Mongolia, a country with a long history in Korea, is marking the platinum anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.

An opening ceremony was held recently at the National Theater of Korea to kick off the “Year of Mongolia in Korea,” which included a variety of celebratory performances and activities.

The concert included performances by the Korean National Opera, a chamber music group, and traditional musicians and singers from both countries.

Many officials from both countries attended the event, most notably Mongolian Prime Minister Sukhbaatar Batbold, Minister of Education, Culture, and Science Otogon Bayar and the Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choung Byoung-gug.

In addition to the opening ceremony, a variety of economic, political and cultural events are lined up for the year.

From April 6-12, there will be a Mongolian art exhibition at the Topohaus gallery in Seoul’s Jongno area that features 30 modern Mongolian paintings and sculptures. For more information, visit www.topohaus.com.

On the medical front, Daejeon city and the Mongolian Department of Health signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in the medical tourism industry.

The two countries promised to cooperate to improve and exchange medical technologies, hold seminars and improve communication.

Chungnam National Hospital will provide free surgery to Mongolian children with cardiac disorders.

Mongolia’s First Lady Bolormaa Khajidsuren has already accompanied one child with a heart problem to Korea for treatment, and has launched her own charity to help more children have access to medical care.

Last year, a friendship concert was held in the Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, to mark the 20th anniversary of the beginning of diplomatic relations between both countries.

A Korean movie festival, photo exhibition of Korean palaces, taekwondo and ssireum events, and fashion and art exhibitions were also held in the capital as part of the anniversary celebrations.

By Yoav Cerralbo (yoav@heraldcorp.com)