It is a great honor and pleasure for me to welcome all of you who are attending the third conference of Teach Korea Corps. It is also a very valuable time for you to share in learning and understanding more about Korea. When one says that East Asia has a long history of civilization, it often is said with mainly China and Japan in mind. Naturally, China and Japan had very important roles to play in the building of East Asian civilization. However, when you ask why and how, you need to acknowledge and include into consideration the role of Korea, located as it is between China and Japan. Korea rests in a geopolitically strategic location between continental China and oceanic Japan. But even from early times, Korea represents the northeast center of civilization which is the counterpart of the southwest center of Chinese civilization in the East Asian cultural area.

In recent history, even though Korea experienced the colonial period and suffered severe damage during the Korean War, she has preserved the essential aspects of Confucian tradition, which has all but disappeared even in China, and she carries out a purer form of Buddhism than is found in Japanese practices.

Above all, Korea is the only country in the world which became a world economic power after World War II. When Korea became an independent nation after liberation, she had only small production capacity, largely in the textile industry and in consumption industries, such as beer-making, typical of a colonial economic structure. Even the poor condition of these industries was destroyed during the Korean War. But through the efforts of hardworking people and good leadership, along with foreign aid of the United States, Korea becomes a world power, ranking 10th in world trade.

Even though Korea is still divided into two nations, it is worth learning about. Through Korea, one understands the living skills of a small nation. Through Korea, one also understands the case of a small nation in the free world, contrasted with those still in the communist world. Through Korea, one learns about the world of East Asian civilization more clearly.

Welcome once again all of you who are participating in this conference. All the discussions and exchanges of our ideas during this conference will bring good benefits for your future life.

Kwang Kyu Lee, Ph.D.
President, East Rock Institute and Emeritus Professor of Seoul National University