CEFIA News

The 156th Colloquium on Korean Studies Overseas was held at the conference room in 2F Munhyeonggwan, the Academy of Korean Studies at 2pm on October 4, 2018.

Jooyeon Rhee gave a presentation on the subject of "Detecting Modernity: Detective Fiction in Colonial Korea." The presenter discussed the development of Korean detective fiction written during the Japanese colonial period and the way it reflected society and reality, while emphasizing such aspects as economic and geographical mobility and gender as revealed in the novels, and their criticism of Japanese imperialism. Researchers and students graced the occasion with their presence.

A training group composed of Russian educators and textbook editors visited the Academy of Korean Studies at 10:00 on 10 October 2018. The training group headed by Chang-yun Jeong, Director, Korea Education Institute, Korean Embassy in Russia consisted of fifteen members, including Grigoriyeva Lyudmila, principal, Moscow 1257 School, Bakalyar Egor, history textbook editor, Prosvesheniye Publishing House, a leading publishing company in Russia, and Samerkanov Timerbulat, principal, IT School annexed to Kazan Federal University.

The group largely consisted of principals and vice-principals of junior high schools and textbook editors from across Russia. Supported by the Ministries of Education and Foreign Affairs, the training tour was organized to assist the introduction of Korean language courses at more Russian schools while laying a foundation for exchanges of personnel between Korea and Russia by visiting Korean education institutes, cultural heritage sites, and industrial facilities.

As part of the tour, the visitors received an introduction to the Academy of Korean Studies, viewed exhibits at its Jangseogak Archives, and attended a presentation on the Understanding Korea Project by the Academy. It is believed that the current visit provided a desirable opportunity for the visitors to personally experience the development achieved in Korea with a view to reflecting it in their textbooks and education curricula as well as promoting active exchange between the Academy and Russian education institutes.

At 17:30, October 24, 2018, the 76th Societas Koreana Lecture Meeting was held in the Press Club of the Press Center in Seoul. Around sixty foreign opinion leaders living in Korea, including foreign officials and researchers, attended the conference to listen to the lecture delivered by Professor Leighanne Yuh (Korea University) titled “Late Nineteenth Century Modern Education in Korea: The State, Moral Education, and the Refashioning of Bureaucrats and Intellectuals”.

Professor Yuh introduced the modern era education in nineteenth century Korea, explaining that the modern-era moral concept of the ruling intellectuals after the Gabo Reforms of 1894 was aimed at fostering loyal bureaucrats based on the existing Confucian norms. As a result, he revealed that modern education in Korea was a convergence between the modern concept and the Confucian norm. The attendees had an opportunity to learn about how modern education in Korea is rooted in such a background.

The Center for International Affairs at the Academy of Korean Studies recently hosted the ‘Fellowship for Textbook Specialists of Algeria’ for 7 days from October 21-27, 2018. The participants in the training program included Nedjadi Mesgwiem, the current general school commissioner, and Naser Guemdani, Amid Rimani and Bunaha Ushen, who are higher education school commissioners of Algeria’s Ministry of Education.

During the Textbook Seminar held together with Korean speakers, including researchers from the Division of Understanding Korea Project, the participants were able to deepen their understanding of Korea by discussing the educational system and textbook policy of the two countries, the system of textbook supply, and the images used in the textbooks of the two nations. They also had an opportunity to further deepen their understanding of Korea by attending lectures on Korean history and culture.

The delegation from Algeria expressed keen interest in the performance of education and the educational system of Korea and broadened their understanding of the division of the Korean peninsula and the prospects for peace through a visit to Imjingak Pavilion in Paju and a lecture on the relationship between North and South Korea, which is currently attracting considerable interest around the world.

Furthermore, the participants were taken on a tour of the Gyeongju Historic Areas to see Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, the POSCO in Pohang, and Seodaemun Prison History Hall, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate, and Seoul Museum of History, thus enabling them to grasp the general situation in Korea while experiencing its history and culture as well as its development. The Algerian delegation said that they would make concerted efforts to ensure that the contents on Korea presented in Algerian textbooks will be more accurate in the future.

The Center for International Affairs at the Academy of Korean Studies recently hosted the ‘Fellowship for Textbook Specialists of Costa Rica’ for 8 days from October 28 - November 4, 2018. The participants in the training program included representatives from the Ministry of Education of Costa Rica and Santillana Publishing House, a major textbook publishing company in Costa Rica, and persons involved in the publication of textbooks at National Costa Rica University.

During the Textbook Seminar held as part of the training together with the Korean speakers, including researchers from the Division of Understanding Korea Project, the participants discussed the educational and textbook systems of the two nations, the contents about Korea presented in the textbooks of Costa Rica, and the possibility of introducing new contents about Korea in the textbooks of Costa Rica.

After that, the visitors attended lectures on the history and culture of Korea and the relationship between North and South Korea. They were also taken on a tour of the Gyeongju Historic Areas to see Cheomseongdae Observatory, Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto, travelled to Busan, the second largest city in Korea, to experience the modern history of Korea at the UN Memorial Cemetery in Korea, and also visited the Temporary Capital Government Building and Gamcheon Village among others. They also deepened their knowledge of Korean history and culture at a traditional Korean art performance titled “Shimcheong”.

By participating in a training program on Korean culture, the Costa Rican textbook specialists deepened their interest in and understanding of Korean education, history, economy and culture, and afterwards expressed their intention to continue making efforts to promote exchanges and understanding between students from the two countries through textbooks and other useful materials.