Delegation from GSICS, Kobe Univ. visits GSIS, SNU

 The delegation of GSICS(Graduate School of Int. Cooperation Studies) from Kobe University visited GSIS, SNU on March 7th, 2017.  Five (5) staff and faculty members from GSICS, headed by associate professor Yoshiko KOISHI had meeting with Prof. Cheol Hee PARK, dean of GSIS and Prof. Taekyoon KIM, associate dean of GSIS and Ms. Se Heui YOON from Office of International Cooperation, GSIS.  GSIS of SNU and GSICS of KBU discussed over the renewal of the agreement and the point of receiving the exchange program students. They also discussed about bilateral future cooperation and exchanged views on the CAMPUS Asia Program. 

2017-03-07

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Dean's Welcoming Remarks

Dear GSIS Faculty and staffs, Newly-incoming students, I am very happy to have you today as new entrants to the graduate school of international studies at Seoul National University. On behalf of all the faculties and staffs of GSIS, I would like to congratulate you on joining the GSIS.   You should be very proud of being a member of GSIS, because GSIS stands out as the best and most prestigious school in the field of international studies. First, GSIS is best because GSIS faculty members are globally well-known, extremely talented, and socially well-connected. Professors you will meet in and out of classes are top-class experts in the field of their own study. Most of the GSIS faculties are recognized as specialists armed with theoretical and practical knowledge in their research fields, whether they are trade, security, business, area studies, development studies, or Korean studies. You should be very proud of your professors. I hope you have an eye for best-quality professors from when you start your career at GSIS, not later. Second, GSIS is outstanding in that we have truly inter-disciplinary programs. Faculties of GSIS have eight different disciplinary homes: political science, international relations, anthropology, economics, business, management, sociology, and law. You will see how we can combine methodologies and perspectives of different disciplines to figure out very complex real-world problems of contemporary era. We also cover various regions of the world, including Korea: China, Japan, Europe, East Asia in general, Southeast Asia, North and South America and Africa. GSIS tries to cover international and area studies altogether to grasp real-time analysis of what is going on in and around East Asia. Third, GSIS is robust and resilient in that we deal with contemporary issues, though our interest does not stop at contemporary ones. Even when we delve into historical analysis of the phenomena, we never forget to connect them with real-time issues of the day to grasp the directions, width, and depth of changes in contemporary happenings. I encourage all of you to read newspapers, columns, and journals widely while your main activity should be reading academic books and journals. You will see lots of advertisements on campus related to special lectures and seminars at GSIS. Please try to attend them voluntarily. I am sure you will get lots of wisdom at extra-curricular activities at GSIS. At the same time, as the dean of GSIS, I hope you get away from a few myths and prejudices you may have at this stage. Graduate school is not the place where you study only to criticize others. It goes without saying that acquiring skills of critical analysis is very important. However, before you criticize others and other perspectives, learn to respect others and different opinions. You are supposed to go beyond existing analyses rather than blindly accepting conventional wisdom. However, before you move on, comprehensively grasp what have been accumulated in the field of your study so far. Please do not exclude existing works on the basis of your pre-judgement, prejudice, and pre-formed conviction. Learning starts from the respect for well-known theories and competing perspectives. Still it is needless to say that your job is to find creative alternatives on the basis of critical imagination.   Some of you may think that GSIS basically teaches professional field of study. Learning skills and methods may be of your interest. However, do not forget that professional school like GSIS is a part of graduate school in general. Connect yourself to disciplinary knowledge while you are to tackle practical problems of the world. At the same time, some of you may concentrate on a certain area or country. Still broaden your knowledge about the issues and topics in other parts of the world. Try to develop comparative perspective before you end up with a single country analysis. My final advice regarding GSIS life today is that you had better get away from a hearsay that you belong to a certain fixed department or major. Do not box yourself in a small wall of your major. Break the wall and get out of the trapped way of thinking that you are a student of a certain major. Please do not forget that GSIS has only one department: department of international studies. What you have is only a concentration of your study in the middle of widening your scope of analysis. Open your eyes more widely and cross the walls of majors so that you can get far-reaching view of global and regional issues.        I hope your experiences, learning, and social encounters at GSIS would be rewarding, enriching, and most of all enjoyable. Once again congratulations on your becoming a member of the GSIS. I welcome all of you. Thank you.

2017-03-06

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The 37th Commencement of GSIS, SNU

The 37th Commencement of Graduate School of International Studies, Seoul National University was held on February 24, 2017.  Fifty four (54) Masters students in International Studies graduated, including 20 foreign students from 16 different countries. Prof. Cheol Hee Park, Dean of GSIS, congratulated the students for fulfilling the requirements and obtaining their degrees. The dean made congratulatory remarks and shared a few guiding principles for future success, introducing these principles through a new take on the GSIS acronym. G stands for ‘global mind’, S for ‘social awareness’, I for ‘integrity’, and S for ‘sacrifice’. The dean emphasized that as upcoming leaders of society, students must make sacrifices and dedicate themselves to the community. Lastly, he urged the graduating class to embrace those in need and establish trust. With the dean's remarks in mind, the students boldly embark on the next step of life's journey

2017-02-28

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Dean's Congratulatory Remarks

Congratulatory Remarks (February 24, 2017)   Dear Distinguished Guests, Faculty Members, Graduating Students, Their Parents, and Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my great pleasure and honor to announce this afternoon that 54 students will receive MA degree in International Studies at the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University.  First of all, on behalf of all the faculty and staff of GSIS, let me first express my sincere congratulations to all the graduating students on successfully completing the courses at GSIS and fulfilled all the requirements to obtain MA degree today. I know you have worked very hard to make this happen. You may have had numerous sleepless nights and intense discussions among fellow students. I am aware that most of you consulted your advisors several times to finish your MA thesis, sometimes with tears and sometimes with joy. Now you deserve to get your degree after all those hard works.   On this occasion, I also would like to express my special thanks to family members who have shown heart-felt support, immeasurable sacrifice, and priceless devotions to make your sons and daughters pass through all those difficulties at GSIS. You should be very proud of your children, your brothers and sisters today. As a dean of the GSIS, I am also very proud that GSIS could have all of you as proudful members of the school. With your knowledge and practical lessons that you have learned at GSIS, I am sure that you will open and cultivate successful pathways forward. Without doubt, you would perform better than any other persons of your age in any organizations you may work in the future.   On this occasion, as a dean of GSIS, I would like to tell you a few guiding principles that may help you to make your future course more rewarding and enriched. I hope you remember capital letters G-S-I-S as a guiding spirit for your life in the future.  'G' stands for ‘global mind.’ I hope all of you, as graduates of GSIS, continue to develop ‘global minds.’ As you know, a motto of GSIS is ‘think globally and act regionally.’ In our age the world is undoubtedly densely connected. What is happening on the other side of the planet affects our life in one way or another. You can never close your eyes and get away from global happenings. I think the reason why you chose GSIS as a place for your graduate study would have been to deepen your knowledge about global and regional affairs more thoroughly. With the knowledge and insights that you have acquired at GSIS, I hope you continue to watch on global and regional affairs with open but critical minds.   'S' stands for ‘social awareness.’ In the middle of making your way up and forward, you may concentrate on your own career, income, and your personal assets. Still I hope you never forget to develop keen awareness about social surroundings. I dare to say that it is a part of nobles oblige to put yourself in a wider spectrum of the society. Read books and newspapers, watch on TV, browse internet, and catch up with what is going on in the society. Like you did at GSIS, remain critical to existing perspectives and continue to think about creative alternatives with keen sense on social reform and innovative social change. Please do not box yourself up in an individualized and isolated setting.   'I' stands for ‘integrity.’ Please do not forget to have integrity of your own. People of lost integrity can never be respected in a society. You obtained lots of knowledge at school. However, intellect and integrity do not necessarily go together. To live as men and women of integrity, you may sometimes need courage, determination, endurance, and most of all self-discipline. My American friend used to tell me, ‘you do not have to be a giant to stand up.’ I hope you stand up when necessary. I hope you speak up when you need to. Still please do not lose your sense of balance. As graduates of GSIS, I hope you maintain integrity and principle. 'S' stands for ‘sacrifice.’ I would like to emphasize the importance of sacrifice to others and social community. Everybody works hard for their own personal success. However, as leaders and elites of the society, you should sacrifice and dedicate yourself to the community you belong to. Try to embrace others. If you can, extend your arms to people in need or people in a dire and difficult position. Sacrifice will give you more, not less, chances to go further. Sacrifice will give you more, not less, confidence and trust from people. Most of all, sacrifice will give you more, not less, happiness in your life.   As of today, you have become a prideful member of GSIS alumni. I hope you keep the GSIS spirit I have mentioned in mind: global minds, social awareness, integrity, and sacrifice. As a dean of the GSIS and on behalf of all the faculty and staffs of the GSIS, I wish all the best and good luck for your future career in the years to come. Congratulations again. Thank you.

2017-02-24

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Korean Studies as Soft Power in the United States: Past, Present, and Future

On February 17th, Professor Eugene Y. Park from the Univ. of Pennsylvania, also the director of James Joo-Jin Kim Program in the Korean Studies, gave a special lecture on the topic of “Korean Studies as Soft Power in the United States: Past, Present, and Future”. Professor Park, Tae Gyun from GSIS was the moderator, Zheng Jiyong, the director of the Center for Korean Studies at Fudan University, and Prof. Sem Vermeersch from the Kyujanggak Institute for Korean Studies at SNU took the role as the commentators.  The purpose of the seminar was to discuss the development and standing of Korean Studies in academia and the world from various perspectives.

2017-02-20

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2017 Spring Quarter Info Session for incoming students

 On February 15, 2017, GSIS Student Council hosted the 2017 Spring Quarter Info Session for incoming graduate students. Student Council President, Beomcheol Lee, and Treasurer, Tim Rolfes, gave a presentation on course registration, graduation requirements, and other aspects of student life before fielding questions from the students. Students were divided by major for group discussions led by major representatives from the student council. Major representatives went over possible concerns for new students and gave advice on topics ranging from course planning to nearby lunch options.  Buoyed by the support of the student council, the new students eagerly anticipate the start of their time at SNU GSIS.    

2017-02-17

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2016 Completion Ceremony of the DCPP of GSIS, SNU

The 8th Commencement Ceremony of DCPP (Development Cooperation Policy Program), GSIS was held on December 14, 2016 at International Conference Hall.  With the support of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) of Seoul National University has produced 12 graduates. The GSIS DCPP students from developing countries are trained to become competitive leaders in their respective country. Most of the graduates of DCPP have returned to their job as government officers. The 9th DCPP will be starting in coming September.

2017-01-02

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The Prospect and Development of Global FTA System

On December 19, 2016, FTA Commerce and Strategy Program hosted the 2016 GSIS FTA Commerce & Strategy Academic Conference for Young Scholars by inviting 7 experts to give a presentation under the topic, “the Prospect and Development of Global FTA System.”  Session I invited Dr. Hyo-young Lee from Korea Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), Dr. Minjung Kim from KDI School of Public Policy and Dr. Wonkyu Shin from Korea Development Institute (KDI). In order to wrap up Session I, 4 presenters from Session II gave some comments about the given presentations.  Session II continued with the 4 senior researchers from Center for International Commece & Strategy of GSIS, SNU. They were Dongchul Kwak, Jiyoung Yoo, Jeongjoon Park, and Kyounghwa Kim. Just like Session I, Session II wrap up was led by 3 presenters from Session I.

2017-01-02

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The 3rd National Essay Competition of FTA Business Program

On November 18th, the 3rd National Essay Competition of FTA Business Program was held at Pukyong National University. About 130 professors, specialists and students from the seven program-running universities (Chosun University, Chungnam National University, Inha University, Kyungpook National University, Pukyong National University, Seoul National University and Sungkyunkwan University) attended the event, where selected graduate students competed with their papers and presentations. Nayung Kim from the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), Seoul National University, won the 1st place.

2016-12-30

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The 17th Essay Competition on Trade Remedy System

On November 11th, the International Society of Fair Trade (ISFT) held the 17th Essay Competition on Trade Remedy System at the Trade Center of Korea International Trade Association (KITA). Many professors, specialists and students attended the competition, where selected undergraduate and graduate students presented their papers. Fifteen students from six teams presented and Cherry Kim, Hyerim Kim and Gaegoung Kim, a team from the Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), Seoul National University, won the 1st place.

2016-12-30

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