A Cambodian delegation participated in the Buddhist parade at the 2026 Lotus Lantern Festival in central Seoul, South Korea, on May 16, presenting Khmer traditional culture.
According to contemporaneous reporting, Cambodian Ambassador to South Korea Khuon Phon Rattanak (ឃួន ផុនរតនៈ), his wife and embassy officials attended. The Cambodian community's parade contingent was organised by a Khmer temple abbot, រិន សារ៉ូ, around the motto “Nation, Religion, King.”
The contingent presented Khmer Buddhist lanterns, royal traditional attire, wedding costumes, masked theatre, Bassac theatre and shadow theatre. Contemporary coverage described a welcoming response from spectators.
The event was organised by South Korea's Lotus Lantern Festival preservation committee, with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Korean Buddhist organisations. In a May 17 report, Cambodia's national news agency estimated that more than 500,000 Korean residents and foreign visitors watched along major streets in central Seoul. This was an estimate for the overall event, rather than a verified count of viewers of the Cambodian contingent.
