South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young met with visiting French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard on Thursday afternoon at the Popular Culture Exchange Commission conference hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul, to discuss cooperation in culture, arts and cultural industries, centering on events marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France this year.
The meeting was the first between the two ministers. Notably, both Korea and France are among the few countries internationally that maintain dedicated culture ministries, reflecting a strong emphasis on culture in national policy. France invaded Ganghwa Island in 1866 during the late Joseon period, triggering the Byeongin War, but later established diplomatic ties with Joseon in 1886 and dispatched troops to assist South Korea during the Korean War in 1950.
According to the ministry, the two culture ministers agreed to actively cooperate to ensure the success of events marking the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations to be held in both countries this year. France will host a range of events in Korea this year, including an official ceremony at Deoksugung Palace on June 4 — the date of the 1886 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Joseon and France — featuring soprano Sumi Jo and musicians from both countries.
In France, a variety of exchange events spanning performances, exhibitions, film and publishing — including "The Secrets of Korean Beauty: From Joseon to K-Beauty" at the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet in Paris — are planned from March through July. In addition, marking the 140th anniversary, Korea participated as the guest of honor at the French International Audiovisual Market (MIP) in March, and France will serve as the guest of honor at the Seoul International Book Fair in June.
The two countries agreed in particular to expand cooperation across the creative and cultural industries. Both ministers expressed deep agreement that the influence of unique cultural heritage and contemporary cultural content on everyday industries such as gastronomy, beauty, fashion and tourism is growing day by day.
Minister Choi cited the example of BTS's Gwanghwamun concert on March 21, which was livestreamed worldwide, the ministry said. "I look forward to both countries sharing their experiences and communicating more actively so that cultural heritage and cultural content do not stop at being enjoyed on their own but extend into consumer goods across daily life, creating even greater added value," Choi said.
The Korean side was represented by the minister, the Director-General for International Cultural Policy, the Director of the National Library of Korea and the Director of the Education and Cultural Exchange Division at the National Museum of Korea. The French delegation included the culture minister, the Élysée Palace's cultural adviser, the head of the Institut français, the president of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the director of the Musée national des arts asiatiques–Guimet and the head of the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC).
