To mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Sweden, the Swedish Embassy in Seoul hosted commemorative events this month.

The embassy held a ceremony and reception, followed by a screening of the documentary film “The Swedes in the Korean War” at the Seoul Museum of History, Monday. 

Following the outbreak of Korean War on June 25 1950, the Scandinavian country offered medical assistance to Korea by establishing Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital in Busan in response to the UN’s call for humanitarian aid.

“One hundred fifty doctors, nurses and other staff served in Busan only months following the outbreak of hostilities and this would come to lay the foundation for modern time Swedish-Korean relations, leading up to the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1959,” Swedish Ambassador to Korea Jakob Hallgren said.

According to the embassy, the third SwedenTALK will take place on March 20 under the topic of “Prospects for peacebuilding, dialogue and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula.” Hallgren will moderate a panel with experts from Sweden and South Korea.

Sweden has a unique position on the Korean Peninsula in that it has three official representations, in Seoul, in Pyongyang and at Panmunjom. It was the first western country to establish diplomatic relations with North Korea in 1973 and has an embassy there since 1975.

Sweden is also where envoys from South Korea, the United States and North Korea gathered in January for talks ahead of the second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

“Sweden stands ready to continue to offer its services as an honest broker if the parties so wish,” the embassy said.

(hnpark@heraldcorp.com)