By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
An increasing number of Koreans have sought degrees in the U.S. since the 1990s, but those Koreans having experienced foreign culture seem not to have a better understanding of America, indicated a former U.S. diplomat.
Asia Society Chairman Richard C. Holbrooke said Tuesday, ``The Asia Society Korea Center will bridge the two countries by holding diverse, active exchange programs in the fields of policy discussion, education, business and culture.''
A former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Holbrooke made the remarks at a Seoul hotel on the occasion of the opening of the Korea Center.
With the center, Korea became the 11th country that has a country chapter of the nonpartisan institution established in 1956 to achieve a deeper mutual understanding between America and the Asia-Pacific region.
Holbrooke declined to comment on the nature of the Korea-US alliance over the past decade compared with previous decades.
But he stressed that ``the Korea-U.S. alliance will continue no matter who becomes the next American President in January.''
Asked about his views regarding escalating tension in inter-Korean relations after Pyongyang made accusations against Seoul, Holbrooke said he only wanted to focus on the Asia Society.
He said, however, that the chief U.S. envoy to the six-party talks, Christopher Hill, has done a good job so far, given that the negotiations are ``very difficult.''
Holbrooke added he had worked with Hill for a long time and was a long-time supporter of him.
Founded in 1956, the Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution created to ``strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders and institutions of Asia and the U.S.''
He stated the core mission of linking the two countries has not been fulfilled and the group plans to bridge their cultures through a variety of exchange programs.
Prof. Lho Kyong-soo of Seoul National University, who also serves as co-chairman of the Asia Society Korea Center, said it was time to work on both nations' poor understanding of each other.
Lho said mutual misunderstanding between the two countries led him and his colleagues to seek a cultural bridge here through the Korea Center.
The professor added the Korea Center plans to offer scholarships to young boys and girls from working class families.