Korean Studies in Indonesia: Present State and What The Future Holds

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Korean Studies in Indonesia: 
Present State and What The Future Holds 
Suray Agung Nugroho 

Forewords

More and more Indonesian students are eyeing on Korean language as their major in universities. There are increasingly considerable numbers of Indonesian students who want to pursue their higher studies in Korea. Korean popular culture has triggered and shaped strong fan base in Indonesia. As an Indonesian and someone who is currently residing and studying in Korea, I do acknowledge those facts. Indonesia—like many other parts of the world—can no longer refrain itself from the ever-growing conundrum of Korea’s influencing charms. Before jumping into the core content of this paper, I would like to present two notions of what I have in mind while writing this paper. First, it is none other than an apparent gaze into Korea-Indonesia relation in the current state through K-wave. It is simply because talking about these two coutnries relation ( in the current theme) would be seemingly meaningless and unattractive without taking into account the currently steady in-flow of Korean contemporary culture’s influences into Indonesia—although it is debatable. What I would like to propose is that—apparently as of now--hallyu is consciously and unconsciously the current blood vessel of Korea’s influences into Indonesia to a larger extent, and Indonesia’s influences into Korea to a lesser extent. If we take a look into a lot of recent news related to Korea-Indonesia relation, hallyu with its prowess and charms have somewhat highlighted news on both countries’ relation—be it the news actually deals with economy or politics, it somehow manages to weave itself seamlessly with Korea’s popular culture. Second, I would like to point out the fact that back in 2009 Indonesia and Korea updated their five-decade long relationship by initiating a strategic partnership in various fields of cooperation. Even, both countries’ head of states stated their interest to continue develop the present relation. In 2011 once again the governments of Indonesia and South Korea signed nine Memorandum of understanding (MoU) in economic cooperation and investment. It is reported that such business partnership agreements could make Indonesia as South Korea’s main overseas investment hub in the world (? Some say that big question mark is in need here!). The presence of hundreds of Korean companies operating in Indonesia, the steady economic relation, and the increasing number of people visiting respective country especially the cultural exchanges between the two countries have partly shaped the bilateral ties between Indonesia and Korea. Five years passed. Has something tremendous occurred? No one really knows, since everyone may have different perspectives on evaluating the relation between Koera-Indonesia. Based on that, what I outline in this paper is not based on high-level/governmental ties, instead, I would base the content by referring to the current trend of Korean Studies in Indonesia through the eyes of 3 institutions: Center for Korean Studies (especially the one in UGM), INAKOS (International Association of Korean Studies in Indonesia) as well as PERPIKA (Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia di Korea – Indonesian Students Association in Korea) of which I am involved in those three. Based on those, I am going to start presenting how Korean Studies has been developing or at least viewed in Indonesia. But, before going deeper into that, I better off clarify the notion or fact that if we are to bring up a term as fascinating and academically new as Korean Studies in Indonesia, any lay person would easily understand it as or refer it simply to “Korean Language”. From this point of view alone, I would like to suggest that Korean Studies in Indonesia is still in its post-initial stages or phases. By this, what I mean is that it is not even yet as grounded or vastly recognized as that of American Studies or Middle Eastern Studies, for instance. But, I can assure you that it does not mean that it lacks attention or activities worth-sharing. The current state that I am going to present here would reveal the opposite.

A Glimpse Gaze on Korean Studies in Indonesia through its Initial Years

As I previously pointed out, how is it—then—possible that Korean Studies in Indonesia is still regarded as in its post-initial stages after its initial introduction since the latter half of the 1980s which means it is roughly more than two decades up to now? To answer that question, I would embark on a brief historical perspective on how Korean Studies (read: Korean Language to a certain extent) marked its steps in Indonesia. Then, I would continue on presenting about the current state and its existing problems that may hinder its current development and what the future may hold for the advancement of Korean Studies in Indonesia. In this respect, I think it important to point out that two national universities in Indonesia (Gadjah Mada University-UGM and University of Indonesia-UI) have placed themselves as the center of excellence for Korean studies in Indonesia. I do not exxagerate this term as these two universities have been securing and maintaining their roles in indirectly and directly support Korea-Indonesia relation. To start with, Korean language was offered as non-credit courses since 1986 in UI. Afterward, it gradually became an elective course since 1996 in UI and since 1995 in UGM. With support from KOICA, Korea Foundation, and other parties, both institutions initiated their elective courses on Korean language for any undergraduate students interested in learning the language—which turned out to be quite a big hit among students. After several years of being offered as elective courses, the year 2003 marked a breakthrough for the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM since it officially established the 3-year program on Korean language. Then, to top it off, the Center for Korean Studies at UGM was established on October 24, 2006. It was the second Center for Korean Studies in Indonesia. At the same year, an Undergraduate Program of Korean Language was established at Faculty of Humanities, UI in 2006—the first undergraduate program in the country and followed by the same department at Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM in 2007. All of them were designed to cater the increasing demand of both students and scholars’ interest in Korea-related studies (read: Korean Language to a larger extent). As for the Center for Korean Studies, UGM being the second one in the country, this leads me to present another fact that should not be missed when it comes to talking about Korea-related studies in Indonesia. At this point, it would be historically distorted should I not mention another university regarded as the first university in Indonesia to ever start the Korean language courses or department in Indonesia. This is a private university called Universitas Nasional (UNAS) in Jakarta. In 1987 the former rector of UNAS, Prof. Dr. Mr. Sutan Alisjahbana and HUFS alumni association in Indonesia initiated the roots of Korean language education in Indonesia at this university and at the same year, the first Center for Korean Studies in Indonesia that would cater the need for courses, seminars, as well as researches on Korea was established. Then, in 1995 UNAS & ABANAS (The National Academy for Foreign Languages) opened its 3-year course on Program Studi Bahasa Korea or Korean Language Study Program—the first of its kind in Indonesia. Based on a short overview on how Korean Studies was initiated in Indonesia, it is evident that starting from the late 1980s up to the mid 1990s, there had been no significant changes on the Korean Studies development since it kept on its presence as a mere medium for Korean language mediation (elective courses to students) to cater the rising interest on Korea. Only after the development of the officially recognized and authorized Korean language departments at three universities, the development of Korean Studies through Pusat Studi Korea (Center for Korean Studies) as well as INAKOS in the latter half of the 2000s, Korean Studies in Indonesia has somewhat shifted its gear towards another promising direction. Pusat Studi Korea in Indonesia? INAKOS? What are those? And where do they stand in the midst of Korean Studies issue in Indonesia? Where will they lead and what roles do they play in Korea-related studies in Indonesia? With those questions in mind, I could now start to present the current state of Korean Studies in Indonesia.

The Current State of Korean Studies in Indonesia

It would be an understatement to say that Korean Studies flourished in Indonesia merely due to the rising interest on Korea among Indonesians or merely due to the rising prowess and importance of Korea in Indonesia. In fact, it would be wise to deem it as a mutual interaction that happened to spark in the right momentum. Despite the fact that Korea had been way ahead of Indonesia in term of seizing the future by establishing Malay-Indonesia Department at HUFS in 1963, the fact that Indonesia had just actively embraced the similar trend in the 1990s (by initiating Korea-related studies) should never be deemed as a space-and-time disadvantage. To some extent, Korea has successfully secured its place in the international arena by ‘seizing the future’ since the 1960s and Indonesia is doing the same thing to keep its place in maintaining its future with Korea. I think the previous sentence of this paragraph is worth-noted prior to reading further. Now, back to the issue, it is indispensible to acknowledge that the support from scholars, researchers, and institutions dealing with Korean studies be it from Indonesia and Korea is significant. All of the previously mentioned departments and Centers have shown an increasing trend of development thanks to their support and endeavors. With the support from Korean Embassy and Korea-related institutions like the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Korea Foundation, KOICA, the Academy of Korean Studies, partner universities in Korea, and many others, the departments have developed tremendously in the past eight years. Apart from that, Center for Korean Studies and INAKOS (The International Association of Korean Studies in Indonesia)—established in 2009 at UGM—has somewhat imbued the varied arrays of Korea-related studies in the country. Currently, efforts to establish the Master Program in Korean Studies is underway both at UGM and UI—with bumpy roads ahead—the topic which I would deal with later on. Once accomplished, it will widen the range and choices of Korea-related studies for Indonesian students and scholars. Right after Korea-related studies was introduced at those universities in Indonesia, the number of students enrolled and the number of mutual cooperation among universities and institutions in Korea and Indonesia alike have flourished. This simple fact indicates the prospective future that Korea-related studies have in Indonesia. This fact—as most of us are aware of—also asserts the importance of universities to play pivotal roles in the future development of Korean studies. Thus, in order to give a general view of each university’s current state of Korean Studies, the following elaboration would be of help.

•Korean Studies in Faculty of Humanities, University of Indonesia (UI) – Jakarta Since 2006 the Korean Language Department offers 144 credits in undergraduate course to students. With subjects range from language, literature, social, and economic aspects of Korea, this department has attracted a worth-noted historical mention in Indonesia’s first ever undergraduate program since in its first installment, it had attracted as many as 1047 enthusiasts to get enrolled at the program which only allotted 28 seats for the chosen ones. This alone had proven the competitiveness to enter the program. It has since been the second most attractive program in humanities studies after English. As of now, the department receives around 40 students on an annual basis. Thanks to department and university’s rigorous efforts, students benefit a lot from varied cooperation with the likes of partner universities in Korea and Korean companies in Indonesia to maintain its existence and the learning process. Not to mention the roles of lecturers (both Indonesian and Koreans) who graduated from numerous universities in Korea & Indonesia. All of those combined have helped shaped the current existence of Korean studies in University of Indonesia.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) – in Jogjakarta Quite different from its counterpart in UI, UGM offers two programs of Korean Language Department, one is geared towards a 3-year program and the other is a 4-year program (undergraduate program). The first one is under the Vocational School administration while the latter one is under the Faculty of Cultural Sciences. Despite the fact that they are under different management, many of the lecturers or faculty members are interchangeable which means that they teach at two different programs. As for the number of students, the program selects as many as 40 students in undergraduate program and 30 students at vocational program. Thus, around 70 promising students are enrolled on an annual basis. As of 2015, there are around 300 students currently enrolled at both departments at UGM. Since they are different in nature, the undergraduate program with its 144 credits offer both Korean language and subjects like economics, culture, politics, and other subjects related to Korea. On the other hand, at Vocational School, while Korea-related subjects are also offered, their percentages are not as many as the Korean language (110 credits). In term of their faculty members, both local and native speakers mainly from KOICA (until 2013) are the driving force behind its operational scheme. In short, an ever growing number of students and the changing situation in the department in itself show the dynamism of Korean Studies at UGM. Cooperation with PAS (Pacific Asia Society) and students from Korean universities through cultural exchange program also highlight the success of the program. Apart from that, when it comes to UGM, it is also worth to know that the Center for Korean Studies UGM has played some pivotal roles like paving the way for the establishment of Korean Department as well as supporting the initiation of INAKOS since this Center is currently the headquarter of INAKOS. In order to give a quick look at what the Center has successfully carried out for the past decade in fostering the Korean Studies development in Indonesia, out of numerous activities, The Korean Studies Workshop for High School Teachers is one activity worth-appreciating. As of 2014, there have been 9 installments of the Korean Studies Workshop for high school educators in Indonesia. With the full support The Korea Foundation, this workshop was initiated in 2004. To certain extent, its goal is to disseminate the Korean Studies to the teachers of high school across Indonesia through which teachers could participate in discussion and talks and have the chance to know in-depth about Korea. The invited teachers are provided with programs to make them understand and learn Korea through a series of lectures on Korea by scholars who have studied and learn about Korea. It is also to help teachers prepare and give them materials to teach in classes. More importantly, it is also intended to promote mutual understanding and friendship between Korea and Indonesia. The most important part is that the workshop is conducted in Jogjakarta within close vicinity of UGM and Center of Korean Studies. With some additional activities like introducing hanbok and Korean food to the participants, the workshops have attracted as many as 400 teachers across diverse provinces in Indonesia. All in all, this workshop has garnered its purpose to give some understanding and learning about Korea together with other different people from other regions which turns out to be also useful in strengthening the sense of unity among the participants as suggested by the evaluation from the participants after completing the workshop.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Nasional (UNAS) in Jakarta As the first university in Indonesia to set up Center for Korean Studies (1987) and offered Korean language program, UNAS is always regarded as an important university in this case. Starting from 2005, under its official 3-year program on Korean language, the department receives around 30 students annually. Up until the latter half of 2000s, there had been no changes or additional universities offering either elective classes about Korean language or culture to students. Since then, more universities showed off their budding interests in establishing Korea-related programs, starting by offering Korean language course through the so-called Korean Centers. These universities are:

•Korean Studies in Universitas Lambung Mangkurat (UNLAM) in South Kalimantan In an effort to fulfill the needs of Korean language-literate among students or human resources in the Province of South Kalimantan—one of the natural resources-rich provinces in Kalimantan—as well as to flourish the growing business and education in the province in the midst of the increasing ties between Korea and Indonesia, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat set up PUSKO (Pusat Studi Korea-Center for Korean Studies) in 2006. Most of its activities deals with the teaching of Korean language; introducing Korean arts, dances, traditions, songs; disseminating information on Korea to both students and any enthusiasts willing to learn about Korea. Based on its website, it main activity relates to offering courses on Korean language at basic level. With teachers from KOICA and its cooperation with universities in Korea, this Center manages its activities up to now. With its limitations, the Center is worth-mentioning and paying attention to since it is the first of its kind on the island of Kalimantan. More than that, although it is far from being regarded as full-fledged program as those in UI and UGM, still; it is set up at a university level—which could be an added value should a broader and higher level of Korean Studies be developed in this university.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS) in Makassar, South Sulawesi In September 2007 one more university in Indonesia offered Korean language class (2 credits) into one of the elective subjects in its curriculum. However, no further information could be gained about the continuity or as to whether the budding interest in Korea at Universitas Hasanuddin has evolved into a Center like in other universities.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) in Semarang, Central Java Through the so-called KSC (Korean Studies Center), this university has been successful to a certain degree in maintaining its Center’s presence up to the current state. On October 31, 2007 the Center was inaugurated with the acknowledgement and support from KOICA and the Korean Embassy in Jakarta. Revolving its activities mainly in introducing the Korean language and culture, this Center has been annually holding Korea-related events with lots of appreciation. This Center is dubbed as the pioneer to lay a foundation for further development of Korean Department at this university.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Komputer Indonesia (UNIKOM) in Bandung, West Java Initiated on October 2010, UNIKOM signed an agreement with Youngsan University and opened up its cooperation and then, on September 10, 2012 a Center for Korean Studies was established as a manifestation of the university’s cooperation with Youngsan University. It is also reported that it is aimed to facilitate students eager to learn Korean language within university as well as other cooperation. As of September 2014, both universities witnessed the graduation of their ‘dual degree’ program. However, what the future holds about the continuity of this agreement and cooperation needs further elaboration.

•Korean Studies in Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) in Bandung, West Java Previously designed to teach Korean t Korea-bound migrant workers, the program is now also intended to cater the needs of students wishing to pursue their graduate studies in Korea through Korean scholarship programs, as well as people in general who wish to learn Korean language. In its website, it is also mentioned that the course includes Korean culture classes so as to prepare the students to avoid culture shock.

Those are some of the current development of Korea-related studies in Indonesia. Deliberately, in this paper I do not include Korean-government sponsored activities at 한국문화원 or Korean Cultural Center in Jakarta or any development of Cia-Cia tribe in their usage of Hangeul and Korean-language in their island.

Based on the previously described rendition on the strings of development or establishment of Korean Studies Center across Indonesia, one could easily jump into a conclusion that Korea-related studies have indeed been increasing in Indonesia. To some extent, it might turn out to be true. However, seen from the fact that those Centers are mainly dealing with the present state or role of extending their doors as a mere Korean language & cultural center, they are way too far ahead of identifying themselves as the Center for Korean Studies. I do not propose or argue that it is incorrect or wrong, but as its name suggest, the first thing that should have been considered and thought of prior to setting up such Centers is—above all—the availability and the promptness of the university to provide the human resources in the first place. Even UI and UGM—the leading universities in terms of their historical background and capacity—still lacks of and in constant need of more faculty members and researchers in Korean Studies. This fact—sadly enough—still typifies the current state of Korean Studies Center or Korean Studies situation in Indonesia. Of course, there have been numerous graduates from the Korean language program in UNAS, UI, and UGM, but their number is still insignificant to the demand in workforce. And, to make it even bleaker, a lot of graduates prefer to find jobs rather than pursuing or upgrading themselves with higher studies —which is viewed as a prerequisite of a more developed and advanced Korean Studies. At this point, in the case of universities in Indonesia which are still struggling to provide experts in Korean Studies, I have personally changed a notion that those learning Korean language in universities should no longer be the ones who should or necessarily be the ones who should keep on learning Korea in a wider-perspectives. This applies only for those who want to work after graduating. However, for those who still have passion to learn and keep on studying more on Korea, opportunities of training and facilitating them to be experts on Korean Studies field are wide open—through further studies in Korean Studies either in Korea or in other countries. This is where I would like to suggest my second thought on solving the matter. There are about 400 Indonesian students who are currently studying in Korea. These younger generations who are currently in the forefront of learning in Korea studying various aspects of fields of knowledge are future of Korean Studies in Indonesia. I am not saying that those studying in Indonesia are not. Simply, I want to emphasize that the existing students are—to a certain degree—Koreanist in themselves. They have come a long way to secure their lot and chances to be expert on varied knowledge. Despite the fact that some of them may not directly learn the social, economic, and cultural aspects of Korea in classes, the fact that they pursue—say—their engineering, technology, and other fields right in the heart of Korean society, for at least two and up to five years of their time spent, they have come to be exposed to the real situation of Korean atmosphere be it in term of education and social environment they live in. By assuming and understanding this fact, I could daringly say that the current so-called perpetual lacking of Korean studies experts in Indonesia is just a mere pessimistic point of view. The problem now lies in the way to combine the vast arrays of expertise from those students and to unite them into one mindset, i.e. an increasingly essential need of Korean Studies in term of bridging the flourishing Korea and Indonesia relation at present and in the future.

This is where the vital role of INAKOS sets in. An Overview on INAKOS and What the Future Holds for Korean Studies in Indonesia With the ever-changing yet a promising condition of how universities in Indonesia engage themselves in Korean Studies and with the increasing number of Indonesian graduates from Indonesia and Korea alike, this is where INAKOS (The International Association of Korean Studies in Indonesia - 인도네시아국제한국학회) sets in. Established on May 7, 2009, INAKOS attempts to support the current development of Korean studies in Indonesia by accommodating the various interests in Korean studies from international and Indonesian scholars, young generations, and those graduated from Korean institutions to develop the Korean studies at home. However, it is not an easy feat to nurture and develop the presence of INAKOS without mutual cooperation among the members of INAKOS and other institutions within and outside Indonesia. As an international association, INAKOS has a lot to do and prepare in order to maintain and strengthen its existence. Starting from this on, I would elaborate INAKOS and its importance in Korean Studies. It is worth to note three current challenges that INAKOS has to cope with. First, not all Indonesians graduated from Korea would further apply their knowledge and expertise to develop Korea-related studies in Indonesia. Irrespective of the above fact, the number of scholars and students pursuing higher education in Korea is increasing. In itself, this has been a tremendous leap from the previous decade. They are the prospective and promising future of Korean studies in Indonesia. Second, INAKOS has to find ways to secure its place among international communities of Korean studies. Third, INAKOS has to prove its existence by incorporating both academic and nonacademic activities to cater the needs of its members. In the end, it is important to point out that any INAKOS activities must surely give positive impacts to Indonesia-Korea relation at present and future time. To give a glimpse perspective of what INAKOS has been carrying out up to the present state, I would like to present the activities and books published by INAKOS—hoping that these would prove and base the optimistic view on the bright future of Korean Studies in Indonesia in the years to come. First, let me give an overview on the series of books about Korea for Indonesian readers published by INAKOS. Second, I would present the seminar or forums held by INAKOS dealing with Korean Studies. Then, lastly, the journals published by INAKOS are worth mentioning as well. To start with, it is worth to know that the published books related to Korea are distributed to anyone interested in Korea in Indonesia; ranging from schools, institutions, individuals, businessmen, teachers, academics, and many other parties. As of April 2015, there are eight (8) books out of the 10 series being planned. Here are the lists and remarks on the books respectively and for illustration only, I include some covers of the books worth-sharing.

1)Sejarah Korea Menuju Masyarakat Modern: Beberapa Peristiwa Penting (The History of Modern Korean Society: Some Key Events) This book deals with the current and contemporary history of Korea such as Dokdo island issue, Hallyu, North-South Korea issues, Korean economic challenges, Saemaeul Undong movement, Nuclear Energy Plant issues, and other current issues that marks the history of contemporary Korea. After a series of workshops and editing processes, the book was published in October 2010. Being the 1st book, it is written in an introductory level as well as in in-depth level so as to provide a meaningful understanding about Korean history for junior and senior high school students as well as university students and scholars.

2)Politik dan Pemerintahan Korea (Korean Politics and Government) It is the second book in the series of book about Korea written solely in Bahasa Indonesia for the purpose of disseminating Korea-related issues to larger audience in Indonesian society. The book was published in February 2011 by inviting scholars both from Indonesia and Korea to write papers and ideas on Korean politics and governmental issues.

3)Huruf Hangeul dan Bahasa Korea (Hangeul and Korean Language) It is the third book in the series of book about Korean written solely in Bahasa Indonesia and was published in May 2011 by inviting scholars both from Indonesia and Korea to write papers and ideas on Korean language issues. The nature of the content is written in relatively basic and introductory level so as to give a highlight and an introductory acknowledgment on the issues of Korean language. To give the feel of what the book covers about, it is better to jot down some of the titles listed on the books. They are among others: Idu: The Ancient Korean Alphabet; The Philosophical Dimensions of Korean Language; The Structural Characteristics of Korean Language; Some Obstacles in Learning Korean Language; The Numerical System of Korean Language: Structure, Function, and Its Dynamics Korean Language in The First Decade of The 21st Century; Hangeul and Korean Wave; Hangeul and Korean Culture in Bau-Bau; and Two Models towards International Language.

4)Pusparagam Sosial Budaya Korea (The Socio-Cultural Arrays of Korea) It is the fourth book in the series of book about Korean written solely in Bahasa Indonesia for the purpose of disseminating Korea-related issues to larger audience in Indonesian society. The book was published in July 2011 by inviting scholars both from Indonesia (from various universities in Indonesia) and Korea to write papers and ideas on the diversities and varieties of Korea in social and cultural context. The content of the book among others are: The Socio-cultural Aspects of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese; Plastic Surgery Among Korea’s Younger Generation; The Healthy Lifestyle of Korean People; Nickname: A Social Reflection of Korean Culture; Tracing the Trash Management in Korea; Coffee Culture in Korea: Dabang, Miss Doenjang and Modern Café; Soju in Korean Society; The World of Shopping in Korea; Celebrating the Fabulous Chuseok; Cheonggyecheon River in Seoul; and Gisaeng and Loneliness.

5.Mengintip Budaya Korea: Pandangan Generasi Muda Indonesia (Taking A Peep Into Korean Culture: Indonesian Younger Generation’s Perspective) It is the fifth book in the series of book about Korea which was published in April 2012 by inviting articles from scholars and students from Indonesia. The content of the book among others are as follow: Cultural Dimension and Korean Management; Korea Through Kimchi; Women as Portrayed in My Mom/Chin Jeong Omma; Korean and Javanese Traditional Wedding Ceremonies; Pregnancy and Birth in Korean Tradition; Cyber Generation of Korea; How to Ride Subways; Plastic Surgery Phenomenon; Korea: Lessons learned for Indonesia’s Creative Industry; Taekwondo and Mindset; and Saturi in Modern Era.

6)Hallyu: Kekuatan Budaya Kreatif Korea di Panggung Dunia (Hallyu: Korea’s Soft Power and Creative Prowess at World Stage) This is the 6th series of books on Korea written by Indonesian students and scholars in Indonesian language for the sake of Indonesian readers. This is scheduled to be published in January 2013. The content of the book among others are: Hallyu: Korean Image in the World; K-Drama: Popular Culture-Based Creative Industry; Korea’s Cultural Diplomacy in Indonesia-Korea Student Exchange Programs; The Growing Prowess of Korean Movies; Hallyu as Korea’s Medium of Attractiveness; Hallyu as Korea’s Soft Power in Indonesia; Korea’s Diplomacy in East Asia through Hallyu; and Internationalizing the Korean Food.

For the following two books that we published, I would like to give it in detailed including its cover and the remarks on this publication so as to give it a thorough description of what they are all about. 7) 40 Tahun Hubungan Indonesia-Korea Selatan (한국-인도네시아 40년 관계) – (40 Years of Indonesia-Korea’s Relation)

This is the 7th series of books on Korea, published in October 2013, written by Indonesian students and scholars in Indonesian language for the sake of Indonesian readers. The content of the book is as follows:

Indonesia-Korea Relation: Historical Perspective 1.Indonesia and Korea’s Diplomatic Relation: History and Its Main Issue (Yang Seung-Yoon, HUFS) 2. 40 Years of Indonesia-Korea’s Economic Cooperation: Achievement and Prospects (Ratih Pratiwi Anwar, UGM) 3. Korea-Indonesia Relation in Forestry: The Green Project (Seong In-kyeong, PT Korea Indonesia Forestry Cooperative)

Indonesia-Korea Cooperation: Mass Media 1. KBS World Radio Korea (Kim Young-Soo, Former Director of Indonesian Section, KBS World Radio) 2. Korean Broadcasting System (KBS): Pioneer in Korea’s TV Broadcasting (Hur Young-Soon, Translator at KBS World Indonesia ) 3. The Overflowing of Korean Artists’ Concerts in Indonesia: The Real Case Study of Contemporary Bilateral Relation (Dorote Marenia, K-Pop Lover, Yogyakarta)

Indonesia-Korea Cooperation: Education and Research 1. Growing Enthusiasm, Diversifying Fields: Indonesian Studies in Korea (Jeon Je-Seong & Kim Hyung-Jun/ Chonbuk National University & Kangwon National University) 2. Korean Studies in Indonesia: The Present State and Its Future (Suray Agung Nugroho, UGM-HUFS) 3. Korean Language and Culture: A Case Study of Universitas Diponegoro (Prihantoro, lecturer, Universitas Diponegoro) 4. Korean Language Viewed from Bahasa Indonesia’s Perspective (Florian Hutagalung, PhD from Kyunghee University)

Korea-Indonesia Relation: Students’ Perspectives 1. Indonesia’s Opportunity in Resolving the Conflict in the Korean Peninsula (Hadza Min Fadhli R., International Relation, UGM) 2. Indonesia’s Role in the Korean Peninsula Peace-Making: The Use of ARF and G to G (Mega Ayu Putri Giaswati, International Relation, UGM) 3. Ways to Promote Korea-Indonesia Cooperation (Maria Yovita Liem, International Relation, UGM)

8) Menggapai Asa ke Korea (우리에게 왜 한국인가? ) - (Why Korea?)

This is the 8th series of books on Korea, published in April 2015, written by Indonesian students who currently study and live in Korea. What makes this book special is the fact that Indonesian migrant workers are also some contributors to the book. They are the ones enrolled at Universitas Terbuka (UT) Korea or Indonesian Open University in Korea. They tell their stories through specific topics such as the lives they lead as both migrant workers and students at the same time. This kind of project is the first of its kind. It is hoped that it gives a tremendous impact on the lives of both the students and the readers as this will help them share their sweet and bitter experiences that they may have experienced in Korea. By giving them an opportunity to write down their own stories, it is highly hoped that Korean society will also be reflected within their stories. Thus, this is what Korean Studies is all about. The whole idea of understanding Korean Studies from the perspective of foreigners, in this case migrant workers who live in Korea is not something new. Thus, the 8th book gives a new meaning to the role of INAKOS in nurturing and fostering the bilateral understanding between Indonesia and Korea. This book also has another version, in term of cover and some slight changes in the content, since this book is published twice (in Seoul and in Jogjakarta, Indonesia) thanks to INAKOS’s cooperation with PERPIKA (Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia di Korea – Indonesian Students Association in Korea). The yellow cover (as listed previously) is the one published in Indonesia, while the blue one (with the pictures of the maps of both countries) is the one published in Seoul and distributed among students and Korea-enthusiasts in Korea. Thanks to the collaboration among INAKOS, Center for Korean Studies, Open University in Korea, PERPIKA, The Embassy of Republic of Korea to Indonesia, and the Senior Public Diplomacy Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Republic of Korea, we were able to publish this special book.

Based on the varied themes written on the books, Indonesian students, scholars in collaboration with scholars from Korea and other countries have to a certain degree come to term with the need to explore and understand the current phenomenon of Korea as a significant country to learn in depth. The synergy and cooperation as shown through the books do reflect the current solid ground for Korean Studies to even further flourish and consolidated in Indonesia.

Second, I would like to portray the current state of Korean Studies in Indonesia through a description on what INAKOS has been doing in term of academic forum dealing with Korean Studies. Among others are:

1) The first INAKOS FORUM held on May 7, 2009 at Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta The Forum marked the birth of this association. During its 1st Forum on “Reinventing the Importance of Korean Studies for Future Generations of Indonesia and Korea”, as many as one hundred participants attended and witnessed the official establishment of INAKOS. His Excellency Mr. Kim Ho-young, the former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia; Dr. Ida Rochani Adi, former Dean of Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM; Mr. Park See Woo, Executive Director of PT Solar Park Indonesia; other distinguished guests and scholars from several universities in Indonesia, high school teachers from 50 different high school across the country, and the students of Korean Department, UGM attended the INAKOS forum.

2) The second INAKOS Forum held on October 13, 2009 at Universitas Indonesia The Forum was collaboration between Korean Department, Faculty of Humanities, (UI) and The International Association of Korea Studies in Indonesia (INAKOS). With the theme "Korean Studies in Indonesia: The State of the Arts", the Forum was attended by among others the following distinguished dignitaries: the former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Kim Ho-young; the Rector of UI, Prof. Dr. Der Soz. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri; Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Dr. Bambang Wibawarta; Vice President of INAKOS, Dr. Tulus Warsita; and CEO & President Vitamin House Inc., Mr. Kim Sang Kuk as the partner in sponsorship to the Forum.

3) The Third INAKOS Forum held on April 30, 2010 at Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta The 3rd INAKOS Forum was a collaborative project between INAKOS, Center for Korean Studies UGM, and the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM for its second time. The Forum was attended by dignitaries such as Mr. Ahn Myung-Soo (Chief Minister Counselor of the Korean Embassy in Jakarta), Mr. Byun Chul-Hwan (from Consulate of the Korean Embassy in Jakarta), Prof. Dr. Yang Seung-Yoon (HUFS), Dr. Ida Rochani Adi (Former Dean, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, UGM), presenters from various universities, and high school teachers from numerous provinces in Indonesia, university students, as well as other invited guests and participants.

4) The Fourth INAKOS Forum held on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at Pasundan University, Bandung, West Java In collaboration with the Faculty of Social and Politics, Pasundan University, the 4th Forum brought about the theme of ”Human Capital and Creative Industry: Korea and Indonesia”. Numerous participants and presenters were present at the third Forum which also highlighted the importance of education in Korea and Indonesia. Among distinguished guests, participants, and dignitaries who attended the Forum were Mr. Ahn Myung Soo (Chief Minister Counselor) from The Korean Embassy who attended the Forum on behalf of the Ambassador; and Mr. Yanyan M. Yani, head of International Relation Department at Universitas Padjajaran.

5) The Fifth INAKOS Forum held on October 23, 2011 at Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP), Semarang – Central Java INAKOS in association with the Faculty Of Humanities, UNDIP Undip and its Korean Studies Center held a forum themed “Globalization, Democracy, and National Identity: Comparative Views on Korea and Indonesia”. Distinguished guests and speakers among others were H.E. Mr. Kim Young San (the ambassador of ROK to Indonesia), Prof.Dr. Yang Seung Yoon (HUFS); Mr. He Youl Lee (Director, of UNDIP’s Korean Studies Center), and other presenters from UI, UGM, and UNDIP. Summing up, up until 2015, there have been 8 forums. One seminar worth-mentioning was the one on “The Assessment on Diplomatic Relation between ROK and RI: Bilateral Synergy through Strategic Partnership.” Held on October 18, 2012 at Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gadjah Mada University, this seminar was another achievement in the on-going cooperation between the two countries. Both Ambassadors of the two countries attended the seminar: H.E. Mr. Nicholas T. Dammen (former ambassador) and H.E. Mr. Kim Young-sun as well as the president of INAKOS, Dr. Mukhtasar Syamsuddin. Now, to finalize the description of INAKOS as the current and recent visage of Korean Studies in Indonesia, I would like to point out four journals published by INAKOS.( 4 journals up to now). The 1st INAKOS Journal (Vol.1 No. 1) published in October 2009 marked INAKOS’ strive as a leading Korean Studies organization in Indonesia. The content of which are mainly the papers presented at the 1st Forum on May 7, 2009 at UGM. To cope with the theme: Reinventing the Importance of Korean Studies for Future Generations in Indonesia and Korea, the content among others are as follows: Qodarian Pramukanto (Lecturer, Department of Landscape Architecture, Institut Pertanian Bogor-IPB) wrote The Geomancy Order of Seoul City; Novi Siti Kussuji Indrastuti (Lecturer, Korean Department UGM) wrote Traditional Beliefs in Indonesia and Korea As Seen in Folktales:A Pragmatic Analysis; Purnawan Basundoro (Lecturer, Department of History, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya) wrote Between Eupseong Hanyang (Seoul) and Beteng Keraton (Yogyakarta): A Historical Comparison; Nur Aini Setiawati (Lecturer, Department of History, UGM) wrote A Comparative Study on the State Policy and Its Impacts on Rural Development between South Korea and Indonesia: A Historical Perspective 1961-1998; and Panjono (Lecturer, Department of Animal Husbandry, UGM) wrote about The Characteristic Quality of Hanwoo Meat (Korean Cattle) in Regards to Different Sex Conditions, Raising Altitudes, and Slaughter Season. The 2nd INAKOS Journal (Vol.1 No. 2) was launched to commemorate its establishment as well as to mark its existence, the 2nd journal was published in April, 2010. The content of which are mainly the papers presented at the 2nd Forum on October 13, 2009 held in UI and also some additional writings from other scholars of both Indonesian and Korean. The content among others are as follow: Anton Minardi (Lecturer & Researcher, Department of International Relation, Pasundan University & IDEAS) wrote about The Revival of South Korea in the Post Crisis Economy and Its Contributions to Indonesia; Mappa Nasrun (Lecturer, Hasanuddin University, Makassar-South Sulawesi) wrote about Indonesia-Korea: Promoting an International Education Partnership; Roustine (Lecturer, Korean Department, UI) wrote about The Korean Armies (Gunsok) during Japanese Colonization in Ambarawa, Indonesia; Tunjung Linggarwati (Lecturer, Dept. of International Relation, Jendral Soedirman University, Purwokerto) wrote about The Increasing Indonesia-Korea Cooperation through Investment at the Local Level: The Case Study on the Role of Korean Industries in Purbalingga Regency, Central Java; and Yulius Purwadi Hermawan (Lecturer, Dept. of International Relation, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, Bandung) wrote about Clientelism and Democratic Consolidation in Improving the Welfare in South Korea.

The 3rd INAKOS Journal (Vol.2 No.1) themed The Dynamics Issues of Korean Studies in Indonesia mainly consists of the papers presented at the 3rd INAKOS Forum held on October 28, 2010 in Universitas Pasundan, Bandung and also some additional writings from other scholars of both Indonesian and Korean. The journal is published in April 2011. The content among others are as follow: Tulus Warsito (Lecturer, Dept. of International Relation, Muhammadiyah University, Yogyakarta) wrote about The Role of State in South Korea’s Industrial Development; Luqman Hakim(Lecturer, Brawijaya University, Malang - East Java) wrote about The Implementation of Public Health Care Policy in South Korea; Anton Minardi (Lecturer, Dept. of International Relation, Pasundan University) wrote about Islam and Tolerance in South Korea; and Prihantoro (Lecturer, Diponegoro University, Semarang – Central Java) wrote about Human-Related Referential Pronouns in Korean Language: Its comparison with Those of Indonesian Language.

Quite different from the relatively steady publication of books on Korea, we finally managed to published our long overdue 4th journal, after a long hiatus of almost 4 years—due to several problems like the busy schedule of most staff members and financing.

The 4th INAKOS Journal (Vol.2. No. 2S) was themed Secuil Kajian Bahasa, Sastra, & Budaya Korea (Insights into Korean Language, Literature, and Culture). The content of this journal is divided into two: first, some papers presented at the 8th INAKOS Forum held on November 4, 2014 at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta. Second, essays written by Indonesian students in Korea mostly about Indonesia viewed from Korea-related perspectives. It was published in April 2015.

The writers and their papers, others are Prihantoro (Lecturer- Universitas Diponegoro) who wrote about The Use of Local Wisdom-Based Computer Assisted Language Learning Application for Beginners to Learn Korean; Hwang Who Young (Visiting Lecturer, Korea Foundation, and Ehwa Womans University, Korea) who wrote about Learning Korean Culture through Appellation; Eva Latifah (Lecturer, Universitas Indonesia) who wrote An Introduction to the Development of Korean Literature Studies in Indonesia; Rura Adinda (Lecturer, Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Nasional, Jakarta) with her paper on Korean Language Teaching in Indonesia: Opportunities and Challenges, and Annisa Budiutami Soeraadiwidjaja (Graduate Student, Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul Undong - Yeungnam University) who wrote about Indonesia Revitalized: An Attempt to Relive a Sense of Nationalism

As seen from the writers and the titles of the papers compiled in the journal, it is apparent that INAKOS has—to a certain degree—succeeded in synergizing the myriad ideas and interests of Indonesian scholars in deciphering and unlocking as well as comprehending Korea through their perspectives. This is in essence what Korean Studies in Indonesia should be geared into the future. Now that INAKOS has laid some foundation for future Koreanists in Indonesia to keep on nurturing their passion on Korea, it is up to them and the current Indonesian students to keep their records in catching up with the ever-changing trend of Korean Studies in the world. One of them is the need for Indonesia to open its graduate program on Korean Studies. As of now, Indonesia should keep up even with its neighboring Vietnam and Thailand which could be the nearest barometer for the advancement of Korean Studies in Southeast Asia. Those two countries boast themselves to having many acknowledge Korea-related departments at university level. The latter country even has started a joint program with Korea. I am referring to The Master of Arts program in Korean Studies under the cooperation of Chulalongkorn University, Seoul National University and ASEAN University Network. This would not have been possible, had Thailand had no sufficient and competent scholars to support the project. What about Indonesia? With the vast and ample human resources—though scattered throughout the nation—it is hoped that this simple yet important idea could be realized in the near future. This is only a vision of what lies ahead in the future of Korean Studies. In respect to this matter, the on-going dispatch of Indonesian students and faculty members to study either in Korea or in countries having Korean Studies programs should be more rigorously encouraged. It is at this very phase—the post-initial phase—that an indispensable role of both Indonesia and Korea, and possibly other countries—be it at university level and governmental level—has never been more important.

Sites

A Report on INAKOS https://www.academia.edu/12568982/A_Review_on_INAKOS_2015_

A Report on Korean Department UGM http://www.academia.edu/2234220/The_State_of_Korean_Studies_in_Indonesia_as_of_2011

Center for Korean Studies, UGM (up to 2011) http://ksnet.aks.ac.kr/Organ_1/Detail.aspx?OrganID=68&alphabet=I

Korean Language Department in Indonesia http://idn.mofat.go.kr/languages/as/idn/bekorea/juru/index.jsp

Korean Studies in UGM (up to 2005) http://ksnet.aks.ac.kr/Organ_2/Detail.aspx?OrganID=205&alphabet=I

Korean Studies in UI (up to 2011) http://ksnet.aks.ac.kr/Organ_2/Detail.aspx?OrganID=211

Korean Studies in UNAS http://www.unas.ac.id/program_diploma_bahasa_korea_unas

Korean Studies in UNDIP http://www.undip.ac.id/ksc

Korean Studies in UNIKOM http://www.unikom.ac.id/news/1112/koreanlang.html

Korean Studies in UNLAM http://korea.unlam.ac.id/web/

PERPIKA (Indonesian Students Association in Korea) www.perpika.kr

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구분 제목
1 Korean Education and Research Trends in India
2 Education and Research on Korea in New Zealand Growth, Some Peculiarities, and the Transnational Connections
3 Korean Studies in Indonesia: Present State and What The Future Holds
4 Korean Studies in the Philippines: Incubation, Institutionalization and Indigenization
5 Korean Studies and its Formative Role in Higher Education in Singapore: New Possibilities and Existing Constraints
6 Korean Studies in Thailand: Current Status and Future Development
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