Kim Hyun-bin began his journalism career at Arirang TV from 2012 to 2017, specializing in defense, foreign affairs and the economy. In 2018, he joined The Korea Times, covering society and business, and is currently responsible for embassy affairs.
Italian ambassador explores historic ties between Korea, Italy through photography
A photo of Italian diplomat Carlo Rossetti carried in a palanquin is on display at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
By Kim Hyun-bin
Korea-Italy diplomatic ties mark 140th anniversary
Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto has underscored the historical significance of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Italy.
"I am extremely delighted to be here with you today to officially open the photo exhibition 'All roads lead to History: Italy and Korea,' the outcome of a huge joint effort, resulting from the wish to highlight the long and flourishing history of the diplomatic relations between Italy and Korea," Gatto said during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition in Seoul, Monday.
Italian Ambassador to Korea Emilia Gatto gives opening speech during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of the Embassy of Italy in Seoul
"Italy was the fourth country in the world to establish diplomatic ties with Korea. Our history together began in 1884 when the then Kingdoms of Italy and of Joseon signed the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation, thus embarking on a long-lasting friendship that this year reaches its 140th anniversary."
A month-long special exhibition showcasing approximately 70 photographs and video materials depicting the evolution of Korean-Italian relations will run until March 31 at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in central Seoul.
The exhibition reflects on the 140-year history since the Joseon Dynasty and Italy inked a trade treaty in 1884. Supported by Korea's foreign and culture ministries, the exhibition provides a comprehensive retrospective of the enduring diplomatic ties between the two nations.
"Today, with this exhibition, we celebrate our shared history by revealing interesting insights from the beginning of our diplomatic relations. I myself, through the organization of this exhibition, discovered things I did not know about this country, as I only arrived six months ago," Gatto said.
"In particular, I was fascinated to discover that the very street this museum overlooks was once the Street of the six ministries, where the political life of the kingdom took place and where our predecessors laid the foundations of the path that we are continuing to build together nowadays."
Several dignitaries, including Culture Minister Yu In-chon and Rep. Hong Young-pyo of the main opposition Diplomatic Party of Korea attended the opening ceremony. Hong is the president of the Korean-Italian Parliamentarian Friendship Association.
Additionally, the exhibition showcases a photograph of Carlo Rossetti, the second Italian consul to Korea who arrived in 1902, riding a palanquin, alongside other photographs taken by the consul during his time in Korea.
A photo of members of the Italian medical support unit deployed to Korea during the Korean War is on display at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin
"Among the photographs in the exhibition, several were collected by the extraordinary work of the Italian Consul Carlo Rossetti, who, during his eight-month stay in Korea in the late 1800s, gave us an insight of the society from an Italian perspective, becoming the first Westerner to produce such a comprehensive and detailed photographic book about Korea," the ambassador said.
Images captured by Rossetti, who once drew parallels between the overall shape of the Korean Peninsula and the Italian Peninsula, serve as significant historical artifacts offering insight into early 20th-century Korea. Among these are photographs depicting men adorned in traditional Korean attire and hats attending a mathematics class between 1902 and 1903, as well as a bustling Seoul street flanked by tile-roofed houses.
"I hope you, too, will discover new facts, such as the contribution of the Italian Red Cross during the Korean War, the establishment of the strategic partnership in 2018 and the state visit of the Italian President Sergio Mattarella in Korea, and much more," she added.
"Notwithstanding, for me, celebrating 140 years of bilateral diplomatic relations does not only mean commemorating past events but rather looking forward to the future and the development of our friendship, using this anniversary not as a destination but rather as a starting point for us to examine the priorities around which we want to strengthen and grow our relationship."