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The 2024 Seoul International Book Fair opened on Wednesday, June 26, with the Sultanate of Oman as a special guest, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Oman and South Korea.
Oman showcased its diverse cultural elements from multiple government agencies, including the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Ministry of Information, and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, as well as BroadCast Unitedlectual contributions from civil society and private institutions at the expo, highlighting the rich heritage of Omani civilization.
The 66th book fair, hosted by the Korea Publishing Culture Association, was held from June 26 to June 30 at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in southern Seoul, with Saudi Arabia as this year’s guest country.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yoon Cheol-ho, president of the Korean Publishers Association, and an Omani delegation including Said bin Sultan al Busaidi, Undersecretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, and Sheikh Zakaria bin Hamad al Saadi, Oman’s ambassador to South Korea.
Famous Korean figures attending the ceremony included Cho Ae-ro, director of the Seoul International Book Fair, Jeon Jae-soo, chairman of the National Assembly Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, and Cheon Byung-k, first vice minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Saadi commended the Korean Publishers Association for the successful organization of the Seoul International Book Fair 2024 and praised the association’s efforts in promoting reading, books and publishing. He stressed the key role that book fairs play in promoting cultural exchanges and deeper understanding between countries, noting that this year’s participation is significant as it marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Oman and South Korea. To mark this milestone, the book “Oman: A Long History of Friendship and Cooperation with South Korea” written by Professor Lee Hee-soo has been published in Korean and translated into Arabic.
The book explores fifty years of diplomatic relations between the two countries since 1974, as well as the ancient trade relations between the two countries dating back to the 7th century. In addition, Oman is proud to present the Omani novel Celestial Bodies by Jokha Al Harthi, winner of the 2019 Man Booker International Prize, which has been translated into Korean, making Omani literature more accessible to Korean readers.
The accompanying Omani cultural program included several panel discussions, beginning with a launch ceremony for these translated publications at the Omani Pavilion.
Through this participation, Oman contributes to the global dialogue that enriches everyone’s life.
The Omani Pavilion aims to introduce the country’s BroadCast Unitedlectual achievements and cultural heritage through the exhibition of precious Omani manuscripts, Arabic calligraphy and other BroadCast Unitedlectual works, while also highlighting the Omani people’s traditional hospitality.
The pavilion, designed to blend Omani architectural heritage with contemporary style, features sections for government and civil society publications, tourism promotion, live Arabic calligraphy demonstrations, rare manuscripts, and a traditional Omani reception area serving coffee, dates, and Omani sweets. It also showcases cultural elements inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage such as Al-Bar’ah art, Omani Khanjar, and Omani coffee customs, using VR technology and visual displays of Omani cultural and tourist attractions. The first Omani cultural program will begin on Thursday, June 27, with a panel discussion titled “The Novel: The Miracle of Omani Narratives,” featuring writers Bushra Khalfan Al-Wahibi, Mohammed bin Khalfan Al Yahyai, and Zahran bin Hamdan Al Qasmi, moderated by Huda bin Hamad Al Jahwaria.
The cultural programme also includes a paper on the current state of translation in Oman and potential collaboration between Arabic and Korean, presented by Dr Hilal bin Said Al Hajri on June 28. Another panel discussion on June 29 will discuss “Oman-South Korea relations: fifty years of intimacy and collaboration” with Dr Hee-soo Lee and Dr Mohammed bin Khalfan Al Yahyai. The final panel discussion, “Women’s literature depicting everyday life in Korea and Oman,” will be moderated by literary critic Hyo Hee and will feature Omani novelist Jokha Al Harthi and South Korean writer Eun Hee-kyung.
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