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“Goseomseom” is a modern dance theatre piece that reinterprets the traditional culture of Koreans. It is about the hard life of fishermen on the Yellow Sea, who worship the sea goddess Wondang-Manura for rich fishing and safe return, and a shaman who tries to mediate between people and gods in ecstasy. The State Opera was filled  to the last seat.

The performance was unique - in both senses of the word. Not only great, but actually only ever performed once before. The artists' troupe had arrived specifically for Sunday evening.

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‍Bid for the 2036 Olympics

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But it wasn't just about the cultural performance. The province has big plans. It is bidding to host the Summer Olympics in 2036. Since the competition between the applicants is already fierce, Jeonbuk must introduce itself.

The number of applicants for the Summer Games is already in double digits. Qatar was added just a few days ago. Germany also wants to be an Olympic venue in 2036, but will only decide in the second half of 2026 which region will officially apply, whether it will be Berlin, Munich, Hamburg or Rhine-Ruhr.

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Hans-Ulrich Seidt as Special Ambassador

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Kwan-young Kim, Governor of Jeonbuk Province, only mentioned the keyword Olympics once at the reception afterwards, as if by chance. But it was probably the actual main message.

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The appointment of a retired German diplomat as the province's “special ambassador” probably also served this purpose. Hans-Ulrich Seidt is predestined for this. He was Germany's ambassador in Seoul from 2009 to 2012, coming from the post in Afghanistan, and he speaks Korean. He is now a special ambassador for the province of his former host country.

ekö

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