Korea Promotion Attracts VIP Interest

A program aimed at promoting Korea is attracting the attention prominent foreigners in Korea, including ambassadors and presidents of foreign companies, and Korean opinion leaders.

The program, hosted by the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) led by Choi Jung-wha, is called: “Hanguk Tong.” The program will usually be conducted over dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel in Seoul once a week from March 7 to June 27.

Shim Jae-hyuk, president of Hanmoo Development, will lecture on “the world’s drinking culture and Korea’s poktanju.” Afterwards, members will enjoy a performance by mezzo soprano Cecilia Bartoli accompanied on the piano by conductor Chung Myung-hoon.

At a future meeting, Philippe Thiébaud, the French ambassador to Korea, will invite participants to his official residence for dinner and give a lecture on Korea-Europe relations. Members will then tour the traditional house of former President Yun Bo-seon in Anguk-dong, Seoul, guided by Yun Sang-ku, the president of the Dongsuh Corporation, and the eldest son of the former president. Interpreters will be provided.

Perhaps because the content of the program is interesting, many VIPs have already expressed their desire to participate in it, including new ambassadors Thiébaud of France and Shotaro Oshima of Japan, and presidents of foreign companies, including Siemens Korea President Horst J. Kayser, L’Oreal Korea President Klaus Fassbender and his wife, Chevron Korea President John Venn, DHL Korea President Alan Cassels and Korea Citibank vice president Michael Zink. Among those who registered as Korean participants are Han Seung-soo, former foreign minister and the chairman of the 2014 Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games Bid Committee, Kwangjuyo Chairman Cho Tae-kwon, Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Chairman Seo Jung-ho, Kaya Media CEO Kim Young-chull, Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Ho-su, and French Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman Philippe Li.

Choi, the chairperson of the CICI, said, “We are planning to run the program in the spring and fall.”

pisong@donga.com