Korean Studies in Canada is a lot like Canada itself. There are a few people scattered across a vast area with most of them concentrated in just a few big cities while the rest work and live in relative isolation. Just as is the case with the population of Canada in general, most Korean studies scholars have settled in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. However, there are a few others scattered across the five and a half time zones of this huge country, stretching Korean Studies in Canada from a university in the western Atlantic to a university facing the Pacific ocean.
The University of Toronto has the oldest Korean Studies program in Canada. Established in 1976, it also has the largest undergraduate enrollment. Under the leadership of the now retired linguist Eung Jin Baek, it also was the first university in Canada to establish a Centre for Korean Studies, and the first to offer a full four years of Korean language instruction. The language program is now run by Young Gon Kim in the Department of East Asian Studies. Other Korean Studies faculty in that department include the historian Andre Schmid, the anthropologist Jesook Song, and the religious studies scholar Young-sik Yoo. In addition, the East Asian library appointed a full-time librarian for Korean Studies, Hana Kim.
Across town, at York University, there are more Korea specialists. Theresa Hyun, a literature and culture specialist, began offering courses on Korea there in 1992 and was able to make Korean Studies a formal part of the York University curriculum by 1998. Recently, York added the historian Janice Kim to its faculty. In addition, York introduced Korean language to the curriculum this year. With the establishment of the York Centre for Asian Research, faculty and student interest in Korea is expected to grow even more.
University of Waterloo has long been recognized as the most innovative university in Canada. Like many universities, Waterloo is committed to advancing learning and knowledge through teaching, research, and scholarship. Waterloo has been an outward-looking university, aware of and responsive to the needs of society. We have the largest co-operative education program in North America. Currently, Dr. Young Gon Kim in the East Asian Studies department at Waterloo offers Korean language classes and Culture of East Asia since in 1991.
Carleton University, in the capital city of Ottawa, also offers Korean language classes. In addition, Soo-Bin Park in the Economics department at Carleton, researches and publishes on subjects related to the Korean economy.
Korean Studies in Canada is relatively new, especially when compared to the older Chinese and Japanese studies programs scattered across this vast land. However, its youth has given it a vigor which has allowed it to grow rapidly over the last couple of decades and promises further growth in the years ahead. The continuing immigration of Koreans to Canada, the continuing growth in trade between Canada and Korea, and the growing numbers of Canadian English teachers with experience working in Korea will all stimulate further interest in Korea among Canadians, ensuring that every year more and more Canadian university students will want to learn about Korea, and more and more faculty members will want to engage in Korean Studies research
Korean Studies Courses
If you are a student or scholar who would like to learn more about Korean culture and society, please find information about Korean Studies programs, Korean language courses, video-lectures, fellowships & scholarships, and Korean galleries in world-famous museums.
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