Emine Erdogan opens Yunus Emre Institute center in Seoul

Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan on Wednesday inaugurated the Yunus Emre Institute's cultural center in Seoul during her visit to South Korea accompanying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hailing the facility as a new venue for deepening cultural ties between Türkiye and the East Asian nation. Upon arrival at the center, Erdogan was welcomed by Yunus Emre Institute President Selim Argun, Culture Department Head Ali Riza Karabag and other officials.

After cutting the ribbon to officially open the facility, she visited a classroom where South Korean students were learning Turkish and listened to a dialogue between two learners, applauding their performance. She also watched a live demonstration of ebru, the traditional Turkish art of marbling, by artist Hikmet Kadir Bozok and contributed to his artwork, later posing for photographs with the students while making the finger-heart gesture — formed by crossing the tips of the thumb and index finger — that originated in South Korea.

Cultural bridge

Addressing the students, Erdogan told them that those learning Turkish would serve as ambassadors between Türkiye and South Korea. In a post on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal following the event, she welcomed the opening of the Seoul center and described the institute as a bridge between cultures. "I hope the Seoul Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Center, established by our Yunus Emre Institute in South Korea, will bring positive outcomes for both friendly countries," she said.

"Meeting students who are interested in our language and witnessing how beautifully our language and culture resonate in distant parts of the world is truly valuable," Erdogan stated, emphasizing that the institute introduces people not only to a different language but also to different ways of life. "The bonds formed between people who learn each other's languages, listen to each other's stories and understand each other's values provide the strongest foundation for friendship between countries," she said. "I sincerely thank all members of our Yunus Emre Institute who work devotedly across the globe with this understanding," she added.

Institute background

The Yunus Emre Institute aims to promote the Turkish language, culture, arts and civilizational heritage worldwide while strengthening mutual understanding between societies. Its Seoul cultural center contributes to the development of historical friendship between Türkiye and South Korea through cultural, artistic and educational activities, having previously operated within Hankuk University of Foreign Studies before receiving recognition as a diplomatic cultural center from South Korea's Foreign Ministry in 2025.

Although officially inaugurated by Erdogan during her visit, the cultural center has been operating since 2024. In addition to Turkish language courses currently attended by 21 students, the center offers opportunities for South Korean participants to learn more about Türkiye through visits to the country, Turkish cuisine courses, traditional handicraft workshops and various cultural events.