ECONOMIC RELATIONS WITH SOUTH KOREA START WITH LEARNING ITS LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

AZG Armenian Daily #120, 30/06/2005

Cooperation

The coming academic year will add a new subject – Korean – to the
curriculum of Yerevan State Linguistic University after Valeri
Brusov. On this occasion, a delegation headed by ambassador of
South Korea to Russia and Armenia, Kim Je Sob, accompanied by South
Korean council-general to Armenia, Armen Abrahamian, visited the
university. The ambassador took part in the scientific council
of the university, talked about Korean culture and language and
Armenian-Korean cooperation in the sphere of higher education.

The South Korean government has prioritized the promotion of Korean
language, literature and culture in different countries of the world.
Growing interest in Korean language made Russian authorities open a
faculty of Korean Studies in St. Petersburg University, along with
the one functioning at Moscow University.

The ambassador pointed out that Korean is a peculiar language, with
no resemblance to Chinese and no kin to Japanese. He is sure that
students will easily command his mother tongue, which has only 24
letters created by Ly Dynasty in 14th century.

Rector of the university, Suren Zolyan, presented the ambassador
with the university’s medal as well as books on educational system
of Armenia and the university itself. The rector underscored that
economic relations begin with learning the language and the culture
of the country. Before arriving in Armenia, the education minister of
South Korea told the ambassador that necessary equipment for Korean
classes are bound to arrive in Armenia and the lecturer of Korean
will land in Yerevan in September.

The fact that optional classes of Chinese drew enormous number of
students last year allows the university administration to hope for
the same boom at the Korean classes. The optional classes of Chinese
will grow this year into a department of Chinese Studies.

The university administration has already chosen the first student,
Zaruhi Soghomonian, to depart for South Korea on July 30-August 11
together with other students form 6 countries to get acquainted with
the countries historic-cultural values and educational system.

In a conversation with journalists, Kim Je Sob shared with his
impressions of the first Armenian visit and talked about development
of Armenian-Korean relations at the present stage. “We have wonderful
prospects for the future and will do everything to establish mutually
beneficial cooperation between the states. We have focused particularly
on the spheres of trade, economy and technological development”,
the ambassador said.

The ambassador has relished pleasant weather, tasty fruits and dishes,
beautiful women and people’s kindness and warmth.

By Ruzan Poghosian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress