KF뉴스레터-Korean Studies Program at Moscow State University

Korean Studies Program at Moscow State University

The Institute of Asian and African Countries at Moscow State University is a major Russian educational center for teaching languages of Asian and African countries, along with their cultures and traditions. There are three Korea-related departments, all affiliated with the institute: Korean Economy, Korean History and Korean Language and Literature.

Students who want to major in Korea-related disciplines are required to enroll in the Korean language course, administered by the Faculty of Korean Language and Literature. This course is 16 hours a week for freshmen. Students in their second and higher years are taught Korean language together with their specialty subjects. In addition to Korean language, students are required to learn about Korea's culture, history, religions and customs.

Moscow State University

The Faculty of Korean Language and Literature came into being the same year that the Institute of Asian and African Countries was established. For several years, Professor Yuri N. Mazur, an authority on Korean Studies, headed the department. His students have been actively involved in Korean Studies and other academic activities. I, one of Professor Mazur's students, am currently leading the Faculty of Korean Language and Literature. This department has two additional full-time faculty members: Professor Chung In-sun, who earned her Ph.D. in Russian literature, and Professor Valentina Pentyukhova, a graduate of the Institute of Asian and African Countries. Building on the notable achievements of Professor Mazur, I am committed to the steady growth of Korean Studies in the years ahead.

Growing Interest in Korean Studies
Since the normalization of diplomatic relations between Seoul and Moscow in 1990, Russians' interest in Korea has exploded. As a result, many Russian students now want to study Korea-related subjects. The Faculty of Korean Language and Literature has grown exponentially and is now on par with the Chinese, Japanese and Arabic Studies departments. Currently, it has an enrollment of 40 to 45 students. If the M.A. and doctoral candidates are taken into account; however, the number of students specializing in Korean Studies at Moscow State University exceeds 50.

The Korean language course required for freshmen to fifth-year students stands at 64 hours every week. Korean Studies teachers participate in the thesis examination of Korean Studies students enrolled in Moscow State University's humanities college. As such, there is not much time for the faculty members to engage in academic activities outside the university. While the steady growth in the number of Korean Studies students is a positive development, it will contribute little to the qualitative growth of Korean Studies in Russia. Still, I take time out to get involved in related events. For instance, earlier in this summer, I took part in a Korean literature festival organized by the Gorky World Literature Research Institute and presented a paper on the "Sijo of Joseon Dynasty's Women Writers."

Our students also exhibit boundless enthusiasm for Korean Studies and take great interest in events related to Korea. Starting in February 2001, our department has sponsored an annual "Korean Night" featuring Korea's traditional music, dances, plays, and poems as well as language contests. Students play traditional Korean musical instruments like the janggu and buk, and their performance skills are said to rival those of professional musicians specialized in traditional Korean music and dance.

For some time, our department has been receiving assistance from the Korea Foundation, thanks to the good offices of Lee In-ho, current KF President and former Korean ambassador to Russia. Students of our department are given opportunities to undergo language training in Korea, while their teachers are engaged in publishing activities with grants from the Foundation. Our students have the opportunity to win a chance to travel to Korea for language education, thereby allowing them to upgrade their overall knowledge about Korea. It is auspicious that students usually make a lot of progress in their studies through the on-the-spot language-training program. Since grantees are provided with scholarships from the Foundation every month, they don't need to work part-time to earn money for tuition. As such, they can devote themselves to academic pursuits.

Plan to Publish Textbooks for Russian Students
Teachers of the Faculty of Korean Language and Literature, using grants from the Foundation, plan to publish a Korean language textbook for freshmen of Moscow State University in September this year. A book on translation of Russian into Korean is also due in December. This book is being prepared for students in their third year. We will continue our efforts to compile and publish textbooks for Korean Studies with active assistance from the Foundation. There are also plans to engage in diverse cultural and academic activities.

Finally, I'd like to mention the job prospects of graduates of our department. Most of them are engaged in advanced Korean Studies or work at the Russian Foreign Ministry and other state agencies. Some of them are employed by the Korean Embassy in Moscow, Korean enterprises doing business in Russia or Russian enterprises with business ties with Korea. Of significant note, all of our students land a job after graduation, making our department one of the most popular faculties at Moscow State University. The Institute of Asian and African Countries has a large enrollment of foreign students. Interestingly, even Chinese students are enrolled in Korea-related departments, along with Russian youths.

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Korean Studies Program at Moscow State University

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Korean Studies Program at Moscow State University

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