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| Swedish Ambassador to Korea Jakob Hallgren speaks before a screen showing the commemorative logo of the 60th anniversary of Sweden-Korea relations at the Seoul Museum of History in central Seoul, March 11. / Korea Times photo by Yi Whan-woo |
By Yi Whan-woo
The Embassy of Sweden in Seoul last week hosted the premiere of a documentary on a Swedish field hospital during the 1950-53 Korean War, to mark 60 years of bilateral relations.
The premiere of "The Swedes in the Korean War" took place on March 11, the day the countries established diplomatic relations in 1959.
"Today is truly a special day. It is exactly 60 years since diplomatic relations were established between Sweden and the Republic of Korea," Swedish Ambassador to Korea Jakob Hallgren said during an anniversary reception at the Seoul Museum of History in central Seoul.
Referring to the diminishing number of Korean War veterans, Hallgren said the documentary was "an incredibly important piece of history," not only for bilateral relations but also as a "testimony for humanity."
"Let's make sure it inspires us for today and for tomorrow on similar situations in other countries," he added.
The Swedish Red Cross Field Hospital (SRCH) was the first medical unit to operate after the war began.
About 1,200 doctors and nurses treated 2 million patients, including soldiers from the U.N. and the Communist forces as well as civilians after the Swedish medical team arrived on Sept. 23, 1950.
SRCH, along with the Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital and Denmark's Jutlandia hospital ship, laid the groundwork for establishing the National Medical Center in 1958. This was the first public medical center here.
National Medical Center head Jung Ki-hyun, who was at the anniversary commemoration, said the hospital "exposed Korea to the developed medical skills of Europe for the first time."
He said, "A message in the documentary is that we cannot forget what happened during the war and the memories we formed with friends from abroad. The medical center will remember its roots well and strive to be a backbone for public health care in Korea."
Also joining the celebration was Kim Hak-tae, who was a teenager when he received treatment for osteomyelitis in his left leg.
Produced by Swedish Army, Navy and Air Force Film Foundation, the documentary is about the memories of doctors, nurses and patients during the war.
The hospital was part of the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission's humanitarian mission.
Hallgren stressed that Sweden, as a neutral country, still played a crucial role in the security of the Korean Peninsula.
"Sweden indeed has a unique position on the peninsula, with representation in Pyongyang, on the border, and in Seoul," he said. "With this backdrop, I am convinced that the future of Korea-Sweden relations is really bright. Both countries continue to develop cooperation."
A series of programs is being held this year for the 60th anniversary of Sweden-Korea ties. This month's programs include the third Sweden TALK, a panel discussion slated for March 20, and Sweden Connection II, a choreographic exchange from March 29 to 31.
Two other Scandinavian countries — Denmark and Norway — also established diplomatic treaties with Korea in 1959.
Denmark, Norway and Sweden have planned celebrations for the 60th anniversary both unilaterally and jointly.
