02/10/2013 Seoul

Bio Korea Expo

The Embassy of Hungary has participated at the biggest biotechnology and pharmaceutical fair of South Korea held in Seoul between the 11-13 September. 190 exhibitors from 36 countries have participated at the event, including Hungary for the first time. Products from 4 Hungarian producers were present on the Hungarian booth. Visitors showed keen interest in some of the Hungarian products and several experts asked for information about other products as well.

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05/10/2013 Daejeon

Daejeon Food & Wine Festival 2013


The Embassy of Hungary has participated at the Daejeon International Food & Wine Festival 2013. Presenters from 20 countries and several local distributors filled the booths with their products. The Hungarian booth was presenting wine and distilled spirits from Hungary this year. Visitors tasting the wines Irsai Olivér, Kékfrankos and Kadarka gave very positive feedback, but the distilled spirits gained popularity as well. Besides the promotional benefits the event offered great chance for contact building with Korean importers and distributors as well.




07/10/2013 Korea

Emergency shelter search application for smartphones

According to the information received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has completed the English version of the smartphone application „재난안전알리미” enabling foreigners staying in Korea to obtain information on the location of emergency shelters.

A brief guide on the usage of the application can be downloaded here:

emergencysheltersearchappguide.pdf


14/10/2013 Seoul

Consultation of the Hungarian state secretary for foreign affairs and external economic relations in Seoul

Hungarian state secretary for foreign affairs and external economic relations, Mr Péter Szijjártó arrived in Seoul on 11 October 2013 to consult his Korean partners. The agenda of Mr Szijjártó included 8 meetings with business partners aiming at the expansion of economic diplomacy and business relations with Hungary.

Mr Szijjártó met the Korean deputy minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the deputy minister of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The Korean counterparts expressed their willingness to expand business relations between the two countries and referred to the 25th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Korea and Hungary, which will be commemorated accordingly in 2014.

Among his meetings with Korean business partners, Mr Szijjártó held discussions with the management of KDB Bank supporting the business activities of Korean companies in Central Europe about the portfolio extension of the bank in Hungary. The state secretary also met the president of Halla Visteon Climate Control planning the expansion of their factory in Székesfehérvár and other business partners working on the preparation of further investment projects in Hungary.




17/10/2013 Seoul

Janos Martonyi, William Hague and Yun Byung-se open the Seoul Conference on Cyberspace 2013  

The Conference on Cyberspace 2013 was held from the 17th to 18th of October at COEX in Seoul. This year the two day conference hosted 1600 representatives from 80 countries. It is the largest international conference since the establishment of the Park administration.

The Conference on Cyberspace first started as a suggestion from the United Kingdom to establish a higher level international forum to discuss international and local security, economics, society, and crimes relating to cyberspace as well as to develop international rules and find ways to build trust. After the launch of the first conference, which was held in London 2011, the second conference was held in Budapest, with ‘Safety and Reliability for Freedom and Prosper’ as its main theme. This year, in Seoul, marks the third edition.

At the opening ceremony, which was successfully held on the 17th, representatives from over 87 countries including President Park Geun Hye, Yun Byung-se, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Choi Mun-kee, Minister of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, William Jefferson Hague, United Kingdom’s Minister of Diplomacy, and Janos Martonyi, Hungary’s Minister of Diplomacy along with 1600 delegates from different international bodies including Hamadoun Toure, Secretary General of ITU.

After discussing Korea’s assistance to developing countries developing e-Governments systems, for example, President Park said “We hope that various creative discussions will be held at this conference to help the advancement of ICT of developing countries.”

On the increasing intellectualization of cyber terror with malicious codes, President Park said, “We will work hard to maintain the openness of cyberspace and yet still put in constructive efforts to secure its stability,” assuring that Korea will contribute to the advancement of cyberspace through their outstanding ICT technology.

In the following opening speech, Yun Byung-se, Minister of Foreign Affairs, emphasized the importance of cooperation between nations especially in cyberspace and hoped that through the Seoul conference the international society could unite and develop an ‘International Cyber Rule’.

High ranking officials from participating countries also contributed their opinions on international cooperation for the advancement of cyberspace.

William J. Hague, Minister of Diplomacy of the United Kingdom, said “After 2 years since its launch in London, the conference on cyberspace has experienced many great developments”, adding that although the position of nations on major cyber problems may differ the international community should create trust to stand united against cyber threats and find ways to enjoy economic benefits.

Minister of Diplomacy of Hungary, Janos Martonyi also encouraged international cooperation in creating a safe cyberspace with plenty of opportunities. He continued, “We hope that through the various workshops on pending issues held at this conference, the joint objectives of the Hungarian and Korean governments could be achieved”.

http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/phone/news/view.jsp?req_newsidx=144529


Secretary General of UN, Ban Ki-moon, also sent his regards through video at the opening ceremonies increasing the importance of the conference. Secretary General Ban said “This year’s conference being held in Seoul is very meaningful and will provide a chance to find our joint visions and course of development on cyberspace as an IT powerhouse”.

The conference which was held until the 18th had various government and private speakers give presentations and discussions on 6 agendas: ▲ Economic growth and development ▲Social cultural privileges ▲Cyber security ▲ International Security ▲ Capacity Building.


http://www.koreaittimes.com/story/32542/grand-opening-seoul-conference-cyberspace-2013


22/10/2013 Boryeong

11th World Cultural Art Symposium

Mosan Art Museum and Gaehwa Art Park in Boryeong has gathered recommended artists from 27 countries to participate at the 11th World Cultural Art Symposium. The painters and sculptors arriving from all around the world spent 1 month at the Boryeong art premises preparing their works of art, which were presented on October 19, 2013 during the closing ceremony on the final day of the symposium. Hungary was represented by the artists Zsuzsanna Gesztelyi Nagy painter and István Böszörményi sculptor this year, contributing with their pieces of art to the promotion of Hungarian-Korean cultural relations. On October 8, 2013 Gaehwa Art Park curator Im Hang-ryeol, Mosan Art Museum director Im Seon-bin and president of the Korea Art Association, Cho Kang-hun have signed a MOU for the preparation of the 12th World Cultural Art Symposium in 2014.
http://www.boryeongnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=5532
 

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23/10/2013 Budapest

Newly renovated Liszt Academy of Music reopens  

Budapest's Liszt Academy of Music reopened its doors on October 22, 2013 following two years of renovation. The opening ceremony, which coincides with the 202nd anniversary of the birth of its founder, Franz Liszt, was attended by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and several officials from the Hungarian Government as well as by Lady Solti, widow of the world famous Hungarian conductor Georg Solti. An almost three metre tall statue of conductor George Solti was also unveiled at the event in front of the Academy.

The Academy renovation project is part of a large-scale cultural strategy, Minister of Human Resources Zoltán Balog stated, adding that the Government’s goal is for Budapest to become a metropolis for music, with six venues capable of accommodating nearly 8000 people.

The 138-old building’s 26-month restoration project was realised through the work of more than a thousand people, including over a hundred restorers. Experts managing the renovation have received the Knight Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit for their outstanding work, the Ministry of Human Resources announced. The Academy is equipped with modern, state-of-the-art technology, while also respecting the institution’s past, Minister Balog said. He also highlighted the outstanding cooperation between the Hungarian Government and NGOs in realising the renovation.

President of the Liszt Academy András Batta said that the university will move into the building in January 2014, and stated that it is not only the infrastructure which has been renewed, but also the spirit of education.

Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall, Christopher Cotton, who came to Budapest for the event, called the reopening important for the future of Hungary’s talented young musicians and emphasised that Hungarians can be proud of the academy. Alexander Sokolov, Rector of the Moscow Conservatory, also a guest of the event, stated that their institute is also due to be renovated for its upcoming 150th anniversary to which the Hungarian academy’s experience will prove extremely useful.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Speech at the Inauguration of the renovated Liszt Academy of Music:

20131023SpeechattheInaugurationoftherenovatedLisztAcademyofMusic.doc

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25/10/2013 Seoul

EU Ambassadors working lunch with Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se

The EU Delegation in Seoul organized a working lunch for all HoMs with Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se. The participants of the meeting reviewed the actual issues of EU-South Korea relations, the main goals of the EU-South Korea Summit to be held in Brussels on November 8, 2013 and the some of the most significant efforts of South Korea’s foreign affairs policy.

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29/10/2013 Seoul

Courtesy call at the office of the Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-sik

Ambassador Gábor Csaba paid courtesy visit to the office of Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-sik on October 28, 2013, who informed him about the current situation of the inter-Korean relations. Ambassador Gábor Csaba assured his Korean counterpart about the steady standpoint of Hungary to support the North Korea related politics of the South Korean government. Vice Unification Minister Kim Nam-sik expressed his appreciation of the support of the Hungarian government and stressed that the consistent support of the international community and the condemnation of North Korean provocations at international level is very important and pacifying for South Korea.

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31/10/2013 Seoul

5th Korean Liszt piano competition price award ceremony

The price award ceremony of the 5th Korean Liszt piano competition was held at the residence of the Ambassador of Hungary on October 29, 2013. The competition was supported by several sponsors, including the Embassy of Hungary in Seoul and the Budapest Liszt Academy of Music. The president of the jury was renowned Hungarian piano professor Jenő Jandó. This year 32 talented pianists received a price and certificate, the most talented pianist winning the 2013 competition received a one-year scholarship to the Budapest Liszt Academy of Music.