Koreana, a flagship publication of the Korea Foundation, marked its 100th edition in a symposium, held on October 19 at the KF Cultural Center Gallery, to discuss ways to provide the global community with increased access to Korea-related published content. In commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the multi-lingual quarterly magazine on Korean culture and arts, the symposium was jointly organized by the Korea Foundation and the Office of National Assemblyman Chung Moon-hun.
Since the publication of its inaugural edition its inauguration in 1987, the Korea Foundation’s Koreana has come to be recognized as a representative magazine and resource for information on the played a key role in introducing Korean culture and arts of Korea in the international community. And to commemorate On the occasion of the publication of the 100th edition of Koreana of its 100th edition, the Korea Foundation organized held a symposium event and under the theme of “Ways to Globalize Content of the Korean Publishing Industry,” which was followed by a reception.
Currently, Koreana is published in nine languages different language editions (English, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese, French, Russian, Arabic, German, and Indonesian), and distributed to some 11,000 institutions, including universities, research institutes and libraries, and individuals in 154 countries around the world. making it one of the most accessible sources of Korea-related information for diverse peoples of the global community. Along with being an informative Over the past 25 years, the magazine has built a reputation as a foremost publication on Korean culture and arts of the past and present for general readers with an interest in Korea, it is also as well as a valuable resource for Korea-related experts, researchers and students, researchers, and specialists worldwide.
The symposium brought together representatives from Korea’s the nation’s major publishing-related institutions and publishing houses, along with and Korean-section librarians from university libraries in the United States. Under a theme of “Ways to Globalize Content of the Korean Publishing Industry,” The participants discussed strategies ways to upgrade improve the quality of the content of Korea’s Korea-related publishing industry content and ways to expand the public sector’s role in these efforts.
Currently, the Korea-related publications in at overseas universities, public libraries, and book stores are far adequate too inadequate, especially when compared with China- or Japan-related materials those concernign China and Japan, while and the number quantity of Korean books on Korea offered for sale at the Internet book store, Amazon, Amazon.com stands at only 10 percent that of Chinese China-related books and 20 percent that of Japanese books Japan-related ones.
During the symposium’s panel discussion, which was presided over by Kim Myung-sup, a professor of at Yonsei University and advisor for the Foundation’s publication programs, the participants first presented insightful views opinions from the their respective professional perspectives of their area of specialization, and then engaged in an animated exchange of ideas and suggestions to help boost promote the publication of Korea-related materials so that this their content can be more widely distributed disseminated abroad.
The symposium, there was followed by a reception event that included the attendance of attended by some 150 distinguished guests and relevant figures including figures representing various sectors and members of foreign diplomatic missions. The guests included former Editors-in-Chief Peter Hyun, Hong Soon-il, and Park Jeong-yeop, current Editor-in-Chief Lee Kyong-hee, editorial board members such as Among the guests were former Hallym University President Dr. Lee Sang-woo, former president of Hallym University, and National Museum of Korea Director-General Dr. Kim Young-na, director-general of the National Museum of Korea, editors of each the nine language editions, and staff of the publishing company, along with 30 foreign diplomats serving in Korea, such as and Norwegian Ambassador to Korea Torbjørn Holthe. Peter Hyun and Hong Soon-il, former editors-in-chief of Koreana, were also present.
The reception opened with a celebratory performance by the Sollkmyung Gayageum Orchestra. Korea Foundation President and Koreana Publisher Woosang Kim made opening remarks, which was followed by a congratulatory message from former National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa. Dr. Lee In-ho, former president of the Korean Foundation and currently chairperson of the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, also made congratulatory remarks.
KF President Kim presented certificates of appreciation to four members of the magazine’s editorial board for their devoted service over more than 10 years. They were Hahn Myung-hee, former Director-General, director-general of the National Gugak Center (formerly National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts); Kim Moon-hwan, Honorary Professor, an honorary professor at Seoul National University; Kim Hwa-young, Honorary Professor, a member of the National Academy of Arts and honorary professor at Korea University; and Han Kyung-koo, Professor, a professor at Seoul National University for their service on the Koreana editorial board of 10 years or more. And finally, former editor-in-chief Hong Soon-il gave a congratulatory proposed a toast.
Media & Public Relations Center
한국국제교류재단
