1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will dispatch a delegation for cultural exchange to Cuba to participate in the “Havana International Book Fair 2015,” to be held in Havana, Cuba, from February 12 to 22. The delegation will include people from the Literature Translation Institute of Korea, novelist Oh Jung-hee, and poet Moon Chung-hee (President of the Society of Korean Poets).

o This is the first time for a ROK government delegation to officially attend the International Book Fair.

2. At the Havana International Book Fair, which marks its 24th this year, 199 publishers from 31 countries will exhibit their books and 184 writers from 24 countries will be invited. The ROK delegation will introduce Korean literature to Cuba by engaging in a range of activities in Havana from February 12 through 17, including attending the opening ceremony of the International Book Fair, establishing a Korean book booth, holding a Korean literature night, donating Korean books to the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, and hosting a presentation on Korean literature.

o During the Book Fair, the Korean booth will display a total of 100 pieces of Korean literature translated into Spanish or English, as well as promotional books on Korea and educational books for children.

o In addition, the ROK Embassy in Mexico and the Literature Translation Institute of Korea will hold a Korean book donation ceremony on February 14 at Cabana Castle, the venue for the Book Fair, to contribute some 50 pieces of Korean literature to the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC: Union de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba).

3. Director-General for Cultural Affairs Kim Dong-gi of the Foreign Ministry, who will lead the ROK delegation, will meet with Director of International Relations Alfredo Ruiz Roche of the Cuban Ministry of Culture on February 13 and discuss ways to expand cultural exchanges between the ROK and Cuba.

4. Director-General Kim will also visit a cultural center for Korean descendents in Cuba on February 14 and donate 119 Korean books, including Korean literary works, books on Korea, Korean language textbooks, and educational books for children. He will also deliver Pororo and other Korean animation DVDs.

5. The ROK delegation’s participation in the International Book Fair will be a good opportunity to show the Cuban people various charms of Korean literature, little known in Cuba, and devise measures to increase cultural exchanges in a wider range of areas, including exchanges between performance groups of the two countries, amid the recent spread of Hallyu (growing popularity of Korean pop culture) attributed to the broadcast of Korean soap operas. It is also expected to contribute to expanding consensus between the peoples of the two countries and helping the Cuban people feeling closer to Korea.

6. The Foreign Ministry will continue to expand cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Ministry hopes that such cultural cooperation will further enhance bilateral relations between the ROK and Cuba. 


                 Spokesperson and Deputy Minister for Public Relations of MOFA

*unofficial translation