2024 Dungsil Dungsil AsIa Culture Festival West Asia and Korea: A Leap Towards a New Future

 

Date: Friday, 1^st  November, 2024

(Note: The exhibition will take place on October 31st and November 1st.

Location: Asia Center, Seoul National University

Organization: HK Mega Research Team AsIA Humanities Dissemination Center & West Asia Center, Seoul National University Asia Center (SNUAC)

 

 

• Special Exhibition: Oman: The Land of Luban and Country of Sindbad
• Photos of Omani landscape, Frankincense, Omani traditional dhow, and other items
• Date: 9 AM – 6 PM, 31^st Oct (Thu) – 1^st Nov (Fri), 2024
• Location: Asia Center 3^rd floor, Asian Square

*Please note: After the lecture on 1^st Nov, there will be 20-minute curation led by the         Omani Embassy from 11:40 AM.

 

• Special Lectures & Round Table
  • Date: 11 AM – 5:30 PM, 1^st Nov (Fri), 2024
  • Location: Asia Center 2^nd floor, Samik Hall
    • Lectures and Round Table will be held on the 2^nd floor, Samik Hall
    • Curated Exhibition will be held on the 3^rd floor Asian Square
    • Luncheon will be held on the 2^nd floor Square and Terrace

 

 

<Morning Session>   Oman: The Land of Luban and Country of Sindbad Lecture and Cultural Experience with the Ambassador of Oman

 

1. Schedule

• Date: 11:00 – 1:30 PM, Friday, 1st November, 2024
• Location: Samik Hall (2^nd floor) & Asian Square (3^rd floor), Asia Center

 

2. Program Details

Following the lecture by the Ambassador of Oman on the second floor of Samik Hall, participants will move to the third floor, Asian Square, to experience Omani culture and cuisine.

 

After the lecture concludes, from 11:50 AM, Omani diplomats and students will conduct a 20-minute curation, explaining the exhibition photographs and items on the third-floor Asian Square. Then, Luncheon, featuring Arabic dishes and refreshments, will be served on the 2^nd floor Square and terrace starting at 12:10 PM.

 

Arabic cuisine will be provided by Saffron Restaurant (specializing in Arabic cuisine), traditional sweets by the Omani Embassy, and a general lunch menu from SNU Sharsha.

 

3. Background

In 2024, Asia Center proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between South Korea and the Sultanate of Oman. The upcoming festival aims to promote the understanding of Oman’s rich history and culture amongst South Koreans, with the ultimate goal of enhancing cooperation between the two countries.

 

3-1. Oman-South Korea Relations and its Characteristics

South Korea and Oman have maintained a strong partnership since establishing diplomatic ties in 1974. As a critical ally of South Korea and an essential player in the international community, Oman has consistently supported and embraced South Korea’s foreign policies.

 

Since 1974, South Korea and Oman successfully ratified the Aviation Agreement (1983), the Cultural Agreement (1994), the Agreement on the Establishment of Desalination Research Institute in the Middle East (1996), the Investment Guarantee Agreement (2003), and the Prevention of the Double Taxation Agreement (2005). Oman also forged an intimate economic partnership with South Korea. Whereas Oman accounted for 10% (5th place) of Korea’s total natural gas imports, South Korea accounted for 1.96% (10th place) of Oman’s import market as of 2020,

 

In recent years, Oman has been a reliable client of the South Korean government and enterprises for construction, industrial equipment, and civil engineering projects. South Korea also has been exporting oil tankers and LNG ships to Oman. The Korean Wave has had a significant impact on Oman, with K-dramas and K-pop becoming increasingly popular among the younger generations. “Squid Game” was a top-ranking Netflix TV show in Oman for a few weeks in 2021, highlighting the surging demand for South Korean content. The growing interest of Oman’s people in the South Korean language, food, traditions, and tourist attractions bodes well for the future.

 

Despite the primary focus on economic exchanges in the past, Oman’s “Vision 2040” outlines the potential for taking another step and expanding cooperative relations in various sectors such as logistics, fisheries, renewable energy, tourism, and cultural industries. Asia Center certainly expect to see further development in these bilateral relations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<Afternoon Session>   Interactions Between West Asia and South Korea Special Lectures and Round Table

 

1. Schedule

• Date: 2:00 – 5:30 PM, Friday, 1^st November, 2024
• Location: Samik Hall (2^nd floor), Asia Center

 

2. Background

The aim is to delve into the experiences of a myriad of Asian individuals who have settled in South Korea. Asia Center is especially interested in the experiences of West Asian people residing in South Korea and their motives for immigration, which include education, work, marriage, and international engagements. By sharing varied experiences, Asia Center hopes to provide a platform for sharing experiences and developing relationships between South Koreans and West Asians.

 

3. Programs Details

 

(Session 1) Special Lectures: Korean Studies in West Asia and West Asian Studies in South Korea

 

• Topic 1: Korean Studies in West Asia

Göksel Türközü, head of the Ericyes Eurasia Korea Research Center at Ericyes University, is expected to present insights into the evolving field of Korean Studies in West Asia. He will likely discuss the growing interest in Korean culture, language, and politics within the region, as well as potential future developments in academic exchanges.

 

• Topic 2: West Asian Studies in South Korea

Salaheldin Abdelaziz Ali Elgebily, a professor in the Department of Arabic at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, is set to explore the expanding focus on West Asian and Arabic cultures within South Korean academia. His talk will likely cover language education and the cultural bridges being built between South Korea and West Asia.

 

(Session 2) Round Table: Interactions between West Asia and South Korea: Culture, Migration, and Education

 

• Discussant 1: Jong Ok Bae (Producer, KBS World Radio, Arabic Service)

As a producer at KBS World Radio, Arabic Service, Bae is expected to discuss the role of media in enhancing cultural exchanges between South Korea and West Asia, mainly through broadcasting and public diplomacy.

 

• Discussant 2: Yeon Woo RA (Refugee Activist, Naomi Center)

Yeon Woo, a refugee activist from the Naomi Center, will likely address the complex issues surrounding migration between West Asia and South Korea, focusing on refugee support and integration strategies.

 

• Discussant 3: Abdul Qodos Nahid (Graduate Student, Sungkyunkwan Univ.)

As a graduate student in the Department of History at Sungkyunkwan University, Nahid will examine future educational exchanges between South Korea and West Asia, focusing on the role of academic collaboration in strengthening mutual understanding and fostering long-term relationships between the two regions.

 

*Please note that the content of the discussions may vary depending on the circumstances of the day.