Korean crafts well-received by French

Korean traditional crafts such as the pearled lacquer-work, folk paintings, totem poles, knotted hand-crafts, paper-crafted jewelry chests and rice cakes that have journeyed abroad have received a heartwarming welcome by the French.

Following the 70th Dijon International Cultural Exhibition in France, which ended Nov. 12 and where the Korean crafts were exhibited, chairman of the Korean Crafters Association Lee Chil-Yong, a member on the panel of experts for cultural treasures, and eight other artisans of folk paintings, oil and color-paper handicraft, have returned home with a greatly satisfying experience of having been so well-received by the French.

During the 12 days of the exhibition, about 220,000 French living in Dijon and Burgounue, well-known for its wine, have come to view the various exhibited items and purchased about 1,000 items displayed by Korea, about 150,000 francs. Various media, such as the local newspapers including the Le Bien Publique and Saon E Levour, the three national TV-broadcasters, Radio France, and local TV and radio stations, eagerly reported on the unique and wonderful Korean traditional crafts.

At the octagonal pavilion put up by a carpenter Jang Kyung-Choon at the exhibition, the line of people waiting to experience Korean culture first-hand thronged the pavilion.

"Through the Dijon Exhibition following the previous exhibition in mid-September at the special exhibit of crafts sponsored by the Korean Cultural Center in Paris, we have been greatly encouraged by the tremendous response of the French,¡± chairman Lee said. ¡°Next year, we shall coordinate with the Korean-French Trade Association and tour the major cities in France to participate in various exhibitions. By applying our skills in traditional Korean headwear and making items such as fashion hats and bags and by applying our skills in shell craft to make necklaces and breast-pins, we might be able to produce internationally marketable cultural items once we garner the interest of the world's fashion leader, the French."