June 4, 2005

The primary objective of this half-day conference was to provide American educators with an overview of Korean history and a background on a number of contemporary disputes over historical issues in the Northeast Asian region. Gari Ledyard, Sejong professor of Korean history (emeritus) at Columbia University, gave his usual masterful historical overview. Homer Williams, then director of information services at The Korea Society, spoke about how a territorial dispute over Tokto, several small islets that are located in the sea between Korea and Japan, and disagreements over the interpretation in a recent Japanese textbook of Japan’s actions during WW II had ballooned into significant and overlapping diplomatic disputes between the Republic of Korea and Japan. As a secondary objective, however, the conference also was intended to be a step towards leveraging the presence of Korean American teachers in the U.S. school system to raise the profile of Korean studies among American students. Korean American teachers generally have an interest in Korean subjects, but often lack the information needed to engage their students on these subjects. Due to the availability of opportunities such as the conferences offered by The Korea Society, Korean American teachers can become better informed and learn different ways to introduce Korea-related subject matter into the curricula. To highlight this objective, the conference was held in collaboration with the Korean Teachers Association of New York.

April 9, 2005

This half-day conference on North Korea provided an opportunity for K-12 educators to hear from firsthand observers about some of the inner workings of one of the most reclusive states in the world. The program got underway with a presentation entitled "Life Experiences in North Korea" by Alexander Vorontsov, head of the section for Korean Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In his presentation, Vorontsov drew on personal experiences garnered while he was residing in North Korea as a member of his country's diplomatic mission. He also spoke of his days as a student at Kim Il Sung University. The participants also heard a presentation entitled "North Korea's Historical Context" by Frederick F. Carriere, VP and executive director of The Korea Society. The presentations were followed by a screening of State of Mind, a documentary that provides unique insights on the daily lives of North Koreans. The program ended with a lively and protracted Q&A session.

November 5, 2004

This one-day conference explored current issues in the relationship between Korea and the United States. Thirty teachers from the greater New York area registered for the conference along with several advanced students studying international relations at a local high school. The lectures and instructors were: “The Changing Nature of U.S.-R.O.K. Relations” by Charles Armstrong, associate professor of history, Columbia University; “U.S.–DPRK Relations” by Donald P. Gregg, president and chairman of The Korea Society; and “The Political History of Korea’s Division” by Dae-Sook Suh, a visiting scholar at The Keck Center for International and Strategic Studies at Claremont McKenna College. Karl R. Newmann, a teacher from Westlake High School in Waldorf, Maryland, conducted a hands-on workshop entitled “Primary Sources Related to Early Contact Between Korea and the United States.”

May 7, 2004

The topic of this one-day conference was inspired by the recent surge of interest in Korea’s involvement in the Silk Road during the Silla period. The conference drew an enrollment of some 30 teachers from the greater New York area. The lectures and instructors were: “Silla, the Silk Routes and the Big, Wide World” by Jonathan W. Best, professor of East Asian art history, Wesleyan University; “Incorporating Korea into the World History Curriculum of New York State” by Heidi Roupp, president (emeritus), World History Association and founder/managing editor, World History Connected; “Silla, Ancient Korea and the Silk Road: Curriculum Project Preview” by Marjorie Bingham, independent writer and researcher; and “What a Koguryo Tomb Says about Cultural Diffusion” by Nancy S. Steinhardt, professor of East Asian art and curator of Chinese art, University of Pennsylvania.