President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to Italy, traveled to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, on Saturday, where he advanced his "cultural diplomacy" by fostering cooperation between leading cultural institutions of South Korea and Italy. During his European tour, Lee expanded the relationship with Italy, a cultural powerhouse, into the fields of cultural heritage and content alongside economic and security cooperation, adding dimension to the two countries' "special strategic partnership."
Kang Yu-jung, senior presidential spokesperson, said in a written briefing that day that "President Lee visited Florence, the capital of the northern Italian region of Tuscany, met with Tuscany Regional Governor Eugenio Giani, and asked him to take special interest in developing exchanges between Tuscany and Korea, as well as in the convenience and safety of overseas Korean residents visiting Tuscany."
According to Kang, Lee praised Tuscany as the region where the Renaissance was born and flourished and as a cultural hub home to the world-renowned Uffizi Gallery, expressing hopes for expanded cultural exchange between the two countries.
In particular, Lee mentioned the Florence Korean Film Festival, held annually since 2003, noting that it "has been showcasing the artistry and quality of Korean films on the European and global stage." He added, "Based on the 'film co-production agreement' between Korea and Italy concluded on the occasion of this visit, I hope that more works will be created drawing on the excellent production capabilities of both countries."
The visit also gave concrete form to cooperation between the two countries' cultural institutions. The National Museum of Korea and the Uffizi Gallery signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that day to expand cultural exchange, agreeing to pursue cooperation across overall museum operations, including exhibition exchanges, education and interpretation programs, collection management and restoration, and publishing.
The agreement carries significant meaning in that it institutionalized cooperation in the cultural sphere following the elevation of the two countries' relationship to a "special strategic partnership" at the Korea-Italy summit on Thursday. The assessment is that bilateral relations are developing in an increasingly multilayered way, as the scope of cooperation has expanded from economy and trade, defense, and advanced technology to cultural heritage and the arts.
Yoo Hong-jun, director of the National Museum of Korea, proposed during his meeting with Uffizi Gallery Director Simone Verde, "I hope we can introduce masterpieces from the Uffizi Gallery, such as Botticelli, to Korea," and Verde responded, "I would like to introduce the Uffizi Gallery's collection in Korea." This has opened the possibility of world-class Renaissance masterpieces being presented through special exhibitions in Korea.
Meanwhile, Lee expressed interest by asking about the operating methods of Florence's cooperatives and social economy solidarity. He inquired about the annual number of tourists visiting Florence and how they are managed, and shared policy experiences at the level of local government.
Sara Funaro, the mayor of Florence, who was present alongside Tuscany Governor Giani that day, said, "Florence has friendship and cooperation relationships with Korea's Jeonju and Daejeon, and with Jeonju in particular we will mark our 20th anniversary next year," adding, "I hope the local governments of both countries will cultivate mutually beneficial cooperation through active exchange."
In addition, Governor Giani said, "I read President Lee's autobiography," adding, "I highly value his life, from factory boy to human rights lawyer to president." He continued, "He will play a major role not only in Korean democracy but also in the development of democracy in the international community." Lee responded, "I see it all as the power of democracy."
Kang said, "Finally, President Lee recalled that many of the one million Korean nationals who visit Italy annually are visiting Tuscany, and asked the Tuscany regional government and the Florence city government to take special interest in improving convenience and ensuring security for our citizens." In response, Mayor Funaro replied, "I am glad that many Koreans are visiting Florence," adding, "I hope that this visit by President Lee will lead to even more active people-to-people exchanges between the two countries."
