Today marks the 4,356th anniversary of Korea’s National Foundation Day. On this special occasion, I am pleased to share this message to Thai friends.
Korea and Thailand have nurtured a strong and vibrant bilateral relationship for 66 years. Throughout this time, we have made significant strides in our cooperation across economics, culture and people-to-people exchanges.
Despite regional and global challenges, our economic interactions have flourished. Trade between Korea and Thailand surpassed USD16.5 billion in 2022, with Korean investment in Thailand reaching over USD1.9 billion last year. Major Korean enterprises, such as Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics and POSCO, are actively contributing to the Thai economy. Recently, Hyundai decided to invest further in Thailand to build a production facility for its electric vehicles, noticeably the ever-popular IONIQ 5. Nevertheless, I believe there is still untapped potential for deeper economic cooperation. To facilitate this, both governments are in discussions to finalise the Korea-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which will serve as a cornerstone for enhancing our economic collaboration.
Furthermore, Korea and Thailand can strengthen our cultural ties through soft power initiatives. Korea’s cultural influence—evident in the global popularity of K-Pop and K-Dramas—has sparked widespread interest in our culture and fostered deeper connections between Korea and Thailand. Thailand’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant tourism sector, which attracted nearly 40 million visitors before the pandemic, are invaluable assets. By combining our cultural strengths, we can create mutually beneficial exchanges. I particularly look forward to the collaboration between the newly established Thailand Creative Culture Agency (THACCA) and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) as a model for our future cooperation.
People-to-people exchanges between our countries are also on the rise, rebounding from the pandemic. Last year, over 1.6 million Koreans visited Thailand, making them the third-largest group of tourists in the country. This figure has more than tripled compared to 2022, while over 370,000 Thais travelled to Korea in 2023, highlighting the resilient ties between us.
Building on our achievements, we are committed to a future-oriented development of the Korea-Thailand partnership and look forward to a prosperous future for both nations. I thank everyone celebrating our national day with us today.
HE Yong Min Park,
Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Thailand
