Denmark and Korea celebrate 60 years of ties

Korea and Denmark will host a variety of joint cultural events in both countries this year in celebration of the 60th anniversary of establishing their diplomatic relationship, the culture ministry here said Tuesday.

The two countries’ governments signed an agreement last year to designate this year as the “2019 Korea-Denmark Cultural Year” to commemorate the diplomatic relationship they forged in 1959.

Korea and Denmark are to open the cultural event series this week with the Korean Symphony Orchestra’s Wednesday concert in Copenhagen, the Danish capital, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

The Korean orchestra will perform music by both Korean and Danish composers, including Carl Nielsen and Lim June-hee. Korean Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan; Maria Hansen, Denmark’s deputy culture minister; and the Danish ambassador to Korea, Thomas Lehmann, will attend the opening concert, the ministry said.

Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary will act as the Danish patron of this year’s joint cultural events, while Korean ballet star Kang Sue-jin will serve as the patron for the Korean side.

The opening concert will be followed by a reception and a dance performance on Jan. 30 in Aarhus in Denmark, while in Copenhagen there will be a tourism exposition in February, a kimchi festival in June and a taekwondo performance later in the year.

In Seoul, exhibitions featuring Danish author Hans Christian Andersen will be held in May and June, followed by art exhibitions by Danish artists in galleries in Seoul through December, the ministry also noted.

“I hope South Korea and Denmark will form a profound mutual cultural understanding through the ‘2019 Korea-Denmark Cultural Year’ to further expand and deepen their cultural exchange,” Do was quoted as saying by the ministry.

[YONHAP]