International Conference “Comparative Studies of Vietnam and Korea in History”

The workshop was organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi) in collaboration with the International Asian Research Institute (Leiden University, Netherlands), Seoul National University (South Korea), and the Graduate School of Social Sciences and Humanities in Paris (France). More than 60 international scientists from various research fields participated, with the majority coming from the USA, UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Philippines, Brunei, and Vietnam.

The conference brought together many international scientists, including many of the world's leading researchers.

It is known that the idea of ​​organizing a regional comparative research conference between Vietnam and South Korea has been brewing for the past two years, with the initial proposal coming from Dr. Philippe Peycam (International Institute of Asian Studies). This idea quickly received support and sharing from international scientists at many universities in Asia and Europe. An international council, with the participation of representatives from universities, was established to propose in-depth research topics and implement the conference activities.

Professor Hue - Tam Ho Tai (Harvard University) presented the keynote address at the conference, entitled: "Divided by mountains and oceans, yet united by a common language."

According to Professor Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities), Vietnam and South Korea share many similarities. Both are peninsular nations, developed on the foundation of rice-based civilizations. Major historical changes in the formation and development of both countries have many similarities and are heavily dependent on the rise and fall of the great empire of China. These influences can be seen in various aspects: political systems, cultural characteristics, social structure, and cultural and artistic life…

Dr. Philippe Peycam (International Institute of Asian Studies) is one of the scientists who proposed the idea of ​​organizing the workshop.

Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim (Vice Rector of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities) and Dr. Philippe Peycam

This conference aims for a comparative study, examining specific aspects from disciplines such as History, Cultural Studies, Sociology, Archaeology, and Economics, in order to arrive at a comprehensive and holistic view of the similarities and differences between the two countries during the medieval and modern periods.

The topics discussed at the conference included entirely new research issues concerning Vietnam and South Korea, as well as previously discussed subjects approached from a fresh perspective, particularly through interdisciplinary and regional studies. These studies spanned various fields, from politics, diplomacy, and trade to cultural exchanges, education, arts, and religious life. Some studies focused on specific periods of historical development, while others delved deeply into particular disciplines or specific works, revealing the mindset, aspirations, and development of the two nations and peoples at each historical stage. The results of the conference discussions will significantly contribute to sharing knowledge and lessons learned from the development experiences of these two countries, considered representative case studies in regional studies.

The conference included 16 subcommittees with discussion topics spanning a wide range of research fields.

The workshop was conducted entirely in English. Notably, many young Vietnamese scientists not only actively participated but also demonstrated confidence in presenting their research results and engaging in academic exchanges with international scientists. This, on the one hand, reflects the challenges of international integration in science, and on the other hand, serves as a necessary impetus for the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in particular, and the Vietnamese social sciences and humanities community in general, to further promote international scientific exchange and cooperation.

After the conference concludes, the papers will be finalized for submission to international scientific journals. A follow-up conference, also on comparative research between Vietnam and Korea, focusing on the modern and contemporary periods, is planned to be held in South Korea in mid-2018.

Some notable papers presented at the conference “Comparative Studies of Vietnam and Korea in History” include: “Divided by Mountains and Oceans but United by a Common Language” (Prof. Hue-Tam Ho Tai, Harvard University), “The Korean Semi-Tribute System and Its Collapse” (Bongjin Kim, Kitakyushu University, Japan), “Vietnam and Korea in the Pre-Modern Transnational System in East Asia” (Xiaoming Huang, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand), “Modernity in the Countryside: Korea, Vietnam and Japan” (Brij Mohan Tankha, Institute of Chinese Studies, India), “Defining Differences: The Relationship Between Center and Periphery in Colonial Korea and Vietnam” (Paul Woods, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, UK), “The Development of the Vietnamese National Script and Language Typology – the Case of Korea and Vietnam” (Ivo Vasiljev, Czech Republic), “Folk Beliefs and Systems” “Popular religious worship practices – a study of the foundational cultural memory of Vietnamese and Korean communities” (Raina Beneva, Sofia University, Bulgaria), “War and state formation in ancient Vietnam and Korea” (Tuong Vu, University of Oregon, USA), “Higher education in Vietnam and Korea in the early 20th century – a comparative study through colonial archives” (Sara Legrandjacques, University of Paris 1, France)…

Delegates pose for a commemorative photo after the opening session at the conference.