On October 9, Gyeonggi Province expanded its cultural public diplomacy by supporting Hangeul (Korean alphabet) Day events in India, a “land of opportunity.”

At the official request of the Korean Language Department of Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, Governor Dong Yeon Kim sent a congratulatory video message on the occasion of the 2024 Hangeul Day event hosted by the Korean Language Department from October 8 to 10, encouraging students and participants who love Hangeul and supporting the event with materials.

In his video message, Governor Kim said, “I visited Nehru University when I visited India last year. I deeply appreciated talking with students in a cafeteria of Nehru University and thinking about cooperation with Nehru University.”

Introducing the attractions of Gyeonggi Province, such as “Yeoju, the city that embraces Hangeul” and “Paju, a symbol of peace and nature,” he said: “Gyeonggi Province is the opportunity capital of Korea, and India is the land of opportunity, a nation of unlimited possibilities. We are waiting for special meetings with Indian youths in Gyeonggi Province, the capital of opportunity. Please come to Gyeonggi Province, where all the charms of Korea are found.”

Governor Kim posted a video of his time with students of Nehru University’s Korean Language Department on his social media, expressing gratitude for the students’ love for Korea and Hangeul. In the video, when asked “What comes to mind when you think of Korea?”, some students answered “Guunmong” and “Busan dialect,” showing that there are many students who have great love for and interest in Korea.

Jawaharlal Nehru University is a national university in New Delhi named after India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It is considered one of India’s most prestigious universities, placing second in the 2024 University Rankings of India. Nehru University was also the first university in India to start teaching Korean. It has been offering Korean language courses since 1973, and in 2013, it became the first university in Southwest Asia to establish a single Korean language department, contributing significantly to Korean language education in India and producing Korean language experts to serve as bridges between the two countries.

With the recent rapid spread of the Korean Wave in India, the popularity of Korean language departments has also skyrocketed, recording a competitive recruitment ratio of 3,300-to-1 in 2022.

Since 2007, the Department of Korean Language has been holding an annual event to celebrate Hangeul Day with university students near New Delhi and private inividuals who are learning Korean. This year’s event consists of a variety of programs, including cultural performances such as Korean-Indian traditional dance, K-pop dance covers, elementary, middle and high school writing contests, Korean song contests, Korean quiz and traditional play contests, and a Korean food festival. It is a meaningful event that not only celebrates Hangeul Day, but also allows participants to experience Korean culture and deepen their understanding of Korea.

Gyeonggi Province established a Gyeonggi Business Center (GBC) in Mumbai in 2005 and in Bengaluru in 2023, and has been actively supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in India by holding G-Fair for 11 consecutive years since 2009 to support the development of excellent small and medium-sized enterprises in overseas markets. In addition, KINTEX in India has acquired 20-year operating rights for and is currently operating Yasobhumi, the largest exhibition and convention center in India, and is preparing to successfully host KoINDEX, a comprehensive industrial exhibition covering major industries of Korea and India, in November this year.