Written by: Derek Marsh  |  Posted on: November 27th, 2014

A number of members said that they would like more time for mingling than our Annual Dinner allowed so this year the BKS Committee decided to hold a Reception instead.

The Terrace overlooking the Thames

Baroness Perry kindly agreed to host us in the Cholmondeley Room and Terrace of the House of Lords overlooking the River Thames. We were pleased that around 120 members and guests were able to join us.

In words of welcome, Baroness Perry said that the long lasting and strong friendship between and mutual support of the UK and Republic of Korea continued. She was pleased to be able to host in the House of Lords this Reception bringing together many members of the British Korean Society and their guests.

Introducing the speakers our Chairman said that he was pleased that HE the Ambassador and Madame Lim, the Society’s Joint President Dr Robert Hawley and Mrs Hawley, Sir John and Lady Stanley and members of the British Embassy in Seoul could join us. He thanked our Events Secretary Sylvia Park for organising the evening and on the award of the MBE earlier in the year. Our Chairman reminded us that the Anglo Korean society was now the British Korean Society; and that membership was holding up well. He thanked our sponsors Diageo for support over several years and hoped that Samsung Electronics would continue to sponsor the Society. New sponsors were always welcome.

Ambassador Lim said that 2014 had been a fruitful year for the Britain Korea relationship. A number of agreements had been agreed since the State Visit and trade continued to increase. Prime Minister Cameron and President Park Geun-Hye hoped that trade would double by 2020. The two countries continued to work together on global issues. Korea stood shoulder to shoulder with the UK in fighting Ebola: their focus was life-saving not rhetoric. The two countries had also worked together to create a lasting memorial to the Korean War to ensure that the sacrifices would not be forgotten. Ambassador Lim hoped that the ties between the two countries and mutual understanding would continue to strengthen.

Sir John Stanley MP, our Guest Speaker

Sir John Stanley MP first visited Korea in the 1970s. It was, he said, love at first sight. The country’s development had been an extraordinary achievement. It had been transformed economically and had now a high level of prosperity. It had come of age internationally since hosting the Olympic Games in 1988. Its cultural heritage in art, dance, music and contemporary drama was now known world-wide. The Korean people were much better known too: they were extrovert, good humoured and understood true friendship. He thanked the Korean people for the many different relationships they shared with the UK – cultural, economic, diplomatic, security – but above all for the personal friendships.

The evening continued with opportunities for meeting old friends and making new contacts whilst enjoying drinks and very tasty ‘bowl food’.

  Events     featured, past