The Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies held the “Online Textbook Seminar for Educators of Indonesia” for three days from November 10 (Wednesday) to 12 (Friday), 2021. The online training program drew researchers from the Textbook and Curriculum Center under the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology.

Because inviting the Indonesian participants was difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the online platform ZOOM was used to hold a textbook seminar from November 10 to 11, and lectures related to Korea were given on November 12. The two-day seminar examined the two countries’ education systems, curriculums and textbooks with presentations and discussions covering Korea’s curriculum and textbook system, Korea’s digital education and policy, introduction to Korea-related contents in Indonesian textbooks and materials for increasing understanding of Korea, Indonesia’s new textbook paradigm and the “Merdeka Belajar” paradigm. They also discussed ways to promote cooperation between the two countries. In the Korea-related lectures, participants shared the background and cultural factors of the economic development of Korea, which was freed from the Japanese colonial rule around the same time, and the potential of Korean culture which is exerting great influence on the rapid development of global businesses involving Korean cultural contents.

The Korean culture training program provided an opportunity to discuss Indonesia’s educational philosophy and the form of materials and contents for increasing understanding of Korea. The two sides also agreed to continue their efforts to promote mutual understanding by jointly developing textbooks and materials for understanding Korea.