SINCE moving here in the Philippines two years ago, the excitement of the Director of Korea Tourism Office (KTO) in Manila Park In-shik to promote South Korea as the best travel destination for Filipinos has not waned a bit.
But his current dilemma is the escalating tension between his country and its neighbor in the north.
Park knows in his heart that it is not going to be smooth sailing when he assumed the position.
“It is because of the misunderstanding or the perception of people,” he said, referring to the long-standing impasse between North Korea and South Korea, in an interview with the BusinessMirror.
To allay the fears of the Filipinos, Park said he is living proof that South Korea is “peaceful” as he pointed out, “I’ve been living there for more than 60 years. My family and our people know the [conflict] is not that serious.”
As a matter of fact, the KTO director cited the Global Peace Index (GPI) 2017 where South Korea occupied the 47th spot out of 163 countries. The GPI analyzes the state of peace around the world as an attempt to measure the relative position of nations’ peacefulness. Introduced in 2007 and updated yearly, it is rated by the Institute for Economics and Peace.
This means, according to Park, “We [are] on the same level of most West European countries; it is high, which means it is safe to stay in [South] Korea.”
“It’s business as usual there,” he reiterated.
The KTO official saw how eager the Filipinos are to visit South Korea. He admitted that the influence of K-dramas and K-pop helped in heaps.
Recently, the KTO even included the guidebook to filming locations of K-drama The Goblin, which was aired locally on ABS-CBN with the program title, A Journey With The Goblin.
“We just keep on providing positive news, meet with Filipino people and hold regular meetings with travel agencies to squarely address the concern [on the Korean peninsula’s peace and security],” he said.
Traveling to SoKor
ACCORDING to the KTO, South Korea received a total of 17.2 million tourists in 2016, an increase of 30.3 percent over the previous year. From this number, 556,745 were Filipino visitors, a growth of 37 percent, compared to the previous year’s total of 403,622.
Park suggested that it is also best to experience his country during its autumn period.
The highlights of the colorful seasons and destinations are: Mountain Fall Foliage Sites, such as Seoraksan Mountain (September 22), Seoul’s Bukhansan National Park (October 29), Jirisan Mountain (October 24) and Naejangsan Mountain (November 8).
He also revealed that there is a “no-visa” charter flight, as well as a Manila-Jeju direct flight, via Philippine Airlines starting October 4 until next year, January 3.
“Try to visit Jeju without a visa,” Park encouraged Pinoys.
Jeju Island is a The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-distinguished haven in South Korea, declared as one of the world’s “new seven wonders of nature”. It is a volcanic island and a government-protected area teeming with natural beauty.
He also said his country is busy preparing for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, which will be held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon province from February 9 to 25.
Pyeongchang was selected as the host city of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games after receiving a majority vote at the 123rd International Olympic Committee session held on July 6, 2011 and three consecutive bids. The Olympic Winter Games will be held in the Korean peninsula for the first time in 30 years after the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988.
Pyeongchang will be the stage for the opening and closing ceremonies and most snow sports. Alpine speed events will take place in Jeongseon, while all ice sports will be competed in the coastal city of Gangneung.
“I hope Filipinos will try to visit [those places] also,” he added.
‘Hospitable, friendly people’
PARK, who was working in the KTO main headquarters in Seoul before he was assigned here, said that he likes the hospitality and the friendliness of Filipinos.
However, the Korean observed that the Filipinos are more “Westernized”.
He and his twins—a boy and a girl—also love Filipino dishes like adobo, sinigang and grilled lapu-lapu. His wife, on the other hand, has an appetite for seafood.
The KTO official was also amazed to see tarsiers during his travel to Bohol.
“Amazing! It was my first time to see them,” Park excitedly shared upon seeing one of the smallest primates in the world, adding that he was also happy to chance upon his fellow Koreans who were also fascinated by the charm of the Visayan island-province.
Next in his bucket list is to take a dip in the beaches of Palawan, particularly in Coron. He said the picturesque paradise caught his attention after Korean actress and pop star Sandara Park’s promotion in Battle Trip, a TV show in South Korea.
“Yes, we will go there!” he declared, as he will do it before he finishes his tour of duty here in the country.
“Or [if not], we can always go back here,” he added.
When the time comes that he would have to leave his office here, Park said that there are things that he will remember about the Philippines, like the traffic, which, to him, is “not that good”.
On the plus side, he cited the warmth of the Filipinos and the weather in the country as just some of those that he will definitely miss.
Promoting South Korea as a travel destination, he pointed out, is giving a big boost to its products and culture to the Filipinos.
While he has still over a year to serve in his assignment in the Philippines, Park said that he is very proud of his work, “because I get to promote my country to one which I’ve also grown to consider as my own”.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano