Canadian Embassy commences 60th anniversary celebrations on diplomatic ties with Korea

Tamara Mawhinney, right, chargee d'affaires of Canada to Korea, cuts a cake with Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin during a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, Jan. 12. Courtesy of Embassy of Canada in Korea

By Kwon Mee-yoo

On Jan. 14, 1963, Korea and Canada officially established diplomatic relations. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the ties, the two countries vowed to strengthen their partnership in the Indo-Pacific region during a ceremony held at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, Jan. 12.

Tamara Mawhinney, chargee d'affaires of Canada to Korea, emphasized that the two countries are committed to moving forward together into the future, as represented in the tagline of the anniversary celebration, "Stronger Together."

"Sixty years is a significant milestone and we have much to be proud of. In reality, our relationship is even older, grounded in strong historical and people-to-people ties... and this journey goes from Dr. Frank Schofield, who participated in Korea's independence movement and in whose honor this reception hall is named," Mawhinney said during her speech.

She noted that Canada and Korea upgraded their bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with a broad and comprehensive agenda demonstrating how much the two countries have in common.

"This anniversary marks a celebration of the past: we look back with gratitude and pride at our shared history. But it is also a celebration of our optimism and ambition for the future of the Canada-Korea relationship," Mawhinney said.

The Canadian chargee d'affaires also mentioned that both countries have recently announced their respective Indo-Pacific strategies and welcomed Korea's perception of Canada in its strategy.

"Through this strategy, our mission is to be an active, engaged and reliable partner in the Indo-Pacific and in the North Pacific now, but also long into the future. We want to advance and defend our interests and values by supporting a more secure, prosperous, inclusive and sustainable region. We intend to do so by working more closely with our partners and Korea is very high on that list," she said.

"There are important choices every country needs to make in navigating an evolving, often challenging international context. Clearly Canada and Korea are choosing each other as partners and this takes place at the most auspicious and exciting time for Canada and Korea, our 60th anniversary."

Tamara Mawhinney, left, chargee d'affaires of Canada to Korea, makes a toast with Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin during a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between two countries at the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, Jan. 12. Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin delivered a congratulatory letter from President Yoon Suk Yeol to Governor General of Canada Mary Simon.

"On the bedrock of the deep-rooted trust and friendship forged during the Korean War, the cooperation between our two countries has witnessed considerable advancements in a wide range of areas such as security, trade and investment, science and technology, and culture since the establishment of our diplomatic ties in 1963... I am confident that our comprehensive strategic partnership will move forward further as we mark the 60th anniversary of our diplomatic relations," Yoon was quoted saying.

Park noted how Korea-Canada ties continue to expand in both depth and scope on the economic front through the Korea-Canada free trade agreement, as Koreans enjoy Canadian fashion brands and ice wine, while more Canadians drive Korean cars.

"This close partnership is supported by perhaps the most important tie of all ― people-to-people exchanges," Park said, noting that Canada has the world's fourth-largest overseas Korean community of over 210,000.

Park said Korea and Canada are opening a critical new chapter in bilateral relations based on what they have achieved over the past six years.

"We do so to better navigate an increasingly turbulent world. The rules-based international order is under threat. Supply chains are being disrupted. Extreme weather events are increasingly the norm. Pandemics are impacting the daily lives of billions of people. These are shared challenges that can only be addressed when countries work together. As like-minded countries, Korea and Canada are optimal partners in tackling these common challenges."

Park quoted his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly's tweet after Korea announced its Indo-Pacific strategy, saying the two countries' approaches are "aligned and complimentary."

"I couldn't agree more as key partners in the North Pacific with shared values. We look forward to working with Canada to implement this strategy on a whole range of issues from climate change to maritime security," Park said.

The Canadian Embassy here joined hands with the Korean Embassy in Canada to organize the celebrations and jointly designed the visual identity for the 60th anniversary, combining the maple leaf of Canada and the taegeuk of Korea.

Both embassies have appointed honorary ambassadors to help promote the occasion. The Canadian Embassy in Seoul has named former figure skater Kim Yuna and the Korean Embassy in Ottawa has chosen Jean Yoon, a Korean-Canadian actress known for her role as Umma in the Canadian TV series, "Kim's Convenience."

The Canadian Embassy has planned a series of events throughout the year to commemorate the 60th anniversary. The list of events includes the establishment of the Joint International Cultural Exchange Fund, publication of a photo book of Canada and Korea, a special exhibition of Inuit art at the Gwangju Biennale 2023, a Canadian Film Festival in Korea and high-level visits from Canadian officials, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The embassy also plans to open a special hiking trail in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, to commemorate the Battle of Kapyong, a significant engagement fought by the Canadian armed forces during the 1950-53 Korean War, on July 27, the 70th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement.