S Korea’s Gyeonggi urges Thais to visit

the 'real korea': Cho Won-yong, CEO of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation, left, presents a Memorandum of Understanding with Charoen Wangananont, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, right, while Kim Dong Yeon, Gyeonggi governor, centre, is a witness at the Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel in Bangkok on Friday.
the ‘real korea’: Cho Won-yong, CEO of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation, left, presents a Memorandum of Understanding with Charoen Wangananont, president of the Thai Travel Agents Association, right, while Kim Dong Yeon, Gyeonggi governor, centre, is a witness at the Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel in Bangkok on Friday.

The Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) and Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation (GTO) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote bilateral cooperation and initiatives on tourism.

Kim Dong Yeon, Gyeonggi governor, said Thailand had become the most likely destination for the “next” Korean Wave in Southeast Asia. With the expansion of airline routes, the province had sought to promote tourism between the countries.

He said the GTO realised the need to create awareness about the province among Thais, so organised the “Come to the real Korea, Gyeonggi” seminar on Friday in Bangkok to promote the region.

Gyeonggi is a province in the northwest of South Korea, surrounding the capital city of Seoul. It is the largest local autonomy area in South Korea and home to more than a quarter of the country’s population. Tourist highlights include the demilitarised zone (DMZ) in Paju City where both North and South Korean flags are flown at Bora Observatory Hall, he said.

The province is also popular for film shoots due its abundance of historical sites as well as Unesco World Heritage sites such as Hwaseong Fortress, constructed during the Joseon Dynasty and located in Suwon City, and the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty and Namhansanseong Fortress. The province is also a hub for semiconductor production and a home to world-renowned Korean businesses such as Samsung and Hyundai.