It could sound strange when you receive an email with special invitation to introduce your activity and your network directly to the director of public diplomacy division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs… more interesting if we’re talking about of Ministry of Republic of Korea and the meeting has been hold at Korean General Consulate in Milan.
It means that something is changing at the same time with our perception of being in the middle of cross cultural dynamics that are influencing a lot social relations and economies all around the world. For me and for other groups that today represent something in connection with East Asia and Korea it was the clear demonstration about how Italy or other EU countries should improve skills on making own presence more familiar with international issues trying to involve also people, professionals and society in general; ‘cause the building of conscious inter nation community starts from the individual and that’s why the role of institutions are really important to facilitate such education.
By the way, the purpose of the meeting was to listen which projects are going to be managed about korean culture, korea language and also about general promotion of that it has been called “Korean Wave 한류 – 韓流” and refers to the frame is becoming famous mixing pop culture, music and cinema from South Korea. In particular through my speech I wanted to make the group of representatives of Ministry aware about the second step is going to follow the pop-culture’s boom: with such cultural – joint there will be also in Italy an improvement of image about Korea into more “organic vision”, I mean something like an holistic perception that will bring our “fan of Korea” more aware about new and different ways to approach and live a passion called Korea.
We must be ready to prepare structured services that can support such interest and make years of studies and researches about Korean system, language, economy, culture something orfreally concrete for careers and professions or for business communication among economic players between Asia and Europe.
I mean, even if K-pop music is very interesting cultural – social phenomenon and korean movies directors express very particular vision about esthetic and society in general that we are glad to appreciate for its features, I wanted to point out as Korea represents also a very special country that is going to introduce years of intense history built between two hard partners / fighters like China and Japan and that nowadays is going to embrace new vision of introducing productive and corporate system all around the world. It represents a place where now it s gonna be possible start dealing with, in particular if we got awareness of what South Korea represents, its booming economy and the characteristics of chaebol system.
Korea wants to meet Italy and it is becoming EU- lover for some issues, and after impressive action played by its corporates now wants to communicate who they are, what culture they have, which mutual opportunities could be shared and more… It was really nice to discuss with the director for international cooperation’s division, Mr Hong Jin -wook, introducing how our Asian Studies Group is going to promote in Italy and in Europe also with our partners in Malta where we are welcoming lot of korean students who are studying english there.
Our mission will start on providing well structured consulting services – system that has to offer information, support and tools to approach Korea starting as students during university age, but also as professionals or corporates that need to plan strategy for their approach or orientation’s service as scouting service as well. On doing that we’re going to keep always on mind like cross culture and mutual respect are the fundamentals which we need to take care about to plan the best communication and relation with korean partners.
We don’t want to be in competition with universities in Italy for oriental studies but we well know that universities cannot provide sometimes quick and effective services for whom needs to re-locate in Korea as post degree students or professionals.
So that’s why we’re more into cooperation’s projects that competition with entities that manage a different position in the educational system (and honestly i think that Universities should think more about other problems than looking to us as competitors).
If we wanna to prepare our national system to be good partner of eastern asia countries we should leave some lobby’s preferences and start thinking like part of same bodies that we need to make on moving fast and on harmonious way… Confucius said well and China.. Japan.. and also Korea.. can bring up their society on cooperative vision. Should we start do the same or not?
Paolo Cacciato - Focusing on East Asia 