KOREA FOUNDATION

In the fall of 1987, Korean society stood full of hope at a new historical crossroad. A long, drawn-out civil protest struggle put an end to the military dictatorship. At the same time, constitutional revision and a presidential election were imminent, both of which aimed to build the groundwork for a democratic and representative political system representative democracy. While citizens of all walks of life were actively striving for a mature democracy, the nation was also finding new momentum in the international arena, as it had just hosted the 1986 Asian Games and was preparing for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
  Koreana was born at a juncture at which the Republic of Korea was preparing gearing up to soar high in terms of national development both at home and abroad. The timing was not coincidental: As the host of two multinational sporting events, the nation keenly felt the need to help the international community learn about Korean culture. A broad consensus was forming that cultural enlightenment and cross-cultural communication and understanding could serve as a firm and sustainable basis of mutual goodwill and friendship and mutual understanding between nations. As the cultures of neighboring China and Japan were already well-known internationally, boasting their respective charms and characteristics to the world, it was a belated but nevertheless instructive awakening for Korea.
  Over the past three decades, Koreana has strived to deliver Korean culture and art of diverse perspectives in an approachable and easy-to-read format to readers of varied cultural backgrounds. Having begun as an English-language quarterly magazine, it has continued to expand its scope of communication and is now published in nine languages—English, French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Arabic, and Bahasa Indonesian. It has become a periodical that entertains readers in over 160 countries. One would be hard put to find a magazine that is published in more languages than Koreana anywhere else in the world. Recently, it has also become available in online (webzine) and digital (e-book) versions.
  The international community’s interest in and understanding of Korean culture has also undergone impressive growth over the last 30 years. In many parts of the world, young men and women have become fans of Korean popular culture and are eager to learn the Korean language, while foreigners’ reasons for visiting Korea the nation have greatly diversified. Korean Studies has expanded to encompass a broader spectrum of academic fields, and the number of foreign translators rendering Korean literary works into other languages is consistently increasing.
  All of these changes are significant. At the same time, they present an endless slew of challenges for all of us at Koreana. If our task over the past three decades has mostly been the accurate presentation of Korean culture’s many characteristics to the world, our future mission is to find the best way to enable Korean culture to make meaningful contributions to universal cultural development and appreciation.
  Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Koreana's founding, I would like to send my heartfelt thanks to our readers all over the world who have stood by Koreana over the years. For the editorial teams who produce editions of every issue in multiple languages with unwavering perseverance despite numerous hardships, I offer my sincerest congratulations and respect.

Koreana Editor in Chief Lee Kyong-hee