Korean Product & Culture Festival reflects Korean true friendship

True friends are those who are still with us in time of need. This being true friend is what the Koreans in Indonesia have proven themselves to be.

When some friends have shunned us after series of crisis engulfed our country, the Koreans have shown their true friendship with Indonesia.

As Indonesia is struggling to free the country from the multi- dimensional troubles, Koreans keep on investing in this investment-thirsty country. These true friends of Indonesia are doing their best to make the country's economic machine moving. While some foreign companies are talking about pulling out, around 500 Korean companies continue to stay in this country.

Over a month after JW Marriott's blast delivered Indonesia another blow Koreans in Indonesia are now organizing an event - Korean Product & Culture Festival that will not only symbolically but also truly promote friendships between the two people.

This Korean Product & Culture Festival also welcomes the visit of H.E. President of Korea Roh Moo-hyun to Indonesia. The Korean President will arrive on October 6 in Bali to attend ASEAN + 3 Summit. This visit reaffirms Korean commitment to Indonesia.

Scheduled on October 15 to November 10 in Jakarta, Korean Product & Culture Festival gives a strong message on what true friendship is and what friends are for. The festival will present both Korean culture and cultural products, including handicrafts, food, traditional dance, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations.

The festival will be opened by H.E. Ambassador of Republic of Korea at D'Best Department store & Supermarket at 10:00 on October 15, 2003. This festival is held simultaneously in Diamond Kelapa Gading, Diamond Tangerang, and Mu Gung Hwa Korean Supermarket at Jl. Senayan, Kebayoran Baru, D'Best Fatmawati, D'Best Tangerang, Diamond Kelapa Gading.

This cultural presentation from this friendly nation is sponsored by Korean Embassy, Korea Agricultural and Fishery Marketing Corporation, Mu Gung Hwa Supermarket with cooperation from other Korean companies such as Nong Shim, Sam yang, Crown, CJ, Sempio, Ottogi, Dongwon, Sammi, and Nansun.

"There will be food-making demonstration and free-of-charge food tasting and a lucky draw for Korean products. At this occasion, we will serve the number one Kimchi in Korea ," says Kim, Woo Jae, President Director of Mu Gung Hwa Supermarket.

Mu Gung Hwa is the only supermarket in Indonesia that sells Korean products, including Korean food ingredients, clothes, accessories, books, magazines, cosmetics and services such as skin treatment and canteen.

Established in 1980s in Jakarta's Jalan Senayan by Kim Woo Jae, Mu Gung Hwa is widely known by all Koreans who stay in Jakarta and its surrounding towns. In 2000, Mu Gung Hwa opened outlets in Tangerang and Kelapa Gading. The company also supplies Korean products to several Indonesian supermarkets, including Hero, D'Best, Matahari, Carrefour, and Sogo.

Mu Gung Hwa is growing along with the friendships between Korea and Indonesia. Mu Gung Hwa active involvement in the coming Korean Product & Culture Festival is a sign of its commitment to present Korea in Indonesia.

"To promote friendships, Mu Gung Hwa has also funded heart operations for children since 1990s. As of now, we have assisted 13 children with heart problems. We also finance around 20 students as part of our scholarship program," says Kim who is also known as Peter, who has stayed in Indonesia since 1977.