KOREA has been a huge influence in Malaysia for more than 10 years and its sphere of influence ranges from pop music and drama to food, cosmetics and much more.

To celebrate the close relationship between South Korea and Malaysia, Korean Society Malaysia (KSM) chairman Kim Jong-hwa said a series of events are being held from today till October 8 at the Oval Hall, 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya.

He said the Korea Day event is an annual extravaganza and festival that enable all Malaysians to experience Korean culture.

The event serves as a platform to showcase South Korean music (K-pop), dance, art, cuisine, traditional performances, games and a variety of specialty products.

“We ultimately welcome anyone from all over the nation to join us in an unforgettable Korean cultural experience,” Kim said.

He said there are more than 20,000 South Koreans residing in Malaysia.

“The year 2023, which marks the 40th anniversary of the Malaysia-South Korea Look East Policy (LEP), will be the best chance to reaffirm the ties between both nations.”

He said that the total amount of trade between Malaysia and South Korea exceeded RM114.55 billion last year, proving Malaysians have indeed embraced “K-culture”.

Kim said KSM is always trying its best to bring Koreans and Malaysians together under the motto “More than the Korean society”.

“I am giving my best effort to ensure not only the welfare of Koreans in Malaysia, but also their active engagement with the local communities.”

“For instance, we helped the children of Persatuan Kebajikan Mikhalai, Segambut Dalam, on August 11 through a volunteer programme.

“We have also been working alongside government ministries. The “collect the milk project” with Segambut lawmaker Hannah Yeoh aims to provide children from B40 households with free milk using AI vending machines, which will be announced soon.”