Building Sino-Korean ties through people

Qu Huan

“People-to-people exchanges are far more important for enhancing bilateral understanding than goodwill visits by high-ranking officials,” declared Qu Huan, 39, CEO of the Korea-China Association for Cultural Exchange in Seoul.

The association works to introduce Chinese culture to Korea while providing Koreans with opportunities in China, according to Qu.

“I set up Hwayeon, a Chinese cultural center, in Korea in 2004 where people can learn the Chinese language and cuisine,” Qu said.

“This was before the official China Cultural Center in Seoul was established.”

Hwayeon, which means “ties with China,” later became the Korea-China Association for Cultural Exchange, which was registered as a corporation affiliated with the Korean Culture Ministry in 2007.

The association’s activities mainly target four groups - the youth, the elderly, women and businesspeople.

“Our activities are particularly focused on the youth while we are also making vigorous efforts to help Koreans and Chinese have a correct understanding of each other,” said Qu.

Events organized by the association include Zhonghua Yuan (Ties with China) and Hankook Yeon (Ties with Korea), both of which aim to promote culture and arts.

As part of Zhonghua Yuan, the association has been holding an annual Chinese language contest since 2005, while three Korean teachers have been sent to run language classes in the city of Dunhuang as part of Hankook Yeon.

The Korea-China cultural festival hosted by the association, in which arts groups from both countries participated, took place in Longqingxia near Beijing last October.

“Since 2006, we have also held an annual event dubbed Heart-to-Heart in Korea and China in turn,” Qu said.

“It’s a cultural exchange program for children in need, particularly Korean teenagers from low-income families and their Chinese counterparts in the northwestern part of China.”

The third Heart-to-Heart event recently took place in Beijing from Jan. 15 to 19.

The association is currently working on a plan to establish a “Korean quarter” in Longqingxia.

“We plan to set up Arirang Road in Longqingxia, which is largely visited by Korean tourists to Beijing.

“Arirang Road will have stores or booths featuring Korean food and various cultural items like cartoons and games, offering a unique atmosphere where Korean and Chinese cultures exist together,” Qu said.

“We are now discussing the plan with the Korean Culture Ministry.”

Qu particularly stressed the importance of exchanges between young people of both countries.

“The most effective way of cultural exchange between the two countries is introducing each other’s culture to our youth.”

She also asserted that opportunities for ordinary Korean and Chinese people to experience each other’s culture should also be increased.

“Tourist agencies need to come up with travel programs that can show the real China and the real Korea instead just selling good bargains. For instance, programs such as Delicious China and Tasty Korea through which we can sample each other’s food.”

By Shin Kyung-jin JoongAng Ilbo [spark0320@joongang.co.kr]