A Korean culture festival will kick off in New Zealand on Saturday, marking the 60th anniversary of South Korea and New Zealand's establishing diplomatic ties.

According to the South Korean Embassy in New Zealand on Monday, the 2022 K-Culture Festival will be held at the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington.

The Wellington City Council and the Korean Association of Wellington have jointly hosted the festival every year since 2015, but last year the event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The embassy said the festival will include a K-pop contest and diverse performances, with key themes being cultural coexistence and harmony between South Korea’s tradition and modernity.

In a pre-ceremony event, the embassy will hold a welcoming reception to which some 150 dignitaries from various circles in New Zealand’s society have been invited. At that event, the embassy plans to reflect on the significance of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties while also looking forward to the next 60 years.