Interest in Korean studies expands in developing nations
The number of foreign applicants for the Korean studies graduate program at the Academy of Korean Studies surged more than five-fold this year compared to when the program entered its growth phase in mid-2000, the school said.
“Part of the rise can be attributed to the Korean Wave that has spread across the globe, and the growing interest in Korean culture prompted by the expanding trend of businesses going global,” said Lim Jung-hoon, head of the Academy of Korean Studies’ academic affairs division. In 2000, the institution recorded a total of 27 applicants for the whole year. For the first half of this year, it tallied 40 applicants from 15 different countries, while for the second half it registered 103 applicants from 28 countries. The Graduate School of Korean Studies, designed to provide comprehensive coverage of Korea from its history to language, was established in 1980. Until the past decade, there was little demand for the program, which attracted interest from only a few countries, including China.
Lim added that stepped-up promotion efforts by the Academy of Korean Studies played a factor in fueling the latest jump. Focus was on countries in developing regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
“We’ve put more promotion efforts on these developing regions because these countries have a dearth of Korean studies programs, and therefore less access to information on Korea and less awareness of our country, especially compared to the advanced regions like the U.S. and Europe,” Lim said. He noted that these efforts mostly involved sending tailored e-mails directly to students and researchers who may have an interest in Korea.
According to the Academy, grasping the precise conditions related to Korea-related movements -- such as in business and immigration -- in Africa and the Middle East has been a challenge. Meanwhile, the field of Korean studies has been sprouting thanks to the rise in both Korean immigrants and companies entering the Central and South America region. Some of the countries showing notable interest in Korea include Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Columbia.
Countries showing a growing interest in pursuing Korea studies are Italy, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, the Ukraine, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, China and Mongolia. Lim said the age of the applicants ranges from people in their 20s to 40s. Korean language ability and potential to complete the program are the main factors considered for admission.
“I applied for the Graduate School of Korean Studies to learn about Korea more in depth,” Ivanya, a 27-year-old Costa Rican student who applied for the second half of this year’s program, said. “Until now, my experiences in Korea have been about making memories and becoming familiar with the culture.”
Interest in Korean studies expands in developing nations
ReplyDeleteThe number of foreign applicants for the Korean studies graduate program at the Academy of Korean Studies surged more than five-fold this year compared to when the program entered its growth phase in mid-2000, the school said.
“Part of the rise can be attributed to the Korean Wave that has spread across the globe, and the growing interest in Korean culture prompted by the expanding trend of businesses going global,” said Lim Jung-hoon, head of the Academy of Korean Studies’ academic affairs division.
In 2000, the institution recorded a total of 27 applicants for the whole year. For the first half of this year, it tallied 40 applicants from 15 different countries, while for the second half it registered 103 applicants from 28 countries. The Graduate School of Korean Studies, designed to provide comprehensive coverage of Korea from its history to language, was established in 1980. Until the past decade, there was little demand for the program, which attracted interest from only a few countries, including China.
Lim added that stepped-up promotion efforts by the Academy of Korean Studies played a factor in fueling the latest jump. Focus was on countries in developing regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and Central and South America.
“We’ve put more promotion efforts on these developing regions because these countries have a dearth of Korean studies programs, and therefore less access to information on Korea and less awareness of our country, especially compared to the advanced regions like the U.S. and Europe,” Lim said.
He noted that these efforts mostly involved sending tailored e-mails directly to students and researchers who may have an interest in Korea.
According to the Academy, grasping the precise conditions related to Korea-related movements -- such as in business and immigration -- in Africa and the Middle East has been a challenge. Meanwhile, the field of Korean studies has been sprouting thanks to the rise in both Korean immigrants and companies entering the Central and South America region. Some of the countries showing notable interest in Korea include Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Columbia.
Countries showing a growing interest in pursuing Korea studies are Italy, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, the Ukraine, Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, China and Mongolia.
Lim said the age of the applicants ranges from people in their 20s to 40s. Korean language ability and potential to complete the program are the main factors considered for admission.
“I applied for the Graduate School of Korean Studies to learn about Korea more in depth,” Ivanya, a 27-year-old Costa Rican student who applied for the second half of this year’s program, said. “Until now, my experiences in Korea have been about making memories and becoming familiar with the culture.”
By Yoo Soh-jung (sohjung@heraldm.com)