On April 20, the Korean Culture and Art House opened in Tashkent at an official ceremony.

President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-In, accompanied by spouses, opened this palace of friendship and culture at an official ceremony.

“In this magnificent building that has adorned our capital, modern architectural solutions are harmonious with elements of traditional Korean culture. This constitutes a bright confirmation of the robust friendship and the highest-level of relations that have been built between our two countries,” the head of our state suggested.

“This is a center of friendship and harmony. I think it will become a common home for the Korean diaspora in Uzbekistan, the Koreans working here in this country, and all the citizens of Uzbekistan. The venue will be binding our two fraternal peoples and countries who have much in common,” Moon Jae-In said.

The stage of the House played host to an artistic presentation narrating the relocation of the Koreans to our country and their lives in Uzbekistan in friendship and harmony.

In 1937, tens of thousands of Koreans from the Far East turned up inadvertently on the Uzbek soil. Despite the difficulties of that time, the people of Uzbekistan, with their sincere generosity, took a heartfelt part in the fate of the resettled Koreans, warmed and sheltered, and shared the last piece of bread with them. Thanks to their diligence, vitality and strong will, as well as the similarity of our mentalities and values, the Koreans attained their second homeland here.

Today, more than 180 thousand citizens of Korean ethnicity live in our country. About three hundred of them have been awarded high state awards.

Like representatives of all ethnicities, our ethnic Korean citizens have been delivered conditions necessary for the preservation and development of national culture, language, traditions and customs. There are dozens of Korean culture centers. Korean language is taught in 12 institutions of higher education of Uzbekistan, Korean is taught in 48 schools and lyceums. Books and newspapers are published in Korean, concerts and festivals, sports competitions are held.

The two heads of state also familiarized themselves with the exhibition of works by Korean artists of Uzbekistan.

The house of Korean Culture and Art has incorporated a 478-seat cinema and concert hall, a conference hall, a library, an art gallery, a restaurant, as well as office facilities.

It will become a place of attraction for the general public, especially for the younger generation, a venue for the mutual enrichment of cultures. This day will become a bright page in the history of relations between Uzbekistan and South Korea as special strategic partners.