The facade of the New York Culture Center building is shown in this undated photo provided by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, June 27. Yonhap

A multipurpose Korea Center has opened in New York, serving as a gateway to Korean culture, the culture ministry said Thursday.

"It will serve as a multiplex cultural hub for audiences that provides a window into Korean art, music, film, history, language, literature, and cuisine," the ministry said.

Opened in 1979 and now celebrating its 45th anniversary, the center had been leasing part of the sixth floor in a Park Avenue building. However, responding to the surge in global interest in Korean culture, music, cuisine, and travel destinations over recent years, it has now relocated to a larger, dedicated building in Manhattan's Midtown area.

The newly built nine-story center, situated on a 3,383-square-meter plot on 32nd Street in Manhattan, houses the Korean Cultural Center, a King Sejong Korean-language learning center and branches of the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Creative Content Agency.

It also features a 190-seat theater for performances and film screenings in the basement, as well as an exhibition space, a library and a cooking classroom.

According to the ministry, the center attracted around 8,000 visitors during its soft opening phase.

The opening ceremony will take place at the center at 7 p.m. Thursday (U.S. time). About 150 notable figures from the cultural sector are expected to attend, including Culture Minister Yoo In-chon. The ceremony will showcase a variety of cultural performances, featuring artists from the National Gugak Center and the New York Classical Players. (Yonhap)