몽골 복귀 D-1, 서울 거리에도 푸시킨의 흔적이 있었네

1월 22일 금요일 오후, 명동 거리를 거닐었다.

"삶이 그대를 속일지라도 슬퍼하거나 노여워하지 말라!"던 러시아 시인 푸시킨과, 모스크바 거리에 이어, 서울 거리에서 다시 조우(遭遇)하다! 





나탈리야 니콜라예브나 곤차로바(Наталия Николаевна Гончарова)라는 여자 때문에 젊은 나이에 세상을 떠난 비운의 사나이였으나, 그의 문학적 재능의 비범함은 현재까지도 널리 칭송되고 있다.





몽골 복귀 하루 전날인데다, 영하 8도로 떨어진 날씨로 인해 왠지 더욱 더 쓸쓸한 기분이 든 날이었다.

Putin, Pushkin is a symbol of Korea-Russia ties
"Alexander Pushkin, the famous Romantic novelist and poet, symbolizes the great mutual respect and growing relationship between Korea and Russia." said Russian President Vladimir Putin, in Seoul on an official visit on November, 2013.



The statue of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837) was unveiled on November 13, 2013, in front of the Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul.

The Russian President said that the unveiling of this monument to Pushkin in downtown Seoul symbolizes the mutual efforts being undertaken to upgrade relations between Korea and Russia.

"I hope that this monument will inspire Koreans and visitors to Seoul to study the Russian language, Russian culture and Russian literature." continued President Putin.

The official unveiling ceremony was carried out by Lotte Group CEO Shin Dong-bin and the Russian ambassador to Korea, Konstantin Vnukov. Also, there to celebrate the strengthening of Seoul-Moscow ties was a group of about 60 people from both Korea and Russia, including the Russian President, the Korean Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Yoo Jinryong and President Lee Hee-beom of the Korea Employers’ Federation.

The establishment of the Pushkin monument, considered by many to be the greatest Russian novelist and poet and often described as the father of modern Russian literature, was made possible by an association of Russian authors. On June 2012, during the previous Korea-Russia Dialogue Forum, the group expressed its willingness to erect a Pushkin statue in Seoul as soon as possible. The third annual Korea-Russia Dialogue Forum took place on November, 2013, and the Lotte Group offered a venue for the poet’s statue.