KATHMANDU, Dec 6: The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal participated as the guest of honour at the Mask Art Exhibition organised by the Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal (FHAN) at Patan Museum, Lalitpur. The exhibition features 60 masks from Nepal and 40 from South Korea, presented in collaboration with Lalitpur Metropolitan City and with the support of IMACO, South Korea.
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Woo Hyuk Cho, Secretary General of IMACO, attended Friday’s event, noting that the exhibition aims to introduce South Korea’s mask traditions—rich in educational, cultural and artistic value—while promoting cultural tourism at both domestic and international levels.
Korean Ambassador Park Taeyoung highlighted the cultural parallels between Nepal and South Korea, emphasising their shared heritage of mask traditions shaped by spiritual and social symbolism. He underscored Buddhism as an important historical link between the two nations.
Ambassador Park stated that Nepal and South Korea enjoy a long-standing friendship with expanding cooperation in economic, social and cultural spheres. He said Korea is honoured to support initiatives that strengthen people-to-people ties and celebrate artistic traditions. Thousands of Korean tourists visit Nepal each year, and beyond the Himalayas, Nepal’s cultural heritage remains a major attraction. He added that IMACO’s collaboration with FHAN will help foster deeper cultural exchange, creative partnerships and new opportunities for artists from both countries.
The event brought together officials from Lalitpur Metropolitan City, FHAN, the South Korean Embassy, IMACO and a large public audience. The exhibition will conclude on Sunday.
