Consul General Jongho Kyun and some 200 people gathered at the Westin Bayshore Hotel on October 5 to celebrate the 2022 National Foundation Day. The event was hosted by the Korean Consulate in Vancouver and attendees included Korean-Canadians, Korean war veterans, as well as dignitaries like Bruce Ralston, BC’s Minister of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation.
National Foundation Day, also known as Gaecheonjeol, is one of the major national holidays of Korea, which celebrates the formation of the first Korean state of Gojoseon in 2333 BC. This holiday signifies the birth of Koreans and unites all Koreans through the founding principle of “hong-ik-in-gan” – a reference to the philosophy “to broadly benefit the human world.”
Consul General Kyun addressed Canada’s participation in the Korean War, a pivotal time that paved the way for the strong ties that Korea and Canada enjoy today. He addressed both countries’ growing bilateral cooperation not just in security and economic cooperation but also discussed climate change, A.I., supply chain, and resource cooperation. He added that he hopes that British Columbia continues to play an important role in the Korea-Canada trade in order to broaden trade, investment, and tourism.
Minister Ralston also highlighted a major upcoming milestone for both countries: 2023 marks the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Canada diplomatic relationship. He credits this achievement to the 70,000 people with Korean roots living in BC, adding that they’re the foundation of the Korea-BC bilateral relationship. He also emphasized their significant contributions in the province’s growth, especially in businesses, education, and tourism.
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