KF Korean Studies Seminar in Stockholm, Sweden
Welcoming Remarks

Amb. Gheewhan Kim, President, The Korea Foundation

Monday, June 3, 2024
Radisson Blu Royal Viking Hotel Stockholm

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you for coming and welcome to the Korean Studies Seminar in Stockholm. I am Gheewhan Kim, president of the Korea Foundation.

This is the 2nd Korean Studies Forum after the 1st Forum on May 24 this year in Austin, Texas. In good collaboration with Korean studies professors, Korea Foundation would like to provide better support and better assistance to the ongoing efforts of Korean studies in Europe.

I look forward to working closely with AKSE and ENKRS members in order to further strengthen Korean studies in Europe and beyond.

Since its inception in 1991, the KF has established more than 30 Korean studies professorship positions in 10 European countries.

We have been and now more focused on increasing efforts to help strengthen regional clusters of collaboration among universities and pool their resources each other. E-school classes from Korea are being expanded in collaboration with Korean studies professors overseas.

As for the regional clusters, a good example of regional clusters collaboration in Europe is the “CIVIS Global e-school Program,” which is led by the University of Tuebingen, and the “Nordic-Baltic Korean Studies Days,” co-organized by eight universities in six Nordic and Baltic countries. Starting this year, we will be providing e-resources to Germany.

As global interest in Korea builds up, Korean studies are now covering not only classical subjects of language, literature, history, sociology, and anthropology. But also, based on new demands, they extend rapidly into new subjects of art, contents, communication, science and technologies, that now cover most academic subjects for Korean Studies.

In response to a surge of demand for STEM and Art, business exchanges with Korea, the Korea Foundation is willing to discuss a possibility of Korean studies professors playing and tapping new opportunities for Korean studies extension.

I believe this seminar will provide a timely opportunity to share thoughts and explore collaboration further. The KF looks forward to working closely with AKSE and ENKRS members in achieving these goals.

In closing, I would like to thank you all for joining today, and look forward to your continued, valuable contributions.

Thank you.