Republic of Korea Ambassador gives special lecture to UCLan students

20 March 2017

Ambassadorial visit gives students unique insight into Korean Peninsula diplomacy

Korean politics and diplomacy were on the agenda at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) this week after a visit from a Republic of Korea Ambassador.

Ambassador Joonkook Hwang came to Preston to talk to Korean studies students about the current situation on the Korean peninsula and how the international community can work together to address issues around North Korea.

UCLan is one of three universities in the UK that offer undergraduate programme in Korean studies and the course has already shown an impressive growth over the last three years since its launch.

Dr Hae Sung-Jeon, lecturer in Korean language and cultural studies at UCLan, said: “It was a pleasure to invite Ambassador Hwang to the University and allow our students to meet someone currently working in Korean diplomacy and learn about his experiences.  Students had an invaluable opportunity to discuss contemporary socio-politics in the Korean peninsula and the future of Korean studies in the UK with the ambassador.”

"Students had an invaluable opportunity to discuss contemporary socio-politics in the Korean peninsula and the future of Korean studies in the UK with the ambassador."

Martha Howson who is studying Asia Pacific Studies with Korean attended the event.  She said: “The lecture was an insightful and incredible experience for everyone who attended. It is vital that the human rights violations in North Korea are made and remain a serious issue on an international scale.”

Another student, Amy Risely, added: “I knew a little bit about the subject of his talk but his talk definitely helped me gain a better understanding about the state of North and South Korea's relations in the present day.”

Korean studies at UCLan is taught under the umbrella of the International Institute of Korean Studies under the leadership of Professor Hazel Smith.  It brings together university wide research expertise on global Korea in the context of East Asian security; maritime law and conflict in East Asia; Korean language and linguistics; Asian studies; and the society, economics and international politics of North Korea.

View photos from the event on the UCLan Flickr gallery.