Taipei celebrates the ‘opening of heaven’

Known also as the “Festival of the Opening of Heaven,” the annual celebration commemorates the mythological founding of Korea in 2333 B.C. by King Dangun Wanggeom.

The fourth such celebration in Taiwan organized by the Korean Mission in Taipei, a wide variety of Korean dishes and beverages was offered for guests to enjoy while a Korean food expert flown in especially for the occasion indulged the audience with a thorough traditional fare demonstration.

Describing Taiwan and South Korea as “inseparable trading partners that are highly-dependent on each other,” Korean Mission Representative Sang Sik Oh said during his opening remarks that bilateral trade volume has nearly doubled just in the past four years, from US$13 billion in 2003 to an estimated figure of over US$25 billion this year.

“Ever since the direct flight service between Seoul and Taipei resumed in 2004, the two sides have both benefited from active interactions,” noted Oh, who addressed the audience in Mandarin. In particular, he pointed out a “substantial progress” not only in trade but also in various other sectors such as tourism, culture, and sports as well.

Thanks to the more than 100 direct flights between Seoul and Taipei currently in service every week, tourism has also increased, from 420,000 in 1992 to 540,000 last year and an expected excess of 600,000 this year, he continued.

As for cultural links, Oh notes an increased interest in and understanding of Korea in Taiwan due to the local media’s exposure of Korean television programs, a phenomenon that has in turn boosted the number of Korean language learners.

“I hope that the friendly and cooperative relations between Korea and Taiwan will continue to develop in the future and will contribute to the embodiment of universal values such as democracy, market economy, and respect for human rights,” said Oh in closing.

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