I have noted previously that one of the outstanding aspects of Korean education is the development of educational comic books aimed at elementary school students that present rather complex information about contemporary society and the world in a readable and entertaining manner. These educational comic books are so well done that I think they deserve to be translated into English for international use.
I decided to fast for the entire day on Saturday, June 23. There were a variety of reasons why I did so. I last fasted in 1997. I did so at that time in solidarity with the starving people in North Korea. I felt that I needed to know what it was like to go hungry, granted for me it was just a short experiment. In 1997, I did so at a time when a large number of people were fasting for that same purpose.
I had a chance to visit the Sungmisan School (성미산학교) in Seoul today for their yearly festival and I spoke a few minutes with one of its founders, Yu Chang-bok (유창복) and the current principle Park Bok-seon (박복선).
Founded in 1996, Sungmisan School is one of the best-known of the alternative schools in Korea, running a program from nursery school through high school—and there is even a plan to establish a university. The school puts a tremendous emphasis on the role of students in society, and particularly courses related to the environment and agriculture (while the school is located in the middle of Seoul).
I recently received a note from two individuals in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who have engaged in an in ambitious project to build a center for Korean culture in Grand Rapids that could serve as a hub for introducing Korea to Americans. Tragically, although Americans drive Hyundais and watch Samsungs, many know more about North Korean missiles than they do about Korean history and culture. The approach put forth is very innovative and inspired. Dr.Deborah Havens, a scholar who has taken a deep interest in Korean culture since her son Haight married an Korean woman (and she was blessed with three grandchildren with Korean roots), has teamed up with the Korean-American Professor Arthur K. J. Park to launch a new initiative for education about Korea in the United States. Professor Park has already started his own effort to introduce Korea to Americans through his Morning Crane Tea and Morning Earth Korea projects (including cultural tours to Korea).
서울신문
2012년 5월 16일
“외국학생의 한국어 능력 떨어지는 까닭”
임마누엘 페스트라이쉬
전 세계적으로 한국어 교육 열풍이 일고 있다. 한국 대학에서 한국어로 강의하는 수업을 듣는 외국인 학생들의 수도 상당히 늘어났다. 한국인들은 한국어를 배우려는 외국인들을 낯설어하면서도 상당히 잘해 주려고 한다. 그러나 애석하게도 그러한 친절함이 도리어 부정적인 결과를 가져오기도 한다. 가장 심각한 문제는 많은 외국학생이 고급 한국어를 구사할 정도로 배우지 못하고 있으며, 복잡한 내용의 표현이나 멋들어진 에세이를 쓰지 못한다. 이는 부분적으로 한국어 교재의 부재, 혹은 한국어 교육지침이 제대로 되어 있지 않기 때문이다. 그러나 더욱 큰 문제는 한국어를 배우려는 외국인들에 대한 한국인의 선입견에 있다.
When I wrote the article about the “Café Revolution in Korea,” I did not go into a sufficient consideration of what is driving this craze for cafes. I would say that they make no economic sense. There seem to be cafes sprouting up on every corner and in the case of the road leading up the Kyung Hee University, I would go as far as to say that it is almost wall to wall coffee shops, many empty.
April 15, 2012
We held the first of a new series of focused seminars on eight challenges facing Korea today with a discussion of Korea’s current social and economic conditions. The program, run in cooperation with Tasan Books and GCS, will continue over the next six months.
April 13, 2012
This interview on the Korea Scholarship Foundation Blog concerns important issues in education today.
한국장학재단블로그
This article in the Segye Ilbo Newspaper discusses my ideas about the importance of the humanities and the Korean tradition of the scholar “Seonbi”
March 19, 2012
Emanuel Pastreich interview in Segye Ilbo Newspaper
More on why we need to demand more proficiency in Korean language of internationals
Emanuel Pastreich
February 8, 2012
There are several underlying factors behind the reluctance of Koreans to demand high proficiency in Korean from foreigners.
First, the Korean language is viewed primarily as an extension of Korean ethnic identity, and not as an object for objective investigation and evaluation. Many Koreans think that ethnic Koreans should speak perfect Korean and foreigners are a bit odd if they speak any Korean at all. Most Koreans evaluate ability in