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Highlights of KF Programs for 2004

The Korea Foundation facilitates various academic and cultural exchange programs to contribute to better understanding of Korea and friendly relations in the international community. This year, the Foundation is putting emphasis on diversifying the scope of its programs and the countries that it works with and promoting Korea's distinct culture around the world.

Seeking a Balanced Development through Regional Diversification
Support for Korean Studies programs is based on the evaluation of development of Korean Studies and needs of recipient countries. Thus, the Foundation currently has a comparatively stronger presence in North American, European and some Asian countries. With an increase in international interest in Korea, however, the demand for Korean Studies is now increasing rapidly in other regions. In response to this change, the Foundation has pursued a policy of regional diversification over the past several years to ensure a regionally balanced development of Korean Studies around the world.

In 2004, with a continuing focus on regional diversification, the Foundation plans to increase its support for China, Southeast and Southwest Asia, and the CIS region, where the foundation for Korean Studies is still weak. In particular, the Foundation will strengthen programs that improve the quality of local educators in Korea-related subjects. The Foundation will invite teachers from Southeast Asia and CIS to the annual Korean Studies workshop in Korea and will also organize Korean Studies workshops locally in Southeast Asian countries for teachers of history and social studies. In addition, students from Central Asia, India and Southeast Asia will also be able to benefit from the Fellowship for Graduate Studies, for which only students from North America, Europe, China, Japan and Oceania have been eligible so far.



This year, the Foundation will also provide support for eleven universities in six countries, including the University of Washington in the United States, to establish a Korean Studies professorship. In addition, thirty-six universities in twenty-one countries, including Peking University in China, will offer Korean Studies courses. Forty-two universities in 15 countries and 26 research and cross-cultural institutions in nine countries -- including those in the U.S., Russia, the U.K., Germany, China and Japan -- will operate Korea-related programs. Korea Foundation fellowships will be granted to 82 students for their Korean language training, 44 scholars for their field research, and 188 students for their graduate studies. As for the Korea Foundation Advanced Research Grant, Publication Subsidy Program and Support for International Materials Development Program, 45 research projects and writing activities will be supported.

Promoting Korea's Distinct Culture Around the World
Thanks to democratization and economic development, Korea has been successful in increasing its international presence. Culturally, however, Korea is sometimes mistakenly included as a part of Chinese or Japanese culture, indicating that parts of the international community are not yet aware of Korea's cultural identity. In consideration of this, the Foundation will carry out various cultural programs this year to make Korea's unique culture more widely known and to enhance Korea's image as a culturally advanced country.

As part of its continuous effort for the establishment of Korean galleries at major museums, the Foundation will initiate support for the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C., which boasts more than 8.4 million visitors annually. Over the next three years, until 2006, the Foundation will work with the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution towards opening an independent Korean gallery that features Korea's cultural heritage. In addition, the Foundation plans to support three programs to invigorate the activities of existing Korean galleries, such as "Mountain Dreams," the Korean ceramics exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum. The annual workshop for Korean art curators will also be held, focusing on relics excavated from ancient Korean tombs.

In response to an increasing demand for cultural diplomacy, the Foundation will expand exchange programs, both at public and private levels, focusing on organizing performances and exhibitions in countries where Korean presence has been limited. As part of this effort, the Foundation will organize a total of twenty-seven cultural events this year, including Korean art troupe performance tours in Central and South America and Asia, and a touring exhibition of contemporary Korean art in Africa. To effectively introduce to the world Korean art works that show remarkable achievement, the Foundation will provide support for Korean art groups to participate in world-renowned cultural and artistic events. Under this program, Korean artists will attend ten arts festivals, including the New Zealand International Arts Festival and the International Cervantino Festival in Mexico.

Improving Personnel Exchanges
The Foundation has been developing a network of leaders from Korea and other countries by organizing international forums and opening regular channels for dialogue with distinguished figures at a nongovernmental level. In 2004, the Foundation will organize forums with seven countries including Japan, the U.S., China and India. In addition, the Foundation will invite young leaders from the U.S., Japan, Russia, CIS, Africa and the Middle East to Korea. It will also invite teachers and education administrators from China, Japan and several English-speaking countries to the Study Korea Program for Educators.

Reinforcing Efforts Related to Publications and Multimedia Materials
Koreana, a Korean culture quarterly, will once again be issued in French. With the addition of the French edition, the quarterly will be published in four languages￣English, Chinese, Spanish and French. The Foundation plans to add various visual materials to its Reference Materials Distribution Program, so that they can be widely used in schools and various institutions. In addition, the Foundation will continue to offer Koreana and Korea Focus, a bimonthly on current issues, in a webzine format. More information will come through ClickKorea.org, a website for Korean arts and culture, and BooksonKorea.org, a website for Korea-related books as well. These will facilitate easy and fast access to quality information on Korea that has never been so conveniently accessible before.

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