Talks resume ahead of S. Korea-ASEAN culture exchange projects

Administrator Choi Eung-chon (right) ahead of talks with Peruvian Ambassador to South Korea Paul Duclos at the National Palace Museum of Korea on Nov. 15. (Cultural Heritage Administration)

South Korea will discuss coordinating joint projects to promote Seoul’s cultural heritage, during a two-day dialogue that started Tuesday with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

The working-level talks, attended for the third time by officials in charge of cultural ties, will discuss how Asian nations can advance cultural traditions, particularly those involving the cultivation of rice, a staple in South Korea.

“The meeting this time will be a place to share more than just rice and what each other country has to say about all that,” an official at the Cultural Heritage Administration said, noting the South Korean culture agency is looking to win over the ASEAN group.

The official added that Seoul could start joint projects as early as next year to raise awareness of its rice traditions. The official declined to elaborate on a timeline because the working-level dialogue “would need to take place more” ahead of the start of any projects.

In 2019, Seoul suggested setting up a body overseeing cultural exchanges with the ASEAN group -- a move Asian countries followed up on in November 2022 when they launched a regular consultation. The nations then held their first working-level talks at the time.

Earlier this year, South Korea launched a trial run of joint projects where a Vietnamese team won a competition by proposing the use of the latest digital technologies to preserve cultural heritage. The competition, the kind of cultural exchanges Seoul has in mind, was a “huge success,” according to another CHA official.

“An international conference on culture is one example of what to expect in 2024,” CHA said in a statement.

Last week, the agency revealed a plan to come up with specific steps to grow the economy by nurturing startups interested in using cultural heritage. The agency pledged legislative support to make that happen.

Giving incentives to Koreans frequenting cultural sites by offering them discounts at hotels and restaurants was another priority the agency highlighted.

By Choi Si-young(siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)