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Working-level officers and diplomats from more than two dozen foreign embassies in Korea visit Changdeok Palace in downtown Seoul, Monday, in a tour co-organized by the Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea Furniture Museum and Seongbuk district government office. (Yonhap News) |
With its temperate weather, fresh air and clear blue skies, autumn is often described as the best time of year in Korea.
No wonder then that throngs of tourists, as well as the occasional office worker sneak out for a short break, at any one Seoul’s many palaces.
That’s why a group of working-level officers and diplomats from more than two dozen foreign embassies here were treated to a special tour
The Presidential Council on Nation Branding, Korea Furniture Museum and Seongbuk district government office co-organized the tour of Changdeok Palace and the Korea Furniture Museum on Monday..
“One can glean the very essence of traditional Korean culture in the autumn when the skies are very blue,” said Lee Bae-yeong, former president of Ewha University and former chairwoman of the presidential Council of Nation Branding, who led the diplomats on the guided tour.
“It is popular nowadays to go on a moonlight tour at Changdeok Palace,” she said. “Even though that sounds very romantic, you can see every nook and cranny of the palace if you visit it in the day time.”
Changdeok Palace is one of the five great palaces found within the four gates of old Seoul. Deoksu, Kyongbuk, Changkyeong and Kyonghee palaces are the other four.
Lee explained how Korea, along with many East Asian countries, values what are called the “Three Harmonies,” harmony between nature and man, heaven and earth and the king and his subjects.
Changdeok Palace is particularly renowned for its many design elements which extol harmony between the natural scenery and society.
“This is my first time to visit this palace, and I came because I believe it is important to know the history and traditional culture of Korea,” said Jorge Icaza Gustinez, counsellor at the Ecuadorian Embassy.
“I came on this tour today because I believe it is important to understand the country one will work in,” said Alexander Shevchenko, attache at the Russian Embassy in Korea, adding he only arrived in Korea two months ago. “A good way to understand Korea is to know a little more about its heritage and traditional culture.”
By Philip Iglauer (
ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)
