Gyeonggi Provincial Government offers activities including tours of Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Museum, as well as classes for cooking Kimchi and wearing Hanbok 

◇ American military personnel pose for a picture during the ‘2015 USFK Security and Korean Culture Program’ at Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

The final ‘USFK Security and Korean Culture Program’ of the year recently took place at Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace. 

According to a provincial government official said on December 7 that the ‘2015 USFK Security and Korean Culture Program’ took place at Suwon Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace on December 4 with more than 30 American military personnel stationed in Gyeonggi Province.

The ‘USFK Security and Korean Culture Program’ was created by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government for American military personnel in order to form a consensus on the security of the Korean peninsula and promote friendship between the two countries. The event conducted at Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace was the last of this year. 

Gyeonggi Province’s Military and Government Cooperation Division Chief Park Tae-young said, “A large number of American military personnel in Korea were given the opportunity to learn more about Gyeonggi Province and Korea.” Park also said, “The provincial government will develop a wider range of substantial programs to help both countries understand each other better and to increase mutual respect.”

The American military personnel began the program with a visit to Hwaseong Haenggung Temporary Palace in Suwon. They toured the palace and learned about the historic circumstances of King Jeongjo’s reign and his life at the royal court. 

The military personnel were particularly curious about the painting of King Jeongjo the Great’s royal procession to Suwon and the rice bin on display inside the palace. A few expressed interest by mentioning the movie ‘Sado’. They also took time to learn more about the historical significance of Hwaseong Fortress and its importance in national security at the Suwon Hwaseong Fortress Museum.  

The military personnel also had an opportunity to learn about and experience Korean culture with such activities as making kimchi and wearing a hanbok. The kimchi-making class, coinciding with the gimjang season, was the highlight of the day. 

The American military personnel learned about gimjang culture in Korea and made kimchi themselves. In a friendly and fun atmosphere, they tasted each other’s kimchi and gave it a thumbs up. 

SPC Harrys, who participated in the program, said, “I wanted learn about Korean culture, so I participated in this program when the opportunity came up.” He added, “It was a great experience and I was surprised to see for myself Korean history and culture I had seen on the internet and travel programs.” 

PFC Tyler said, “I encountered the Korean language and culture during my Korean language class back in America.” PFC Tyler added, “Today was a very meaningful opportunity because I was able to see and experience Korean culture, which is different from American culture.”

The USFK Security and Korean Culture Program began back in May 2015. A total 17 cycles have been completed with the participation of more than 600 USFK personnel and their families. 

The program included activities to promote Korean culture including field trips to security-related areas such as the DMZ, North Korean infiltration tunnels, Panmunjeom, and ROKS Cheonan as well as cultural venues such as Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and the Korean Folk Village. It also included activities such as making kimchi, and a traditional tea brewing experience.

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Kim Jin-kyoung jinkyoungkim@kg21.net 

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201512071015417055C049&s_code=C048