By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
Croatian Ambassador to Seoul Drago Stambuk sees potential for his language and culture to spread in Korea, a country he oversees from across the sea.
Stambuk, who concurrently serves as ambassador to Japan, flew in to Korea to participate in an art festival prepared by the South Slavic Studies Department at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. He resides in Tokyo.
The only Slavic studies department in existence in Korea celebrated the 20th anniversary of its founding. For the ambassador, it was an occasion of appreciation.
"This university is very special and important. I am grateful for your efforts in raising the profile of the Croatian language and heritage from which many historically important figures have emerged," Stambuk said.
When it first opened in 1988 at the school's Yongin campus, it was the department of Yugoslave studies. In the years to come, with changes in the political map of the region, the name changed to its current one. Presently, Croatian and Serbian and studies are taught at the university.
Stambuk seemed truly amazed by the arts presentation, consisting of singing and dancing. He praised nearly 130 students of the department for their work and efforts put into the presentation. "It was impressive to see the students' efforts," he said after singing along with one Croatian song at the end of the program.
The Slavic department at the university remains the only connection to the region available in Korea, where hardly anything is known about the area except for the political tensions and bloody images of the 1990s.
Now the country, rich in arts, wants to appeal to more Koreans, the ambassador said, and for that he is rolling up his sleeves.
Described as one of the most heaven-like lands on Earth by Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky, the famous Russian novelist, Croatia has treasures hidden from the eyes of Koreans, the ambassador said.
Later this month, he will open a photo exhibition, "World Heritage Sites in Croatia," at the university, showing the nature and the arts of Croatia. The exhibition is now touring Korea.
The ambassador plans to come back in December to read his poems here. He was awarded the "Greatest Poet of the Year" award in Croatia earlier this year.
In addition, a tourism promotion organization could soon open in Seoul, he said.
Compared to Japan, where the number of visitors to Croatia already exceeds 200,000, Korea is far behind, Stambuk said, encouraging people to visit his country.