Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange (KOFICE) has invited a university press team from China to visit Korea from August 24 to August 30. The team of reporters from prestigious schools in China, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China and Beijing Normal University, will experience Korean culture for 7 days.

▲ South African press team who was invited to Korea in July

On August 26, the Chinese university press team and Korean university press team will gather at the newspaper editorial office of Seoul National University for “Korea-China Next-Generation Reporters Debate.” The press teams will engage in discussions under the theme “The Roles of University Press in Modern Society” for Korea-China cooperation. They will open a practical debate on the problems of and solutions for Korean and Chinese press and on the role of university press.

The debate will be presided over by Professor Min-tae Lee of Renmin University of China. He said, “There must be more similar exchange activities to maintain a friendly relationship between young people of the two nations. If there are more opportunities for communication and exchange, the youth will foster more interest in each other and cultural exchange will become more active. In that sense, I hope that the exchange between Korean and Chinese university reporters continues and expands.” 

The Chinese press team will also participate in Incheon Korean Music Wave and Seoul Fringe Festival and experience the leisure culture of Korean youth. At Institute of Traditional Korea Food, they will expand their experiences of Korean culture by making bulgogin, kimchi and other traditional dishes.

KOFICE has been inviting foreign opinion leaders to Korea since 2005 to promote correct understanding of Korean culture and to propel cultural exchange between countries. Unlike the previous practice of inviting influential people from the media, KOFICE plans to focus more on inviting foreign power bloggers, university newspaper reporters and other next-generation opinion leaders. By disseminating Korean culture on online and offline media, it plans to uplift and promote Korea’s image as a cultural power.

Aside from the Chinese university press team, KOFICE has supported the visits of press teams from the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iraq) and South Africa.