60 years of political union of friendly nations

Iceland and South Korea celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, having established formal diplomatic ties on 10 October 1962. Over these sixty years, the countries have developed close cooperation in various fields, such as education and cultural affairs, sciences, and Arctic matters.

Iceland and South Korea celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations this year, having established formal diplomatic ties on 10 October 1962. Over these sixty years, the countries have developed close cooperation in various fields, such as education and cultural affairs, sciences, and Arctic matters. Thus, South Korea has been an observer at the Arctic Council since 2013 and has been an active participant in that arena. Recently, a Korean department was established at the University of Iceland as a result of my meeting with Sang-Kon, the then Minister of Education and Deputy Prime Minister of South Korea in Seoul, in 2018.

There are expectations that the department will grow and later incorporate cultural elements in addition to language studies. Agreements, for example, on double taxation and free trade are in effect between the countries, and in 2020, the volume of imports and exports between Iceland and South Korea amounted to about 8 billion krónur. South Korean companies have invested in Icelandic businesses in recent years, including the purchase of the computer game company CCP and a major investment in the pharmaceutical company Alvotech.

Milestones such as the 60-year diplomatic relationship are significant and well-suited for reflecting on the past and looking to the future. Earlier this autumn, a special delegation from the South Korean government made a visit to Iceland to commemorate this notable milestone. This week, I will lead an Icelandic business delegation to South Korea, with a special focus on culture and creative industries, as South Koreans have come a long way in exporting their culture. K-Pop music, award-winning television series, Oscar-winning films, and other entertainment content have spread like wildfire across the globe, bringing significant value addition and export revenue for South Korean society.

South Korea also holds a special place in my heart for personal reasons, as I was fortunate enough to live there in the years 1993-1994 while studying political science and economic history of South Korea at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. It was unique to get to know this distant friendly nation in that way, but despite being far away on the map, there are many similarities between Iceland and South Korea. Both countries faced significant poverty around the time they gained independence, Iceland in 1944 and South Korea in 1945. Since then, both nations have come a long way and can today boast of some of the best living standards in the world. The geographical positioning of the countries is important, and both have a special relationship with the United States, particularly in the field of defense. The emphasis on culture and specifically general literacy has long been significant. I believe this has made a critical difference in the societal and economic advancements that the countries have achieved. It should not be forgotten that the countries share values of freedom, democracy, and open international trade – but the Korean Peninsula, with its division into north and south, best exemplifies the lesson of how important such governance is.

I am optimistic about the future cooperation between the countries, and I believe that the two nations can deepen their partnership and friendship even further, benefiting their citizens.

Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Business Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Progressive Party.

The article was first published on mbl.is 22 November 2022.