The Greek newspaper "Vradyni" (Βραδυνή) decided to give a 6th century B.C. corinthian helmet which was discovered in Ancient Olympia to the winner of the Marathon race of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The winner was the Korean runner Sohn Kee-chung. The helmet is now displayed at the National Museum of Korea and is the only Western artifact that has been recognised as a Treasure (#904) by the Korean government.
Inside the helmet two metal labels have been added with the inscriptions:
"From the Athens daily newspaper "Vradini", to the winner of marathon in the XI Olympiad in Berlin 1936"
"Corinthian helmet discovered in Olympia, produced in the 6th century BC during the golden age of the Olympic Games"[3]
After North Korea forces invaded the South Korea in 1950, starting the Korean War, Harry S. Truman compared the communist behaviour in Korea to that of the communists in Greece (see Greek Civil War) and said that "Korea is the Greece of the Far East".[4]
Greece sent an expeditionary force to help the South Koreans defend against the invasion. At that time, the small Orthodox community of Korea received support by Greek military chaplain ministers.
Both countries established diplomatic relations on April 15, 1961. South Korea opened its embassy in Athens on July 6, 1973. Greece opened its embassy in Seoul in October 1991. Greece also has an honorary consulate in Daejeon.
In the National Museum of Korea, there is an exhibition with ancient Greek and Roman artefacts.[5]
List of bilateral visits
From South Korea to Greece
May 1995, Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and International Organizations Ban Ki-moon
May 2000, Speaker of the National Assembly Park Joon-kyu
October 2001, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Yoo Sam-nam
August 2002, Minister for Trade Hwang Doo-yun
April 2004, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ban Ki-moon
August 2004, Minister of Culture and Tourism Jung Dong-chae
April 2006, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ban Ki-moon
