Mokpo National University Institute of Library and Culture, Holds the 1st 'Island Future Forum'

The Value and Importance of Islands... An Opportunity to Build Nationwide Consensus

In August 2018, the Mokpo MBC Island Day forum was held at the Jeonnam Provincial Government Office. / ? Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] The National Mokpo University Institute of Island Culture and the Korea Island Foundation, a non-profit organization, jointly announced on the 3rd that they will hold the "1st Island Future Forum" commemorating the 2nd Island Day National Holiday under the theme "Islands, the Driving Force of Future National Development" from 1 PM to 6 PM on the 6th at the Kim Dae-jung Nobel Peace Prize Memorial Convention Hall (Samhakdo, Mokpo).

"Island Day" (August 8) was established as a national holiday to create a nationwide consensus on the value and importance of islands.

The Institute of Island Culture at Mokpo University was the first in the world to propose the necessity of designating "Island Day" as a national holiday. Since 2012, it has systematically investigated and researched the purpose, necessity, grounds, and methods for establishing a national policy institution to serve as a control tower for island-related policies, continuously advocating and widely publicizing its justification and significance.

As a result of these efforts, "Island Day" was designated as a national holiday in February 2018, and this year, the "Korea Island Promotion Agency," a national institution to lead domestic island policies, was successfully attracted and established in Mokpo City, the island capital of Korea and the gateway to the Dadohae (Korean Archipelago).

The forum will begin with a keynote speech by Professor Kang Bong-ryong of the Department of History at Mokpo University titled "Islands are the Growth Engine and Future Resource of the Republic of Korea," followed by presentations from Choi Yeon-hee, Manager of the Yeonhongdo Cooperative in Goheung-gun, Jeollanam-do, titled "The Island I Want to Visit, Yeonhongdo"; Kim Yoon, Director of Mokpo MBC, on "Islands as Viewed by the Media"; Professor Masahito Yoshida of Tsukuba University, Japan, on "World Heritage and Island Heritage"; and Professor Park Sung-hyun of the Institute of Island Culture at Mokpo University on "Challenges and Resilience of Changing Island Societies."

The comprehensive discussion will be chaired by Hong Seok-jun, Director of the Institute of Island Culture at Mokpo University, with panelists including Kim Chung-nam, Head of the Island Marine Policy Division of Jeollanam-do; Lee Kwan-hong, Representative of the Yellow Sea Island Network; Choi Jung-hoon, Planning and Public Relations Chairman of the Korea Island Foundation; Kim Heon-rin, former Deputy Governor of Ulleung-gun; Kim Min-young, President of the Korean Island Society; and Kim Cheol-soo, Village Chief of Gijeom and Soakdo in Sinan-gun. The event will be held online in accordance with social distancing guidelines.

Since its establishment in 1983 by researchers who love the Dadohae, the Institute of Island Culture at Mokpo University has been leading research on domestic and international islands and maritime culture, practicing interdisciplinary research across various academic fields.

It publishes the specialized academic journal 島嶼文化 (Island Culture) and the international journal Journal of Marine and Island Cultures, and operates the nation's first graduate program in Island and Maritime Culture Studies.

Meanwhile, from 2009 to 2018, it conducted the Humanities Korea (HK) project funded by the Ministry of Education and the National Research Foundation of Korea, and from 2020, it plans to carry out the Humanities Korea Plus (HK+) project for the next seven years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.