Latest news with #KhaledAbdelRahman
Korea Herald
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Embassy of Egypt expands interaction with Korean public through art
Marking 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Egypt and Korea, Ambassador Khaled Abdel Rahman leaves open the embassy's doors and promotes immersive exhibition. Khaled Abdel Rahman, Egypt's ambassador to South Korea, sees a distinguished similarity between the two countries — a huge river that runs through the country, the Nile in Egypt and Han River in Korea. 'We say the river Nile is the gift to Egypt, and here you also have the Han river. That was why there was civilization in Korea and Egypt,' the ambassador said during the interview on Wednesday at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort. 'Water means you can have agriculture, and when you have agriculture, you have human settlement, then you have a community, develop education and start to develop culture.' The ancient history of Egypt is brought back to life through 'Egyptian Pharaohs, From Cheops to Ramesses II' at Walkerhill Hotel & Resort. The digital immersive exhibition encompasses 10 themes that include the stories of the Nile, pharaohs, myths, pyramids and temples. 'I think it brings Egyptian civilization in a digital format to the Korean viewers, which is very unique for Korea as (the country is) very advanced in this field of technology. I think it will give Korean companies many suggestions on how civilizations can be brought to life again through digital art,' Rahman said. The exhibition coincides with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. At the entrance to the exhibition is the embassy's collection, brought from Egypt's Ministry of culture. The replicas of 'The Great Temple of Abu Simbel,' a monumental temple complex built by pharaoh Ramesses II to assert his divine power, and two statues "Horus Depicted as a Hawk" are part of the collection on display. 'Horus was an interesting creature flying in the sky, and the king believed that it was his protector. You know, like the aircraft. That is how this myth developed the Horus, and it is actually the logo of the Egypt Air,' he said. Marking the 30th anniversary, the Egyptian Embassy in Seoul has opened its doors to the public, the ambassador said, to facilitate cultural interaction with people here to promote the country's culture. 'This is a big role for embassies to be among the public, not just for official functions, not just for the national holiday reception,' he said. 'We are happy to host Korean children from schools and give them some lectures and they can look around the Embassy and its collection. Anybody who wants to come and visit, just contact the embassy.' The ambassador expects the immersive exhibition, which has a running time of 36 minutes, to draw a large audience as it is not only visually beautiful but educational. He also expressed gratitude to Tmonet, the Korean operator of the Theatre des Lumieres, as partner of French company Culturespaces, and the Embassy of France for making the exhibition possible in Seoul. The exhibition will run until Oct.31. Lastly the ambassador expressed his wish for 'Korean universities to open a department for Egyptology. This can open an opportunity for a lot of Koreans, for job opportunities with digital technology in Korea."
Korea Herald
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Architect Hong Tae-sun, composer of space
Hong compares architecture to music in CICI lecture at Eygptian ambassador's residence Some who have explored different fields in their career know how to create synergy by combining them together. Architect Hong Tae-sun is one such person, integrating music into his architectural practice. Hong, director of architecture firm YKH Associates, loves to play piano in his studio while reminiscing about how he badly wanted to be a pianist before he went to college. Hong, who ultimately became an architect after graduating from Yale's School of Architecture, relates architectural design to music. 'Architects and composers share common ground in terms of techniques of macro, micro, layering and repetition. Both need to know how to read a musical score or a blueprint. What differentiates them is that music is for sound and architecture is for space,' Hong said in a lecture delivered during a meeting organized by the Corea Image Communication Institute at the residence of the Egyptian Ambassador to Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman, Tuesday. The architect also stressed his pragmatic approach to architecture as a 'problem solver.' 'I think an architect is someone who solves problems, considering all different factors before they design a building,' he said. Hong is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects. He earned is BA from Oberlin College and Master of Architecture from Yale. Among his team's projects are the Hillmaru Country Club & Golf Hotel in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province; the Sebyeol Brewery in Paju, Gyeonggi Province; and a 12-story building in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul inspired by American minimalist artist Donald Judd. 'Anything you learned is not going away. It is within you,' he said. 'When you learn pieces, you never get there. It is like boiling water ― liquid until it gets to the point of becoming vapor.' Among the attendants at the CICI lecture were Egyptian Ambassador Khaled Abdel Rahman as the host of the event, Swiss Ambassador Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli, New Zealand Ambassador Dawn Bennet and EU Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez.
Korea Herald
19-02-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
'Egypt gateway for Korean defense exports, trade to Middle East, Africa'
Egyptian ambassador stresses deeper mutual benefits of defense, infrastructure and industrial cooperation between Seoul, Cairo Egypt's strategic location and growing defense industry position it as a key partner for South Korea to expand its military exports into the Middle East and Africa, according to Egyptian Ambassador to Korea Khaled Abdel Rahman. In an interview with The Korea Herald ahead of the 30th anniversary of Egypt-Korea diplomatic ties, Rahman emphasized the mutual benefits of deeper defense cooperation. Egypt and South Korea established diplomatic ties on April 13, 1995, with embassies in Cairo and Seoul. Egypt views South Korea's rapid post-war development — fueled by International Monetary Fund and World Bank support and leveraging low-cost labor for exports — as an economic model for its own growth, often referred to as the "Miracle on the Han River." In 2022, South Korea designated Egypt as an official development assistance priority partner to strengthen the African country's industry and secure major manufacturing contracts. Egypt is rapidly expanding its military capabilities and tightening control over strategic sectors. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, between 2015 and 2019, the country was the third-largest global importer of weapons, sourcing from Germany, Russia, France and China. The Global Defense Market Yearbook 2022 also ranked Egypt third in global arms imports from 2017 to 2021, with a 5.7 percent market share. 'Egypt's decision to procure K9A1 howitzers and K11 vehicles reflects the high level of trust we place in South Korea's defense capabilities,' according to Rahman, referring to a 2022 contract with South Korean company Hanwha Systems. Hanwha Systems exported two core systems — the fire command system for the K11 Fire Command Armored Vehicle and the fire control system for the K9A1 self-propelled howitzer — to Egypt. The deal was reportedly worth 2 trillion won ($1.39 billion). The move shows Cairo's confidence in South Korea's defense capabilities and opens avenues for deeper military cooperation, he said. 'With growing security challenges in the Middle East and Africa, demand for cost-effective and technologically advanced defense systems is increasing,' according to Rahman. South Korean expertise meets Egypt's evolving military needs, he stressed. Two memorandums of understanding were signed for defense industry cooperation and logistics support, alongside agreements on joint research and development and military expertise exchange, according to Rahman. He said that although Egypt is set to expand defense manufacturing through local production and technology transfer, fostering self-reliance, Egypt-Korea bilateral trade hit approximately $3 billion in recent years, with infrastructure, renewable energy, electronics, manufacturing and automobiles as key sectors. Korea is supporting Egypt's El-Dabaa nuclear power plant, with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power building turbines in partnership with Egypt's Petrojet, while a Korean shipbuilding company is constructing a shipyard near the Suez Canal to boost maritime infrastructure. In 2022, KHNP signed an agreement with Rosatom's Atomstroyexport (ASE) to build 82 facilities, including turbine buildings, water treatment and air conditioning systems, for Egypt's first nuclear power plant in El Dabaa. The $30 billion project, commissioned by Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority, will include four reactors with a combined capacity of 1,200 megawatts, constructed by ASE. Construction is expected to be completed by 2030 and the first reactor is set to begin commercial operations in 2028. 'South Korea's cumulative investments in Egypt stand at nearly $800 million, reflecting growing economic ties,' he said. South Korean tech giant Samsung Electronics has invested $700 million in Egypt to establish a manufacturing facility, marking its first production plant in the Middle East and Africa. Located in the Beni Suef industrial complex, the new factory is set to position Egypt as a regional export hub, supplying products to 55 countries across the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Rahman noted that 85 percent of the factory's TV screens are exported to over 55 countries. Since 2015, Samsung has led engineering exports. The factory is expected to create 5,000 jobs in Upper Egypt, Rahman told The Korea Herald citing Egyptian media reports. Upper Egypt refers to the southern Nile region, characterized by a desert climate with red, sandy soil. The ancient Egyptians called the region as Deshret, meaning Red Land, due to its proximity to the Sahara Desert. Beyond these ongoing projects, Rahman sees immense untapped potential in Egypt as a strategic trade gateway to Africa and the Middle East. Experts suggest Egypt can serve as a gateway to Middle Eastern and North African markets, with Korean companies leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, or AfCFTA. The agreement covers the largest free trade area in the world, encompassing 54 of the African Union's 55 countries, representing 1.3 billion people and a combined gross domestic product of $3.4 trillion. 'We encourage even greater involvement, particularly in technology, logistics and industrial automation,' he said, adding that Egypt's Vision 2030, an ambitious national development blueprint, aligns with South Korea's expertise in smart infrastructure, digital governance and industrial innovation. The envoy also pointed out that collaboration with South Korea in renewable energy, artificial intelligence and vocational training is critical for Egypt's future workforce. 'South Korea's rapid technological and industrial advancement serves as an excellent model for Egypt's economic transformation and Korea's expertise positions Egypt as a regional hub for innovation and advanced industries.
