KOTA KINABALU: The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Sabah’s Tourism, Culture and Environment Ministry and Boseong County, South Korea, marks a meaningful step towards building deeper cultural ties and fostering mutual understanding, says Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
The state Assistant Tourism Minister further described the collaboration as a people-focused partnership, adding the timing of the agreement made it especially significant.
The MOU was inked during a welcoming dinner held in conjunction with the Kaamatan Festival in Kota Kinabalu on Friday (May 31).
It was signed by the ministry's deputy permanent secretary I Mary Malangking and Boseong County deputy governor Seo Hyung Bin, and witnessed by Bangkuai, who is also the Sabah Tourism Board chairman, alongside the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Boseong County director-general, Rho Joung Yi.
“This partnership is about people. It is about building connections and sharing stories. Signing this MOU during the Kaamatan Festival makes it all the more special.
“With this year’s theme, Kaamatan for All, we are eager to share our celebration with the world, and it is an honour to welcome our friends from Boseong to be part of it,” he said.
Bangkuai highlighted Sabah’s recent participation in the Green Tea Festival in Boseong as a valuable cultural exchange, adding that the warm welcome and chance to learn about Korean tea culture were deeply appreciated and reflective of the spirit of mutual respect.
With direct flights between Kota Kinabalu and South Korea, he believes the collaboration could lead to more exchanges in the form of cultural performances, reciprocal visits and tourism promotions.
As part of this cultural exchange, a Boseong cultural troupe is scheduled to perform during the Kaamatan Festival grand finale at the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association’s Hongkod Koisaan in Penampang.
“This will allow Sabahans to experience the vibrancy of Boseong’s cultural heritage, just as we hope to one day bring the Kaamatan Festival to Boseong,” Bangkuai added.
