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| Sogang University Professor Kim Jae-chun speaks during the Korea Foundation Special Lectures on Korea 2017 at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, Nov. 15. /Courtesy of Korea Foundation |
By Rachel Lee
In line with the Moon Jae-in government's moves to diversify diplomacy, the Korea Foundation sent two Korea experts to India to broaden awareness of the country and advance Korea-India relations.
At the Korea Foundation (KF) Special Lectures on Korea 2017, Nov. 15-16, about 350 students and teachers from three universities in New Delhi _ Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia and the University of Delhi _ were present.
Sogang University Professor Kim Jae-chun and Hanyang University Professor Ha Joon-kyung gave lectures on "The Inauguration of the Moon Jae-in Government, Korean Democracy, and Foreign Policy Challenges" and "Korea's Growth Strategies: Implications for India's Economic Development," respectively.
"Recently, heightened interest in Korea and its culture has dramatically increased the demand for Korean studies programs worldwide," KF President Lee Si-hyung said. "Accordingly, this special lecture program is intended to provide local students with an opportunity to learn more about Korea and to stimulate academic curiosity about Korean studies through the presentation of selected topics by specialists in the field."
The KF was founded in 1992 for international exchange and public diplomacy initiatives.
The program, part of the KF Special Lecture Series, features sessions by prominent Korean professors and specialists to broaden awareness of Korea and Korean studies. They also share their expertise with local figures and students in countries around the world. Since its establishment, the Korea Foundation has implemented a wide variety of cooperative programs with the international community to nurture mutual understanding and friendship between Korea and people from around the globe.
Professor Kim, who previously worked at Yale University as a lecturer in the Department of Political Science and the Yale Center for the International and Area Studies, pointed out the Moon government' two security challenges _ growing rivalry between the major stakeholder countries in the region and North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles program.
To deal with the Asia paradox, Kim suggests the government put in efforts to establish multilateral security institutions in the region. The government will increase deterrent and defense capabilities against the North, but at the same time it is expected to work on nuclear diplomacy with the North Koreans.
Professor Ha discussed how Korea's growth strategies have been formed and evolved over the period of dynamic development, which has been so fast that the average person has experienced a tenfold increase in personal income in a generation. The lecture covered the prerequisites of effective strategies for massive investment, education, R&D and the formation of the middle class, as well as various crises Korea has faced and overcome.
Ha stressed that growth strategies should change over time to adjust the economy to a new environment, but it is never easy to shift gears.
Earlier this month, the KF invited 11 people aged under 45 from India for the 2017 Indian Next-Generation Leaders Visit Korea program as part of efforts to boost exchanges with India. This is in line with the government's moves to improve diplomatic and economic ties with Southeast Asian countries.
The program provided participants, including Indian actress Anaswara Kumar, University of Delhi Assistant Professor Netrananda Sahu and Jawaharlal Nehru University PhD scholar Shyam Sunder with a platform for discussions with their Korean counterparts to enhance Indian-Korean cooperation. They also had an opportunity to learn about the historical, cultural, economic and socio-political aspects of Korea through an extended tour.
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