Yeo Seung-bae, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, attends the opening ceremony of a special exhibition by artists with developmental disabilities

Strengthening substantive cooperation among Korea, China and Japan through a unique cultural exchange for interacting with neighbors across the sea in the era of COVID-19

1. A special exhibition titled "Trilateral Communication Blooms through Art," co-hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS), is underway at COEX from July 8 to July 10, 2021, displaying art pieces by artists from Korea, China and Japan with developmental disabilities. The exhibition of a total of 48 pieces --16 per country -- portrays the beauty of Korea, China and Japan creatively interpreted by those countries’ artists with developmental disabilities.

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° The exhibition provides a chance for viewers to visualize visits to their neighboring countries when it is almost impossible to make actual visits in the era of COVID-19.

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2. The opening ceremony held on July 8 morning brought together Korean artists -- Kang Seon-ah, Park Hye-shin, Lee Da-rae and Yang Si-young -- and their parents, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs Yeo Seung-bae,  Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming, Deputy Chief of Mission of Japan to Korea Hirohisa Soma, Kang Do-ho and Deputy Director of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) Chao Jing.

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3. In his opening remarks, Yeo Seung-bae, Deputy Minister for Political Affairs, explained that this special exhibition was organized with the purpose of strengthening friendship among Korea, China and Japan even at a time when communication with one another is difficult due to COVID-19, expressing his appreciation to the artists for the hard work.

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° He also emphasized that the friendship among the citizens of the three countries has always been a key to trilateral cooperation, pledging that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would continue to offer various opportunities for the general public of the three countries to communicate and interact with one another in the future.

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4. This year marks the 22nd year of trilateral cooperation among Korea, China and Japan since its launch in 1999. During that time, Korea, China and Japan have been working around the clock to institutionalize trilateral cooperation and establish a practice of dialogue with the will to continue to increase trilateral cooperation regardless of the ups and downs of bilateral relations and the political situation in and out of the region.

° The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to support cultural and artistic exchange events for citizens of the three countries to participate and communicate directly.