Korean, Israeli presidents exchange letters for 60 years of relations

Diplomacy

Published: 11 Apr. 2022, 12:19

Korean, Israeli presidents exchange letters for 60 years of relations

Israel's President Isaac Herzog, left, and President Moon Jae-in. [EPA/YONHAP/NEWS1]

President Moon Jae-in and Israeli President Isaac Herzog exchanged congratulatory letters on Monday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their two countries.

“Both of our nations created a dynamic economic miracle and fostered robust democratic governance, despite severe security challenges, and with no natural resources other than determination, hard work and our peoples’ belief in themselves,” said Herzog in the letter, according to the Embassy of Israel in Korea.

“Israel and Korea signed a Free Trade Agreement, Israel’s first in Asia and Korea’s first in the Middle East. Israel and Korea were among the first countries in the world to swap Covid vaccines, showing the world a new, effective mechanism for running the global health economy,” said Herzog.

Moon in his letter highlighted “remarkable progress” in various fields such as politics, economy, culture and people-to-people exchanges since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1962, and praised their exemplary case of cooperation, namely the world's first vaccine exchange, according to to the Blue House.

Israel and Korea swapped vaccines in July 2021, when Israel sent some 700,000 Pfizer shots to Korea, which were later reciprocated from September to November.

“Israel, the first country in the Middle East to sign an FTA with Korea in May 2021, is one of our traditional allies,” said the Blue House spokesperson Park Kyung-mee on Monday. “The letters were exchanged to remember our 60 years of friendship and to affirm a common will between the two countries to continue to cooperate for a better future.”

To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Israel-Korea diplomatic relations, the Embassy of Israel in Seoul has planned a number of events on Israeli art, music and culture where Israeli and Korean artists will be collaborating, including at the Busan International Dance Festival in June and the Asia Theater Directors' Festival in November.

BY ESTHER CHUNG [chung.juhee@joongang.co.kr]