Korea festival showcases culture, strengthens Ghana-Korea ties
Hundreds of students, families and friends last Saturday thronged the 2026 Korea Festival in Accra, where they experienced colourful displays of Korean culture, music, dance, food and language in a celebration aimed at strengthening cultural ties between Ghana and the Republic of Korea.
Organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ghana, the festival featured a Korean speech contest, K-pop music and dance performances, cultural exhibitions and a variety of interactive activities.
Winners of the speech and performance contests received awards in recognition of their outstanding performances.
The festival formed part of efforts by the embassy to promote cultural exchange and deepen the long-standing friendship between Ghana and the Republic of Korea.
Speaking at the event, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Park Kyongsig, said the festival was designed to promote greater understanding of Korean culture and strengthen the enduring relationship between the two countries.
He recalled that when he arrived in Ghana two years ago, he made it a priority to study the country’s history and was fascinated by the legend of the Golden Stool, which, according to tradition, descended from the heavens to unite the Ashanti people.
Mr Park said Korea also had a unique national myth, explaining that Koreans believed they were descendants of a bear that transformed into a woman after enduring 30 days in a cave while surviving only on garlic.
He noted that although the two countries had different traditions, they both cherished their cultural heritage and strong family values.
“We may have different skin colours and different histories, but we are all human beings. We love our families, respect our traditions and cherish our societies,” he said.
The ambassador urged participants to embrace cultural exchange, stressing that understanding another country’s language, music, dance and traditions was the first step towards building lasting friendship.
He expressed the hope that the students would become ambassadors of goodwill and serve as a bridge between Ghana and Korea in the years ahead.
Mr Park also expressed confidence that Ghana possessed enormous human and natural resources to achieve rapid development and would one day extend similar support to other nations in need.
He encouraged participants to enjoy the festival’s cultural exhibitions, performances and Korean cuisine, while sustaining their interest in Korean culture as the friendship between the two countries continued to flourish.
A student of the University of Ghana, Ms Anita Oforiwaa Mensah, described the festival as an enriching cultural experience that had broadened her understanding of Korean traditions and values.
She said the Korean speech contest, music and dance performances, as well as the cultural exhibitions, made the event both entertaining and educational.
“I have always admired Korean culture through films and music, but attending this festival has given me a deeper appreciation of their history, traditions and the strong friendship between Ghana and Korea. It has inspired me to learn more about the Korean language and culture,” she said.
You can now read the *Ghanaian Times* and *The Spectator* newspapers digitally on [TimesNewsPlus](https://timesnewsplus.com/newspapers).
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
