In 1962, South Korea and New Zealand officially became friends. The two countries established diplomatic relations and in 1971, New Zealand established an embassy in Seoul. In fact, New Zealand supported South Korea during the Korean War in the 1950s by sending 6,000 soldiers to help fight. Forty-five New Zealand soldiers died during that war.
Auckland and Busan are sister cities. Christchurch and Songpa District of Seoul are also sister cities.
Korea is an important trading partner for New Zealand. We export logs, aluminium, beef, kiwi fruit, dairy products and seafood to Korea. We import cars, electronic goods and machinery from Korea.
A number of Korean tourists visit New Zealand each year and many international students study here. Korean young people can apply for a working holiday visa in New Zealand and vice versa.
About 30,000 Koreans live here in New Zealand. Most of those are in Auckland.
This year, the two countries will celebrate 50 years of friendship in a number of ways including cooperation in making films. A group of talented Korean musicians and acrobatic dancers are giving a concert in Wellington on Friday. They have already performed in Auckland and Christchurch where they gave a wonderful performance.
Vocabulary
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established diplomatic relations – the Prime Ministers visit each other, trade officials visit etc.
established an embassy – started an embassy
logs – trunks of trees
aluminium (Br Eng)- aluminum (Am Eng)
vice versa – the opposite i.e. New Zealand young people can apply for a working holiday visa in Korea
cooperation – work together
talented – clever, skilful