Prof. Ivan Ilchev, Rector of Sofia University in Bulgaria, will visit Korea from October 24 to 30, 2009 by invitation of the Korea Foundation.

Sofia University has a 120-year history since its establishment back in 1888, and now they are very actively developing cooperative relationships with various universities in Asian countries and seeking ways of promoting Korean studies in Bulgaria in commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the founding of the university’s Korean Center. Moreover, Sofia’s faculty including Prof. Ilchev consider that it was thanks to the efforts and investments in education and scientific fields that Korea’s rapid economic development decades ago could be achieved. So the school wants to concentrate primarily on building up and advancing exchange programs aiming not solely at professors but also students in those fields.

For the seven-day visit to Korea, he is planning to visit the National Assembly, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, and Hyundai Motor Company in Ulsan accompanied by the Bulgarian President's delegation to Korea. He is also scheduled to visit the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Seoul National University, Kangnam University, and Korea National Open University to have discussions on possible cooperation at the university level. Last but not least, there will be visits to the Unification Observatory, the Korean Folk village, Changdeokgung Palace and Gyeongju historic areas, will offer him a good opportunity to experience a diverse array of historical and cultural aspects of Korea.