Search

South Korea establishes Sharjah as King Sejong Institute's regional headquarters

06:53 PM | 15 Jun, 2023
South Korea establishes Sharjah as King Sejong Institute's regional headquarters

SEOUL - South Korea has announced a historic decision to establish the regional headquarters of their prestigious King Sejong Institute - an eminent institution renowned for its resolute representation of Korean culture on a global scale - in the emirate of Sharjah.  

This momentous development places the institute’s branch in Sharjah with the paramount responsibility of delivering comprehensive training courses and specialised programmes tailored to enhance the proficiency of Korean language educators across the entire Arab region.

The announcement follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Sharjah’s Government Relations Department (DGR) and the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF), on the sidelines of the ongoing 65th edition of the signed Seoul International Book Fair, where South Korea is celebrating the emirate as its Guest of Honour. 

The agreement seeks to boost cultural exchange between the UAE and South Korea and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Korean culture both locally and regionally, while also harnessing the invaluable teaching materials and resources offered by the Korean institute to enrich the instructional and mentoring capacities of educational institutions and colleges dedicated to foreign language teaching.

The MoU was signed by HE Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of DGR; and Lee Hai Young, President of KSIF, in the presence of senior officials, cultural luminaries and media personalities.

Bringing the UAE and wider region closer to the rich Korean language & culture

As per the MoU, KSIF will strengthen Sharjah’s status as the regional headquarters of the King Sejong Institute by providing the Sharjah branch with strong, dedicated support. KSIF will be allocating highly qualified educational and administrative personnel, holding the Korean Language Assessment Test (SKA) at the branch, providing a rich repertoire of printed or electronic books and educational resources, and organising cultural and educational events throughout the year to support Korean language education amongst eager learners.

On DGR’s part, the entity will provide an outfitted space for establishing the Institute's branch in the emirate. This includes state-of-the-art administrative offices, classrooms, and additional facilities to enable seamless operations. Furthermore, the department will facilitate the appointment of an efficient management team to oversee the institute's day-to-day operations and expedite the timely introduction of an extensive collection of Korean books and educational materials, in both printed and electronic formats.

Realising a shared goal of elevating the pivotal role of language in promoting a culture

Commenting on the agreement, Sheikh Fahim Al Qasimi, Chairman of DGR, said: “The establishment of the King Sejong Institute branch in Sharjah as a regional headquarters for the esteemed Korean cultural centre testifies to Sharjah's status as a leading intellectual and cultural hub, regionally and globally. It also adds to our 50-year journey of remarkable achievements under the visionary leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, whose tireless efforts have been instrumental in cementing the emirate's international renown, positioning it as a vibrant global hub for civilisational and cultural exchange”. 

“DGR's unwavering commitment lies in aligning with His Highness's vision by actively building bridges to foster fruitful and sustainable partnerships with our international counterparts, such as the King Sejong Institute. Together, we share a profound appreciation for the pivotal role of language in promoting knowledge and cultural exchange among nations,” he added

In turn, Her Excellency Lee Hai Young, President of the King Sejong Institute, said: “We chose Sharjah to be the main regional centre for our institute in recognition of its cultural status and its active promotion of the value of dialogue between civilisations at the global level. We believe in the importance of language as a means of communication and understanding between peoples, and hope that the institute’s regional headquarter in Sharjah contributes to achieving this goal, and also serves to develop new friendships and partnerships between South Korea, the UAE and the rest of the region”.

“We consider the signing of this MoU an important step towards consolidating and strengthening cultural and educational cooperation with the Arab world, as an opportunity to provide high-quality services and programmes for language education, while also introducing the public in the region to the most important aspects of Korean culture,” he added.

Advertisement

Pakistani rupee inches up against US dollar, Euro, Pound and other currencies - Check forex rates here

Pakistani rupee advanced its winning momentum against US dollar, and other currencies in the open market amid strong economic cues.

Dollar Rate in Pakistan Today

On Saturday, the US dollar was being quoted at 285.15 for buying and 287.95 for selling.

Euro moves down to 309.9 for buying and 310.5 for selling. British Pound rate stands at 359.4 for buying, and 360.05 for selling.

UAE Dirham AED also moved down to 77.45 whereas the Saudi Riyal drops to 75.82.

Today's currency exchange rates in Pakistan – 2 December 2023

Currency Symbol Buying Selling
US Dollar ‎USD 285.15  287.95 
Euro EUR 309.9  310.5 
UK Pound Sterling GBP 359.4  360.05 
U.A.E Dirham AED 77.45  77.6
Saudi Riyal SAR 75.82 75.97
Australian Dollar AUD 187.72 188.22
Bahrain Dinar BHD 759.94 767.94
Canadian Dollar CAD 209.99 210.49
China Yuan CNY 39.78 39.88
Danish Krone DKK 41.95 42.05
Hong Kong Dollar HKD 36.38 36.48
Indian Rupee INR 3.39 3.5
Japanese Yen JPY 1.49 1.56
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD 926.39 935.39
Malaysian Ringgit MYR 60.38 60.98
New Zealand Dollar NZD 173.44 175.44
Norwegians Krone NOK 26.25 26.55
Omani Riyal OMR 742.16 750.18
Qatari Riyal ‎QAR 78.5 79.2
Singapore Dollar SGD 212.45 212.95
Swedish Korona SEK 27.09 27.19
Swiss Franc CHF 325.38 325.88
Thai Bhat THB 8.05 8.09

Gold registers big fall in Pakistan; check today gold rates in Pakatan - 2 December 2023

The price of gold fell by thousands of rupees as precious metal lost shine despite an upward trend in the international market.

Gold Rates in Pakistan Today - 2 December 2023

On Saturday, the price of a single tola of 24-karat gold stands at Rs217,300 and 10 grams of 24k gold costs Rs186,300.

Meanwhile, single tola of 22 Karat gold costs Rs199,190, 21 karat rate costs Rs190,138 and 18k gold rate is Rs162,975.

Globally, gold prices hover at around $2072, gaining $32 on Saturday.

Today Gold Rate in Pakistan

City Gold Silver
Lahore PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Karachi PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Islamabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Peshawar PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Quetta PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Sialkot PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Attock PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Gujranwala PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Jehlum PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Multan PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Bahawalpur PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Gujrat PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Nawabshah PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Chakwal PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Hyderabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Nowshehra PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Sargodha PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Faisalabad PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705
Mirpur PKR 217,300 PKR 2,705

Advertisement

Follow us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Sign up for Newsletter