Taking a break from her busy scheudule, South Korean President Park Geun-hye today visited the historic Red Fort and inaugurated the first-ever Korean audio guide seeking to promote bilateral cultural ties.
Park, who is on a four-day state visit to India, also inaugurated a Korean Handicrafts exhibition and spent time inside the Fort visiting various places and enquiring about the architecture.
Officials said it was the first time that the audio guide was launched in any foreign language apart from the already existing Hindi and English.
The Archaeological Survey of India, in cooperation with the South Korean Cultural Centre, India came togther to create the audio guide in order to give a better understanding to Korean tourists visiting the site.
The South Korean President's state visit was an opportunity to launch it since Koreans are extremely interested in knowing the history of India. This is a step forward in communicating the country's rich heritage among the Korean people, officials added.
Archeological Survey of India officials, who guided the Korean President inside the Fort, said she visited the Naubat Khana, Diwan-e-aam, Archeology museum situated inside Mumtaz Mahal, Rang Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas apart from taking interest in the scale of justice (insaaf ka tarazu) of the Mughals.
It was an opportunity to enhance cultural relations between the two countries and the effort was taken on behalf of both the governments to build cultural and historical relationship for future, officials added.
Meanwhile the Korean handicraft exhibition not only reflected the traditional culture but also a modern outlook. The exhibition has showcased Korea's modern craft works by the traditional craftsmen. The cultural assets and works had been particularly selected by the Craft and Design Korea Foundation.
"The reason why we chose Red Fort for this exhibition is that so many people visit here and it's symbolic in that sense. What we would like to present is a very traditional and most Korean exhibition that we can," Kim So-Young, secretary to the President for Culture and Sports, told PTI.
