By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
The ancient Silk Road has been revived, this time by Korea.
The Silk Road Foundation, a non-profit group, aiming to reconnect Korea and Central Asia, held an official launching ceremony at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Tuesday.
Kim Won-ho, chairman of the foundation's board, said: ``The old Silk Road connected the East to facilitate commerce and exchanges of cultures and new ideas. We want to help create a new Silk Road, which will connect people from different countries, as well as organize exchange programs and conferences and networking events.''
Vice Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Shin Kak-soo congratulated the private initiative, adding that he hoped it would add to the government's efforts to enhance understanding, and commerce and trade with Central Asia. The foundation is expected to work hand in hand with the Lee Myung-bak administration's emphasis on energy diplomacy.
Park Jin, chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee, pledged support from the legislative body.
Lee Sang-joon, one of the executives of the Golden Bridge Financial Group, a Seoul-based financial company, founded the organization.
Turkish Ambassador to Seoul Deniz Ozmen said the new Silk Road would contribute to economic prosperity as it did in old days ― Turkey is at the other end of the road.
The foundation will organize various academic, cultural and athletic exchange programs with countries in the region, one of which will be the opening of its first branch office in Uzbekistan in November.