Promoting Korean Studies at the 9th KoSASA Scientific Conference

Mr. Park Noh Wan - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam

The conference is an opportunity for researchers to discuss the latest results and trends in Korean studies. The presentations focus on important and urgent issues for the current Korean economy, society, and culture, focusing on the main contents: discussing opportunities to bring Korean studies to the international level while still paying attention to local characteristics; clarifying the contributions of Korean studies in strengthening the relationship between Korea and ASEAN countries as well as contributing to building a community of Korean-ASEAN researchers and scholars; expanding and enhancing common academic and social values ​​between Korea and ASEAN countries.

Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU delivered the opening speech at the Conference

Speaking at the opening session of the conference, Prof. Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan (Vice Rector in charge of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU) emphasized that Korean Studies has been receiving strong attention. Along with the development of bilateral relations between Vietnam and Korea, Korean Studies in Vietnam has achieved many remarkable achievements. In addition to the initial purely training and research institutions, many units, including those belonging to foreign language universities, are now tending to expand into research and training in Korean Studies.

As one of the pioneering and pioneering educational institutions in Korean Studies in Vietnam, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU is honored to be one of the 9 member universities from Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, in KoSASA. This is the second time the University has organized a KoSASA Conference. The University hopes that the conference will contribute to further expanding cooperation through sharing and exploring more diverse and in-depth directions for the development of Korean Studies in Southeast Asia in the next stage.

Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh - President of the Association for Korean Studies in Southeast Asia

On behalf of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam, Mr. Park Noh Wan (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary) commented that the workshop took place in the context of the two countries celebrating the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022. Over the past 30 years, the economic relations between the two countries have developed very well. Currently, there are over 9,000 Korean enterprises operating in Vietnam, contributing to the socio-economic development of Vietnam. He expected that the Vietnam-Korea relationship will continue to develop in the fields of politics, society and especially education. To do that, he emphasized the role of Korean lecturers, scholars and students in promoting cooperation and educational exchange between the two countries.

Mr. Park Noh Wan also shared an initiative that the Korean Embassy will coordinate with the Vietnamese government to promote Korean studies in Vietnam, such as: making efforts to make Korean an officially taught foreign language in schools, building a mechanism to grant Korean teaching certificates to Korean students, continuing to develop an online education system between the two countries, and opening a branch of the Institute of Korean Language and Culture in Vietnam. In addition, he hopes that a group of Korean studies experts will be established to discuss in-depth development directions for this industry in Vietnam.

Next, the Conference listened to the report titled “Covid-19 pandemic and the future of Korean studies” by Prof. Dr. Pham Quang Minh (Chairman of KoSASA), assessing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the global educational context as well as the Vietnam-Korea educational cooperation relationship and Korean studies in particular. Accordingly, despite being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, educational cooperation between the two countries and the teaching and learning of Korean studies in Vietnam have not faltered thanks to the application of technology and innovation in teaching methods to online forms. The report believes that Korean studies will be an inevitable trend in the future in Vietnam; on the other hand, the report points out the need to promote Vietnamese studies in Korea.

After the opening session, the conference continued with 3 sessions: Current Korean Studies Training in Vietnam, Korean Studies Research in Vietnam; Discussion on the future of Korean Studies in Vietnam. Some outstanding presentations include: Korean Studies Training to serve investment activities of Korean enterprises in Vietnam: The case of Thai Nguyen province; Public diplomacy: Experience of Korea and lessons for Vietnam - Survey of the case of the Korean Foundation; Teaching and learning Korean during the Covid-19 period: Survey of the case of the Department of Korean Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, etc.

KoSASA is an academic organization/forum established in 2004 at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM in cooperation with the University of New South Wales, Australia and the Korea Foundation. KoSASA is responsible for supporting and promoting research, teaching Korean studies and applying Korean studies knowledge in Southeast Asian countries. KoSASA organizes a conference every two years to summarize and evaluate the activities of its partner member schools over the past two years, and at the same time implement or propose to implement new cooperation projects. In Vietnam, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-HCM and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, VNU-Hanoi are two active partners of KoSASA, hosting the KoSASA founding conference in 2005 in Ho Chi Minh City and the regular conference in 2012 in Hanoi.