The tenth annual meeting of the UK-Korea Forum for the Future took place in Cambridge on 26-28 April 2002. Useful exchanges took place on the requirements of London and Seoul as regional financial centres. With its list of recommendations, submitted to the Foreign Secretary, the UK side stressed the 'extraordinary advance on the rest of the world in the use of Information and Communications Technology for consumer use', and urged close cooperation between the two governments in this field. It also made recommendations on ways of promoting the teaching 'English English' in the context of the current drive to improve English language skills in South Korea.

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The World Cup proved to be a great success for South Korea both on and off the pitch. Meanwhile President Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy seemed, for a while at least, to go behind some familiar North Korean clouds. News of the World Cup did, however, filter through to the North, and when it was over a pioneering football match between North and South took place. It resulted, rather predictably, in a 0-0 draw. Anything else might have led to renewed diplomatic strain. As it was, a naval clash near Ganghwa Island on 29 June was a serious reminder of the underlying volatility of North-South relations.

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The Press and Cultural Attache, Mr Hyon Tak Hwang, returned to Seoul at the end of July to take up the post of Director General of the Planning Bureau, Government Information Agency. He has been succeeded by Mr Sung Chang-Kee.

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Two North Korean officials attended the annual conference of the International Federation of Library Associations, held in Glasgow on 18-20 August. An account of their visit is attached.

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On 25 September BAKS members Dr Foley, Dr Foster-Carter, Dr Howard and Professor Pratt attended a briefing lunch at the FCO with the newly appointed UK Ambassador to the DPRK, Peter Slinn. When he succeeds Dr Hoare in October he will be the first British envoy to Pyongyang to hold this rank.

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A BAKS Seminar will be held at SOAS in conjunction with the Centre for Korean Studies on Saturday 7 December. It will cover the present state of the Korean peninsula, and it is hoped that speakers will include the H.E. Korean Ambassador and Dr James Hoare, recently returned from Pyongyang.

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Korean Traditional Music Workshop for Overseas Musicologists Following its big success in 2001, the Korea Foundation will hold the second Korean Traditional Music Workshop for Overseas Musicologists from June 15 - July 12, 2003, in cooperation with the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts (NCKTPA). All costs within Korea, including accommodations and inland transportation related to theworkshop, will be borne by the organizers, but participants are responsible for their own airfares.  If you are interested in or know of anyone who would like to take part in this workshop, please contact the Foundation directly by the end of January 2003 at: Cultural Exchange Team

Korea Foundation

Diplomatic Center, 1376-1 Seocho 2-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-072

Korea Tel) +82-2-3463-5615; Fax) +82-2-3463-6075 

Program officer: Ms. Soo Hyun Kim (shkim@kf.or.kr)

Director: Ms. Keum-jin Yoon (kjyoon@kf.or.kr) 

Below is the program outline. More details will be announced in late January.  

Period: June 15 - July 12, 2003

Venue: National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts

            (audio-visual classroom, practice room)

Organizers: Korea Foundation & NCKTPA

Expected Participants: Scholars and doctoral candidates in the field of musicology &  ethnomusicology who are interested in Korean music

Workshop Activities

      - lectures (in English) on Korean music

      - classes on performing Korean musical instruments

      - field trips to local festivals and performances

      - in-depth discussions with Korean music specialists