Ex-diplomat dreams of better world with culture

Chung Dal-ho

By Park Jin-hai

Long-time diplomat Chung Dal-ho, 66, is having second life as a cultural ambassador.

After nearly 40 years as a career diplomat, Chung now leads the World Culture Open (WCO), a multinational non-profit, non-governmental organization to promote the value of cultural diversity.

He took up the position in February.

“Today, culture holds more importance than ever,” he said. “Compared with 15 years ago, when we opened the Korean office, we are better placed to promote culture now that the national agenda includes cultural promotion.”

Chung said the civic organization was campaigning for the “Culture Designer Movement” here.

“We think of a platform where all people regardless of their nationality, age and sex could nurture creativity,” he said.

“Each and every one becomes a culture designer and makes their life creative and we as an organization connect the dots to make the world better place.”

The WCO focuses on three goals ― making sports events like the Olympics also cultural events, giving cultural awards in each field and establishing international forums to discuss cultural issues.

He said when he was a diplomat he experienced the power of culture. In Egypt, he held many events so Egyptian students could learn more about Korea. He held Korean speech contests and gave winners tickets to Korea. He also gave Korean dictionaries to students.

He said one of those students came to Korea and now worked as a host for an Arabic language radio station.

“If technology feeds people, culture feeds their soul,” he said. “Culture is life and home to people.”

Chung was ambassador to Egypt and to Panama. When he retired from his diplomatic mission in 2009, he became senior research fellow at the Jeju International Peace Institute and director of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research.

He is WCO’s director general and chairman of the organizing committee for the 3rd Jeju Citrus Exposition.

He grows blueberries in Jeju and writes a column mainly about political issues and nature for the local daily in his “Time and Thyme” section.