This poster promoted an interactive event in Belgium in July 2024 for wearing Hanbok (traditional clothing) in a city. (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

By Koh Hyunjeong

Cities or countries that lack a Korean Cultural Center (KCC) can still experience Korean culture under a new initiative.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 4 announced its year-round hosting of the Eoullim (Harmony) Korean Culture Festival in 52 cities and countries with no KCCs.

For this, the ministry will promote Hallyu (Korean Wave) in 33 cities without a KCC and cooperate with diplomatic missions in 19 countries to host the festival.

In Japan, the KCCs in Japan in October will hold a festival in Miyazaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu to boost cultural exchange with Japanese nationals and youths outside of the Greater Tokyo area.

In Indonesia, the ministry in cooperation with universities in Yogyakarta in November will host performances and exhibitions spanning tradition and modernity.

Vietnam, where Korean is a major language elective in school, will have the ministry team up with King Sejong Institute to raise understanding of Hallyu through festivals throughout the year in Da Nang and and Hue.

Over in the U.K., the ministry since March has held Korea Day events mainly at major regional universities in Manchester, Sheffield and Liverpool.

The KCC in Austria will host the Graz Korean Culture Festival in Graz in September, while that in Mexico will hold one in the state of Veracruz this month.

In Los Angeles, the KCC there will hold the 2025 Korean Festival in September to expand the basis for spreading Hallyu.

In addition, diplomatic missions in 19 countries with no KCCs such as Ecuador, Pakistan and Ireland will help host the festival in each nation.

  

hjkoh@korea.kr