The Korea Society, a New York-based private, non-profit organization that promotes understanding between the U.S. and Korea, celebrated its 55th anniversary at a gala dinner in Seoul on Tuesday.

Dignitaries including Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan and U.S. Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim delivered welcoming and congratulatory speeches.

Kurt Campbell, Washington’s top diplomat on Asia, who arrived in Seoul on Tuesday, made a special speech for the celebration of event. He is to meet with Lim Sung-nam, Korea’s top nuclear envoy, on Wednesday to further discuss ways to resume the stalled six-party nuclear talks. 

Earlier in the day, the Korea Foundation held a forum on hallyu, or the Korean Wave, at the foundation’s cultural center in Seoul, in line with the celebration of the Society’s anniversary.

Under the theme, “Riding the Wave: Korea’s Growing Cultural Reach,” the discussion was moderated by Stephen Noerper, vice president of the Korea Society.

Panelists included Alexandra Munroe, the Samsung senior curator of Asian Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Rep. Cho Yoon-sun of the Grand National Party and Han Kyung-ah, CEO of performance consulting firm Show N Arts.

American and Korean experts on Korean culture discussed how new hallyu in the 21st century has recently spread into the cultural and arts sectors, including literature, arts and performances from K-dramas and K-pop, the KF said.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)