Shinhan University to Host "DMZ TO PARIS" Declaration Ceremony Commemorating the 140th Anniversary of Korea-France Diplomatic Relations

From the DMZ to Paris... to Be Held on the 26th and 27th
University-Led International Culture and Education Cooperation Project Officially Launched
Shinhan University to Build a Global Peace Platform

Shinhan University (President Kang Sungjong) will hold the "DMZ TO PARIS Declaration Ceremony to Commemorate the 140th Anniversary of Korea-France Diplomatic Relations" over two days from February 26 to 27, 2026, marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and France.

DMZ to Paris logo. Provided by Shinhan University

This declaration ceremony will officially announce the launch of "DMZ TO PARIS," a medium- to long-term international cultural and educational project that starts from the DMZ, a symbol of division and borders, and connects Korea and France through arts, education, and international cooperation. Through this event, Shinhan University plans to present a new model of international cooperation led by a university and to proclaim a global vision that expands from the DMZ to Paris and further to the world.

On the first day of the event, February 26, the core programs of the declaration ceremony will take place at the circular theater on the Shinhan University campus.

In particular, the keynote speech to be held in the morning is organized in connection with the 2026 freshman orientation (O.T.), adding further significance. Through this, the university plans to share with new students Shinhan University's educational philosophy, its international vision, and the direction of the DMZ TO PARIS project.

The keynote speech will be delivered by Dr. Jung Sangchun, who holds a PhD in International Relations History from Paris 1 Panth?on-Sorbonne University. Dr. Jung, a scholar who has studied international order, history, and border issues, is expected to examine the historical significance of the DMZ in a world-historical context and present a new horizon for Korea-France cooperation.

The day's program will include the declaration ceremony and keynote speech, academic sessions, cultural and artistic performances such as theater and music, and a photo exhibition shedding light on the history and memory of Korea-France exchanges.

The photo exhibition is organized around image materials related to Korea that were featured in major French current affairs and cultural magazines and archival records in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is expected to provide an opportunity to visually explore Korean landscapes and figures, as well as the intersections of war and modernity as viewed by French society, and to retrace the historical trajectory of Korea-France relations.

On the second day, February 27, an on-site program will be held in which domestic and international guests and participants visit the DMZ border area together.

This visit is designed to go beyond a simple tour, allowing participants to directly confront the history and present reality of division and to explore the possibilities of peace and coexistence. Through this, the project aims to share the spatial and ethical significance of the starting point of DMZ TO PARIS and to concretize the symbolism of the declaration on site.

Key figures representing the cultural, artistic, literary, theatrical, religious, and civil society sectors of France and Korea will attend the declaration ceremony.

Participants will include French Catholic priest Father Paco (Francisco Esplugues Ferrero), French jazz vocalist Claudia Cohen-Solal, and saxophonist Jean-Charles Richard.

In addition, Jean-Charles Dorge, president of the French Poets Association, Cho Hongrae, chairman of the Korea-France Cultural Exchange Center, and Georges Bigot, a leading actor and director in contemporary French theater and director of ARTA (Association de Recherche des Traditions de l'Acteur), will attend, further underscoring the significance of Korea-France cultural and artistic exchange.

Alongside them, Catherine Chinchiroca, president of the Union des Fran?ais de l'?tranger (UFE), and Gr?gory Defraize will participate, symbolizing civil society-level exchanges representing the French community in Korea.

Taking this "DMZ TO PARIS Declaration Ceremony to Commemorate the 140th Anniversary of Korea-France Diplomatic Relations" as a starting point, Shinhan University plans to transform the historically significant space of the DMZ into a platform for peace and creative cooperation and to build a sustainable Korea-France international cooperation model that encompasses arts, academia, and education.

The declaration ceremony is expected to serve as a symbolic starting point for commemorating the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and as a new milestone in global cultural and educational solidarity for future generations.