1. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the diplomatic relations with Belarus, the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea successfully hosted a dynamic commemorative event themed “Tradition Meets Modernity” in the Belarussian capital of Minsk on June 18. The event consisted of a percussion performance combined with singing and dancing under the theme of “The Sound of Soul,” b-boy dances, Korea’s traditional dance fusioned with b-boy dance, and Pansori (traditional Korean music) fusioned with beat box.

2. The 1,200-seat venue was packed with people of Belarus, including high-ranking government officials, such as the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Transport and Communications, as well as reporters of the state-run TV broadcaster, and radio and newspaper outlets, which demonstrated the recent popularity of Hallyu (Korean Wave) in the country.

3. The performances were acclaimed as a remarkable opportunity for people of Belarus to experience first-hand both the tradition and the contemporary aspects of Korean culture.

4. Kang Weon-sik, the ROK’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Belarus, commented that the performances are expected to contribute to further enhancing the rapidly rising image of the ROK in the country. Over the last two years, two high schools and two universities in the country established Korean language departments and/or courses. Meanwhile, the number of members of the Hallyu fan clubs has exceeded the 1,000 mark. Amid such trends, TV broadcasters are airing an increasing number of the Korean soap operas.

                         Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFAT

* unofficial translation