According to the Cebu Korean Association Inc. president Ken Choi, over 400,000 Koreans visited Cebu this year and traffic is expected to increase with more flights connecting the country’s Queen City of the South to the Land of the Morning Calm.
An increasing number of Koreans are now calling Cebu their second home.
With this, plans are underway for the Republic of Korea to put up a consular office in the province, a Korean diplomat announced during the festivities marking Korea Day in a mall in Cebu City.
“With the growing population of the Korean community in Cebu, the Korean government is now in the process of facilitating the establishment of a consular office in Cebu,” Consul Park Yong Jeong said as he addressed the people who watched the cultural performances that highlighted the event.
The announcement was met with applause from the mixed audience that included Korean residents who will directly benefit from Seoul’s impending diplomatic presence in Cebu.
“The establishment of a consular office will significantly promote the friendship and cultural cooperation between our two countries,” Park added.
No timetable was given on when the Korean consulate is expected to open.
The consul added that the Cebu City Korea Day, organized by the Cebu Korean Association Inc. (CKAI) and the Cebu City government, has greatly contributed to the strengthening of cultural understanding and friendship between Filipinos and Koreans in Cebu.
CKAI’s Choi said the local Korean community is “touched by the friendship of Cebu City officials to us Koreans here.”
“I was thinking, why do you think Korean visitors keep coming back to Cebu? You may think of a lot of reasons but I think it’s because of your warm hospitality to Korean visitors,” Choi said.
Aside from the cultural exchange between the two countries, Choi also pointed out the economic impact of the Koreans in Cebu.
“I proudly announce that we have another milestone achievement in year 2012. We have more than $11.5 million trade holding between South Korea and the Philippines,” he said.
The Cebu City government, through the Cebu City Tourism Commission, and the CKAI have been organizing the Cebu City Korea Day for three years now.
Cebu City Council Resolution No. 12-0024-20 11 declared the first Saturday of October as Korea Day “to signify the City’s earnest effort to promote goodwill and understanding between the Cebuanos and the Koreans.”
“With the growing interest of Korean culture here in the Philippines, every year we make various efforts to give better and enjoyable activities for the appreciation, understanding and promotion of our Korean arts and culture,” Choi said.
He added that the CKAI will continue to promote cultural and economic exchanges between Cebu and Korea with offerings like Korean language classes and job opportunities in Korea.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city government will continue to cultivate the close relationship between the Koreans and the locals in Cebu.
“We will continue to foster this relationship, the culture and arts exchange, our English services that we’ve been offering to them. This is a gesture of friendship and a showing of our capabilities as Cebuanos,” Rama said.
The mayor ended his speech with “saranghaeyo” (I love you) in the Korean language. /Jose Santino S. Bunachita, Correspondent