National Library of Korea, Foreign International Students' Humanities Exploration in Incheon

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The National Library of Korea will hold the Incheon edition of the program "My Book, My Humanities Journey," which combines humanities lectures with regional explorations, on the 28th. This exploration marks the first humanities field trip of the year and will take 20 international students to Ganghwa Island and Gyodongdo Island in Incheon. On-site, Professor Han Myeong-gi from the Department of History at Myongji University will give a lecture titled "Ganghwa Island, Seeking the Scent of History and the Sorrow of Exile."

During the Incheon exploration, attention will be paid to Ganghwa Island's characteristics as a "site of exile," examining not only the history of the Yeonsangun and Gwanghaegun eras but also the light and shadow of Korean history remaining in various places on Ganghwa Island and Gyodongdo Island, such as the Anglican Ganghwa Cathedral, the site of Goryeo Palace, and Gyodong Hyanggyo Confucian School. The works accompanying the exploration include the books "The Man Who Became King Gwanghae," "Gwanghaegun: The Monarch Who Pursued Outstanding Diplomatic Policies," and the film "The King and the Clown."

This year's "My Book, My Humanities Journey" will offer a total of five sessions under the theme "Humanities and Islands, Encounters with the Sea," providing either on-site or video explorations.

Starting with the Incheon exploration in May, on-site explorations following exile literature are planned for Namhae in July and Wando in October. Prior to the on-site explorations, preparatory lectures related to each exploration theme will be held at the National Library of Korea in June and September.

Additionally, to allow people to experience famous sites and high-quality humanities lectures from home, exploration videos will be produced and made available through the National Library of Korea’s website and YouTube channel. The Shinan edition will be released in May, followed by the Jeju edition in September.

A National Library of Korea official stated, "We hope that the National Library of Korea’s humanities programs will comfort minds and bodies exhausted by COVID-19 and aid in recovery to a healthy daily life."

Participants for the July on-site exploration will be recruited through the "My Book, My Humanities Journey" website and selected by lottery. Detailed information about the explorations and preparatory lectures will be announced later on the website.