KOREA FOUNDATION

The KF held the 11th Korea-Spain Forum in Seoul on June 15–16 in a joint effort with Casa Asia of Spain and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) of Korea.
  The Korean delegation was led by KF President Sihyung Lee, who was joined by some 30 prominent figures, including HUFS President Kim In-chul; Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee of the National Assembly Rep. Shim Jae-kwon; Korean Ambassador to Spain Park Hee-kwon; and former Korean Ambassador to Spain Oh Dae-sung.
  Ramon Moreno, General Director of Casa Asia, led the 30-strong Spanish delegation representing the government, parliament, and economic and cultural sectors, including Spain’s Vice Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ildefonso Castro; Spanish Ambassador to Korea Gonzalo Ortiz; and Cabinet Director Pedro Manuel Moreno of the Ibero-American General Secretariat of the Spanish Language.
  The participants discussed public diplomacy, tourism, national image, and ways to step up bilateral cooperation and exchange—especially in relation to industrial technology and the expansion of Korea-Spain economic cooperation into Central and South American markets. Discussion further touched upon how to strengthen joint efforts in the field of international trade, particularly regarding the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement and the Cumbre Iberoamericana.
  Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Castro also had a chance to meet with the vice presidents of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss wide-ranging topics in a bid to strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries.
  The forum, following up on the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in March, is the second inter-governmental event for the two nations this year, and is expected to consolidate their partnership in the international arena.