Opening Remarks
Korean Studies Forum in London, U.K.

Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS University of London
Amb. Gheewhan Kim, President, The Korea Foundation

(Greetings)
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,

I am Gheewhan Kim, president of the Korea Foundation. It is a great pleasure to visit SOAS, University of London, located in the heart of this globally vibrant city, and to have the opportunity to meet with Korean studies professors from the United Kingdom and beyond.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Vice-Chancellor of SOAS, Adam Habib, for organizing this timely forum. At this key moment, public interest in Korean culture is not only expanding but also deepening, finding meaningful resonance within the academic sphere.
My special thanks also go to Professor Charlotte Horlyck, head of the School of Arts, for bringing together many of the leading scholars in the UK whose sustained dedication to Korean studies has been instrumental in its steady development.

I would also like to thank the former and current presidents of the British Association of Korean Studies for their presence today. Their continued publication of the European Journal of Korean Studies, which began in 1991 as the Papers of the British Association for Korean Studies, has played a vital role in expanding the scope of Korean studies across Europe. The journal now stands as a testament to the history and growth of the field.

Today’s event is the first Korean Studies Forum to be held in the UK, featuring two overarching themes across four sessions and one roundtable discussion. The first session will offer an overview of the development and challenges of Korean studies in the UK, followed by a more focused exploration of “Contemporary Korean Art, Literature, and Media.” The roundtable and Session 3 will bring together distinguished experts on international security from both countries to discuss the theme of “UK-ROK Partnership in an Uncertain World.” The forum will then conclude with remarks from the presidents of the British Association for Korean Studies.

(Korean Studies in the UK)
The Korea Foundation was first established in 1991. In that time, we have supported a total of 170 Korean studies professorships worldwide, including 10 professorships at 7 prestigious universities in the UK.

The UK is particularly notable for its early introduction of Korean studies at universities. For instance, SOAS began offering Korean studies lectures as early as the 1940s, and the University of Sheffield followed in the 1970s. UK universities also have internationally diverse alumni, training experts of many nationalities and advancing Korean studies globally as these scholars return to their respective countries.

Many of us here celebrated author Han Kang’s Nobel Prize in Literature last year. I would like to take a moment to acknowledge Professor Grace Koh, who taught Deborah Smith, the English translator of The Vegetarian, during her graduate studies. I can only imagine the many congratulations you must have received from across the world. On behalf of the Korea Foundation, I would like to express my deep appreciation for your contribution to this remarkable achievement in Korean literature.

I would also like to recognize Professor Anders Karlsson for his longstanding dedication to translating Han Kang’s work into Swedish. The remarkable achievements we mention today, particularly the international recognition of Korean literature, have been made possible by the tireless and often unseen work of the scholars of Korean studies gathered here. Your collective contributions have helped bring Korean literature to the global stage.

(Expansion of Korean Studies)
Today, the subjects of Korean studies go beyond Korean literature. Now, they extend into film, drama, fine arts, digital contents, games, communication, and science and tech exchanges, spanning nearly all academic disciplines.

This growth is fostering inter-disciplinary programs and collaborations, especially interactions between STEM, business, art, and culture. Students are going beyond simply studying about Korea; they are beginning to learn how Korean studies can deliver or contribute to their diverse needs and life-long pursuits.

As we discuss today the growth of Korean studies in the UK and the challenges ahead, keeping these interdisciplinary connections in mind, we will be led into new aspects of contemporary Korean studies and the perspectives on their development.

(Closing)
I look forward to engaging, productive and thoughtful discussions today.

Thank you.