Published:  00:00 Monday - March 30, 2009

An exhibition showcasing Vietnam’s ancient ceramics is taking place at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK).

This is the first time the museum has organized an exhibition on ancient ceramics of a country in the South East Asian region.

The exhibition offers an overview of the lifestyles and costumes of 54 ethnic Vietnamese groups and the country’s distinctive cultures such as Sa Huynh and Dong Son.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese ambassador to the RoK, Pham Tien Van, highlighted the museum’s interest in Vietnamese culture, adding that the government of Vietnam has chosen 2009 as the Year of Cultural Diplomacy in order to promote Vietnam’s culture and image abroad.

The director of the museum emphasized that cultural exchange between the RoK and Vietnam should be further promoted to be on par with the strong development of bilateral relations. He proposed that Vietnam’s cultural management agencies exchange and display artifacts with their Korean counterparts regularly so that the peoples of both countries learn more about each other’s culture and customs.

The director said the museum plans to organize a Vietnam Cultural Week this year.