Opening Ceremony of the Workshop on Korea and Korean Studies from an Asian Perspective

This morning, November 25, 2008, the 9th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Korean Studies, entitled "Korea and Korean Studies from an Asian Perspective," opened at the Hanoi Trade Union Hotel.

The conference was jointly organized by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and the Central Institute for Korean Studies. Approximately 200 domestic delegates and nearly 100 renowned scholars from universities and research centers in 14 countries attended, including: South Korea, the United States, France, Japan, China, Russia, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, India, etc. The conference was honored to welcome many distinguished guests such as: Mr. Im Hong-Jae - Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam, Dr. Lee Seo-Hyeng - Vice Director of the Central Institute for Korean Studies, Mr. Paik Nak-Whan - President of the Korea-Vietnam Foundation, Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long - Vice Minister of Education and Training, and Prof. Dr. Vu Minh Giang - Vice Director of Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

Since World War II, South Korea has maintained a high rate of economic growth, rapid industrialization, and is considered one of the "Four Asian Tigers." The emergence and strong spread of the "Korean Wave" in many countries around the world in recent decades has further contributed to South Korea's prominent image globally. Therefore, Korean Studies has quickly become a developing field of study, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The world highly appreciates the effectiveness of South Korea's educational development strategies, which have enabled the country to build a high-quality workforce for economic development. In addition, the strategy of promoting South Korea's image through culture has had a profoundly positive impact on building cooperative relationships between South Korea and its partners. Successfully resolving the reciprocal relationship between economy and culture—developing the economy on the foundation of national culture, using culture as the basis for development—is considered a unique approach of South Korea.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/25/img_7210.jpg" border="0" alt="Mr. Im Hong-Jae - Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam" title="Mr. Im Hong-Jae - Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam" width="240" height="161" align="left" ]

Speaking at the conference, Ambassador Im Hong-Jae of the Republic of Korea to Vietnam offered a promising assessment of the current state of Korean studies in Vietnam. He noted that establishing a fundamental understanding of Korean studies and the Korean language, and promoting Korean culture in Vietnam over the past 10 years, has played a significant role in fostering dynamic exchanges in various fields between the two countries. He also expressed his hope that delegates would share new information on the development and plans for expanding Korean studies in the future. This is crucial for transforming the landscape of Korean studies and building a comprehensive image of Korea in the eyes of the world.

[img class="caption" src="images/stories/2008/11/25/img_7201.jpg" border="0" alt="Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long - Permanent Deputy Minister of Education and Training" title="Prof. Dr. Banh Tien Long - Permanent Deputy Minister of Education and Training" width="240" height="160" align="right" ]

On the Vietnamese side, Professor Dr. Banh Tien Long - Vice Minister of Education and Training - affirmed the Ministry's policy of focusing on building and developing a series of training programs on the countries and cultures of the world, including South Korea. To date, Vietnam has 10 universities that offer Korean studies programs, including 6 universities specializing in Korean language and culture, and 4 universities offering Korean Studies as a major encompassing Korean economics, politics, culture, and education. Among them, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities is a leading institution in training and researching Korean Studies in social and human fields. He also stated that "This conference is a valuable opportunity for Vietnamese researchers to connect with experts in the Asia-Pacific region to exchange research and teaching experiences in Korean Studies, thereby further developing the field of Korean Studies in Vietnam."

This afternoon and tomorrow, November 26, 2008, delegates will discuss in five subcommittees:

- Subcommittee 1: Korean Culture in Asian Culture

- Subcommittee 2: Asian Culture in Korean Culture

- Subcommittee 3: Korea and Asia in History: Conflict and Experiences of Cooperation

- Subcommittee 4: South Korea and Asia in the 21st Century: Problems and Prospects

- Subcommittee 5: Achievements and prospects of Korean studies in Asia.

The closing session of the workshop will begin at 3:30 PM on November 26, 2008, with a summary from each subcommittee.

This is a biennial conference held alternately among countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The 8th conference in 2006 was held in India.