CEFIA News

The Division of Understanding Korea Project at the Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies held the "AKS Program for Educators in Southeast Asia" July 7-8, 2022.

The theme of the program was "Teaching about Korea in Southeast Asian Schools." Educators and students from Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore and the Philippines attended the two-day program event, learning about and discussing Korea.

The program consisted of a seminar and lectures. There were six presentations and discussions at the seminar: "Application of Geoinformatics technology in Teaching Korea for Myanmar," "Indonesia's Merdeka Belajar Policy and its challenges to classroom and textbook," "A Study on the Present Situation and Possibility of Introducing Korean Literature to Vietnamese Middle and High Language Textbooks," "Teaching Korean Culture in Thai universities," "The Coverage of Korea in MALAYSIAN TEXTBOOKS," and "Perception of Korea in Social Studies Textbooks in Southeast Asia."

Professor Suray Agung Nugroho of Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia and Professor Lee Chung-yeol of Korea University gave lectures on "Korean Wave" and "Korea-ASEAN Economic Cooperation," major topics being dealt with in Southeast Asian textbooks recently. Participants in the lectures increased their understanding of the globally spreading Korean soft power and economic cooperation between Korea and ASEAN. They also had time to discuss the issues.

The "AKS Program for Educators in Southeast Asia" was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was meaningful that education experts in the Southeast Asian region gathered together to discuss how to teach about Korea. Based on the success of the program, the Division of Understanding Korea Project will continue to promote cooperation with them on the development of Korea-related education content, development of teaching and learning materials, and addition of Korea-related content in the secondary school Textbooks.

The Division of Understanding Korea Project at ASK's Center for International Affairs held the "Textbook Seminar for Educators of Greece" on July 12-17, 2022. The seminar focused on helping the participants experience Korean education, history, and culture.

On the first day, the participants visited the Korean Educational Development Institute and the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation, where they were provided materials on Korea's education policy and education, and had discussions with Korean experts. The participants also visited a school and observed class to see how SW and AI education are utilized in the actual sites of Korean education.

On the second day, the Division of Understanding Korea Project hosted a forum in which the Division suggested contents that may be included in Greek textbooks and discussed specific cooperation to introduce more Korea-related contents in Greek textbooks. The Greek participants paid a courtesy call on the president of ASK, in which they agreed that although South Korea and Greece are geographically far apart, they similarly have wonderful history, cultural heritage, and arts.

On the third day, the Greek textbook educators had a chance to experience Korean history and culture by visiting Gyeongju, where they toured such UNESCO World Heritage sites as Bulguksa Temple, Seokguram Grotto, Daereungwon Tomb, and the Tomb of King Munmu. They also looked at the geological environment of South Korea by touring Gyeongju Jusangjeolli columnar joints.

On the fourth day, the participants visited the Leeum Museum of Art, where they had time to appreciate history and diversity of Korean art. They also paid a visit to the War Memorial to recall the lessons of the Korean War, and paid a tribute to Greek soldiers and others who perished in the war.

On the last day, the Greek educators visited Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Palace Museum, Insa-dong and Myeong-dong to experience Seoul, where Korea's past and present coexist. They also watched the Nanta non-verbal performances which is based on the traditional Samulnori band.

Greek textbook educators said that during the seminar, they "saw" and "learned" many things about Korea, natural and artificial, and felt that Greece and South Korea are very close countries. They promised continued exchanges and cooperation.

The 91st Societas Koreana Lecture was held at the Korea Press Center on July 13, 2022. The Societas Koreana lecture was held in-person for the first time in two years since the breakout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Oh Hyung-na of Kyung Hee University gave the lecture under the theme of "Climate Change and ESG Management."

Professor Oh said that as the climate change continues, including global warming and rising sea levels, ESG management is emerging as a key issue. Oh mentioned the impact of climate change, and the background and significance of ESG management. The professor particularly touched on the Paris Climate Change Agreement (2015), Green New Deal, and carbon neutral strategies, and discussed specific cases of coping with climate change. Oh wrapped up the lecture after looking into the strategies of foreign and Korean companies.

Participants in the lecture, who included ambassadors and diplomats based in South Korea, had a Q&A session, in which they shared questions and answers and opinions. The lecture will be posted on the Societas Koreana YouTube channel.

The Division of Understanding Korea Project at ASK's Center for International Affairs held the "Textbook Seminar for Educators of Kazakhstan" on July 18-24, 2022. Four experts – two vice directors of , the textbook center under the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan, a senior researcher and a head researcher of educational contents at the center – attended the seminar.

The Kazakh experts participated in a textbook forum with Korean experts, including researchers of the Division of Understanding Korea Project. The participants discussed the two countries' education system and textbook system, and Korea-related contents in Kazakhstan's social studies textbooks. The forum gave the participants time to discuss the outlook for future education in the two countries and ways of bilateral educational and academic cooperation. Presentations of the Kazakh experts confirmed that Korea-related content in Kazakhstan textbooks is increasing.

The Kazakh participants from "Uchebnik" expressed strong interest in lectures on Korean culture, education, and economy. They agreed that South Korea and Kazakhstan share cultures and provided their opinions on ways to maintain and expand cooperative relations between the two countries. The Kazakh experts also expressed great interest in analyzing and approaching the Korean economy from a fresh perspective, and strengthening economic exchanges between the two countries. In the lecture on Korean education, Kazakh participants expressed gratitude for providing information on the Korean education system, and comparing it with their country's education system, they sincere engaged in exchanging questions and answers regarding improvement of the Kazakh education system.

They experienced the natural beauty and history of Korea by visiting Gyeongju, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where they visited historical and cultural relics that show Korea's cultural excellence and long history. The found traces of past exchanges between Kazakhstan and South Korea. The Kazakh experts also toured Busan, South Korea's second-largest city, to observe the city's geographical characteristics and economic development. In a visit to Gamcheon Culture Village, where there are memories of the pain of the Korean War, they expressed interest in the pain of the past and beauty of the present.

Touring the Seoul Museum of History, the Kazakh experts had a chance to understand the beauty of Seoul, an international city where tradition and modernity coexist. They experienced Korean tradition, culture and historical relics by visiting royal palaces, Jogyesa Temple, National Folk Museum, Insa-dong, and Myeong-dong. They enjoyed the beauty of hanbok by wearing the traditional Korean clothes and appreciated the unique aspects of Korean Buddhism by touring Jogyesa Temple in downtown Seoul.

The Kazakhstan textbook experts who actively participated in all the schedules praised Korean culture, art, economy, and society. They discussed specific ways to maintain broader relationship between South Korea and Kazakhstan, including the textbook sector, and asked the Koran side to participate in a local textbook seminar to be held in Kazakhstan in November this year.