On Dec 11, Minister YU In Chon attended the ceremony commemorating the establishment of diplomatic relations after meeting with the Cardinal Secretary of State at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran

Director General meetings to host a successful “2024-2025 Year of Cultural Exchange between Korea and Italy”

On December 11 (11:30 a.m., local time), Minister YU In Chon of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro PAROLIN at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Italy to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Holy See. The parties discussed ways to promote cultural cooperation and participate in events commemorating the institution of diplomatic relations, such as special masses, special photo exhibitions, and celebratory performances.

Ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Holy See at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran

Before attending the event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Holy See, Minister YU met with Cardinal Secretary of State PAROLIN to express gratitude for the numerous events held in the wake of the foundation of diplomatic relations between the two parties.

During the ceremony at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, a special mass and photo exhibition reflecting 60 years of friendly cooperation between Korea and the Holy See were held. You can encounter various photos, starting from the reception of the papal envoys welcoming the Pope's visit, the beatification ceremony of Saint Andrew KIM Tae Gon, to the selection of the host city for the “World Youth Day” in 2027. Following this, the 2-member traditional music group “Dal:um” presents a congratulatory performance, wishing for the enhancement of friendship between the two countries through traditional music. Dal:um, which debuted in 2018, has presented performances that add modern interpretations to traditional music in over 50 cities, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Sweden.

Korea and the Holy See celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with various exchange programs

Relations between Korea and the Holy See started in 1947, when Bishop Patrick James BYRNE was appointed as papal envoy to Korea. After the dispatch, the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1963 and have since maintained active exchanges, with visits to Korea by Pope St. John Paul II in 1984 and 1989 and Pope Francis in 2014.

This year, in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries, various activities have been carried out. The Vatican Museums, one of the largest museums in the world, attracting more than six million visitors annually, has published an official guidebook translated into Korean. In Korea, the results of an academic symposium were shared, and friendly cooperation was strengthened between both countries through an academic symposium in November, following the conclusion of the Project to Excavate the History of Relations between Korea and the Holy See, which the Catholic Church in Korea has been pursuing since 2019. At the Seosomunseong Shrine History Museum, an international pilgrimage site approved by the Holy See, the special exhibition “For All,” featuring artifacts and historical materials from the history of bilateral exchange, is set to take place until December 24.

Discussion on Basic Cooperation Directions for the “2024-2025 Year of Cultural Exchange between Korea and Italy”

Meanwhile, MCST will also hold a series of Director General level meetings with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture to discuss follow-up measures for the summit following Italian President Sergio MATTARELLA’s visit to Korea in November. Through this meeting, the two countries are expected to exchange positions on the basic directions for cooperation and program structure for the successful implementation of the “2024-2025 Year of Cultural Exchange between Korea and Italy” as part of a project commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Specific implementation methods will be continuously discussed and coordinated.