[ASEAN Column] Not All Koreans Can Teach About Korea

Although I hesitated, wondering if the column title was too strong, I open this topic because I believe it is a very important issue. Due to the high level of interest in Korea, the demand for general Korean language courses and Korea-related lectures at universities in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries has greatly increased. At the National University of Singapore, Korean is now one of the most popular languages among students. Seeing the growing number of students who want to learn more deeply about Korea makes me feel proud, but also concerned. This phenomenon is a general trend across ASEAN countries. Not only at Singaporean universities but also at national universities in representative ASEAN countries such as the Philippines and Malaysia, enthusiasm for Korea-related courses is intense. To supplement this, the number of students participating in exchange programs to Korean universities during summer and winter vacations is increasing every year. Fortunately, recently, the Korea Foundation has been conducting special lectures on Korean studies while touring ASEAN countries, and various activities are being carried out.

However, I wonder if proper preparations are being made for this. As I emphasized in a previous column that active research and understanding of Southeast Asia are necessary, we must also consider whether we are effectively conveying information about Korea during this period of sustained interest.

As Korea-related courses are springing up rapidly in ASEAN, I think there should be systematic Korean courses. First, the subject of the instructor matters. Can all Koreans teach about Korea? Lectures on a specific country require consideration of various factors. We should avoid the assumption that Koreans can teach about Korea simply because they are Korean and know about Korea from a national perspective. At a dinner, foreign professors once asked a Korean professor about the cause of the Korean Wave (Hallyu). I happened to overhear this Korean professor giving a mini-lecture for about 10 minutes, saying that the cause of Hallyu was Japanese culture. The dinner ended with a half-joking remark about creating a lecture on Hallyu. It was truly shocking. Occasionally, I receive such questions. Also, as the demand for Korean lectures increases at various universities, I sometimes hear that Koreans are assigned to teach Korea-related courses simply because they are Korean. Is the cause of Hallyu simply Japanese culture? No. It is necessary to explain its complex and multifaceted aspects. Seeing the dinner end with a joke about taking on a Hallyu lecture made me feel deeply concerned.

Moreover, I have encountered Korean scholars who, trapped in a very nationalistic perspective, arbitrarily belittle foreign researchers studying Korean studies. Their attitude is, "Do you know better than I do?" Korea-related lectures should be taught objectively and academically by those who have researched the field. Is it not risky to assume that Koreans know Korea well just because they are Korean? Incorrect knowledge may be transmitted, and unconditional Korean ethnocentrism can have very negative effects. This must never be overlooked from a long-term perspective. The qualification to teach about Korea should prioritize those who have deeply researched the field, not nationality or ethnicity. When people with diverse backgrounds study Korea, we can also gain various analyses and perspectives on Korea.

Support for those who systematically study Korean studies is also necessary. In Japan, scholars researching Japanese studies have been actively supported, enabling the cultivation of many Japanese studies scholars.

We too must systematically and deeply support Korean studies researchers. In Korea-related lectures, the relationship with the respective country must be properly understood and respected. Lectures that unconditionally convey Korea’s success cause strong resistance. When flowers are in full bloom, careful management is needed so they can bloom even more beautifully later.　Kim Hyejin, Professor at the National University of Singapore

Kim Hyejin, Professor of Political Science and International Studies, National University of Singapore

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