Greece's Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and Korea's Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Yu In-Chon, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen cultural cooperation between their nations.
The agreement was formalised during a meeting that highlighted the robust political and diplomatic relations between Greece and Korea.
A significant topic of discussion was the illegal trafficking of cultural goods. Both ministers acknowledged the challenges posed by this issue and expressed their commitment to working together to combat it. They agreed to draft a joint Memorandum aimed at preventing the illicit trade of cultural artifacts, aligning their efforts with UNESCO's 1970 Convention, which both countries have ratified.
Minister Yu In-Chon also reiterated Korea's support for Greece's initiative to reunify the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens. In response, Mendoni expressed her gratitude for Korea’s ongoing support and invited Yu to Athens for the signing of the Memorandum on illegal trafficking of cultural goods.
Furthermore, the two ministers agreed to facilitate exchanges of specialists in the fields of cultural heritage protection, documentation, preservation, restoration, and promotion. They also committed to enhancing collaboration between cultural institutions in music, theatre, and dance, as well as organising joint exhibitions and sharing museum collections.