Commencement Address from Jinhyun Paik, Dean of GSIS

Congratulatory Remarks 24th February 2012 Dean Jin-Hyun Paik Dear Graduates, First of all, let me congratulate you on your graduation. Today’s graduation is the result of the effort and commitment you have dedicated over the last two years. We are proud of your outstanding achievement.   Parents and family members, All the helps you have provided for our new graduates have been most valuable. Without your support and love today’s celebrations may not have been possible. On behalf of GSIS, I would like to express my special thanks for your hard work over the years. Dear Graduates, Today you leave the campus you have grown used to and enter into a new world. The paths you choose to follow may differ. However, whichever path you choose you will surely be faced with both uncertainties and challenges you did not experience before. I hope you will bravely find your way.  I wish that the efforts, integrity, patience and sense of commitment that you have acquired during your studies at the GSIS will help you overcome the trials you may encounter in the future. Dear Graduates, This morning I want to share with you a few things that I believe are important in life. One of my favorite movies is “Fiddler on the Roof”. The story is set in the early 20th century Czarist Russia, right before the revolution. The backdrop is a small Jewish village and the protagonist Tevye is a poor yet earnest Jewish family man who sells milk for a living. The darkness settles on a rooftop, where a musician plays a beautiful melody on his violin. This sets the backdrop for the first scene of the movie featuring Tevye’s famous monologue. Tevye contemplates the musician on the roof and wonders how is it possible to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without falling off the roof and breaking his neck. He responds to his own question.  “That’s because he can keep his balance”. Then he asks again, “how does one keep one’s balance?” He shouts out, “tradition, tradition, tradition”. Of course, the fiddler playing music on the dangerous roof serves as a metaphor for the uncertain and dangerous everyday life of Jews under persecution and discrimination in Czarist Russia. And the message here is that not to lose one’s footing in this dangerous world one must find balance, and this balance is achieved by preserving tradition (in this case, the Jewish tradition). Occasionally, I think that this message applies not only to those Jews living in the early 20th century Czarist Russia but also it is a message that can apply universally to our everyday lives, even today. Especially, in the light of the fast-changing and increasingly competitive globalizing world, this may be all the more an appropriate monologue for us to think about. Dear Graduates, As you enter the real world, I advise you to keep your balance. Work and family, work and health, personal achievement and sharing with others, ambition and restraint, and material pursuit and the spiritual quest… make sure to maintain a healthy balance in these matters. And I advise you to have core values. A dead weight is necessary to keep this balance, and this should consist of your core values. Just as a tumbler doll will fall without any counter weight, a life unsupported by principles and values will easily crumble before hardships, challenges and temptations. It does not matter whether these values come from religion, tradition, age-old wisdoms, or philosophy. What matters is that you maintain an upright set of values. Believe in human dignity, be brave to do the right thing, and help those in need. Always be truthful and sincere, and try your best at everything you do. Life is a long journey. We are all “fiddlers on the roof”. Do not hurry; do not burn yourself out too early. Be patient, avoid pursuing short-term interests and take a far-sighted view of life. As a person who majored in international studies, continue to take an interest in the problems of the world and make efforts to understand and respect different races, religions, nationalities and cultures. And if you can practice these things, no matter how arduous your journey becomes, you will be safe. Dear Graduates, Let me congratulate you once again on your graduation. May you proudly celebrate your achievement. Do not forget to thank your parents, family, and professors that have supported you throughout these years. Do not be afraid of challenges.  Be confident and keep your head up and go out to the new world.  I wish you the best of luck with your career and life. Thank you.

2012-02-24

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Professor Taeho Bark: Minister for Trade

Professor Taeho Bark, former dean of GSIS, SNU has been appointed as  Minister for Trade as of 30 December 2011. For further information, please refer to the attached file.

2012-01-13

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2012 Alumni Reunion of GSIS was held on January 4.

2012 Alumni Reunion of SNU GSIS was held on Wednesday, January 4. Including Dean Jin-Hyun Paik, Minister for Trade Taeho Bark and six other professors, nearly one hundred graduates and current students came to celebrate the very first reunion party. After opening remarks by Dean Paik, representatives of graduates gave brief speeches followed by greetings of next appointed president of GSIS Alumni, Jae-Won Chung. Dinner was treated as a buffet service and afterwards there were raffle prizes for five of the lucky ones, each picked by different professors. Even though it was the first reunion and the time was limited, it allowed everyone to recollect the past and again make another wonderful memory. Also after the event, they gathered in groups to continue on the festivities.    

2012-01-06

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GSIS held its End of Semester Party

GSIS held its End of Semester Party on Thursday, December 15. After opening remarks by Associate Dean Park, students were treated to a special performance by Mutanmi, a performance group made up of American Area Studies students, which was created to introduce popular Latin American classics and bring attention to Latin America. The main purpose of their performance this time around was to raise money for charity. After the performance, students were joined by professors for a free buffet dinner at Sochon Hall. Then it was off to Global House for Second Round, with Associate Dean Park in attendance, where students celebrated the end of finals week and the end of another semester over food and drinks.          

2012-01-02

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Taehun Kim (Area Studies '08) placed second in the Graduate Student

Taehun Kim (Area Studies '08) placed second in the Graduate Student Division of the 30th Student Unification Thesis Competition. His thesis titled "China’s Foreign Policy towards North Korea and its Implication on South Korea’s National Security Strategy: Focusing on China’s Position and Reactions to Cheonan Ship Sinking and Yeonpyeong Island Attacks" will be published and distributed by the Ministry of Unification. In addition, he had an interview with Ministry of Unification’s radio program ‘Uni Radio.’ http://unitv.unikorea.go.kr/web/html/uniradio_listen_view_coner.html?no=461&page=1&part=&search_type=&search_word= - 김태훈은 통일부가 주최한 ‘제30회 대학(원)생 통일논문 현상공모' 석사부문 우수상(2등)에 입상하여 통일부장관상을 수여하였다. 제 30회를 맞이한 금년 공모전에서는 전국 38개 대학(원)에서 52편의 논문이 접수되었다. 통일부 내/외 전문가의 2차에 걸친 엄정한 심사결과, 11편의 논문이 입상하였으며, 김태훈의 논문은 2등에 입상하였다. - (논문제목) 중국의 대북정책과 한국의 바람직한 통일안보전략: 천안함,연평도 건에 대한 중국의 입장과 반응을 중심으로 - 입선된 논문은 12월 중에 통일 논문집으로 발간되며, 전국 대학 및 유관기관 등에 배포 및 활용될 예정이다. - 12월 8일 중앙정부청사(에서 열린 시상식에서 류우익 통일부장관은 수상자와 환담을 갖고 통일의지, 지혜와 지식, 능력을 갖춘 수상자들이 통일세대의 주역으로서 적극적인 역할을 해 줄 것을 당부하였다. - 통일방송 라디오(Uni Radio)와의 인터뷰 내용 http://unitv.unikorea.go.kr/web/html/uniradio_listen_view_coner.html?no=461&page=1&part=&search_type=&search_word=  

2011-12-16

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Shinichi Kitaoka, Professor of the University of Tokyo, Former Ambasssador of Japan to UN

As part of the GSIS "Asia and the World" Lecture Series, Prof. Shinichi Kitaoka(Professor of the University of Tokyo and Former Ambassador of Japan to UN) gave a lecture titled "Japanese Political Leadership and Governance System Reform" on November 28, 2011 in Sochon Convention Hall. He analyzed the origins and structure of Japanese political system.    

2011-11-30

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3rd Tea Time with Professors

On November 21, 2011, the Student Council held the third and last Tea Time with Professors for Fall Semester, 2011. Dean Paik Jin-Hyun was in attendance, along with Associate Dean Park Cheol-Hee, Professor Ahn Duk-geun, and Professor Jacqueline Siapno. Tea Time is an event hosted by the Student Council where students can interact casually with professors and ask questions oustide the sphere of academics. Conversations revolved around a wide range of topics, including professors' interests and hobbies outside of school, their views on the current state of academia, and experiences that they have had throughout their careers as professors and in their personal lives. As always, participants were treated to tea and dinner.  

2011-11-23

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The POSCO Asia Fellowship Scholarship Awarding Ceremony

The POSCO Asia Fellowship Scholarship Awarding Ceremony was taken place at the POSCO Center in Daechidong on November 17, 2011. A total of seven students from GSIS are a scholarship recipient. 4th Semester Student : Noon Paravee 3rd Semester Students: Mutiara Baby Admeinasthi, Jiraporn Tabtimdaeng and Alexsey Kim. 1st Semester Students: Nguyen Ngan Thi Thuy , Tam lai Cheuk and Xu Boya 3rd semester students performed chorus.  

2011-11-18

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Mitsuaki SHIMAGUCHI, professor of Hosei University

Professor of Hosei University and executive director of Japan Marketing Association Mitsuaki SHIMAGUCHI gave a public lecture titled "Principles for Business Grow-Japanese Experience and Asian Implications" in Sochon Convention Hall on November 14. His lecture focused on principles for business grow and examples. He also discussed that with the rapidly changing environment of this era, revisiting basic principles for building an adaptive strategy accordingly is a necessary step for all.    

2011-11-18

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The 3rd inter GSIS Academic Quiz Competition

The 3rd inter GSIS Academic Quiz Competition took place on November 12th at Korea University. A total of 40 students from Seoul National University, Yonsei University, Korea University participated in the quiz, with two universities being represented by 3 teams and one university with two teams. The quiz questions consisted of a wide variety of topics including Current Events, History, Sports, Economics and Arts. The winning team "Veni Vidi Vici” from Seoul National University was represented by Pierre Kerlann (Area Studies), Vadim Piatov (Cooperation), Ahrum Lee (Commerce) Jonas Lefrancois (Area Studies) and Chan wook In (Japanese Area Studies). The competition ended with “Veni Vidi Vici” coming in first place, receiving the prize money. SNU GSIS won three consecutive victories.  

2011-11-15

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