"The participation of 15 young people from South Korea in the World Youth Festival near Russia's Sochi in March underscores the continued mutual interest between Russia and South Korea," Zinoviev said in a welcome speech. The party was held at the Russian Embassy in central Seoul.
"I anticipate that the young generations of Russia and South Korea will play crucial roles in strengthening the friendship between our two nations," added the Russian envoy.
At WYF 2024, about 20,000 young Russians and foreign participants excelling in business, media, international cooperation, culture, and science gathered to exchange ideas and experience Russian culture.
The WYF stands as the world's largest youth festival, organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth based in Hungary. Hosted in different countries over the years, the festival has spanned continents. Russia, dating back to the Soviet Union era, has hosted the event four times in 1957, 1985, 2017, and 2024.
One of the participants of the reception, Yoon Jeong-yoon, a 26-year-old school teacher who teaches Russian, said, "We had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in various aspects of Russian culture at WYF 2024. From cooking and sharing Russian cuisine to discovering their music, we engaged in meaningful exchanges with fellow Russian participants."
"While resolving current diplomatic challenges between South Korea and Russia may be challenging, I believe that events like WYF should be held more frequently to enhance communication and interaction in private sectors," Yoon said. "It was remarkable to witness Russians' genuine fondness for South Korean people and their culture."
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