12 March 2024, Seoul - The Philippine Embassy in collaboration with the Diplomacy Journal organized a Philippines-Korea Cultural Art Exchange Exhibition as one of the first events to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the Philippines and Korea. The exhibition was held at the Maru Art Center in Insa-dong, Seoul from 06 March to 11 March 2024.

The exhibition featured ten artworks of Father Jason Antiquera, a Korea-based Filipino missionary and frequent art exhibitor in Korea. His earlier works from some years ago are oil on canvas featuring secular themes depicting Koreans and Filipinos while more recent works are all acrylic on canvas with spiritual themes and showcasing a shift in his style. All his artworks were completed in Korea and most have been featured in various public exhibitions. Visual reproductions of the Philippines most popular tourist destinations were also provided by the Philippine Department of Tourism - Korea. Likewise, a group of brought together by Diplomacy Journal and Damwha Media Group participated in the exhibit showcasing a mix of contemporary and traditional paintings with Korean themes.

In her brief remarks, Philippine Ambassador Dizon-De Vega touched on the strong historical bond between the Philippines and Korea, "as the first Asian country to send troops to help defend freedom and democracy on the Korean peninsula during the Korean War to the robust and dynamic relations enjoyed by both countries across many fields-in defense, political-security, economic, cultural, education, labor, and people-to-people exchanges" adding, "through the exhibit we are taking part in fostering even greater cultural exchanges through the universal language of art".

She also conveyed appreciation to Chairman Lee Jon Young of the Damwha Media Group and the entire Diplomacy Journal Team for the collaborative project to mark the 75th anniversary pf Philippine-Korean relations this year.

For his part, Chairman Lee shared that "the aim of the exhibition is to showcase the remarkable cultural development of Korea and the Philippines and to exchange the creative worlds of contemporary artists from both countries". He added that "this cultural exchange exhibition is designed to introduce artworks that showcase the dynamic culture between the two countries, where diverse peoples live together and share religion and culture cultural connections".

The event was likewise participated in by Mr. Lee Chil-young, Chairman of the Imperial Family Crafts Association and Philippine Tourism Director in Korea Maria Corazon Jorda-Apo, and the Embassy's Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista. The artists and guests at the exhibit were given fresh Philippine-sourced pineapples courtesy of DOLE-Korea and the Philippine Department of Agriculture-Seoul. END