Nation marketing also active in Seoul on top of Olympic villages

The staff at the Norwegian Culture Zone engages in country marketing at Gwanghwamun Square in downtown Seoul, Feb. 9. / Courtesy of Embassy of Norway

By Yi Whan-woo

While many nations run promotional campaigns at the Olympic villages in PyeongChang and Gangneung, others are luring tourists, selling exports, and wielding diplomatic soft power in Seoul.

British Ambassador to Korea Charles Hay has opened his residence to the invited public since Feb. 5 and is showing Olympic memorabilia, including torches from the London 2012 Summer Olympics and petals from the 2012 Olympic Cauldron.

Titled “British House,” the Olympic national house also features information on U.K. companies such as Land Rover.

British House will run through the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic from Feb. 9 to 25 and Paralympic Winter Games, March 9 to 18.

Hay, who will end his term in Korea in February, said, “Using my home as the British House to bring our two countries even closer together at such a special time is a fitting end to my time in this incredible country.”

The Norwegian Embassy in Korea is jointly operating a cultural center with the Norwegian Seafood Council and Innovation Norway, a state-run organization for country marketing, at Gwanghwamun Square until Feb. 25, according to the embassy, Sunday.

It said the Norwegian Culture Zone at the KT Live Site will give “the perfect chance to learn more about Norway’s winter spirit and culture.” It referred to the country’s reputation as a winter sports powerhouse, competing in all 23 Winter Olympics and winning over 320 medals, far more than any other nation.

It won 26 medals in the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, including the highest number of gold medals, 11.

Norway especially has a rich skiing heritage.

The cultural center offers grilled mackerel and other Norwegian delicacies, such as salmon, mackerel and king crab.

Next week, the Embassy of France in Korea will invite Eric Monnin, the author of “De Chamonix a PyeongChang” which was recently published in a Korean translation.

Chamonix in southeastern France was the first host of the Winter Games in 1924.