The South Korean government had to pursue Khan for over two months before he agreed to officially accept the offer.
NEW DELHI: Shah Rukh Khan is the new poster boy for South Korea — not its conglomerates, but the nation. The Bollywood superstar has just been appointed goodwill ambassador for South Korea.
So you know South Korea only as the land of Samsung and Hyundai? The King Khan could introduce you to Kukkiwon, the world famous taekwondo academy, Psy of Gangnam Style fame and K-pop, the mouthwatering Korean barbeque. To South Koreans, the actor could teach their first cricket team a thing or two about the business of the game — maybe organize the first match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Koreans. And, perhaps, open Bollywood to a new part of the world.
Khan as a public diplomat and an ambassador of India’s soft power is not hard to imagine. But only if the man can tear himself away from tinsel town to walk the talk. The South Korean government had to pursue Khan for over two months before he agreed to officially accept the offer. They ideally want him to visit South Korea before the maiden visit of their president Park Geun-hye.
The president will make her visit to India in January, where New Delhi and Seoul are expected to upgrade their relations for closer ties at the political and strategic levels. India and South Korea have signed a civil nuclear agreement, but operationalizing that is still a while away. India too has to clear the path for the biggest FDI into this country: Posco that is held up by environmental hurdles in Odisha.
But there is a greater demand, for a greater understanding between people of both countries. But Khan’s superstar status means he has a tiny window of opportunity to play diplomat in real life.
In recent times, India and Malaysia, working at revamping relations, also had a Shah Rukh Khan moment. The Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, on his first visit to India, requested for the actor’s presence at the formal dinner with the prime minister. Unfortunately, even Manmohan Singh’s office could not get Khan to be present at the dinner, which was the beginning of a new relationship between India and Malaysia.
Interestingly, in December 2008, he received the title of ‘Datuk’ — often equated with the British knighthood — from the Governor of Malaysia’s southern Malacca state, Mohamad Khalil Yaacob.
Clearly, Korea will need a great deal of patience with Khan. In these gloomy days, India needs all the ambassadors it can get.
So you know South Korea only as the land of Samsung and Hyundai? The King Khan could introduce you to Kukkiwon, the world famous taekwondo academy, Psy of Gangnam Style fame and K-pop, the mouthwatering Korean barbeque. To South Koreans, the actor could teach their first cricket team a thing or two about the business of the game — maybe organize the first match between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Koreans. And, perhaps, open Bollywood to a new part of the world.
Khan as a public diplomat and an ambassador of India’s soft power is not hard to imagine. But only if the man can tear himself away from tinsel town to walk the talk. The South Korean government had to pursue Khan for over two months before he agreed to officially accept the offer. They ideally want him to visit South Korea before the maiden visit of their president Park Geun-hye.
The president will make her visit to India in January, where New Delhi and Seoul are expected to upgrade their relations for closer ties at the political and strategic levels. India and South Korea have signed a civil nuclear agreement, but operationalizing that is still a while away. India too has to clear the path for the biggest FDI into this country: Posco that is held up by environmental hurdles in Odisha.
But there is a greater demand, for a greater understanding between people of both countries. But Khan’s superstar status means he has a tiny window of opportunity to play diplomat in real life.
In recent times, India and Malaysia, working at revamping relations, also had a Shah Rukh Khan moment. The Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, on his first visit to India, requested for the actor’s presence at the formal dinner with the prime minister. Unfortunately, even Manmohan Singh’s office could not get Khan to be present at the dinner, which was the beginning of a new relationship between India and Malaysia.
Interestingly, in December 2008, he received the title of ‘Datuk’ — often equated with the British knighthood — from the Governor of Malaysia’s southern Malacca state, Mohamad Khalil Yaacob.
Clearly, Korea will need a great deal of patience with Khan. In these gloomy days, India needs all the ambassadors it can get.
Source:Times of India
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