King Sejong Institute Pune Inaugurated: Fostering Indo-Korean Cultural and Educational Ties
Pune, 28th November 2023: Taking another step to strengthen the ties between India and Korea for mutual benefit, the King Sejong Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of the Republic of Korea inaugurated the King Sejong Institute at Indo-Korean Center Pune on Tuesday.
The institute aims to teach the Korean language to Indian students aspiring to work in Korean companies. The inauguration ceremony was graced by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India, H.E. Chang Jae-bok, and the Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Mumbai, Kim Young-og. Sanjib Ghatak, the Founder of the Indo-Korean Centre, Dr. Eunjoo Lim (Director of IKC King Sejong Institute Pune), and Dr. Pradip Bavadekar (Chairman & Managing Trustee of Youthbuild Foundation) also marked their presence.
In his address, H.E. Chang Jae-bok mentioned that the close friendship between India and Korea has grown over the years. In the last five decades, this friendship has also contributed to the flourishing of the economies of both nations. Ambassador Chang discussed ways to promote Korean language education and Korean studies in various regions of India. He pledged to strive towards enhancing education between Korea and India and expressed hopes to make the institute a key center for Korea-India relations. The celebration of the golden jubilee of this relationship is underway. Looking ahead, there is a shared vision for further enhancing mutual relations across all fronts between the two countries.
Chang Jae Bok highlighted that just a few years ago, the trade between the two countries amounted to 400 million dollars. However, there has been a remarkable surge in trade over the past two decades, reaching an impressive 28 billion dollars in 2022. Esteemed Korean companies such as POSCO and LG Electronics are thriving, generating employment opportunities. Learning the Korean language, to some extent, has become a pathway to employment, contributing to the rising trend of people choosing to acquire this language skill. Looking forward, there is a possibility that Korean universities may establish an academic complex in India, and discussions about this prospect are currently underway.
Praising India Chang Jae Bok added that India did a great job handling the COVID-19 crisis, and people noticed. When India led the G-20, it showed off its culture and progress to the world, spreading a positive message. It looks like India is on track to become one of the top countries globally, Chang Jae Bok said. The trajectory suggests that India is poised to become one of the leading countries worldwide.
Dr. Pradeep Bavdekar, Sanjeeb Ghatak also spoke about the relationship between the two countries and the contribution of the Indo-Korean Centre. Dr. Eunjoo Lim welcomed and briefed abouth the King Sejong Institute. She also give information about the online and offline courses offered by the institute.
The second part of the program was a visual treat for the attendees. Korean and Indian Cultural Dance performances captured the essence of the heritage of both nations. Indian classical and Korean pop sensations brought the vibrancy of modern and traditional culture to the forefront. The air was filled with the melodious tunes of singers and dancers from both countries.
