking ‘Dong Geu-Rami Kimbap (Folded Kimbap)’ at the Hat Yai Campus, Prince of Songkla University. It has been popular by the Korean series 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo', and H.E. Mr. Moon also enjoyed it together after helping the students to make Kimbap.

On September 15, H.E. Mr. Moon with Phiphat Ratchakitprakan, the Minister of Tourism and Sports released an endangered green sea turtle on Samila Beach and visited Old Town and Songkhla National Museum in turn to discuss cooperation in tourism and sports for both countries.

Through his visit to the southern region, H.E. Mr. Moon said, "As the Korean Ambassador to Thailand, I am grateful for the high interest in the Korean language and Taekwondo in southern region in Thailand. The Embassy and the Center will support the development of Songkhla province, where ancient traditions and nature are well preserved, harmonized with various religions and cultures such as Buddhism and Islam.”

Photo Credit: Prince of Songkla University