Busan is good

Park Heong-joon, Mayor of Busan, Meets with Karl-Olof Andersson, Swedish Ambassador to Korea… Discusses Cultural Exchange and Cooperation

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Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that on September 19 at 4:30 p.m., Mayor Park Heong-joon met with Karl-Olof Andersson, Swedish Ambassador to Korea, at the City Hall International Protocol Room to discuss ways to promote mutual exchange and cooperation between Busan and Sweden.

Mayor Park first extended his greetings, saying, “I welcome your visit to Busan, the city of film, and thank you for taking the time to come despite your busy schedule.”

He continued, “Recently, as Busan’s charm has become widely known, the number of foreign tourists has increased significantly. Beyond its beautiful scenery and cuisine, Busan’s appeal is expanding into culture and the arts. In this trend, the exhibition of Hilma af Klint, a pioneer of abstract art, has further enhanced the city’s allure. In particular, the special program linked to this exhibition, where Your Excellency and the museum director read a picture book by Baek Hee-na, winner of Sweden’s 2020 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), carries great significance.”

Ambassador Karl-Olof Andersson attended the special program “A World Met Through Books – A Picture Book Reading with the Swedish Ambassador and the Director” held yesterday (September 20) as part of the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art’s exhibition “Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA) Exhibition: Where Books and Pictures Meet.”

In response, Ambassador Andersson said, “I am very grateful that the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting the Hilma af Klint exhibition,” and added, “I would be delighted if you could attend the opening ceremony of the 14th Sweden Film Festival, which will be held on October 28 this year.”

The Sweden Film Festival was first held in 2012 during Queen Silvia’s visit to Korea, and this year marks its 14th edition.

Ambassador Andersson also noted, “Korea and Sweden boast close economic cooperation, with many Swedish companies active in Busan and across the country. Historically, Sweden also established a field hospital during the Korean War, continuing a long-standing cooperative relationship with Busan.”

Mayor Park responded, “This year is particularly meaningful, as the Busan International Film Festival, which opened on September 17, marks its 30th anniversary. We aim to further develop it into the world’s largest film festival. With numerous international exhibitions and events taking place in Busan and many international tourists visiting, I believe there are diverse opportunities for exchange between Korea and Sweden in both cultural and economic fields.”

Ambassador Andersson added, “In Sweden, the popularity of Korean dramas, K-pop, K-beauty, and K-food is extremely high. I hope that through opportunities such as the Hilma af Klint exhibition, the ALMA exhibition, and the Sweden Film Festival, diverse exchanges between our two countries will become even more active.”

Finally, Mayor Park concluded the meeting by saying, “I hope this visit will serve as a momentum for even more active exchange and cooperation between Busan and Sweden, and that you will return with many fond memories of Busan.”