Asian scholars discuss ways to enhance exchange

YANTAI – The 2nd International Conference on Social Development in East Asian Countries was held at Shandong University of Business and Technolgy (SUBT) here on June 15-17 amid attendance of about 30 noted sociologists from South Korea, Japan and China.

Yantai is a port city in Shandong Peninsula, eastern China, that can be reached in an hour flight from Seoul. Being famous for apple and wine, Yantai is a representative city of the Shandong peninsula together with Weihai and Qingdao. It is also famous as the hometown of Confucius who gave birth to the Confucianism, the foundation of Asian philosophy.   

Scholars from China included Li Peilin, president of the Institute of Sociology at the Chinese Academy of Social Science, and Choi Bong, vice president of the political science at Chinese Maritime University. Those from Japan were Shunjiro Yajawa, professor of Seijo University and honorary professor of Hitotsbashi University, and Kajohisa Nishihara, professor of Seijo University and an honorary professor of Nagoya University.

Korean scholars in the seminar included Kim Ick-ki, professor of Dong-guk University, Chang Won-ho, professor of University of Seoul and Han Do-hyun, professor of the Central Korean Research Foundation. Lee Sang-ki, the founding president of the Asia Journalist Association, publisher of the AsiaN and Wang xuan, a Chinese reporter of The AsiaN, also took part the meeting as well.

It was quite unusual in China to hold this kind of international seminar in a provincial city other than Beijing or Shanghai. Shandong University of Business and Technolgy is said to be the first among the provincial universities in China to host the international seminar of this level. Moreover, this seminar was the second held in the school following the inaugural meeting last October.

The three-nation conference has come to be realized from the notion that the academic exchanges among the three neighboring countries is far behind that of economies among them. Prof. Lim Myung-sun, the president of East Asia Social Development Academy in Shandong University of Business and Technology, played a leading role in the organization of the seminar, taking advantage of his wide range of friendship he has held with leading scholars in the region.

Wei kimling, president of SUBT

Wei kimling, president of SUBT as well as the Communist Party secretary in the province, seemed to have a positive attitude about the creation of Asian Community being actively discussed among the scholars of the three nations currently.

In a brief interview with The AsiaN, he said “there is no knowing at present that the partnership being considered among the Asian countries can be developed into a form of the European Community. But, one thing sure is that all nations in this region should go forward hand-in-hand for common development. China will do its best for the purpose.”

Mentioning about South Korea, he said “Yantai is very close to Seoul geographycally and as many as some 40,000 Koreans are living here. In addition to that, about 3,000 Korean corporations are doing businesses here.” Particularly, he talked about the Doosan, one of South Korean business tycoons, saying that it is contributing greatly to Yantai’s economic development.

He further explained that “there are many professors in our university who love Korean culture and devote themselves to the common development of Korea and China.” The university, having 30 years of history, is known for being ranked high in the fields of economy and management among the shcools in China.

Prof. Kim Ick-ki

Prof. Kim of Dong-guk University, said he has been maintaining close relationship with the professors of the SUBT and revealed that “I have visited Yantai more than 20 times in the last several years and published a book in cooperation with the professors in the school.”

Meeting with The AsiaN during the seminar, he further said he regards Yantai as his second hometown. Chinese people in Shandong districts have deep relationship with Korea historically. Many Chinese moved into Korean peninsula from Shandong district in early 1900s and most of them opened Chinese restaurants in Inchon and other parts of Korea, said Prof. Kim.

He also expressed hope that “this seminar, held on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between Korea and China, would be able to contribute to strengthening exchanges among the three nations in the years ahead.”

Prof. Kim who is fluent not only in Chinese and Japanses but also in English, played a pivotal role in the seminar, even performing a role of interpreter for smooth communications among the scholars from different countries. He also advised for those learning foreign languages, saying that “one must be brave in learning foreign languages. I started Japanese in my 40s and Chinese in 50s. Now, I have reached a level of giving lectures in both languages.”

During this meeting, a proposal was made that “it is needed to incorporate research results and opinions from all three countries about a specific topic in order to distinguish the forum at Shandong University of Business and Technolgy from all the other seminars.” The organizers are trying to apply this idea from next meeting. 

Park So-hye fristar@theasian.asia