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The Irish Minister of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, returned to his country after a two-day visit to Korea from Thursday.

He is the first holder of that office to visit South Korea.

During the two-day visit, Bruton held meetings with government officials and Korean businesspeople in the life science and ICT sectors to attract investment to his nation.

The Irish Embassy said he discussed opportunities for Korean business in and with Ireland, and briefed Korean businesses on Ireland's bids toward economic recovery from the global financial crisis. Ireland was hit hard by the global economic crisis which began in 2008 and received bailouts from international financial institutions. The economy exited from the program last year.

"Irish exports are now in excess of pre-crisis levels and this year, Ireland is forecast to have a primary budget surplus," the embassy said.

Minister Bruton also met with think tank experts and Korea Telecom officials during his two-day visit to Seoul.

The Canadian Embassy, in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, organized the advanced screening of the award-winning film, "My Place" directed by Korean-Canadian filmmaker Emmanuel Moonchil Park, at the City Hall, Wednesday.

The film screening was part of the embassy's joint celebration of Canada Week, along with the city government.

Based on director Park's experiences, the film produced in 2013 shed light on the culture shock his family members had gone through after they returned to Korea from Canada.

It covered a wide array of topics, including the clashes between cultures of the East and the West and the traditional and modern societies, and identity and migration.

Director Park interpreted his parents' lives in the context of the dramatic shift in modern Korean history and described myriad of challenges facing the family members while raising a child born out of wedlock.

A dual exhibition featuring Brazilian and Korean artists' works of forests has been showcased at Gallery Gabi in Jongno-Gu, Seoul from June 20.

The exhibition will continue until July 4.

The gallery said it offers a fable of forest and animals through which visitors experience Brazilian and Korean cultures through the works of two artists, Thiago Modesto and Hana Seo.

"Fables of forest and animals are also typified by their connection with childhood imagination, nostalgia, reminiscence and resonance," the gallery said in a press release. The exhibition showcases the two artists' interpretation of fables.

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