Culture ministry and Turkmenistan agree to expand cultural exchanges

The culture ministry said Wednesday it has agreed with Turkmenistan to expand bilateral cultural exchanges following a meeting between the two nations' top cultural officials.

Minister Choi Hwi-young hosted Gurbanmyrat Shyhmyradovich Myradalyyev, the Turkmen minister of culture, at the National Library of Korea on the sidelines of the Korea-Central Asia Summit, which ran from Sept. 14 to 16. The two ministers formed a consensus on the need to broaden cooperation during the talks, which were arranged specifically to leverage the summit.

Myradalyyev expressed hope that exchanges in the literary sector and people-to-people interactions through tourism would increase, noting the rising popularity of literature. "Literature serves as a foundation for both countries to better understand each other's cultures," Choi said. "I hope this occasion will lead to more active cooperation in the cultural field and further expand friendly relations between South Korea and Turkmenistan."

In a related development, the Asia Culture Center signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Cultural Center of Turkmenistan to strengthen collaboration. The agreement was finalized alongside a 'Day of Turkmenistan Culture' event held by the Asia Culture Center to mark the summit.