Korean Studies in Auckland receives million dollar funding

8 October 2013

Korean Studies at the University‘s School of Asian Studies receives million dollar funding boost

The Korean Wave, including Psy’s K-Pop hit Gangham Style, is already boosting the popularity of Korean culture in New Zealand.

Now the Korean language and culture programme at the University of Auckland is to be enhanced thanks to a boost in funding from the Korean Government.

The School of Asian Studies has received $1 million over four years as a result of its Korean programme having been selected for the Overseas Leading University Programme in Korean Studies, which is the Academy of Korean Studies.

The funding is the result of several years’ work on the part of Senior Lecturer in Korean Dr Changzoo Song, New Zealand Asia Institute Director Professor Hugh Whittaker, and the Head of the School of Asian Studies Dr Hilary Chung.

Dr Song says the money has been allocated to boost the School’s Korean Studies programme.

From 2014, in addition to existing courses in Korean language, culture and society and diaspora, students will be able to choose from a range of extra courses on offer including Korean History at Stages 2 & 3, Political Economy of East Asian Development (Political Studies), Korean popular music as part of Music of East Asia (Ethnomusicology) at Stage 3 and Korean for Heritage Speakers at Stage 2.

Dr Song says the boost to the Korean programme is important given that there are approximately 30,000 Korean migrants in Auckland region and trade between New Zealand and Korea is expanding.

“For New Zealand and for the whole world Asia is becoming more and more important day by day,” he says.

Dr Chung says Korean Studies is strategically important to New Zealand given the history between the two countries.

“It enables us to develop Korean Studies and offer students opportunities that they didn’t have before.”

The money will also finance two Masters and two PhD scholarships in Korean studies as well as a Post-doctoral Fellow in Korean.

ENDS

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