Forestry cooperation can also create opportunities for cultural exchange and environmental education. At Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park in West Java, the Korean Gallery was developed as a space where visitors could experience elements of Korean culture while visiting one of Indonesia’s national parks.
The idea grew from cooperation following the Indonesia–Korea Forest Forum held in Chuncheon in 2007 and Jakarta in 2008. As part of the exchange, Korea developed an Indonesian traditional house at Cheongtae-san Recreation Forest in Gangwon-do, while Indonesia developed a Korean-style house at Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. Construction of the Korean house was completed in 2011.
After remaining unused for several years, Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park proposed its renovation to KIFC in 2014. The building was subsequently revitalized and renamed the Korean Gallery, with improvements to its exterior and first-floor interior. The renovation was completed in March 2017 and the building was handed back to the national park.
Inside, visitors can find displays related to Korean culture, photo areas, and traditional Korean clothing such as hanbok. The gallery was designed as a place where visitors could learn about and experience Korean culture within the national park setting.
The Korean Gallery reflects another dimension of Korea–Indonesia forestry cooperation. Alongside conservation and forest management, the project created a space that connects cultural exchange with environmental education and nature-based tourism.
By placing cultural learning within a national park, the gallery offers visitors another way to experience international cooperation while strengthening public engagement with protected areas.
