한국국제교류재단

The Korean Studies Centre, a branch of the University of Auckland's New Zealand Asia Institute, exists to promote Korean studies in New Zealand, to support a vigorous Korean studies curriculum at Auckland University's School of Asian Studies, and to contribute to harmonious and productive relations between Koreans and New Zealanders both within and outside the academic community.

Development of the Korean Studies Centre

The Korean Studies Centre opened its doors in 1995 as part of the University of Auckland's New Zealand Asia Institute. One year later, the university signed an agreement with the Korea Foundation under which the latter pledged to support Korean studies programs and a fund for courses related to Korean history and culture. Since then the Korean Studies Centre has continued to support research and developmental projects in Korean studies. Of special mention is the pivotal role played by the Centre in helping to bring full-time faculty who specialize in Korean history and culture to the School of Asian Studies.

The Korean Studies Centre also promotes numerous academic and cultural exchanges between Korea and New Zealand. The Centre regularly invites prominent Korea scholars from around the world to participate in conferences or to conduct seminars on Korean issues. These events are advertised to the public, with anyone welcome to attend. The Korean Studies Centre has opened further opportunities for cultural exchange by establishing sister relationships between the University of Auckland and Seoul National University, Korea University, Yonsei University and the Academy of Korean Studies. These academic institutions currently engage in academic exchange programs involving students and faculty members, and this new effort is expected to greatly invigorate Korean studies in New Zealand.

A Bridge between Korean Immigrants to New Zealand and Local Residents

Over 30,000 Korean immigrants live in New Zealand today, and their numbers are continuing to grow dramatically. In response to this trend, the Korean Studies Centre is making efforts to help gain recognition for Korea Studies in New Zealand. For example, the Centre sponsors an annual international academic conference, with 2002 marking the fifth anniversary of these academic gatherings. Notable among those attending last year's conference, entitled "Globalization and Korean Nationalism," were Chung Hae-chang, Dean of the Academy of Korean Studies, and New Zealand Minister of Parliament Richard Worth, who serves as Chairman of the Academics from New Zealand, Australia, Korea, and the United States also attended last year's conference. Each year the Korean Studies Centre also invites an international Korean scholar to conduct a lecture/seminar at the University of Auckland. This year, the Centre is hosting Professor Lee Kyu-hyung of Sangji University. The artist will present an exhibit of his pottery, paintings and engravings at the Aotea Centre Art Gallery from August 21 to September 8. Professor Lee will also give a public lecture on "The History of Traditional and Modern Korean Pottery" at the University of Auckland.

The Centre, with the sponsorship of the Korean Consulate in Auckland, also presents a monthly Korean film series (with English subtitles) on the university campus. These films are free, and are open to the general public. The film series has been a great popular success, bringing students, faculty, and Koreans and New Zealanders of the greater Auckland community together for a common instructive and enjoyable purpose.

Status of Korean Studies Programs

Despite its brief history, the university's Korean Studies Department has expanded rapidly. Beginning with a small number of students in 1987, the department currently boasts more than 140 students served by three full-time faculty-Professor Lee Young-hee (Korean literature), Professor Choi In-sil (Korean cultural geography), and Professor Song Chang-ju (political science). In addition, the department has three part-time lecturers-Nam Keum-ja, Kim Young-ja and Kim Hyun-ju, all specializing in applied linguistics.

The School of Asian Studies offers courses in Korean Literature, Korean Society and Culture, English/Korean Translation, and Korean Language. The curriculum for first year students emphasizes Korean language acquisition and its accompanying introduction to Korean culture and customs. Students in the second and third stages of the Korea-focused curriculum are introduced to more comprehensive courses in Korean literature, culture, politics, and translation. The School of Asian Studies encourages students to acquire a broad general knowledge of Asia. A student with a Korea focus, therefore, can enroll in related courses offered by the school in Japanese, Chinese, and Indonesian studies.

The School of Asian Studies now offers B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Korean Studies. It has had numerous graduates from the masters degree program, and two students from the Translation Studies Department and Applied Linguistics Department are now pursuing their doctoral degrees in connection with the Korean studies program at the School of Asian Studies. Current research interests of the Korean faculty at the School of Asian Studies include Korean women? literature, contemporary gender issues, 18th century Korean geography, and modern Korean political culture with an emphasis on nationalism and globalism.

Korean studies at the University of Auckland are poised for further dynamic growth, and the reasons for this are readily apparent. Both New Zealand and its western neighbor Australia see the building and maintenance of strong economic and political ties with the countries of Asia as crucial to their future success. Asian immigrant populations are rapidly increasing in both countries, providing further impetus for the forging of truly meaningful relations with Asia. More immediately, the majority of Asian immigrants to New Zealand (of which Koreans are a significant part) opt to live in Auckland, the country's largest city and a national hub of culture and learning. These factors all point to the continued importance of building a comprehensive and vigorous Korean studies program at the University of Auckland.

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Professor, Lee Young-hee

Lee Young-hee earned her doctoral degree in Korean Literature at the University of Hawaii, where she also earned a B.A. in Spanish and an M.A. in East Asian Languages and Literature. On completing her doctorate she was appointed assistant professor in the East Asian Languages and Literatures Department of Smith College in Massachusetts, where she directed a new Korean studies program at its inception.
Professor Lee now teaches Korean literature and language at the University of Auckland. Her book, Traditional and Modern Korean Women's Literature: Ideology, Culture and Han has just been published as part of a Korean studies series by Jimoondang. Another of her publications this year is a translation of the Korean text by Professor Yoon Seok-san of the Korean Literature Department at Hanyang University entitled Chon-dogyo: The Religion of the Cosmos that Blossomed in Korea. In addition to her faculty duties at the university, Lee Young-hee serves as Director of the University of Auckland Korean Studies Centre.