'Project 108 is about building trust, not towers,' Korea-Bhutan friendship group says

"Project 108 is not about building towers — it is about building trust."

The Korea-Bhutan Friendship Association (KBFA) held a press briefing Friday morning at the Bhutan Gallery in Jung-gu, Seoul, to outline South Korea's participation in Bhutan's Project 108.

At the event, the KBFA unveiled its plans for South Korean involvement in the program and announced its intention to organize a Korean delegation for on-site volunteer work on Nov. 1.

The KBFA is a civic organization dedicated to promoting cultural exchange, friendship and mutual trust between South Korea and Bhutan. It has organized bilateral cultural events — including "Bhutan Culture Day" — and facilitated people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

Building on the ties and goodwill it has cultivated over the years, the association plans to support South Korean participation in Project 108 and continue serving as a civilian bridge between the two nations.

Project 108 is an international participatory initiative to erect 108 Jangchub Chorten — or "enlightenment towers" — along the banks of the Mau Chhu River, which runs through Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a planned future city in southern Bhutan.

Each chorten will stand about 15 meters tall and be spaced roughly 108 meters apart along more than 11 kilometers of riverbank. The Bhutanese side is working toward a goal of having about 40,000 volunteers raise all 108 chorten in a single day on Nov. 1.

Project 108 was officially announced in Bhutan in February. The king and crown prince inspected the planned site in March, and public sponsorship opened in May. On June 16, a foundation-laying ceremony known as "Salang Tendrel" was held at three locations.

At Friday's briefing, the association outlined four ways South Korea can participate: spreading awareness of the project through media activities, exchanging content in the fields of meditation and wellness, providing financial sponsorship, and joining the on-site volunteer effort on Nov. 1.

The Korean delegation will center on those taking part in the on-site volunteer work on Nov. 1. Participants will join Bhutanese citizens and volunteers from other countries in the chorten construction process. The association said no specialized construction skills are required — participants can join after completing pre-registration and an orientation. Applications will be accepted from individuals and groups, and individuals, families, communities, institutions and companies may also participate through sponsorship.

Sponsorship will be available in two forms: an official Bhutanese channel covering one chorten per unit, and a Korean participation-style sponsorship facilitated through the association. Detailed procedures for each option will be announced separately.

The KBFA has noted that Project 108 is not a Bhutan-only event but an international project open to participants worldwide.

South Korea and Bhutan are approaching the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2027. The association plans to use its participation in Project 108 as an opportunity to deepen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and to promote the shared values of peace, mindfulness and sustainability at home and abroad.

"Project 108 is not simply a construction event — it is a project where people from different nations and communities come together to share the meaning of peace and mindfulness and to build trust with one another," KBFA President Kim Min-kyung said. "With the 40th anniversary of Korea-Bhutan diplomatic ties approaching, the sight of a Korean delegation working side by side with the Bhutanese people on the ground will itself be a meaningful moment in the friendship between our two countries."

Meanwhile, the KBFA also signed an MOU with Chungjeongsa Temple on Namsan to promote Buddhist cultural exchange and mutual cooperation between South Korea and Bhutan. The Venerable Deokun, head monk of the temple, attended the signing ceremony alongside Kim.