By Publisher Lee Kyung-sik with Guest Writer Ms. Ji-Young Kim
The Global Culture & Economy Link (GCEL) led by Chairperson Ji-young Kim), together with the Ambassadors’ Spouses Association in Seoul (ASAS), visited the Jiji Foundation of Artist Park Seo-Bo (chairman of the Foundation), which is located in Banyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 8, 2022.
The event was attended by distinguished guests from 14 different countries of the world, including the spouses of the ambassadors and the leaders of the GCEL.
Among the spouses of the ambassadors and other ladies at the meeting were Mrs. Maria Gabriella Blanco de Matute (spouse of the ambassador of Peru in Seoul), Mrs. Chaba Rhuwanya Mavura (Tanzania), Ines Grbic (Serbia), Asmau Ali Magashi (Nigeria), Surabhi Kumar (India), Natalia Federighi (Dominican Republic), Kim Min Jae (Singapore), Janaa Schwede (Estonia), Sussane Angerholzer (Austria), Jayhun Choi (Belgium), Marlene Biti (Cote d’Ivoire), Daiva Slepaviciene (Lithuania), Domingas Martins (Angola), Alenka Kosir (Slovenia), and Yook Euna (Korea).
Artist Park Seo-bo is called 'the godfather of Korean Dansaekhwa' and a pioneer of Korean avant-garde, and is regarded as an artist who has led Korean contemporary art since the 1970s.
The event started with an opening speech by Kim Ji-young, head of the GCEL association, followed by congratulatory remarks by Lee Seok-bong, CEO of Hoyeon Tax Corporation, and Gabriela Blanco, president of the Association of Wives of Ambassadors to Korea. He conveyed his thanks and storytelling to the distinguished guests.
President Kim Ji-young said, "This event was to enhance cultural sympathy and mutual understanding among participants through Korean cultural experiences, and to provide a venue for global cultural communication." We will continue to showcase GCEL's events that can be performed, and we will fulfill our responsibility as Korea's global cultural ambassador."
The docent tour by artist Park Seo-bo was conducted under the guidance of Lee Yu-jin, executive director of the Giji Foundation. Afterwards, they had refreshments in a separate space to talk about and empathize with Korean and foreign cultures.
A participant from the Association of Wives of Ambassadors to Korea who attended that day said, “Through this docent tour of artist Park Seo-bo, I was able to understand and sympathize with Korean contemporary art, and it became a place to understand Korea one step closer.”