Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yu In-Chon proposed a series of cultural cooperation projects with China and Japan at the third Korea-China-Japan Ministerial Conference on Culture in Nara, Japan, from January 18 to 20.
The conference was designed to expand cultural cooperation among Korea, China and Japan. The first meeting was held in Nantong, China, in 2007. The third meeting was held in Jeju Island in 2008.
During the three-day meeting, Minister Yu held bilateral meetings with his counterparts, Cai Wu from China and Kondo Seiichi from Japan, to discuss cultural exchanges and measures to enhance cooperation. All three agreed that the opportunities for cultural exchanges continued to expand.
Recently, all three countries have experienced a dramatic increase in exchanges in the fields of culture, art, performance, exhibition and intangible cultural heritage, becoming an important part of strategic relationships.
| Minister Yu In-Chon (second from left) at the Korea-Japan culture ministers' meeting on Jan. 18 at the third Korea-China-Japan Ministerial Conference on Culture in Nara, Japan. |
At the conference, the three ministers discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in the culture sector, including arts and cultural heritage, and to promote mutual understanding of each other's cultures. These measures were previously agreed to in the “Korea-China-Japan Vision 2020” statement at the third trilateral conference in Jeju Island last year.
At the official trilateral meeting on Jan. 19, Yu delivered a keynote speech on cultural cooperation between Korea, Japan and China the need for all three nations to contribute to cultural exchanges across the Asian region and the world. (Left photo: Minister Yu (right) with his counterparts from China and Japan on Jan. 19, after signing the “Nara Declaration” at the third Korea-China-Japan Ministerial Conference on Culture in Nara, Japan.)
At the official trilateral meeting on Jan. 19, Yu delivered a keynote speech on cultural cooperation between Korea, Japan and China the need for all three nations to contribute to cultural exchanges across the Asian region and the world.
He also urged for the active participation of the Chinese and Japanese arts and sports industries in the upcoming International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Daegu this year and the Daegu World Culture Festival in August.
After the official meeting, Yu, Kondo and Cai adopted the “Nara Declaration” joint statement. The declaration contains detailed ways to boost cultural cooperation among the three countries, including deepening exchanges in the culture and arts sectors, strengthening cooperation in the culture industry, boosting mutual understanding of cultures and regularizing the trilateral ministerial conference.
In the declaration, the three ministers also agreed to strengthen joint production of movies and TV dramas.
After the declaration, the ministers held a joint press conference and attended other sideline events, including a monument dedication and unveiling ceremony and a tree-planting ceremony to mark the conference.
Korean Culture and Information Service Director Seo Kang-soo expressed his hope that this conference will help all three countries realize their goals and build a future-oriented partnership through expanded cultural exchanges.
By Yoon Sojung
Korea.net Staff Writer
