A STRONGER KOREA-ASEAN PARTNERSHIP
KIn line with this, the ASEAN Culture House (ACH) was opened on Sept. 1st in Busan, the second largest city of Korea. All ten member countries of the ASEAN donated exhibition materials so that visitors can learn more about the culture of ASEAN nations. The collection of ACH includes commitments to enhance cooperation in cultural exchanges which were made at the ASEAN-ROK Commemorative Summit on the 25th Anniversary of the ASEAN-ROK Dialogue Relationship held in Busan in 2014.
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Cayetano, who attended the opening ceremony as the Philippines’ chair of ASEAN 2017, expressed his hope the ACH would be a lasting symbol of the evergrowing partnership between Korea and the ASEAN, as they chart a future of mutual peace, prosperity, and cultural vibrance. Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha also hoped the ACH will become a favorite place not only for the residents of Busan but also for all citizens of the ASEAN who work or study in Korea and visit Busan.
The ACH is now waiting for visitors with its permanent exhibition “ASEAN Ways of Life: its diversity and unity” and other special programs, such as “Celebrating the Beauty of Marriage” and a VR (virtual reality) experience on ASEAN relics, film screenings and lecture series. orea became a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of the ASEAN in 1989 and was accorded a full Dialogue Partner status in 1991, which eventually led to the formation of a strategic partnership in 2010. Since then, they have been greatly improving their political and economic cooperation, and cultural and people-topeople exchanges.
Trade between ASEAN members and Korea has been averaging US$125 billion in the past few years, making Korea the fifth largest trading partner of the ASEAN and the latter the second largest trading partner of Korea. Foreign direct investment from Korea to the ASEAN reached US$6 billion last year, which is the second largest portion of Korea’s entire foreign direct investment, and Korea became the fifth largest investment partner of the ASEAN. ASEAN is also the most popular destination for Korean tourists, 5.83 million of whom visited ASEAN member-states in 2015. For the same year, the number of ASEAN tourist arrivals in Korea reached 1.6 million, which is the third largest number of foreign visitors to Korea after China and Japan.
2017 is a special year not only for the ASEAN, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary, but also for the Republic of Korea, which has designated 2017 as the year of cultural exchange between the ASEAN and Korea.