Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Finland

It was in 1973 that the diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Finland were established. Ever since, both countries have continued to expand and foster close ties, allowing us to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2023.

Finland is a state with about 5.5 million inhabitants and its land is 1.5 times bigger than the Korean Peninsula. Although some 7000km lie between both territories, Finland is one of the European countries geographically closest to Korea.

Both of our nations demonstrate a lot of similarities. We share the historical experience of being devoted to our respective national identities and cherishing our own cultures and languages. We also continuously seek to develop our nations. Koreans and Finns share the same universal values – such as democracy, freedom, human rights and the rule of law to name a few – and have been mutually promoting, as well as strengthening, bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

As dynamic countries, Finland and Korea have time and again overcome challenges in the rapidly changing global economy through innovative practices, boosting national competitiveness. This common feature inspired substantial cooperation between our two countries. Starting from the paper and pulp industry in the 1970s, our cooperation was intensified within the realm of the mobile phone industry in the 1980s. Today, this partnership has expanded further to other lines of business, including ICT, startups, defense industry, bio and circular economy. Both of our countries show prowess in advanced technologies, offering great potential to expand future-oriented collaboration.

Last but not least, the peoples of Korea and Finland have become more and more interested in each other's cultures which has resulted in increased cultural exchanges. Korean culture, such as K-Pop, Korean food, and Korean movies, is gaining in popularity among Finns. Reciprocally, there is a growing number of Korean people who are coming to Finland to get acquainted with the happiest country in the world. Finnair’s direct flight between Incheon and Helsinki, launched in 2008, has contributed to a shorter air travel between our two countries which in turn has enabled people-to-people exchanges to multiply.

The embassy will continue to make efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation and dialogue between Korea and Finland. We hope to not only treasure the thriving ties that have burgeoned during our 50-year-long cooperation, but also to work together to have them bloom in the years to come. We will also do our best to protect the safety and promote the interests of Korean nationals in Finland.

Thank you.