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네이버 공유 카카오 공유 트위터 공유 페이스북 공유

International Exchange from a Global, Not Just Korean, Perspective

At the end of the workshop, all the participants agreed that it was time for Korea to shift from international exchange intended for improving Korea's image abroad toward an emphasis on projects that promote the common values of mankind.

The Korea Foundation hosted an international exchange workshop on August 17-18 under the theme "Review and Future Prospects of Korea's International Exchange Activities." Befitting this theme, the workshop focused on evaluating various international exchange projects conducted by a wide array of Korean organizations, exploring the best directions for development of such programs in the future, and assessing the Korea Foundation? role in promoting and conducting international exchange activities.

The workshop consisted of three sessions: "Significance and Future Directions of International Exchange Activities,""Evaluation of Korea's International Exchange Activities," and "Strategies for International Exchange in the 21st Century." The workshop began with an opening address by Lee In-ho, president of the Korea Foundation, and was followed by presentations from many experts
in the field of international exchange, including Han Sung-joo,former minister of foreign affairs.
Each presentation was followed by a lively question and answer session, involving the staff of the Foundation and designated panelists.
Huh Kwon, director of the culture team of the Korean National Commission for UNESCO, talked about the special characteristics and strong points of foreign international exchange projects carried out by such organizations as the Goethe Institute,the British Council, the Japan Foundation,and the Singapore International Foundation. He explained that a common trend in international
exchanges these days was a shift away from government-led exchanges to private sector exchanges.

He added that in most countries, academic and cultural exchange is considered an important element of foreign relations policy and that it was important for the Korea Foundation to prioritize its implementation of exchange programs.
Meanwhile, Prof. Kim Moon-hwan of Seoul National University pointed out that any overlap in projects pursued by government ministries and their subsidiary organizations should be minimized.

He said that in France, widely considered to be the most advanced nation in terms of cultural diplomacy, the promotion of French culture overseas was the responsibility of the Foreign Ministry, whereas the promotion of foreign culture in France was handled by the Ministry of Culture. Prof. Kim cited the French Association of Artistic Activities (AFAA) as an ideal arrangement for contacting and coordinating various financial sources, while suggesting that the Korea Foundation should play a similar role in Korea. He said that
it is time for Korea to a credible cultural policy that shows the country as it is, adding that "International diplomacy is the diplomacy of the people," by which he meant that while diplomacy is the work of diplomats, international exchange is the work of the people, and thus all people should participate more actively in international exchange.

Lew Young-Ick, professor at the Graduate School of International Studies at Yonsei University, called for the Korea Foundation to take the initiative in producing English-language publications on noteworthy Korean figures and historical events.

In addition, Pak Young-sook,director of the Korean Studies Center at SOAS, University of London noted that in providing support for the establishment of Korean studies centers,it was important for the Foundation to ensure that basic conditions were satisfied, such as the volume of reference materials available, the presence of qualified professors in related academic fields, and the firm commitment of the university authorities concerned. She added that it was difficult to cultivate true Korean studies specialists by
promoting research in academic fields dealing only with contemporary society, such as politics and economics,while emphasizing the need for in-depth research in the humanities.

She cited the case of the Taiwanese Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation as an organization that has successfully promoted the humanities by undertaking joint research efforts with foreign scholars, publishing a significant volume of high-quality books, and digitizing materials on historical relics.

In regard to the establishment of Korean art galleries in museums
overseas, director Pak said that Korea should allow museums in other countries to acquire Korean cultural treasures by authorizing the export of such artifacts. She also pointed out that materials relating to Korea available in English are scarce, which makes Korean studies overseas especially difficult.

In regard to support for public policy research institutes, Park Shin-il, former director of the Korean Cultural Service in New York,recommended the selection of outstanding scholars or institutes for concentrated, long-term support.To enhance the effectiveness of such programs, he stressed,it is important to cultivate an "institutional memory" or a sustained partnership
between the Foundation staff concerned and the researchers. He also suggested that the Korea Foundation, along with the Asia Foundation, conduct public education programs about Korea and Northeast Asia in the United States.

Horace H. Underwood, executive director of the Korean-American Educational Commission,made a point about Korea's nearsighted approach to globalization, likening it to the proverbial "frog in the well." He lamented the fact that although Korea has been successful in introducing itself abroad, it has not even begun to prepare for globalization within the country.

As an example,he cited the fact that there are some 140,000 Korean students studying overseas while there are no more than 3,000 to 4,000 foreigners
studying in Korea. Aside from a few foreigners in Korea teaching English, there are almost no foreign faculty members in Korean universities, he said, adding that there were more foreign professors in Korea in 1939 than there are now.

In Seoul, where most foreigners genuinely interested in Korea can be found, it is difficult to find a Korean movie with English subtitles, and there are still so few proper English materials in most Korean museums. The real problem, he noted, was the Korean way of thinking.

Quoting from University of Maryland professor C. Fred Alford's book, "Think No Evil: Korean Values in the Age of Globalization," he said that most Koreans seem to consider globalization as something of threat, as evidenced by the Korean attitude to opening the education market and allowing the import of Japanese culture. Mr. Underwood said that it was important for the Korea Foundation to implant an attitude that it is now all right for Korea to accept foreigners and foreign culture.

Prof. Ahn Hwi-joon from Seoul National University emphasized that support for Korean studies should not be centered on the social sciences but rather on culture, and hoped that Korea's most significant treasures, including the movable metal type of the Goryeo period, the Emille Bell and Seokguram grotto of the Silla dynasty,Goryeo celadon and Buddhist paintings,and Joseon Dynasty portraits would be properly introduced to the world in the
future.

The third session of the workshop focused on exploring strategies for international exchange in the 21st century. Prof. Hong Sa-myung, former director of the international exchange department at the Korea Research Foundation, explained the current status of Korean studies overseas. In doing so,he said that the problem of concentration of support for Korean studies in North America, which currently accounts for 55 percent of all such funding, was the natural result of actual demand, since the United States has the highest university entrance rate in the world. He wondered if any artificial efforts to distribute funds equally among regions with different degrees of scholarly sophistication would bring about the intended results.

Prof. Paik Bong-ja from the Yonsei University Language Institute talked about the current status of Korean language education for foreigners both in korea and abroad. While pointing out that the Foundation support was geared mostly to college-level education, she said that there was a need to develop intruction programs for K-12 students, to formulate a master plan for the promotion of the Korean language, and to devise policy measures to provide continued and systematic support to this end.

Prof.Paik Seung-jong from Sogang University indicated that concerted efforts have to be made to address the problem of Korea's strong nationalism which was often criticized overseas.He also emphasized the need for overseas training of Korea Foundation staff in order to enhance their professionalism, and noted that frequent reshuffling of program officers for international exchange should be avoided.

Prof. Kang Joon-hyuk, dean of the Chugye University Graduate School of Arts Mana- gement, noted that Korea was weak in terms of long-term, systematic planning and cross-sectional coordination for cultural and arts exchange in comparison to Japan, while the Foundation should not only promote traditional culture but also the exchange of contemporary arts.

Prof. Kang called for international exchange specialists to be cultivated so that Korea could have individuals who serve as international cultural lobbyists, and that Korean cultural centers overseas, Korean restaurants, and foreigners residing in Korea be regarded as footholds for the dissemination of
Korean culture.

In regard to overseas exhibition activities, Prof. Chung Hyong-min of Seoul National University suggested that rather than organizing independent exhibitions, it might be more effective if the Foundation co-hosted exhibitions with related organizations in the countries concerned. Ryoo Jaeky, director of the cultural exchange division of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, mentioned French scholar Guy Sorman's remarks about culture determining the competitiveness of a country to emphasize the importance of cultural exchange, while citing the advance of Korean pop singers into other countries as an example.

He said that while some 90 percent of the actual implementation of any bilateral cultural agreements falls under the domain of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in Korea such agreements can only be concluded by first going through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He recommended that Korea take note of the Chinese example, where all cultural agreements
with other countries are handled directly by the Culture Ministry.

During the panel discussion, Prof.Kim Myong-sub of the Department of international Relations at Hanshin University contended that if cultural diplomacy involved the government or some other designated organization developing cultural policies to deal with the governments or people of other countries, cultural diplomacy conducted at the public level with public funding should be pursued on a different plane from that of the culture industry.

He added that a culture committee should be established directly under the control of the Korean president. Lim Sungnam, director of the cultural cooperation division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade,followed with a detailed explanation of the cultural exchange activities undertaken by his ministry.

He noted that the Foundation's external cultural exchanges in the past had essentially been influenced by market demand and pursued without any specific
philosophy or strategy. Yu Hong-june, professor of aesthetics and art history at Yeongnam University, said that there was a need to provide support for efforts to preserve cultural treasures in North Korea and suggested some projects that the Foundation could consider in the future.

Overall, the workshop brought forth numerous suggestions and proposed measures for more effective international exchange. At the same time, there were some pointed criticisms and calls for self-evaluation regarding some problem areas in the Foundation's programs.

Han Sung-joo, professor of politics and foreign relations at Korea University, pointed out what he thought were major problems based on his close observation of the Foundation,while noting that priorities needed to be determined and better balance sought between concentrated and evenly distributed support for individual projects, between academic and cultural exchange programs,and between support programs and self-organized activities.

At the end of the workshop, all the participants agreed that it was time for Korea to shift from international exchange intended for improving Korea's image abroad toward an emphasis on projects that promote the common values of mankind.In this light, they agreed that the focus of international exchange should be redirected from the introduction of Korean culture abroad to more two-way exchanges that allow for greater accommodation of foreign cultures
in Korea.

As for the future direction of the Korea Foundation, the suggestions made included a gradual transition from support projects to self-organized projects, promotion of joint projects with related international organizations overseas, and promotion of activities aimed at creating a framework for sustained exchanges, all of which are difficult for the private sector to achieve.

It was also suggested that the concentration of support in advanced countries
should be reduced while support for other Asian countries be expanded.

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