CEFIA News

The Division of the Understanding Korea Project of the Center for International Affairs at the Academy of Korean Studies held the 'Textbook Seminar for Educators of El Salvador' from April 14 to April 20, 2024. The program brought together textbook experts from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of El Salvador.

The textbook seminar gave the Korean presenters, including researchers from the Division of the Understanding Korea Project, and the El Salvadoran textbook experts a time to discuss the curriculum and textbook systems of both countries, the visitors’ interests in Korea, the current status of Korea-related content in El Salvadoran textbooks, and what could be introduced in El Salvadoran textbooks. The El Salvador experts also had an opportunity to broaden their perspectives on Korean education and Korean history and culture through lectures on 'Assessment of Korean Academic Achievement' and 'Korean History in Cultural Heritage'.

The El Salvador educators also visited Dongtan Jungang High School to get a first-hand look at Korean school facilities and classes. They had the opportunity to interact with Korean students in the classroom and was given a time to meet with the principal, vice principal, and teachers, as well as time to look over Korean textbooks.

Afterwards, they visited the historical sites of Gyeongju, where they toured Cheonmachong Tomb, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto. The visit helped them understand the Buddhist culture and architecture of the Silla period. In Seoul, they had first-hand experiences of the traditional and modern Seoul, Korean culture and heritage by visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Palace Museum of Korea, Bukchon Hanok Village, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, Insadong, and the National Museum of Korea.

The El Salvador educators said they became more interested in Korean education, history, and culture, and the two sides agreed to continue their efforts to promote mutual understanding between the two countries through textbooks and materials for understanding Korea.

The Division of International Support for Korean Studies at the Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies held the 181st Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad on April 25, 2024, at the Munhyeonggwan Grand Conference Room. This colloquium was designed to present the research findings of our fellowship recipients, Prof. Hyeonjeong Ji (University of California, Los Angeles) and Prof. Suseon Yu (University of California, Berkeley).

Dr. Ji's presentation, titled “Managing the Distressed in an Age of Anxiety: Psychiatrists and the Debates on Neurosis in South Korea, 1960s-1970s,” analyzed how socio-cultural changes in South Korea during the 1960s and 1970s, following liberation and the Korean War, affected neurosis in the country. She discussed how modernization, urbanization, and Westernized thinking significantly contributed to the spread of neurosis in Korea, which in turn facilitated the establishment of the mental health field in the country.

Prof. Suseon Yu's presentation, “The Unintended Consequences of Demographic Policies on Women's Empowerment,” explored the causes of the backlash against women in Korean society. She argued that patriarchal social norms combined with authoritarian government policies created a restrictive marriage market, which subsequently led to a backlash against women.

The colloquiums drew many researchers and graduate students, who shared their opinions. The Division of International Support for Korean Studies will continue to organize events to promote communication among local and foreign researchers.

The Division of the Understanding Korea Project of the Center for International Affairs at the Academy of Korean Studies held the 'Textbook Seminar for Educators of Austria' from April 22 to April 28, 2024.

The program focused on encouraging the educators to suggest revisions or additions of Korean-related content to Austrian textbooks. It also provided them with opportunities to learn about and experience firsthand the inter-Korean relations, education, economy, history, and culture of contemporary Korea.

During the textbook seminar, the participants explored concrete ways of cooperation between the two countries to ensure that Austrian textbooks are enriched with Korean content in the future. In a meeting with the Vice President of the Academy, the Austrian educators had the opportunity to exchange in-depth opinions on the universal, specific, and sustainable values of both Korea and Austria, as well as discuss future cooperation plans. They also visited the AKS Archives of International Textbooks to compare and review textbooks from various countries around the world.

Through lectures, they learned more about Korea, including its hopes for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, perceptions of inter-Korean relations, the current status of Korea’s education system and digital education, and Korea’s economic development. The group visited Seongnam Foreign Language High School and met with experts from MiraeN Textbook Publishing Company to gain a better understanding of education and textbooks in Korea today. They also visited Imjingak, Dorasan Observatory, and the Third Tunnel of Aggression to share Koreans’ hopes for peace following the division of Korea. Their visit to the UNESCO-listed Changdeokgung Palace and excursions to Cheonggyecheon Museum and major Seoul neighborhoods deepened their understanding of Korea’s history, culture, and geography.

The Austrian textbook educators expressed that their interest in Korea was further enhanced by experiencing various aspects of Korean culture during the seminar, and they promised to continue exchanges and cooperation with the Division of Understanding Korea Project in the future.