The Korea Foundation and Keimyung University signed a memorandum of understanding on March 4, which calls for joint efforts to organize and host the Korea-Italy Forum. By joining hands with the academic sector, the Foundation hopes to further upgrade the standing of its international forums.

The Korea Foundation maintains a global network of opinion leaders at home and abroad, which serves as a base for diverse programs to raise the international community’s awareness and understanding of Korea’s key policy issues. In particular, since 1993, the Foundation has hosted or supported bilateral forums with the four regional powers – the United States, Japan, China, and Russia – as well as other major countries and regional groups, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, India, Brazil, ASEAN, and the EU.
The forums have served as dialogue channels to facilitate the exchange of opinions on matters of mutual interest, thereby contributing to workable solutions to various problems. Consequently, there have been calls for more frequent forums to address a growing list of urgent issues demanding multilateral cooperation. Therefore, as part of the commemorative events marking its 20th anniversary this year, the Foundation has drawn up plans to substantively enhance the international status of its forums.

Partnership with Academic Sector

With a view to increasing cooperation between the public and private sectors, the Foundation has selected five Korean universities as co-hosts of its forums on the basis of their experience in hosting international events and academic relevance to concerned countries or regions. They are Keimyung University for the Korea-Italy Forum, Seoul National University for the Korea-ASEAN Forum, Yonsei University for the Korea-EU Forum, Hanyang University for the Korea-Russia Forum, and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies for the Korea-Spain Forum.

The MOU between the Foundation and Keimyung University calls for the two parties to cooperate in the planning and conducting of the Korea-Italy Forum, consultations on project details with the Italian side, selection of forum participants, provision of administrative support, and the preparation and distribution of necessary materials and reports.

Keimyung University was selected as a partner in view of its capability to promote regional development, so that the forum can help devise practical measures to support local industries and small enterprises. The Foundation will thus try to contribute to balanced development among different regions of the country.

Through its partnership with universities, the Foundation seeks to maximize the synergy benefits of cooperation with the academic sector toward strengthening intellectual capacity for Korean public diplomacy .

Bae Seung-won Public Diplomacy Department, KF