Newsletter

The Annual Conference of the Association of Asian Studies was held on March 31 in Hawaii, which became the 50th state of the US in 1959. Everyone wants to visit the famous Waikiki beach and relax in the shade under palm trees when they come to Hawaii. Nevertheless, I headed for the Hawaii Convention Center and decorated the booth where books and brochures about Korea and the Northeast Asian History Foundation would be displayed.

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the AAS Annual Conference, we had more than 760 panels, roundtables and workshops where more than 4,000 scholars and researchers of Korean studies and East Asian studies participated. Also, there were 160 booths in the Exhibit Hall, representing different institutions and advertising books.

The main objective of the AAS Book Exhibit was to advance Asian studies and encourage exchanges between countries. Yet each Asian country's power on the global stage was closely connected to the public's interest in that country's culture and history, as well as the size and the number of booths. China sent a large number of publishers and focused on eye-catching advertisement, and a lot of Japanese publishers participated in the exhibit, albeit the number of them was smaller than usual in the aftermath of the recent earthquakes. Korea and some of the countries in Southeast Asia also participated in the exhibit.

The Foundation's booth played a leading role of representing Korea and promoting Korean studies in the academic circles of Asian studies. Many scholars of Korean studies and librarians were very satisfied with the booth.

Platform for Communication with Scholars of Asian Studies, Transcending Time and Space

Among many different activities and events organized by the AAS, what I found most impressive as a librarian were those related to the Council on East Asian Libraries (CEAL), an organization with a mission to serve as a forum for the discussion of East Asian library issues of common concern and to promote interlibrary and international cooperation in East Asian librarianship. The CEAL carries out activities to promote mutual cooperation with regard to East Asian library resources and services, and holds an annual forum at the AAS. I wish that the Foundation's publications are introduced regularly to libraries affiliated with the CEAL. I also hope that we could improve the understanding of the Foundation's activities in training programs for librarians from other countries, organized by the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean studies, the Academy of Korean Studies, and the National Library of Korea. If the Foundation signs MOUs with relevant institutions for training programs regarding the Dokdo issue and China's Northeast Project, it will also contribute to enhancing the understanding of Korean history in the world.

During my short stay in Hawaii, I visited the University of Hawaii at Manoa Library and the Hawaii State Library. Most books and materials were Korean, Chinese and Japanese ones in East Asia section of Hamilton Library at the University of Hawaii, and librarians from different countries worked there. Most of the Korean books and materials were outdated, and new books were relatively few. The Hawaii State Public Library System was established with the royal collections. The Hawaii State Library is located right at the heart of downtown, with excellent access and spacious halls. I felt proud of the fact that the library had a lot of books about Korea. Maybe it is because there are a lot of Korean immigrants in Hawaii.

My trip to Hawaii and the AAS Annual Conference gave me a chance to enrich my experience and understanding in many ways. Scholars, librarians and students with different nationalities and languages visited the Exhibit Hall, and one thing in common was that they were passionate about East Asian studies. They engaged in active discussions about each other's area of study and research topics, and exchanged their views and perspectives. Once again, I felt that what we need most to enhance the standing of Korean studies is our precious cultural and historical assets. I believe that we can peacefully coexist with people from different nationalities and background while taking pride in our own history and culture.