Cebu, Korea officials seek better ties

Vice Giv. Agnes Magpale shares a light moment with Korean Consul General Lee Ki-Seog and his wife Chung Jae-Sil during the Korea-Philippines Friendship Day at Marco Polo Plaza. (CDNPHOTO/LITO M. TECSON)

Dignitaries from Cebu and the Korean community in the province gathered Thursday night to meet, interact, and network with each other.

With the opening of the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Cebu City last March, Consul General Lee Ki-Seog said it’s important for key representatives and officials from both nations to forge better relationships.

“As the first Korean Consul General in Cebu, I will do my best to facilitate and promote inter-cultural understandings and friendship between the Korean and Filipino people, and I kindly ask all of you here tonight, for your guidance and encouragement for such important tasks,” Lee said in a speech during the Korean-Filipino Friendship Night at the Marco Polo Plaza Cebu last Thursdsay.

While he recognized the importance of the key representatives of the Korean community and the Filipino officials, Lee said both sectors haven’t had a chance to formally interact with each other; which is why they hosted the event.

Among those who attended were Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente, Police Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas and former Ambassador to Korea Manuel Ferrer.

On the Korean community’s side, those who attended were Cebu Korean Association president Cho Bong Whan, Kepco SPC Power Corp. president Cho Chang-Yong, Cebu Korean Women’s Association president Yang Sung Ae and other Korean businessmen.

“From my long years of diplomatic service, I have realized that the development of inter-cultural understandings and friendship between two nations is the firm basis of any relationship. This is because inter-cultural understanding of one’s history, traditions, and value systems tend to increase the levels of trust, respect, and tolerance for each other,” Lee said in his speech.

He said it’s important for both Filipinos and Koreans to help promote each other’s culture especially with the increasing number of Koreans visiting Cebu for tourism and vacation, English-learning programs and business opportunities.

For their part, the Cebu provincial government also acknowledged the contribution of the Korean community and the government through its sister city relations with Busan.

Gov. Hilario Davide III, who wasn’t able to attend the event, said in a speech which was read by Provincial General Services Office head Jone Siegfred Sepe that province has been sending delegates to Busan to attend trainings in fields like agriculture, medicine and transportation over the past months.

“The Provincial Government of Cebu is happy that starting this 2015, the Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Cebu is already opened. Your local presence will enhance ties among Cebuanos and Korean businessmen wanting to put up investments in Cebu. Our network will expand,” read Davide’s speech.

Magpale, for her part, said she first interacted with the Koreans 12 years ago when she was invited as the chairperson of the provincial board’s committee on tourism to Gangwon Province in Korea.

She said the gathering she attended gave birth to the East Asia Tourism Forum which until now still exists. With the new consulate, Magpale said she hopes the good relations of Korea and the province will further improve.

Towards the end of the program, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 director Police Chief Supt. Prudencio Bañas led a toast for the attending dignitaries.

“We assure you that we here in Central Visayas will continue to provide our Korean friends a safe place to live, enjoy and do business. Our friendship is always an assurance of our mutual efforts to be more effective in our programs for the people,” Banas said.