SIHANOUKVILLE: Preah Sihanouk Province organized a Cambodian-Korean Cultural Exchange program with performances by the Republic of Korea's Changwon Children's Multicultural Arts Group and the Preah Sihanouk Provincial Children's Art Group at the 7 Makara National Festival Forum in Sangkat 3, Sihanoukville, on Sunday afternoon, 25 December 2022.
The Deputy Governor of Preah Sihanouk Province, Long Dimanche, stated that the Cambodian-Korean cultural exchange program held on the beautiful coastal area of Sihanoukville was an official meeting and exchange of performing arts.
He stated that since the establishment of relations between Preah Sihanouk and Changwon Province in the Republic of Korea in 2017, the two provinces have exchanged cooperation in several fields including economics, tourism, culture, human resources, and education. The cultural exchange event aims to foster deeper connections and mutual understanding by promoting tourist and business opportunities between residents of Preah Sihanouk and Changwon, strengthening the friendly ties between the two provinces and countries.
Korea-Cambodia Cultural Exchange Team Leader, Lee Cheol-Seung, a representative of the Gyeongnam Foreign Residents' Support Center, said that the cultural exchanges between the Republic of Korea and Cambodia have spread widely and boosted relations especially between Changwon and Preah Sihanouk. He added that the cultural exchange program will be broadcast on TV in Korea to give Koreans the opportunity to learn about Cambodia's rich culture and fine arts.
It should be noted that Changwon and Sihanoukville signed a cultural cooperation agreement in 2017.
There are currently about 40,000 Cambodians living in Korea and about 11,000 Koreans living in Cambodia. Cambodia is a popular tourist destination for Koreans. Every year, about 6,000 Korean tourists visit Cambodia, and a large number of Cambodians visit the Republic of Korea.
Lee Cheol-Seung hopes that continued Korean-Cambodian cultural exchange will offer an opportunity for the people of the two countries to develop closer ties.
He added that this tradition of cultural exchange allows residents of Changwon and Preah Sihanouk to be assured of more stability in their local communities, as a result of the private exchanges and increased cooperation between the two provinces, and the beginning of a joint-private diplomacy.
