Interview with Mrs. Zofia Majka, wife of the Polish ambassador
“Poland and South Korea have many similarities and common features, not just when referring to the history, but also when looking at the present and future.” So said Mrs. Zofia Majka, wife of the ambassador of Poland in Seoul at a recent interview with The Korea Post.
She said, “Trade is currently a strong link that connects the two nations, but there also are many cultural initiatives that strengthen the ties of the two countries even further.” Excerpts from the interview follow:
Cooperation in the educational field:
Both Poland and South Korea are very passionate when it comes to education. It is thus no surprise that cities in both of the nations (Incheon in Korea 2015 and Wrocław in Poland 2016) were named by UNESCO as World Book Capitals. This gave the cities a great opportunity to get to know each other better and exchange ideas and experiences.
The Department of Polish Studies at the University of Hankuk Studies, founded in 1987, is considered to be the largest center for Polish Studies in Asia, which presents a unique opportunity for future development. At the same time, more and more young Poles find interest in Korean music and culture. They are eager to visit Korea and learn more about this dynamic and amazing country. At this moment more than 100 Poles are engaged in studying in South Korea.
Polish music popular in Korea:
The music of Frederic Chopin is another strong link that brings the two countries together. It is a well-known fact that both of our nations are very fond of Chopin’s music. Last year’s great success of Korean musician, Cho Seong-Jin, who won the 17th Frederic Chopin Piano Contest in Warsaw, has only reinforced Chopin’s growing popularity in Korea.
Korea and Poland have great potential for increased exchange:
The continuous engagement in cultural projects has the power of opening a numerous channels of communication and understanding that strengthen the connection between Poland and Korea. There certainly is a strong base for cooperation between our nations and the possibilities for future development are enormous.
Poles and Koreans pay a lot of attention to the family values and traditions as well as to memory of freedom fighters.