Russian Studies in Contemporary Korea

Abstract

The Russian Language Department of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) —one of the leading universities of the Republic of Korea— was founded in the same year with the University and is about to celebrate its 70th anniversary. Today the University and the Russian Language Department are the main popularizers of the Russian language, literature, culture and Russian regional studies in South Korea. There are several associations: KASEUS — Korean Association of Slavic-Eurasian Studies; Russian Language and Literature Association (based on the HUFS — Hankuk University of Foreign Studies); KAR — Korean Association of Russian Studies (based on the Korean University); KASL — Korean Association of Slavic Languages (based on the Korean University); KATPR — Korean Association of Teachers and Teaching Staff of the Russian Language (whose members are university professors and school teachers); and KRA — Korea-Russia Association. The Korean-Russian Society of Art and Culture KORACS was established in 2013 to organize cultural exchange between Korea and Russia. The associations organize and conduct scientific conferences, symposiums, forums, and some publish their own journals. In South Korea, there are exchange programs for undergraduate and graduate students of Russian and Korean universities, and Russian professors are invited here to give lectures. Every spring the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies holds a Russian language Olympiad for students of Korean universities. This competition is of great interest to Korean students and is an incentive for deeper study of the Russian language. The Russian language and culture are represented and preserved here: there are Russian professors, school teachers, Russian-speaking Koreans and citizens of other countries. Therefore, despite the difficulties associated with changes in the socio-political situation, Russian studies in South Korea continue to develop. Interest in the Russian language, literature and culture does not wane since people always need to learn something new and wonderful and this is how Russian culture is characterized.