Photo show marks best moments of Sino-S. Korean ties

A six-day photo exhibition opened on South Korea's southern island of Jeju on May 20. [Photo/people.com.cn]

A six-day photo exhibition opened on South Korea's southern island of Jeju on Friday to promote the China-South Korea year of tourism and boost people-to-people exchanges between two countries.

The Beautiful China, Beautiful South Korea photo show - organized by State Council Information Office and South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism - features the landscape and cultures of the two countries. The 150 photos of the exhibition were provided by both countries' media.

State Council Information Office Deputy Director Guo Weimin said at the opening ceremony at Jeju's International Peace Center that the media has played a vital role in strengthening China-South Korea relations since the two countries established diplomatic relations 24 years ago.

China-South Korean relations have made great stride and historic breakthroughs in a comparatively short time, mainly due to the countries' political trust, economic and trade cooperation, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Guo said both countries' media have focused more on each other recently and deepened their communication, which advanced the bilateral relations and improved the friendship between the two peoples.

Guo said he hoped the two countries would seize the opportunity during the 2016 South Korean Tourism Year to reinforce communication and dialogue, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges, further deepen understanding and foster a more solid social basis for the further development of bilateral relations.

Jeong Changsoo, president of the South Korean Tourism Organization, said at the ceremony that the exchanges between China and South Korea are more frequent than with other countries. Their combined number of visits surpassed 10 million in 2014 and 2015 and are expected to reach a new height this year.

He hoped the photo show would further add to the understanding between the two peoples.

Chinese and South Korean leaders decided in 2014 to launch complementary tourism years during their summit in South Korea in 2014 to build on their cultural ties, promote tourism and reinforce the foundation of goodwill between the two peoples.

The 2015 Chinese Tourism Year in South Korea began on Jan 23, 2015, followed this year by the South Korean Tourism Year in China.

Liu Qibao, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Qiu Guohong and Governor of Jeju Special Self-Governing province Won Hee-ryoung attended the exhibition.