Media Release | Dec. 2, 2001
$1.25 million gift boosts Korean literature and translation
at UBC
A $1.25 million gift from the Seoul-based International Communication
Foundation (ICF) to the University of British Columbia will
help establish the university as a major centre of Korean
language and literature in Canada.
Representatives of the ICF and UBC, including UBC President
Martha Piper and UBC Board of Governors chair Larry Bell,
announced the donation today in Seoul.
The ICF gift, fully matched by UBC, will fund the new Young
Bin Min Chair in Korean Literature and Literary Translation
in the university's Dept. of Asian Studies in the Faculty
of Arts. A search for a world leader in the study of Korean
literature and Korean to English translation to fill the chair
will begin immediately.
"We sought an institution to develop and contribute to Korean
literary studies in the English-speaking world," says Dr.
Suk Kee Yoh, chair of the ICF. "UBC has distinguished itself
as a world leader in Korean studies, and its location in Vancouver,
a key Pacific Rim gateway, made it the perfect fit. We are
delighted to have the opportunity to support UBC on this exciting
new initiative."
"UBC and ICF share an appreciation of the significance and
importance of Korean language and culture," says UBC President
Martha Piper. "Now, with the support of the ICF, we feel our
program will be unequalled. We are honoured to have such an
enthusiastic and supportive partner."
The chair is named for Young Bin Min, the founder of ICF
and YBM Si-sa, one of the leading publishers in Korea. He
founded the ICF to raise the profile of Korean literature
overseas. This donation is the largest international gift
that the foundation has made.
The chair will build on UBC's strengths in Korean studies,
which also include the Centre for Korean Research and exchange
agreements with 12 Korean universities and institutes. A recent
agreement established a joint academic program with Korea
University, which will bring approximately 100 Korean students
to the UBC campus each year.
The holder of the chair will teach Korean language and literature
classes, conduct and publish research, particularly on literary
translation, as well as plan and coordinate literary events.
-30-
|
