korea summer institute

Presented by Daniel Morse

The Korea Summer Institute is a course offered through Suffolk University that gives students the opportunity to travel to Korea and live and learn at Cheju National University. There, students are immersed in Korean culture and have a chance to meet and interact with Korean students and professors. The program has been successfully run and managed by Professor Simone Chun in the Government Department.

Students attend classes and lectures by distinguished scholars from all over the world. At the 2009 Institute, I was privileged to be part of the Peace Island Forum, where I, along with scholars from Australia, Japan, Mauritius, Korea and other countries presented topics relating to peace and peace initiatives. I attended a week of lectures by each visiting scholar and had a chance to spend time after class with each of them and ask them questions about their fields.

This Institute also provides students with the opportunity to make connections in fields they might be interested in as there are scholars in all fields from many countries.

Arrival in Seoul, 8th August 2009

Touring Seoul, Korea9th August 2009

Arrival on Jeju Island9th August 2009

Jeju Island is off the southern coast of the Korean mainland. It has a sub-tropical climate with distinct seasons. There are approximately 410,000 islanders.

“Dol hareubang” are large mushroom-like statues found on Jeju Island. They are considered to be gods offering both protection and fertility and were placed outside of gates for protection against demons travelling between realities.

Jeju National History Museum

Korea Summer Institute/ Peace Island ForumFarewell Dinner

…visiting Scholar from Mauritius

…distinguished speaker from MIT

…distinguished Professor from Suffolk University

…visiting scholar from Japan

…government official from Jeju Island

…visiting student from Suffolk University

…filmmaker from Australia

•While in Jeju, I had the opportunity to learn about the history of Jeju Island. During much of WWII and before, Jeju Island was used by the Japanese as a strategic base for defense against the Chinese. Due to it’s prime location, the Japanese stationed many forces on Jeju.

•During the occupation, we learned that many Jeju inhabitants were tortured and suffered while working for the Japanese to build thousands of miles of tunnels all throughout the mountainous island. Hundreds, if not thousands, were killed. Japanese became a common language, but inhabitants retained their language and traditions.

•Another little-known history of Korea is the “ 제주 4·3” April 3rd Uprising. Between 14,000 and 30,000 individuals were killed in fighting between various factions on the island. The suppression of rebellion by the South Korean army has been called “brutal”, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction of many villages on the island, and sparking rebellions on the Korean mainland.

The tunnels were positioned on the beaches and are suspected ofbeing where the Japanese hid their weapons from the U.S. andChinese.

Traditional Korean Lunch

Japanese tunnels running through the mountains. They were very intricate and miles long, but very narrow, dark and damp. Islanders were forced to build these so that the Japanese would be protected from attack and so that they could see the enemy approaching.

This coffee shop really showed what the people of Jeju were about: peace and community. Here, islanders could get their coffee, beer and snacks without having to pay anything, though many do leave donations. Customers serve themselves and clean their areas after finishing. It is a very relaxing place and a great place to interact with fellow islanders.

…back to Seoul

Population: more than 10 million

Population including suburbs: 20 million, half of the population of Korea

Wax Museum

Aquarium

NSeoulTower

(on top of Namsan Mountain)

There were thousands of locks and keychains on top of Namsan mountain where Koreans put a “lock of love.”

Buddhist temples in Downtown Seoul

And finally, what would any good Korean trip be without a trip to “Noraebang” Karaoke Bars!?