Page 23 - ELITE PLUS MAGAZINE VOL8

AMBASSADOROF THE KOREANWAVEKorea’s top diplomat to Thailand, Jeon Jae Man, sat down with Elite+ to discuss relations between the countries and the growing popularity of Korean cultureAfter Korea received valuable assistance from Thailand during the Korean War, the two countries went on to establish diplomatic relations in 1958, followed by the establishment ofthe Korean Embassy in Bangkok in 1960How long have you been posted in Bangkok, and how do you like living in Thailand so far?I arrived here in October 2012, and I have been enjoying my work and my life here. Thailand is a traditional ally that sent troops to Korea in 1950 to defend us from the attack from the North, and is an important partner to Korea as one of the principal ASEAN member countries. I also like the Thai smiles, Thai food, the Thai people, and the country’s beautiful scenery and tropical climate—I like the hot weather too, since I like swimming outside.When did the Thai-Korean relationship start?Thailand is known for its frequent exchanges with the West, which started as early as the Ayutthaya era. Records show that Korea’s Goryeo Kingdom also had contact with what was then Siam, but contacts seem to have ended after that time.After Korea received valuable assistance from Thailand during the Korean War, the two countries went on to establish diplomatic relations in 1958, followed by the establishment of the Korean Embassy in Bangkok in 1960.What areas does the Thai-Korean relationship cover?I would say that it covers everything: political, economic, social and cultur- al activities. Of course, defence and science should also be included.In 2012 Bangkok and Seoul sealed a deal to share technical support on water management, to increase trade and investment, and to work towards an annual bilateral trade target of 900 billion baht within five years. Could you update us on the progress of those efforts?First of all, we believed that by participating in the water management megaproject in Thailand, Korea’s K-Water would have a good opportunity to help Thailand overcome damage from floods and use water resources more effectively. We also believed it would be a good chance to upgrade the level ofElite+ 21