Join Us for Our Annual Reception on April 8
We will hold our Annual Reception on April 8, from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.
Click here to RSVP.
Visit One of Our Field Offices for a Short or Long-term Fellowship
The Korea Office will be accepting applications from development professionals and graduate students to spend one week in Bangladesh or Nepal. You may also apply to spend up to three months in one of our 17 field offices as an Asia Development Fellow.
Application details can be found on our webpage(http://www.asiafoundation.or.kr) from mid-February.
Over 100 Participate in Pro-Poor Growth Workshop and Conference
The Asia Foundation Korea Office capped a year-long dialogue and research project with the Korea Development Institute (KDI) on income inequality in Asia with an author's workshop and reception. A follow-on public conference with the KDI School was held on November 2. Over 100 guests from the government, academia, the private sector, and NGO community attended.
The Asia Foundation and KDI jointly held the Second Annual Asian Approaches to Development Cooperation Dialogue on October 31 and November 1. This gathering followed meetings in New Delhi (March) and Beijing (June). With the theme on "Pro-poor Growth & Development Cooperation" The third dialogue was an author's workshop to prepare the papers for publication. Experts discussed ways to contribute to the pro-poor agenda, such as how pro-poor strategies and economic growth could be used to achieve the goal of reducing poverty.
Following the workshop, a pubic conference was held with several of the paper writers to share their findings with Korea's international development community. Under the title of "Rising Inequality in Asia: Asian Strategies for Effective Pro-poor Growth," Dr. Juzhong Zhuang from the Asian Development Bank kicked off the conference. He spoke of the increasing inequality in Asia, strategies for inclusive growth, and discussed ways for international cooperation on inclusive growth.
At the reception, welcoming remarks were given by Deputy Minister of Strategy and Finance Joo Hyung-hwan, Vice President of Programs Gordon Hein, and Janice Pettey, Vice President for Resource Development at The Asia Foundation.
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Announcing the Kahng Foundation Scholarships for North Korean Women
Thanks to generous funding from the Kahng Foundation, women from North Korea will have the opportunity to attend one of South Korea's top universities.
The Kahng Scholarships for North Korean Women will help eight North Korean women, who would not otherwise have the financial means to attend university, to obtain a world-class education at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. With a university education, the scholarship recipients will be better equipped to secure well-paying jobs and thrive in South Korea. The Asia Foundation will administer the scholarships.
The Kahng Foundation was established by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Stephen Kahng and his wife Maria.
Hong Seok-hyun and Chong-Moon Lee Elected to The Asia Foundation Board of Trustees
JoongAng Media Network Chairman Dr. Hong Seok-hyun and Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Chong-Moon Lee were elected to the Asia Foundation Board of Trustees on January 26 . Dr. Hong will also join the Friends of the Asia Foundation Korea Board of Directors.
Dr. Hong Seok-hyun is the chairman and CEO of the JoongAng Media Network. In addition to leading one of Korea's leading media groups, Dr. Hong has served as an ambassador to the United States. Dr. Hong joined the World Bank in 1977 as an expert in developmental economics. He received a BA in electronic engineering and MA in industrial engineering from Seoul National University, and earned his Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University.
Dr. Chong-Moon Lee founded Diamond Multimedia Systems and Diamond Computer Systems, Inc. and AmBex Venture Group. Currently, Dr. Lee serves as a trustee and commissioner of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, a trustee of Asia Society, and a member of the California Arts Council, among many others. He holds honorary doctorate degrees from John F. Kennedy University, Seton Hall University, University of Seoul, and Chung Ang University, a MS in Library Science from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, and a law degree from Chung Ang University, Seoul.
Lao and Mongolian Delegations Visit Seoul
The Asia Foundation hosted two delegations from developing Asia during the fall. The KDI School sponsored a delegation from Laos to study about the Korean development experience and lessons learned in the area of human and institutional capacity building. From October 21 to 27, nine delegates participated in study visits, lectures by Korean officials and economists, and group discussions which allowed delegates to craft a development agenda for their country.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Sengsomphone Viravouth, director general of planning at Laos' Ministry of Education and Sports, said, "As a country that has moved to a market-oriented (approach), we still have to develop our capacity. Capacity-building and institutional development will be our driving forces. We want to see the key driving forces behind Korea's development."
Article link:
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2012/10/113_123258.html
In November, the Korea Office hosted seven senior staff members from the Mongolian Cabinet Secretariat to learn about Korea's public sector monitoring and evaluation. The visit was sponsored by the UN Population Fund. The Mongolians' week in Seoul culminated with the signing of an MOU between the Mongolian Cabinet Secretariat and the Korea Institute of Public Finance.
Asian Development Fellows Learn About Korean Development Experience
This fall The Asia Foundation hosted two development specialists from South Asia to learn about Korea's economic development experience.
Dr. Priyadarshi Dash of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries in India and Dr. Fahmida Khatun of the Centre for Policy Dialogue in Bangladesh both conducted their research at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade. Dr. Dash focused on "Foreign Direct Investment, Catch-up and Growth Dispersion: The Korean Experience," while Dr. Khatun examined "Korea's Green Growth Strategy: Lessons for Bangladesh." Both research fellows wrote papers that will be published in development journals. The research fellowships were sponsored by the KDI School as part of the International Development Cooperation Capacity Building Program.
Asian Development Fellow Supports TAF-KOICA Project in Sri Lanka
The Korea Office recently dispatched a former Korea International Cooperation Agency(KOICA) officer to Sri Lanka to help coordinate and implement TAF's first joint development project with KOICA.
Ms. Ha Kyoung-hwa spent three months as a KDI School-funded Asian Development Fellow in The Asia Foundation office in Colombo. Ms. Ha was tasked with coordinating and supporting the KOICA-funded local economic governance project. The project seeks to improve the enabling environment for small and medium enterprises in lagging regions of Sri Lanka by training local Sri Lankan officials to be more effective administrators.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Speaks at The Asia Foundation
Democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Member of Parliament, Burma (also known as Myanmar) and Chairperson and General Secretary, National League of Democracy, made her first Bay Area public remarks at The Asia Foundation on September 28. Suu Kyi spoke to an invitation-only audience of Bay Area government, civic, and business leaders. Her remarks immediately followed a private meeting with David D. Arnold, president of The Asia Foundation, and the organization's trustees.
"Everyone has been speaking about how change has come to Burma, and I would like to say that it's important that you make haste sensibly," said Suu Kyi. "To our friends who want to help us, it's not enough to help a country which is emerging from dictatorship into democracy. It has to be helped in such a way that the foundations of a democratic society would be strengthened. This of course means empowering the people."
"We are honored that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi chose to visit The Asia Foundation during her brief time in the Bay Area," said Arnold. "The Foundation is a long-standing partner in Asia's development, and we have consistently supported reform-minded leaders such as Suu Kyi in their efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and promote the rule of law. We are encouraged and excited by Burma's remarkable transformation."
Suu Kyi also spoke about democratic reforms in Burma: "Democratization must be beneficial to all. This is the challenge: a unified approach to the democratization process, a unified approach between the executive, legislature, and as yet almost non-existent judiciary, and the armed forces. We must work together to ensure that democratic institutions gather strength day to day. We are all impatient as we have waited 50 years for change to come."
In order to ensure that Burma's social, political, and economic reforms are durable, The Asia Foundation is undertaking an expanded program of development assistance. Taking advantage of the Foundation's extensive experience in other Asian countries, TAF will pursue an ambitious program of development activities, including: strengthening core institutions of democratic governance; enhancing the country's foreign affairs capabilities; supporting the management of sub-national conflict; ensuring free, fair, and credible elections; ensuring access to information and informed public debate; and assisting with economic reforms for broad-based growth and increased opportunities for all.
President Arnold added, "The Asia Foundation maintained an office in Burma from 1954 to 1962; and since 2007 we have donated more than 80,000 books valued at $3.2 million. Our staff of international and local development experts has worked with virtually every major Asian country that has undergone a democratic transition, such as Mongolia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Korea. The Asia Foundation is well positioned to make an important contribution to the reform agenda introduced by President Thein Sein, and we look forward to partnering with the country's emerging leadership."
TAF Korea Reaches Out
Representative Peter Beck spoke at 23 public programs from September to December 2012. Over 7,000 government officials, community leaders, business people and students attended programs held throughout Korea by a range of organizations, including the National Unification Advisory Council, universities, think tanks and academic societies. Some of the highlights:
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- September 18: National Unification Advisory Council Unification Concert Talk Show (3,000 women)
- September 26: Unification Concert Talk Show (400 overseas Korean leaders)
- October 11: Korean American Leadership Conference (200 people)
- October 12: Distinguished Global Lecture at Ewha Womans University GSIS (60 students)
- October 16: Citibank Korea Macro Investor Conference (15 investors)
- October 22: The Institute for Global Economics Conference (200 people)
- November 9: National Assembly Forum on the Results of the U.S. Election and Korea's
November 9: Choice
(70 people)
- November 21-22: The 8th Hankyoreh-Busan International Symposium (200 people)
- December 4: The 2nd Kim Dae-jung International Peace Conference (100 people)
- December 13: Korean – American Club Year-end Luncheon Seminar (300 people)
Staff News
Please join us in welcoming our new interns, Lee Da-eun (Seoul National Univ.), Max Gow (UCLA), and Joseph Lenox (Seoul National Univ.). We bid farewell to our two interns, Kendra Suh (Yale MBA) and Lee Min-jae (Yonsei Univ.). Both were a huge help on several projects.
Korea Office staff would like to wish you a Happy Lunar New Year
Lee, Hong-koo, "The New World Order" Korea Joongang Daily, September 11, 2012
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2959217
Lee, Hong-koo, "Avoiding Europe's Mistakes" Korea Joongang Daily, October 9, 2012
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2960489
Lee, Hong-koo, "Writers with Shared DNA" Korea Joongang Daily, October 30, 2012
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2961494
Lee, Hong-koo, "Obama's Path in Asia" Korea Joongang Daily, November 20, 2012
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2962587
Lee, Hong-koo, "Toward Responsible Change" Korea Joongang Daily, December 11, 2012
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2963727
Lee, Hong-koo, "The start of a new era" Korea Joongang Daily, January 01, 2013
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2964753
Lee, Hong-koo, "A period of grace" Korea Joongang Daily, January 22, 2013
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2965843
