HE Daesik KIM
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Oman
As an ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, I often get questions about Oman from my fellow Korean citizens, such as; living conditions, economic situation, tourism attractions and business opportunities. The first overarching answer that I give would be that Oman is an interesting country with full of contrast and dynamism, embracing cultural unity in diversity, therefore it is required to understand its rich history to see Oman better. I usually show a map of Oman Empire in the mid-19th century when the territory of Oman stretched from Arabian Peninsula to the Eastern Africa, telling that this is the immense cultural assets that modern Oman possesses.
Similarly, Korea is also a country with 5,000 years of history, known as one of the oldest farming areas in East Asia. We, Koreans, celebrate the “day of heaven-opening” as our national foundation day, which entails a mythical story of the birth of our Korean nation. The myth explains perseverance and endurance, engraved in our DNA, which enabled unprecedented rapid modern development that Korea has gone through.
It runs as follows: In olden and golden times, Hwanung, son of the King of Heaven wished to descend from heaven and live in the world of man. With his father’s benevolent permission and good choice, Hwangung came down on the very “Korea”. When the Heavenly King sent his son down, he told him to go there and rule so as to “benefit humanity.” Ever since them, “to benefit humanity” became a lodestar theme for Korean leaders to guide and serve their people up until now. On the other hand, at that time, a bear and a tiger lived on the Korean peninsula. They wished to become human. They prayed to Holy Hwangung to transform them into human beings. He gave each of them a bundle of sacred mugworts and 20 cloves of garlic, and said “If you eat these and shun the sunlight for 100 days, then you’ll become human.” Both animals ate the spices and stayed in the cave. The tiger shortly gave up in impatience and hunger, and left the cave. But the bear remained and transformed into a woman. Being unable to find a husband, the bear-woman prayed for a child. Hwanung metamorphosed himself, lay with her and begat a son. The Son is Tangun, the founder of the Korean nation, born in 2333 BC and that Korean nation started. The story tells us that in Korean blood flow the spirits of patience and endurance as child of a bear, and profound compassion for peace and harmony as a child of our heavenly father.
Oman, a country of ample cultural diversity and versatility, shares the similar cultural and social background with Korea, combining modernity in tradition and creating dynamism, while cherishing cultural heritage. Both the Republic of Korea and Sultanate of Oman are dynamic and young-generation oriented but at the same time, deeply rooted in their fertile tradition and culture. Given this common background, I believe that our two countries can further cooperate for sustainable development and common prosperity.
The bilateral ties of the Sultanate of Oman and Republic of Korea have been ever strengthened under the eminent and outstanding leadership of His Majesty. Our bilateral trade volume reached at US$5.8 billion last year. Korea is number one importing country of Oman LNG and many Korean companies are participating in the various Omani development projects from infrastructure to refineries. Furthermore, I believe, there is ample possibility of further enhancing our bilateral relationship. Korea has overcome economic crisis that hit the nation to be on the brink of bankruptcy. In 1998, Korea had to obtain a massive loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with the tough conditions attached. But within three years, Korea has got out of the crisis and paid the loan back. Korea is the country that has endured harsh conditions and addressed the difficult challenges. For Oman, the next few years will be critical for the economic conversion and diversification. Korea has a lot to share with Oman.
Korea is a leading country in Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector, which can be applied to every corner of society. ICT means connectivity and communication which can empower the existing industry to upgrade with efficiency and better technology. With the rapidly growing young population, Oman is better positioned for capitalizing on advanced technologies. If Korea and Oman can find a path to the synergetic effect, it will benefit both of our economies. For example, electricity is massively wasted in a current state of usage, due to the mismatch of production and consumption. If modern ICT technology is applied to the grid system, which is called as a smart grid system, already being operated in Korea, the electricity loss can be minimized by simultaneously coordinating energy consumption and production. This is a simple case story but explains how the advanced ICT technology can create economic benefit in real life.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Korea is ready to further cooperate with Oman and eager to be a long-lasting partner of Oman. Been in Oman for more than two years, I have fully enjoyed the blessed nature of Oman, and true hospitality of Omani people. I will cherish this precious friendship with Oman wherever I go in the future. Oman is a country of a wise leadership and the beacon of peace and stability in this region. The symbolic harmony achieved by the Omani people will be hailed by the peoples of not only our two countries but the world. It is my heartfelt wish that the friendship of our two countries be ever-growing and strengthened further in the future.
I pray to God that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said AL SAID may always be blessed with good health and long life and it is my heartfelt wish that the friendship of our two countries be ever-growing and strengthened further in the future.