CEFIA News
● The 39th AKS Summer Program for International Students
● The 192nd and 193rd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
● The 192nd and 193rd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
The 39th AKS Summer Program for International Students
The Division of International Support for Korean Studies at the Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies has been running an AKS Summer Program for foreign university students interested in Korean studies.
The 38th AKS Summer Program was held for three weeks from July 7 to 25, 2025. 18 students from 18 countries participated in the program.
The participating students stayed at the guesthouse in the AKS, and attended Korean language classes and special lectures on Korean studies, and also participated in tours of historical sites and events to experience traditional Korean culture.
The 38th AKS Summer Program was held for three weeks from July 7 to 25, 2025. 18 students from 18 countries participated in the program.
The participating students stayed at the guesthouse in the AKS, and attended Korean language classes and special lectures on Korean studies, and also participated in tours of historical sites and events to experience traditional Korean culture.
The 192nd and 193rd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad
The Division of International Support for Korean Studies held the 192nd and 193rd Colloquiums on Korean Studies Abroad at the Grand Conference Room of Munhyeongwan Hall on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, and Wednesday, August 27, 2025, respectively. The recipients of the 2025 AKS Fellowship, Dr. Kobayashi Kazumi (Professor, Osaka Kyoiku University), Dr. Ed Pulford (Professor, University of Manchester), and Dr. Tuemei Tian (Professor, Tianjin Normal University), presented the findings of their fellowship research.
At the 192nd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad, Dr. Kobayashi presented his research on the topic of “A Study on the Education of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children in South Korea—Focusing on Human Resources.” Based on the case studies and curricula of teacher training universities in Korea, as well as interviews with stakeholders, a comparative analysis of educator training in Japan and Korea, focusing on how teachers are being prepared to work with children from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Kobayashi emphasized that the increase in students from immigrant backgrounds is creating new demands in schools, making the training of specialized professionals to support them an urgent priority. The presentation garnered considerable interest by providing meaningful insights for Japan's teacher training field by analyzing cases and curricula from Korean teacher training universities and comparing the differences between the two countries.
At the 193rd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad, Drs. Pilford and Tian presented their research on the respective topics of “Identity and Opportunity Among the Joseonjok in the Age of ‘Global China’” and “The Literary Geography of Modern Tianjin in the Works of Yeongseonsa Kim Yun-sik.”
Based on literature research and ethnographic surveys conducted in Seoul, Dr. Pilford analyzed how the Joseonjok community forms its identity and seeks out opportunities within a multilayered reality. In particular, he discussed the socioeconomic transformations of local society is places like Daerim-dong and Garibong-dong, the sociopolitical flow of Korean society in general, and how international relations between Seoul and Beijing affect the lives and identities of Joseonjok. Dr. Pilford emphasized how the transnational experience of Joseokjok can serve as an important case study within the broader context of “Global China,” drew significant interest from the audience.
In his research, Dr. Tian analyzed the diverse works left by the civil official Kim Yun-sin, who went to Tianjin, China, in 1881 as a special envoy (yeongseonsa), taking with him 69 students and craftsmen. Kim’s works, such as Yeonseon ilgi, Cheonjin damcho, Unyangjip, and Sugeum cheonsa, reveal Tianjin's literary significance as a modern city through their depictions of its natural and cultural landscapes, while exploring the changing perceptions of China and the internal transitions experienced by Korean intellectuals during the period of upheaval marked by the dissolution of the traditional East Asian order. By offering new implications not only on the literary significance of Kim Yun-sik’s works, but also for research on exchange between China and Korea in the modern era, Dr. Tian’s presentation attracted the audience’s attention.
Many researchers and graduate students attended the colloquium, sharing diverse opinions. The Division of International Support for Korean Studies will continue to provide such opportunities for communication between researchers from Korea and abroad.
At the 192nd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad, Dr. Kobayashi presented his research on the topic of “A Study on the Education of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Children in South Korea—Focusing on Human Resources.” Based on the case studies and curricula of teacher training universities in Korea, as well as interviews with stakeholders, a comparative analysis of educator training in Japan and Korea, focusing on how teachers are being prepared to work with children from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Kobayashi emphasized that the increase in students from immigrant backgrounds is creating new demands in schools, making the training of specialized professionals to support them an urgent priority. The presentation garnered considerable interest by providing meaningful insights for Japan's teacher training field by analyzing cases and curricula from Korean teacher training universities and comparing the differences between the two countries.
At the 193rd Colloquium on Korean Studies Abroad, Drs. Pilford and Tian presented their research on the respective topics of “Identity and Opportunity Among the Joseonjok in the Age of ‘Global China’” and “The Literary Geography of Modern Tianjin in the Works of Yeongseonsa Kim Yun-sik.”
Based on literature research and ethnographic surveys conducted in Seoul, Dr. Pilford analyzed how the Joseonjok community forms its identity and seeks out opportunities within a multilayered reality. In particular, he discussed the socioeconomic transformations of local society is places like Daerim-dong and Garibong-dong, the sociopolitical flow of Korean society in general, and how international relations between Seoul and Beijing affect the lives and identities of Joseonjok. Dr. Pilford emphasized how the transnational experience of Joseokjok can serve as an important case study within the broader context of “Global China,” drew significant interest from the audience.
In his research, Dr. Tian analyzed the diverse works left by the civil official Kim Yun-sin, who went to Tianjin, China, in 1881 as a special envoy (yeongseonsa), taking with him 69 students and craftsmen. Kim’s works, such as Yeonseon ilgi, Cheonjin damcho, Unyangjip, and Sugeum cheonsa, reveal Tianjin's literary significance as a modern city through their depictions of its natural and cultural landscapes, while exploring the changing perceptions of China and the internal transitions experienced by Korean intellectuals during the period of upheaval marked by the dissolution of the traditional East Asian order. By offering new implications not only on the literary significance of Kim Yun-sik’s works, but also for research on exchange between China and Korea in the modern era, Dr. Tian’s presentation attracted the audience’s attention.
Many researchers and graduate students attended the colloquium, sharing diverse opinions. The Division of International Support for Korean Studies will continue to provide such opportunities for communication between researchers from Korea and abroad.
