Oxford University is set to open a new centre for Korean studies in October, aiming to enhance research on Korean culture, language, and history. The Oxford Centre for Korean Studies will be officially announced during the opening of Oxford’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities this weekend. The initiative, led by professors Jieun Kiaer, James Lewis, and Chi Young-hae from the university’s Korean studies program, recently received approval from a faculty meeting.
The new centre will be responsible for overseeing research and lectures related to Korea, as well as encouraging further studies on modern Korean politics, economy, and literature. This development follows the establishment of similar centers focusing on Japanese and Chinese studies in the past. Professor Lewis, specializing in Korean history, believes that the centre’s long-term research will inspire Europe as a whole.
During a recent senior faculty meeting, the necessity of a Korean studies center was emphasized, highlighting Korea’s significance as a research subject and the growing student interest in its soft power, particularly in popular culture. Professor Kiaer, an expert in Korean linguistics, stressed the importance of English-language research on Korean culture for its sustainability, indicating that the new centre will play a pivotal role in facilitating such studies. Oxford University, located in England, is renowned for its long history dating back to 1096, making it the oldest English-speaking university and the second-oldest continuously operating university globally.
