The Slovak Embassy is celebrating 20 years of diplomatic relations with Korea with a series of cultural events.

Slovak Ambassador Dusan Bella hosted an afternoon gathering at the embassy Wednesday to introduce the events leading up to the January 2013 anniversary.

“With the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries, we hope to spread the knowledge about our two countries and the great cooperation that we already have economically and politically as well as in terms of tourism and culture,” Bella said.

In October, a Slovakian theater group is set to perform Moliere’s “The Misanthrope” at the World Festival of National Theaters here.

During the same month, a Slovak artist will take residency in Korea to create a monument at Gaehwa Art Park’s Mosan Museum in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province.

The Bratislava-based chamber orchestra Capella Istropolitana will perform in Korea next March.

Commemorative stamps bearing traditional musical instruments from both countries will also be launched. One will feature the fujara, a Slovakian long upright flute. The other will depict scenes of Korean pansori, a traditional form of narrative music performed by a solo singer. Both forms of music are included on UNESCO heritage lists.

The embassy will also host an exhibition from Slovakia’s most famous photographer, Karol Kallay.

These events aim to increase Slovakia’s name among Korean households.

“Koreans all know Czech Republic and even Czechoslovakia, but they know very little about Slovakia,” said the ambassador.

There are more than 80 Korean companies with plants in the Central European country, including manufacturing firms of Korea’s top brands like Samsung Electronics and Kia Motors.

“I don’t feel that so many people know that Slovakia is a gateway for Korean businesses to the EU,” Bella said, adding that most people are even surprised to find that so many Korean businesses are already located there.

South Korea is the fourth-largest exporter to Slovakia, sending mostly automotive engineering and electrical products. In 2011, Kia Motors produced 252,000 cars and 369,000 engines in the country.

The Korean community in Slovakia is also growing with roughly 2,000 people as of 2011, which even called for a Korean market in the capital, Bratislava.

By Robert  Lee (robert@heraldcorp.com)