Asia
The Korean Consul General's Farewell Lecture at Kyushu University

Shoji Ishikawa
Director of the Research Center for Korean Studies Professor, Faculty of Law

Consul General Seo giving a farewell lecture
On the 18th of January 2001, the Korean Consul General of Fukuoka, Seo Hyun Seop delivered a farewell lecture at Kyushu University. When President Sugioka heard that Consul General Seo was to be transferred to Yokohama, he invited him to make a farewell speech at the International Hall of Kyushu University. After his speech, President Sugioka awarded him a letter of appreciation for his contribution to strengthening the relationship between Korea and Japan.
The title of Consul General Seo's farewell lecture was "Towards a new relationship between Korea and Japan."
Here are some excerpts from his speech that particularly impressed his audience.
"I have often thought about Japan and the Japanese people since I came to Tokyo as a diplomat. In Korea, the word 'Wa' which we use for 'Japan' also carries connotations of being small and mean. The fact that Japan is larger than Italy, United Kingdom or Germany surprises many Korean people."
"The main problem of the Korea-- Japan relationship is what I call the '3Ds'; Disregard, Distrust and Dislike. However, I think our relationship should be described by the opposites of these 3D words."
"The success of Seoul Olympics made many Korean people think that Korea was a more developed country than Japan. However, Korea has not yet overtaken Japan."
"In the 21st century, Korea and Japan should further strengthen their relationship. If Japan can not even gain the respect of its neighboring countries, it may find it difficult to gain the respect of other countries around the world."
"Next year, the 2002 FIFA World Cup is going to be held in both Korea and Japan. I hope young people of both countries take the opportunity to build new good relationship based on hosting the World Cup. The following words of Hoshu Amenomori, who laid the foundation of ties between Korea and Japan, should be our guide "do not deceive, do not fight, and talk honestly with each other." I hope Kyushu University teaches its young people to be some of the best researchers of Korean Studies in Japan."
The audience was greatly impressed by his precise insights both as a diplomat and as a researcher and after his speech he was given a warm round of applause.
Consul General Seo Hyun-Seop arrived at his post as the Consulate General of Korea in Fukuoka on the 18th May 1998. His former post was as an extraordinary ambassador and plenipotentiary in Papua New Guinea. The day of his arrival at Fukuoka was his wife's birthday and according to him "it was a special present for her and for me" as he had been longing for a post in Japan. He had worked at Korean Embassy in Tokyo twice before, from 1975 and from 1988.
While he was working in Tokyo, in 1988, he received a Ph.D. in Law from Meiji University. When a book, which might have encouraged prejudice against Japan, became a best seller in Korea, he wrote his own book refuting its arguments. This showed how valuable he considers the relationship between Korea and Japan.
Six months after he had become the Korean Consul General in Fukuoka, on the 30th of November 1998, the then Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong-Pil visited Kyushu University to give a lecture in Japanese entitled the "Past and Future of Korea and Japan." He impressed the audience of over 1,500 students and faculty members and was awarded the degree of Doctor Emeritus from Kyushu University.
The success of his visit to Kyushu University contributed enormously to the visit of the then Korea Foundation's President Lee Joung- Binn, the present Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to conclude an agreement between Kyushu University and Korea Foundation. The agreement established a range of research projects promoting Korean studies at Kyushu University, and involves grants of approximately US$1,000,000 over five years. To further promote Korean Studies at Kyushu University and cultural exchange between Korea and Japan, the Research Center for Korean Studies was established and on the 19th of January 2000, the opening ceremony took place.
The success of these developments encouraged the establishment of the Kyushu University Asian Research Organization in September 2000 and the "2000 Conference of Asian University Presidents" held at Kyushu University in December 2000.
On November 30, 1998, the then Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong-Pil gave a lecture in Japanese on "the Past and Future of the relationship between Korea and Japan" at Kyushu University.

On July 1st, 1999, the then President of Korean Foundation, Lee Joung-Binn, the present Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, visited Kyushu University to sign the agreement to grant $1,000,000 for Korean Studies.
The Research Center for Korean Studies opened and its opening ceremony was held on January 19, 2000.
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