AMBASSADOR’S WORDS
INTERVIEW WITH KOREAN AMBASSADOR SANG-JIN PARK Dear Mr Ambassador, we are sorry to hear you’ll be leaving Denmark late this year to complete a term that began in May 2019. What has your impression been of Denmark and the Danes? Yes, I’ll be back in Korea probably in December probably, and then I’ll retire, as at the end of this year I’ll reach the age of 60. I am very happy to be retiring and am looking forward to a new life after retirement. In this regard, I dare to say that Denmark, my 9th foreign service post as a diplomat over the past 34 years, will be the most memorable country. I’m most impressed by the high quality of life in Denmark. Such life is, I believe, supported by a well established welfare system and a strong solidarity among the people. My second impression is of a very efficient and pragmatic approach toward daily business. This brings about a balance between work and life, and a high productivity. Such a liberal, productive and ‘hyggelig’ society is a good model for Korea, which is moving toward an advanced society overcoming political, economic and social challenges due to a highly compressed economic growth over the past half century. It’s clear the Korean Embassy is highly active in Denmark and has already established traditions. For example, Korea Week in September and the Korean language speaking contest. This must make you proud of your embassy’s efforts. Are such efforts common in other countries, or unique to Denmark? Public diplomacy, which aims to broaden understanding of the country through direct communication with the people of other countries, is one of the most important pillars of recent foreign policy. Korea can be said to be a latecomer in the field of public diplomacy, but the Korean government has been effectively promoting public diplomacy and targeting various countries by utilising its unique cultural resources. The fact that Denmark is a cultural powerhouse means that public diplomacy can play a bigger role here. Therefore the Korean Embassy in Denmark has been trying to introduce Korea more actively through various opportunities compared to other countries. Last year, our events were moved online due to COVID-19, but this 2
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
year, we were able to hold Korea Week and introduce Korean cultural content ranging from traditional dance performances and movies, to tourism and food. Denmark and Korea have enjoyed robust relations for many years. How do you see that relationship developing? Korea and Denmark established bilateral diplomatic relations in 1959. However, our friendship dates back more than 100 years ago, when a Friendship, Trade and Navigation Treaty was signed in 1902. During the Korean War, Denmark dispatched the hospital ship Jutlandia, which saved the lives of thousands of people over a three-year period. The Korean government and people will always be grateful to Denmark for those valuable efforts. The friendship between our two countries has evolved into a solid tradition in the modern-day era. There have been, among other things, drastic increases of people-to-people exchanges and volumes of trade and investment between Korea and Denmark over the past decades. Currently, Korea and Denmark have become close partners on the basis of common values and visions such as democracy, fundamental freedom, market economy, the welfare system and sustainable development. I believe that relations between the two countries will flourish furthermore in every respect.
and Green Growth Alliance, President Moon Jae-in and PM Mette Frederiksen held a virtual bilateral summit just before the opening ceremony of the second P4G Seoul Summit. At the summit, both leaders decided to elevate the Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Green Strategic Partnership. The upgraded relations will serve as a solid foundation for deeper co-operation between our two countries within a broad range of sectors such as renewable energy, sustainability, and green transition. Also, Korea and Denmark can become closer partners by both playing a leading role in addressing climate change and pursuing green transition worldwide.
Earlier this year, Denmark and Korea signed a historic agreement to form a comprehensive green strategic partnership - the first your country has ever signed. How important was this agreement to your country? In 2011, Korea and Denmark concluded both the Strategic Partnership and the Green Growth Alliance. The Green Growth Alliance, especially, was a new kind of alliance based on values by which Korea and Denmark will work together for green growth, lessened dependence on fossil-fuels, more resource-efficient and sustainable economies, and an increased promotion of green technologies on a global scale. Based on this agreement, Korea and Demark hold annual ministerial level meetings rotationally. On 30 May this year, 10 years after the establishment of the Strategic Partnership
What do you feel the countries can mutually learn from one another in the future? Denmark is an exemplary welfare state with a robust and innovative economy and ambitions to become a global leader of green transition and the climate crisis. Danish companies are highly experienced in building wind power, and the Korean government has announced that it will develop massive scale offshore wind farms in the coming decade. So, I believe that renewable energy, including wind power, will be one of the important areas of mutual co-operation and learning. Korea achieved great economic development and democratisation at almost the same time within only half a century, and now it is the 12th largest economy and the 7th biggest exporting country in the world. Many Korean companies
have cutting-edge technologies in key areas such as semiconductors, electronic vehicles and eco-friendly ships. Recently, Maersk ordered eight methane propelled eco-friendly container ships from Hyundai Heavy Industries. It seems like a good example of how Korea and Denmark can depend on each other to address the global climate crisis. Furthermore, the Joint Action Plan between Korea and Denmark 2021-2024, which was signed by the foreign ministers of both countries in April this year, shows us the priority areas of co-operation including science, technology & innovation, health & life science, and political & economic co-operation as well as sustainability & green transition. I think that Korea and Denmark have a huge potential to develop within innovation and healthcare. In this connection, our embassy will organise the 2021 Korea-Denmark Health and Medical Cooperation Forum on 1 November 2021. At the forum experts from our two countries will discuss how to further co-operation on COVID-19 vaccine production, Smart & Super hospitals, medical equipment industries and other areas. How do you think Denmark has coped with corona compared to the other countries you have served in? I would like to say that Denmark has responded to the pandemic situation very successfully. In particular, it is very impressive that such a large number of people have voluntarily participated in vaccinations and tests, thus underlining their high trust in public policy. And also I would like to mention how the Danish government has provided direct financial support under the conditions of maintaining employment for enterprises and selfemployed people affected by COVID-19.
corona times? In 2019, when I started the first year of my mission, Korea and Denmark celebrated the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Denmark. Both nations successfully completed a lot of commemorative events. However, I had a lot of agendas and ambitions in mind for 2020, but the pandemic put a stop to almost everything. I stayed mostly at home and had no face-to-face meetings or social gatherings. I became disappointed at the thought of completing my last foreign service posting without any substantial results. The pandemic brought about a kind of paradigm shift to the whole world, and this included the diplomatic community. It made us realise that the world is a globally connected society and we are only as strong as our weakest link. Accordingly, development co-operation has been recognised as a key area in addressing the pandemic. As Korea has been well known for its exemplary responses to the pandemic, the Korean government has shared its experiences, medical equipment and kits and vaccines with many developing countries. Co-operation with developing countries is needed not only for responding to COVID-19 but also for addressing climate change and other global issues. The global community should double its efforts to work shoulder-to-shoulder to tackle such global challenges.
How have you coped with the pandemic? I have really enjoyed commuting to and from the office by a 25-minute walk or bike-ride without using the official car. This new commuting regimen provided me with a new opportunity of delving into the beautiful cityscape and peaceful life of the Danes as well as taking care of my health. In this unexpected situation, I came to realise once again that the human being is an animal, which has survived by adapting oneself to a new environment under any circumstance.
In this issue, we touch on many areas of interest: not least Korean culture and how it has already won over so many Danish fans. What is the secret of its success? Korea has historically maintained and developed its own culture, language and tradition based on the unique characteristics of the Korean people. Nevertheless Korea had little opportunity to introduce its cultural resources abroad because it was in a difficult situation of poverty and dictatorship in the past. However as democracy settled in Korea and the economy ranked 12th in the world, the Korean government started investing in education and culture and grew them into a level of global recognition. It can be said that the results of such efforts are now contributing to the worldwide popularity of Korean culture.
What do you think the world of diplomacy has learned to its benefit during these
This special edition includes some tourist tips for potential visitors. Would you care
to share some of your recommendations? The Korean government has been implementing a new electronic travel authorisation, the so-called K-ETA, for visafree visits to Korea as of 1 September 2021, and now Danish people can travel to Korea without a visa if they register for K-ETA. My recommendation for travel spots in Korea includes Seoul, Gyeongju, Jeju and Busan. Seoul, the capital of Korea, is not only modern, but you can also feel the historical places through the “Old Palace” and the “Bukchon Village.” Gyeongju was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Silla, and you can see the well-preserved historical site of Korea there. Jeju Island is a very favoured vacation place for Koreans and it’s a good place with a beautiful natural environment. Busan is the second capital and port city, where you can see beautiful beaches and natural scenery. I hope that the COVID-19 situation will get better soon and the quarantine obligation lifted after entering Korea, so that many people can travel freely in Korea again. And how about Danish culture – what would you recommend to your fellow Koreans when you return home? I have been personally very interested in the social life and culture of the countries where I have been previously posted as a diplomat. In Denmark, the most impressive and recommendable thing is ‘hygge’, which puts the family at the centre of life. I would also commend its world-class design in the fields of architecture and art as well as daily necessities. Denmark can take pride in its many world-class artists and world-class architecture compared to its relatively small population. I think that such achievements are possible mostly thanks to the free and open creation of work based on the freedom of expression. Also, each cultural institution has a relatively independent and autonomous decision making process. Such a free and global perception toward culture and art by the Danish people and the cultural institutions have made it possible for our two peoples and institutions to closely collaborate with each other and to hold many joint cultural events on both sides. This is a really good direction for both our cultures and it should be promoted more in the years to come. That is one of the jobs I would want to continue to do after my return to Korea and for the rest of my life after my retirement. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
3
From September 16-24 barely an hour passed without some kind of event at Korea Week
They won’t forget Korea Week in a hurry! Movie screenings, dance presentations and kimchi tastings ensured they were eight days to remember at the end of September thanks to a powerhouse line-up organised by the Korean Embassy. SEOUL-TEMBER NEXT YEAR?
In fact, if Korean flavours continue to permeate in similar fashion next year, they’ll have to rename the month Seoul-tember.
Photo: Hasse Ferrold
There were contests to find the best foreign speakers of Korean and the best K-pop dancing troupes, although in truth, everyone who attended an event went home a winner. The exhibition ‘Fermented Food of Korea’ took over the Radisson Collection: a chance to sample all types of traditional fermented Korean food, including chongkukjang, doenjang, ganjang, gochujang and kimchi. Korean ambassador Sang-jin Park (right) was present to oversee various demonstrations, including the obligatory class on how to make kimchi.
Photo: Hasse Ferrold
The festivities concluded with a reception to mark Korean National Day on September 24, where Ambassador Sang-jin Park and his wife were joined at their residence in Charlottenlund by Romanian ambassador Mihai-Alexandru Gradinar (right), the dean of the diplomatic corps, and his wife.
4
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
‘Byoksa Dance’, a traditional dance performance at DR Koncerthuset, was another popular highlight.
Also popular was a video lecture on Korean culture entitled ‘An Introduction to the Korean Wave’ at the ambassador’s residence in Charlottenlund. The surge in cultural popularity, which can trace its roots to the late-1990s, was fuelled by social media, the appeal of its cinema and, yes, ‘Gangnam Style’!
There was a strong turnout at the Korean Language Speaking Contest this year. Open to non-Koreans, in adherence with other criteria, it sounds like it was a lot of fun.
A screening of the hit 2014 movie ‘Ode to my Father’ was screened at Grand Teatret with English subtitles. Hundreds took advantage of the free admission to enjoy this extremely palatable recent history lesson, as the action starts during the Korean War before taking us on a whistle-stop tour of the country’s history through to the present day. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
5
Cordial relations between the two countries go back a long way through history
Following their historic agreement to form a comprehensive green strategic partnership in May, it’s no exaggeration to say that DanishKorean relations have never been more robust.
science and healthcare, technology and innovation, as well as political and economic co-operation,” the leaders said in a joint press statement.
As fate would have it, Denmark became the last country to recognise Korean sovereignty before the country lost its independence to Japan in 1910.
The accord - which was reached during a virtual summit between the two countries’ leaders, President Moon Jae–in and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen – marks Korea’s first bilateral green partnership with a foreign country.
Korea and Denmark are committed to working closely together to encourage countries, institutions and the private sector to develop and promote tangible solutions to reach netzero emissions by 2050.
TIES SINCE 1902
A few years prior to this, Denmark had been able to contribute communications technology to the emergent nation when Korea established its Imperial Department of Communication. JH Mühlensteth, a Danish telegraph engineer, was appointed to set up the Korean telegraph system.
Diplomatic ties between the nations have been going strong for over a century. The first tangible official manifestation was the treaty for navigation and trade that was concluded between the two countries in 1902 that can be found in the Danish national archives.
After the end of WWII in 1945, Korea became independent but territorial division shortly followed; the northern part was ruled by the Soviets, and the southern part was ruled primarily by the United States. Shortly afterwards, this partition became the modern
It also commemorated the 10th anniversary of initially establishing a green growth alliance and strategic partnership. The partnership “better reflects the deep cooperation between the two countries within a broad range of sectors, such as renewable energy, sustainability, green transition, life
6
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
states of North and South Korea. In 1950, North Korea invaded the South and started the Korean War, which would last three years.
A HELPING HAND
The ship was originally built for the East Asiatic Company for trade purposes but after it was decided to be sent to Korea, the Jutlandia was refitted with four operating theatres, four hospital wards with 356 beds, x-ray equipment, eye and dental clinics on board – as well as specialist laboratories and a pharmacy. During the conflict, the ship made three tours of duty. In all, Jutlandia served for a total of 999 days off the Korean shores and managed to treat around 5,000 UN soldiers and over 6,000 Korean civilians. To this day, the Korean people still acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Denmark and there is an excellent little museum situated in the Korean embassy in Hellerup dedicated to the Jutlandia, with ship models, reconstructions, memorabilia and personal accounts. The names of those who served on the ship are also recorded on large wall panels. The museum is open to the public at certain times, so it is best advised to check the guided tour schedule (contact: jutlandiahall@ gmail.com).
VIP VISITS Hostilities ceased in 1953 and diplomatic relations were formally re-established between the Republic of Korea and the Kingdom of Denmark on 11 March 1959. The Danish ambassador in Japan, T Busck-Nielsen, was also appointed acting ambassador to Korea. In 1972, the Republic of Korea opened an embassy in Copenhagen and in 1978, Ole Philipson became the first Danish ambassador accredited solely to Korea.
Photo: Hasse Ferrold
At this point, Denmark enters the picture once again. As part of a UN humanitarian relief effort, the Danish government dispatched the Jutlandia to the war zone – a hospital ship immortalised in the title of a Kim Larsen song in the 1980s. On board was a crew of around 630 comprising doctors, nurses, engineers and sailors.
In May 2012, Crown Prince Frederik made his first official visit to Korea, and has visited Korea more than ten times since in his capacity as a member of the IOC in preparations for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games.
GREEN INITIATIVES A summit meeting held in Seoul on 25 October 2016 provided the perfect backdrop to launch a joint action plan for the two countries. The leaders of Korea and Denmark committed the two countries to joint objectives for bilateral cooperation and initiated joint activities between Korea and Denmark. The objectives cover various areas such as cooperation in the political and security sphere, economic and trade co-operation, the Green Growth Alliance, social and cultural co-operation and co-operation at local government level. In October 2018, President Moon Jae-in paid on official visit to Copenhagen in order to participate in the first P4G Summit. President Moon held a bilateral summit with PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen and announced that Korea will host the second P4G Summit in Seoul. The second P4G Seoul Summit was held successfully in May 2021 with the participation of 67 world leaders including PM Mette Frederiksen by adopting the Seoul Declaration, which includes comprehensive relevant climate actions. “When we combine the Korean ’fast-mover’
approach with the Danish green ‘first-mover’ approach, we have an excellent foundation to create a green economy together,” said Technical University of Denmark (DTU) dean Anders Bjarklev following an exchange meeting between the embassy and about 50 DTU researchers in November 2018. And the foundation is undoubtedly paying dividends as May’s agreement demonstrated how strongly Korea and Denmark are committed to working together when it comes to environmental issues.
A BRIGHT FUTURE Green co-operation is also expanding into other areas, such as green energy, green ships and e-navigation. Academic exchanges between the two countries are already taking place, including projects to develop new types of fuel cells and batteries, green buildings, joint research into enhanced energy efficiency, etc. Denmark is also an acknowledged leader in the field of wind energy, with companies such as Vestas being at the forefront when it comes to innovation. So the future for Danish-Korean co-operation seems bright. Although they are geographically far apart, they share many of the same ideals and values and both are committed to peace and stability and the global society as a whole.
Commercial relations also became closer, with the bilateral trade volume reaching 2.2 billion dollars in 2017.
Photo: Hasse Ferrold
A number of members of the Danish royal family have visited Korea, Prince Henrik being the first in 1994, followed by Prince Joachim in 2002. In the same year, President Kim Daejung reciprocated by visiting Denmark on the occasion of the ASEM IV summit held in Copenhagen in October 2002. In October 2007 there was a state visit to Korea by Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik. In addition to the royal family, a business delegation accompanied them, with representatives from the fields of design, energy and the environment. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
7
A mutual admiration of one another’s technological expertise has cemented a robust partnership between the countries
By Lena Hunter Denmark and the Republic of Korea are innovative countries. Korea is a leader in technology development and production, whose population is characterised by its quick uptake of modern, innovative lifestyle solutions.
came into effect in July 2011. It was the most ambitious FTA negotiated by the EU with a third country, ensuring an unprecedented level of access to the Korean market across the board for Danish exporters.
It’s a profile well-matched to that of Denmark – a global frontrunner in solutions for the fight against climate change.
Fast forward to today: despite the pandemic, trade relations between Denmark and Korea remained strong in 2020. Korean exports to Denmark totalled 439.18 million US dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade, compared with 447.81 million dollars in 2019.
The strong partnership between the two countries is largely based on the potential for innovation and growth according to the green agenda. This forms a common basis for shared trade and investment interest.
8
STRONG TRADE RELATIONS
Meanwhile, Denmark’s exports to Korea in 2020 were valued at 778 million dollars, compared with 703.62 million in 2019.
The foundation of Danish-Korean trade is the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which
But raw export figures only paint half of the
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
picture. The cultural exchange represented by these numbers runs much deeper. In Denmark, Korean technology giants like Samsung shape the way consumers perceive the landscape of modern communication. In Korea, Danish products and brands like Bang & Olufsen, Legoland and Kinfolk influence perceptions of luxury lifestyle and entertainment.
KOREAN EXPORTS AT A GLANCE The Korean economy is export-driven and based on a great deal of co-ordination between the public and business sector. The backbone of the Korean export economy is family-owned industrial conglomerates, socalled ‘chaebols’, which include household names in Denmark like Hyundai, Samsung, LG,
investments. Notably, in 2020, Ørsted announced plans to invest in and orchestrate the construction of the biggest wind farm in the Asia Pacific region, with a capacity of up to 1.6GW, off the coast of Incheon, west of Seoul, in a 7.2-billion-dollar project. Up to 140 wind turbines will be installed 20 km off Deokjeok Island, where Ørsted has been collecting data since May 2020. Commercial operation is expected as early as 2026.
GREEN CO-OPERATION Green co-operation has a precedent. In 2012, President Lee Myung-bak and Danish PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen signed a bilateral Green Growth Alliance (GGA), pledging to collaborate on developing green technology.
Kia and Daewoo.
automated ships.
These chaebols are global leaders in mobile phone technology and consumer electronics, as well as the shipyard and automotive industries.
It followed another MoU, back in 2014, between Sweden, Korea and Denmark, to initiate a global partnership on the development of e-navigation solutions.
In fact, in 2020, Korea’s largest export to Denmark was in automobiles, totalling 147.16 million dollars.
Additionally, Danish shipping giants like Maersk play an important role in the exportdriven Korean economy.
Other major exports included machinery (82.78 million), iron and steel (42.74 million), plastics (29.36 million) and electronics (22.56 million).
2016: A LANDMARK YEAR
DANISH EXPORTS TO KOREA
The foreign direct investment from Korea to Denmark amounted to 23 million dollars for the first half of 2016 according to the ExportImport Bank of Korea – much of it within the Danish strongholds of food, wind energy and construction.
Meanwhile, Korea’s import portfolio from Denmark is dominated by machinery – a huge 226.21 million-dollars’ worth in 2020. In total, Danish industrial exports to Korea constitute more than 50 percent of total exports. While Danes are busy driving Korean cars, the demand from Korean consumers for Danish products is rooted in a similarly sophisticated taste in lifestyle products. Danish companies like B&O, Steff-Houlberg, Royal Copenhagen, Joe & the Juice and Flying Tiger are amongst those to have gained a foothold in the Korean market. Major Danish exports to Korea in this area include meat, beverages and other foodstuffs (158.76 million), electronics (59.91 million) and furniture and lighting (55.39 million).
MARITIME INNOVATION There is also a strong collaborative spirit between the two countries when it comes to maritime logistics and innovation that supports trade. In 2018, Korea and Denmark signed a Memorandum of Understanding underlining joint ambitions to enhance marine navigation systems and develop technologies for
In terms of direct investment, 2016 was a flagship year for the two countries.
Investments completed that year included Korean health supplement company Happy Enzyme, which established a sales office in Copenhagen based on its partnership with Danish bioscience company Chr Hansen. The same year, Anyang-based LS Cable & System – one of the biggest cable manufacturers worldwide – won competitive tenders from Energinet to install underground cables between wind farms and the grid in Zealand. In 2019, Korean financial services company AIP became the first Korean assetmanagement company to purchase a prime asset in a Nordic country: an administrative building in Copenhagen rented by Danish pharma-giant Novo Nordisk.
It was the first time Seoul had forged an alliance with a European counterpart in a non-security area. The GGA is a forum for annual high-level exchanges on topics related to the green transition and global green growth. In the April 2021 exchange, the Danish and Korean foreign ministers signed a Joint Action Plan for the strategic partnership over the next three years. The four focus points are 1) sustainability and the green transition, 2) science, technology and innovation, 3) health and life sciences, and 4) political and economic co-operation. Furthermore, Denmark and Korea launched the Partnering for Green Growth and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) along with Chile, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico and Vietnam at the 2017 UN Summit, which promotes market-based partnerships to fulfil the Paris agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.
LOOKING AHEAD Overall, it’s a strong strategic partnership for Denmark. Boston Consulting Group recently ranked Korea as the world’s second most innovative country. It also has one of the highest levels of R&D expenditures in the OECD. The benefits for Korea are huge too, as they gain access to cutting-edge Danish climate research and a Nordic consumer market with an appetite for Korean technology. All said, Korea’s innovative drive, combined with Denmark’s world-leading status in the green technology sector, allows each country to reinforce the other’s international competitive advantage.
WIND SECTOR INVESTMENT Danish investment in Korea centres largely on the medical, dairy and service sectors – but a recent upsurge in Korean interest in Danish green innovation has resulted in a number of major sustainable-technology
Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen Journalists: Ben Hamilton, Lena Hunter, Marius Rolland • Layout: CPH POST Info: hans@cphpost.dk • Tel: +45 2420 2411 THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
9
The success of the likes of ‘Parasite’ and ‘Squid Game’ is no fluke. This is a country that knows how to entertain! A BIG IMPACT “Jonghyun’s death had a big impact on me and the rest of the K-Pop fan base. For me personally it was tough,” Shinee fan Admin Mini Muh told CPH POST. “Shinee was the first K-Pop group I got to know, and that was all the way back in 2010.” Satisfying the demand for K-Pop is All in K-Pop at Nansensgade 60 in the city centre, a store owned by former music teachers Mette Kidal and Lars Christensen, where a community of K-Pop fans has sprung up.
CREATING A COMMUNITY It began when the owners turned their office storage facility into a one-week pop-up store to celebrate the debut of their webstore and drew K-Pop fans from all over the country. The street was bustling with the pop-up’s first visitors, creating a queue to the end of the street, and Kidal and Christensen simply couldn’t close their doors to the volume of interested customers once the week was over.
There’s a good chance you’ve been consuming Korean culture recently – it’s unavoidable. ‘Squid Game’ is the most popular ever program on Netflix; ‘Parasite’ was a resounding winner at the Oscars in 2020 and actress Youn Yuh-jung this year for ‘Minari’; K-pop bands like BTS are dominating the airwaves; and the world can’t get enough of kimchi, all the while discovering other kinds of fermented foods popular in the Asian nation. Such is Korea’s influence that the Oxford English Dictionary has just admitted 26 words from the language, including the word hallyu, which means “the growing international interest in South Korea and the country’s pop culture, represented by South Korea’s global success with music, films, clothing and food”. Clearly, the country’s culture is in the ascendancy, but it is no fluke, argue its proponents, as the Korean government has been heavily investing in the area for several decades.
GOVERNMENTAL ASSISTANCE For example, the music industry has been given tax breaks, and financial support offered to influential parties who can help promote K-pop, reports the BBC.
10 THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
In turn, the music industry supports diplomacy. BTS, for example, accompanied Korean President Moon Jae-in to the UN headquarters in New York Fans have also played a large part in garnering recognition: firstly for Psy and his mega-hit ‘Gangnam Style’, which became the first song to achieve 1 billion views on YouTube, and then for boy bands.
STRONG IN DENMARK The Korean Wave has been particularly visible in Denmark. On top of the estimated 20,000 Korean tourists who visit Denmark every year, many live here, but what is more notable is how many Europeans are influenced. The outpouring of grief in Denmark in 2017 that followed the death of Kim Jong-hyun, a former member of the K-Pop band Shinee, demonstrated how huge the genre – complete with its slick music videos, polished dance moves and synthesised vocals – is over here. A memorial ceremony was held and letters, pictures and flowers were placed around the wall of the Korean Embassy in Copenhagen by K-Pop fans in Denmark.
The owners were blown away by the way the visitors immediately started networking and sharing their lives, creating a community in the process.
Meet the Copenhagen-based K-Pop dancer aiming for the top Hello Cat Ly, nice to meet you. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? I’m currently taking a bachelor’s degree at CBS. In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with family and friends, travelling (in normal times) and dancing with the Eunoia Dance Crew. What attracted you to K-Pop? I got introduced to K-Pop via YouTube by my cousin when I was ten. It was a combination of music, dance and Asian representation at a time when I was beginning to figure out my identity. I’d always been interested in dance and music, so when I found a genre that had a good balance of both of them, I began to slowly learn the dances. K-Pop has motivated me to pursue dancing more professionally since it has taught me a lot of performance skills. Today I see myself as more of a ‘dancer’ and not only someone who likes to dance. You recently won a K-Pop dancing talent contest. Can you tell us about the competition? My dance group signed up for the K-Pop World Festival preliminary in Denmark and fortunately we won! It was hosted by the Korean Embassy who nominated us to represent Denmark in the 2021 World Festival in South Korea. Because of the corona pandemic, the competition was online, so we had to send in two videos by a deadline. How is the way you dance different from what you might see on western dancefloors? Western dance tends to be very technical and dependent on lots of energy and facials. A K-Pop performance utilises a lot of different elements at the same time: dance and lip sync, which have to be eye-catching, iconic choreography, Cat Ly Do, a 21-year-old Dane of Vietnamese descent, is a K-Pop enthusiast who enjoys entering contests with her troupe, the Eunoia Dance Crew. Earlier this year, Eunoia were the winners of the K-Pop World Festival’s Danish Preliminary, which was co-hosted by the Korean Embassy.
stage presence, evoking a happy or awe-inspiring feeling etc. So it’s more of a complete performance rather than just the dance itself. What are your future plans with your dancing? Definitely to enter more contests. The competition was our first, so winning gave us confidence and acknowledgement for the work we do. Meanwhile, we’ve more than doubled our subscriber count on YouTube in the last year, and we want to continue showing new sides of ourselves and to keep improving. Hopefully more people will subscribe and follow us in the future to follow our development! Where do you go in Denmark to dance and enjoy Korean culture? I mostly attend meet-ups to meet other K-Pop fans. Sometimes when a K-Culture event pops up on my FB or I get invited to one, then I’ll go if I’ve got time. I also eat at a few Korean restaurants in Copenhagen with friends or family. I also try to introduce Korean food to my friends who don’t really know that much about Korean culture. Most of them really like it! How would you explain the popularity of ‘hallyu’? I think the main thing is that it’s eyecatching and different, but still easy to follow. This makes it trendy and impactful at the same time. If you had to choose between only consuming Korean or Anglophone culture for the rest of your life, what would you choose? I would still prefer Western movies and TV series, but for music K-Pop ‘trumfers’.
DECADE OF DANCING For Cat Ly, the win was the culmination of eleven years of dedication to her craft, but only the start of something she hopes she can pursue professionally. CPH POST caught up with her recently to find out more about her passion. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
11
Taekwondo conquered the world in less than half a century, spreading the culture of its country of origins to every corner in the process
By Marius Rolland
Today the Korean Wave is bringing the country’s culture to every corner of the world. But it hasn’t always been that way. Long before Psy picked up a microphone and Bong Joon-ho a camera, a sturdy ambassador has been fighting its corner – literally. The martial art of Taekwondo originated in Korea in the 1940s before rapidly conquering the world. Its debut at the 1988 Olympics completed a whistlestop tour. Furthermore, practitioners get used to using Korean for commands, orders and moves during training, thus spreading knowledge of the language globally as well.
MORE THAN A SPORT More than kicking and punching, Taekwondo is “the way of the kick and the punch”. Beyond endurance, flexibility and physical strength, Taekwondo does not stop at the semantic boundaries of a simple sport. Many praise the martial art’s ability to train the mind and achieve self-control. Inspired by the five precepts of secular life, a philosophical rulebook has been established to ensure its proper conduct. Students must take an oath to be courteous, honest, persevering, in control and indomitable.
12 THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
The place of spirituality and the strong benevolent values of the discipline, however, counterbalance the shortcomings it has experienced in the past.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES Formulated during the Japanese Occupation, its practice was forbidden by the occupiers, who encouraged the kwans to teach only Japanese sports techniques - hence the heavy influence of karate in Taekwondo. Following Korean independence in 1948, Korean President Syngman Rhee entrusted General Choi Hong Hi - who headed the oldest school, Chung Do Kwan - with the mission of establishing Taekwondo as a major sport. Named and codified in the 1950s, Taekwondo was used as a tool to emancipate the pride and exalt the patriotism of Korean youth. It was very much a lever of Korean state nationalism. The aim was to make Korea stand out throughout Asia by promoting this sporting innovation, shining a spotlight on the country’s talent and creativity. By the 1970s, Taekwondo was no longer just a novelty, it had become a wave.
ESTABLISHED OLYMPIC SPORT It was of course fitting that Taekwondo was trialled as a demonstration sport at the 1988 Olympic in Seoul. And then 12 years later, it was adopted as an official medal sport. Today, it is, along with judo, one of only two martial arts to be an official Olympic sport. Karate won inclusion for the 2020 games in Tokyo, but won’t be on the roster for Paris in 2024. Karate’s failure confirms that the apprentice is now the master.
It’s more than a sport, enthuses the Danish Taekwondo Federation president. It’s a way of life By Marius Rolland In September, a spectacular demonstration of taekwondo at Frederiksberg Gymnasium in the heart of the Danish capital was co-organised by the Korean Embassy and the Danish Taekwondo Federation. For the special occasion, Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquarters in Korea, sent its world-famous Taekwondo Demonstration Team. Participants from Danish taekwondo clubs also took part.
A SPORT ON THE CHARGE The event was testament to how far the sport has advanced in Denmark – progress that recently yielded a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. CPH POST recently caught up with Mireille Enggaard Kempf, the president of the Danish Taekwondo Federation since October 2020. We asked her about the sport’s development in Denmark and the role played by the Korean Embassy in facilitating it. We understand the Kukkiwon Taekwondo demonstration in September was a spectacular success. What led you to coorganising it with the Korean Embassy? I had a great meeting with the ambassador who was very openminded. We talked about what we can do together to let more people know what taekwondo is. And it’s true, it was a huge success; the ambassador was a little surprised himself! We organised it because we’re keen to do something for the sport – to promote awareness, generosity and volunteering. It’s rare to find an embassy that wants to support a sport, such as taekwondo, so concretely. We welcomed some amazing Korean teachers,
and we already want to invite the Kukkiwon demonstration team back again. The project is enabling us to establish real relationships, along with projects with Korean taekwondo structures What are taekwondo’s prospects in Denmark in the immediate future? We have been fighting to get back on our feet following corona: particularly with helping the Danish clubs, because a lot of them lost members. We still have to find somebody who wants to support taekwondo: somebody who wants to invest in its future. Ultimately, more financing will enable us to fulfil our main goal: to have happy students across the whole country. Taekwondo was represented at the Paralympic Games for the first time in Tokyo two months’ ago, where Danish competitor Lisa Kjaer Gjessing won a gold medal in the under-58 kg category, and her South-Korean counterpart Joo Jeong-hun a bronze. So pretty much a dream podium for your efforts to raise awareness of the sport in Denmark. We’re very proud of her and her coach. We are hoping it can inspire other people, not least
those who are also handicapped. Lisa lost a part of her arm some years ago [to cancer in 2012], and she showed everyone in a similar situation, including those born with a handicap, that “I can do it as well”. It’s proof that taekwondo is half the fight, as it helps us to fight against life’s other problems too. How much of the Korean identity is present in the taekwondo taught by the Danish federation? Do other aspects of Korean culture penetrate the students beyond the fighting techniques? Taekwondo is not just a sport, it’s a way of life. Its spirituality runs deep. Practitioners have such control over their minds that it becomes their whole way of being. You learn a lot about how to be a good person. When you go to the Dojang, you leave everything behind you. It doesn’t matter if you’re Muslim or Catholic, or the colour of your skin, as the respect is universal. Every time you achieve a new belt, you look at it and say: “Hey, I did it.” I think taekwondo will continue forever. Our federation is an introduction point – an intermediary and transition between Scandinavia and Korea. And yes, most of the students get inspired by K-culture. They want to be a part of it.
THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
13
Mountains, volcanic islands and stunning botanical gardens await visitors to Korea It might surprise you to learn that South Korea is not among Asia’s top 25 biggest countries. North and South Korea rank 29th and 30th out its 48 nations – smaller than the likes of Nepal and Tajikistan. In European terms, a unified Korea would only be marginally bigger than Britain. Highly accessible This makes South Korea surprisingly accessible to visitors – and with 3,358 islands at your disposal, it’s tempting to think you could go islandhopping! (After all, maybe you were impressed by the outdoor scenes in the Netflix hit series ‘Squid Game’.) Well, our advice is don’t. While some of its islands are indeed bursting with waterfalls, volcanoes and mountains, ‘island-hopping’ is not really a ‘thing’ like it is in Greece or the Caribbean. Instead, plan to visit individual islands, starting with our first entry on this list of recommended places.
TANGERINE ISLAND Korea’s inclusion on the New7Wonders of Nature list, which was compiled a decade ago based on a poll of 100 million people, is one of the world’s most beautiful islands. White sand beaches, mountains and waterfalls, volcanic craters and lava caves, and pine forests await visitors to Jeju-do. Famous for its tangerines and green tea cafes, go hiking up Mt Halla, the highest mountain in the country (the wifi works perfectly at the highest point apparently), and don’t miss the erotic sculpture park Jeju Loveland.
SEOUL WITH STURDY SOLES The Korean big outdoors is just waiting to be explored, with lots of mountains suitable for those without climbing gear. The capital Seoul, for example, is just 30 minutes away from four notable peaks. But given its tempting nightlife, food and palaces, it can be hard to leave. Top Tip: Pay homage to the film ‘Parasite’ with an obligatory photo on the iconic steps leading to the Jahmun tunnel as featured on the journey home for the Kim Family from the mansion. And then check out the nearby Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of Seoul’s most beautiful.
14 THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
BEACHLIFE IN BUSAN For watersports such as surfing and yachting, head to Busan, the country’s second biggest city and the closest the country has to a beach resort. Haeundae Beach and Hurshimchung Hot Springs are both highly recommended. When you eat in Busan, make sure it is seafood – a trip to the famous Jagalchi fish market is guaranteed to whet your appetite. Buddhist temples and Asia’s largest international film festival are also big draws for visitors.
GARDENS OF GAPYEONG in the Gapyeong region you’ll find the Garden of the Morning Calm, Korean nature at its best, crammed into one 300,000 sqm site. Regardless of what season you visit, this is a botanical garden like no other. Named after a nickname bestowed on the country by the Indian poet Robindronath Togore, the gardens have been wowing visitors since 1996. Nearby and just as unique, you must try the Gapyeong Rail Bike – a 6 km cycle (either in a two or four person cart) on a rail that will take you past views of outstanding nature whilst giving your legs a workout. In the mountains at times, the experience has been compared to flying. Also in the vicinity, the Petit France village is worth a visit too.
BREW’S UP IN BOSEONG
UNIQUE UDO
Boseong in the southwest of the country is the place to go for a famous cup of Korean green tea. Enjoy the distinct taste and aroma of a cuppa that they have been cultivating in the region for 1,600 years. Boseong, meanwhile, is also known for its bamboo forests and food.
Situated close to Jeju-do, so you could enjoy them on the same trip, is Udo, an island with a unique local heritage that is home to Korea’s only coral beach, Seobin. Make sure you visit the lighthouse for stunning views of the black lava cliffs and surrounding countryside. Most notably, the island is home to the haenyeo – strong elderly female divers who make their living by diving for abalone and shellfish. THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA supplement
15