By Lee Kap-soo

Ashok Kumar Byanju Shrestha, Mayor of Dhulikhel Municipality of Nepal and Chandra Prakash Gharti, Mayor of Bheri Municipality of Nepal, visited Yangsan City in Gyeongsangnam-do on Aug. 15.

International cultural exchanges between Yangsan City and Nepal are opening the door, starting with the two mayors' visits to Yangsan City Council, Tongdosa Temple, and Mitaam temple.

On the same day, Nepal's mayors of Dulikel and Bheri and their party members kowtowed three times at the cave hall, which is sealed inside the Mita Cave, also known as Yangsan's Seokguram (Treasure No. 998). 

They then paid a courtesy visit to Monk Dongjin, head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism (chief of general secretaries) and Mitaam chief in Cheonseongsan Mountain.

The two Nepalese mayors said, "Yangsan City and Nepal are historically close," adding, "We will actively promote and help international cultural exchanges with the Nepalese local government, Yangsan City, and Tongdosa Temple."

In response, Monk Dongjin replied, "Nepal, the hometown of Buddha, is also a spiritual home for Korean Buddhists," adding, "I hope this cultural exchange will lead to active communication between the two countries and local governments as well as private exchanges."

Nepal, with a population of 30 million, is a tourist city visited by people from all over the world as one of the three Himalayan tracking courses along with Everest and Langtang in Annapurna, which contain the world's highest Himalayas.

In addition, Lumbini, Nepal, was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 as the birthplace of Buddha Sakyamuni, and is also known as a world cultural site visited by many people around the world.

Kim Sung-hoon, a special professor at Busan University of Foreign Studies, said, "We will link Nepal's mountain and holy pilgrimage courses centered on Tongdosa, Cheonseongsan, and Yeongchisan in Yangsan and form an international tourism belt."