Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Yoon wraps up Czech visit by meeting with Korean community
President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee talk with young children during a dinner meeting with Korean residents in the Czech Republic at a hotel in downtown Prague, Friday (local time). Yonhap
By Anna J. Park
First lady Kim promotes traditional Korean paper 'hanji' at Czech library
PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Wrapping up his two-day state visit to the Czech Republic, President Yoon Suk Yeol attended a dinner with dozens of Koreans residing in the country, Friday evening (local time), praising their contributions to both their homeland and their adopted country.
The Korean community in the Czech Republic began around 30 years ago, following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990. Today, the community has grown to around 3,000.
President Yoon emphasized that the meeting was especially meaningful, as it took place right after Chuseok, Korea's traditional harvest festival. He highlighted the Czech Republic’s rich history and well-preserved medieval cultural heritage, noting that it has been an important ally, fostering friendly cooperation based on shared values of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law since diplomatic ties were established.
"Since 1990, the Korean community in the Czech Republic has grown as Korean companies have actively entered the Czech market, and people from neighboring countries have moved here. The community further expanded in the 2000s, with the introduction of direct flights and increased tourism between the two countries," Yoon said during the dinner held at a hotel in downtown Prague.
Yoon went on to talk about his meetings with high-ranking officials during his state visit, including President Petr Pavel, Prime Minister Petr Fiala, as well as the leaders of both houses of Parliament. He stressed Korea's determination to significantly advance the strategic partnership between the two countries, with a focus on cooperation in the nuclear energy sector.
"The two countries' bilateral cooperation will be broadened in areas such as advanced industries, science and technology, energy, and infrastructure," President Yoon said, adding that as such cooperation expands, the Korean community will also have greater opportunities for growth.
First lady Kim Keon Hee attends a demonstration on the restoration of ancient books using traditional Korean paper, hanji, at the National Library of the Czech Republic in Prague, Friday (local time). Yonhap
Meanwhile, first lady Kim Keon Hee visited the country's National Library, Friday, to observe a demonstration on the restoration of ancient books.
A senior official from the Korean presidential office explained that her visit was an opportunity to introduce the value of hanji, traditional Korean paper, to Czech officials.
"The book restoration demonstration was held to commemorate the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the National Library of Korea and the Czech National Library for the exchange of restoration techniques for ancient texts and manuscripts, which coincides with President Yoon's official visit to the Czech Republic," the official told reporters.