Slovakia regaled guests with the music of the Slovak Chamber Orchestra and star violinist Dalibor Karvay, national fruit liqueurs, signature caviar and an informative video presentation at the Seoul Club on Tuesday.
Seoul Club members and foreign envoys and their families enjoyed the cultural program organized by the Slovak Embassy that also included the photo exhibition “Love Song To Slovakia” of work by Yuri Dojc.
“I received an offer from the Seoul Club to introduce Slovakia to members here and give them a chance to really learn about my country,” said Slovak Ambassador to Korea Dusan Bella. “I want to emphasize how Slovakia is a Korea-friendly country.”
The Slovak Chamber Orchestra and conductor Danel Ewald (center) perform for guests during the SlovakEmbassy’s “Slovak Night” at the Seoul Club on Tuesday. (Philip Iglauer/The Korea Herald)
Bella highlighted Slovak-Korea ties including economic relations during a presentation he gave on his country.
Slovakia has become the “Detroit of Europe,” with the world’s highest per capita production of cars, including Germany’s Volkswagen, France’s Peugeot Citroen and Korea’s Kia, as well as a legion of parts.
In addition to the $1 billion Korea poured into Slovakia in 2011 through investments in electronics and car factories, Europe is estimated to have invested an additional $1.5 billion that year to expand production lines.
After reaching the milestone of 1 million cars in January 2012, Kia Motors Slovakia manufactured 300,000 cars and half a million engines in 2012.
But the Slovak Chamber Orchestra proved the pinnacle of Slovak Night. Members of the national orchestra returned to Korea for the first time in years to perform at the Chungmoo Art Hall in Seoul this Wednesday and Thursday at the Seongnam Art Center Concert Hall on Friday and at other venues around the country through April 30.
By Philip Iglauer (
ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)