Selected Speeches
Dr. Leeserved as the President of SNU from 2006 to 2010. These are selected speeches during his presidency.
Signing Ceremony for the Agreement for Academic Cooperation between Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University (Jan. 28, 2008)
HIT: 17058
Opening Speech
Signing Ceremony for the Agreement for Academic Cooperation between
Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
January 28, 2008
Excellency Professor Dr. Wichit Srisa-an, Minister of Education,
President Khunying Suchada Kiranandana,
Excellency Tae-Kyu Han, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea,
Director-General of Department of East Asian Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Deputy Secretary-Generla of the Commission on Higher Education
Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network,
Vice Presidents, Deans and Directors,
Distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen.
It is a great pleasure and honor to meet all of you and say a few words on this special occasion.
The purpose of this gathering is to officiate an agreement for academic exchange and cooperation between Chulalongkorn University and Seoul National University through the creation of a master’s program in Korean studies at Chulalongkorn University. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to President Khunying Suchada Kiranandana and Dean Kalaya Tingsabadh, both of whom I personally greatly admire, and to all those whose tireless efforts have made this moment possible.
We are living in the era of internalization, when we are often called to be citizens of the world. Nevertheless, we must not let our individual cultures, histories, societies, and institutions get lost in our efforts to be responsible global citizens. As the forces of internalization increase in momentum and scope, so does the need to understand and embrace one another’s differences. In fact, in today’s interdependent world, preserving diversity in the world has become a necessity. That, my fellow colleagues, is why we as scholars and as citizens of the world must take on this responsibility. Now, more than ever, this spirit of phronesis, or practical wisdom, looms large in our horizon.
The Korean Studies Program at Chulalongkorn University is a material manifestation of such a calling. This program will serve to enhance sensitivity in Thailand to diversity among different regions and countries and remind us all of the necessity to preserve differences in our own cultures, histories, societies, and institutions.
The documents we sign today do not merely indicate a commitment to academic exchange and cooperation between two universities; it is also collaboration between two universities of two different nations. Mutual understanding is both important and necessary. In this respect, the Korean Studies Program is a symbol of the growing friendship between the two universities. As we join hands in this pursuit of knowledge and academic progress in the area of Korean studies, it is my strong hope that our efforts will translate into a long-lasting friendship and collaboration in which we respect each other and ultimately serve humanity together.
At the same time, we are also living in a knowledge-information-based society that requires the pursuit not only of knowledge but also of deep, accurate, and applicable knowledge. Ideas and knowledge are powerfully transformative. In this knowledge-information-based era, the cutting-edge knowledge and understanding of Korea through the Korean Studies Program, to be jointly run by Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University, will undoubtedly contribute to the well-being, development, and prosperity of the students in the program.
Furthermore, by launching this joint master’s program, Chulalongkorn University establishes itself as a pioneer in the field of Korean studies, thus strengthening its academic reputation. Unlike other international area studies, which have a longer history, Korean studies is relatively new, and there is much unchartered territory to be covered. I am proud and honored that Chulalongkorn University is leading this quest for academic discovery and development in the field of Korean studies. I believe that the SNU-CU Korean Studies Program will establish Chulalongkorn University as the Mecca of Korean studies in the not too distant future.
The Korean Studies Program at Chulalongkorn University is particularly meaningful not only because it serves both Thailand and Korea but also because it serves the member nations of the ASEAN, as students from these nations will also join the program. Thus, I have high hopes for this program-hopes for unwavering dedication to developing this discipline, for unprecedented academic progress, for burgeoning friendship, for continued cooperation between the two universities, and for the promise of opportunities to serve our Asian community.
Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University share a vision of developing not only our universities but also the society we live in today. The agreement is the materialization of the two universities’ shared vision for the development of our academic institutions through the active and ceaseless pursuit of knowledge. I strongly believe that the agreement brings us one substantial step closer to achieving this vision. It is my earnest wish and hope that our shared vision will urge us to make this agreement successful in bringing about fruitful cooperation, ultimately laying the foundation for greater collaboration in the future.
At the same time, this agreement is more than an academic dream-it is the beginning of substantial exchange and cooperation between two countries, between two very different societies. Diplomatic relations between Korea and Thailand boast a 50-year-old history, and it is my sincere wish that the agreement will strengthen this bond and take Korean-Thai relations to greater levels of trust and respect. Perhaps we can even dream that this agreement will set a standard for future exchange and cooperation on both inter-country and international levels.
Our students are the hope of our future. I earnestly hope and desire that the friendships forged by Chulalongkorn University students at Seoul National University will be lifelong, translating into transnational understanding and setting a standard for future cooperation between Korea and Thailand. I hope, too, that our students will make this spirit of cooperation and respect contagious, ultimately becoming a driving force towards sustainable and peaceful cooperation in all of Asia.
I would like to close by expressing my gratitude, once again, to everyone present here today, especially to those who have worked tirelessly to make this Korean Studies MA program possible. I believe everyone’s efforts will see fruition in the academic progress and cultural understanding that this agreement will achieve in the years to come. Thank you.
Signing Ceremony for the Agreement for Academic Cooperation between
Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
January 28, 2008
Excellency Professor Dr. Wichit Srisa-an, Minister of Education,
President Khunying Suchada Kiranandana,
Excellency Tae-Kyu Han, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea,
Director-General of Department of East Asian Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Deputy Secretary-Generla of the Commission on Higher Education
Executive Director of the ASEAN University Network,
Vice Presidents, Deans and Directors,
Distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen.
It is a great pleasure and honor to meet all of you and say a few words on this special occasion.
The purpose of this gathering is to officiate an agreement for academic exchange and cooperation between Chulalongkorn University and Seoul National University through the creation of a master’s program in Korean studies at Chulalongkorn University. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to President Khunying Suchada Kiranandana and Dean Kalaya Tingsabadh, both of whom I personally greatly admire, and to all those whose tireless efforts have made this moment possible.
We are living in the era of internalization, when we are often called to be citizens of the world. Nevertheless, we must not let our individual cultures, histories, societies, and institutions get lost in our efforts to be responsible global citizens. As the forces of internalization increase in momentum and scope, so does the need to understand and embrace one another’s differences. In fact, in today’s interdependent world, preserving diversity in the world has become a necessity. That, my fellow colleagues, is why we as scholars and as citizens of the world must take on this responsibility. Now, more than ever, this spirit of phronesis, or practical wisdom, looms large in our horizon.
The Korean Studies Program at Chulalongkorn University is a material manifestation of such a calling. This program will serve to enhance sensitivity in Thailand to diversity among different regions and countries and remind us all of the necessity to preserve differences in our own cultures, histories, societies, and institutions.
The documents we sign today do not merely indicate a commitment to academic exchange and cooperation between two universities; it is also collaboration between two universities of two different nations. Mutual understanding is both important and necessary. In this respect, the Korean Studies Program is a symbol of the growing friendship between the two universities. As we join hands in this pursuit of knowledge and academic progress in the area of Korean studies, it is my strong hope that our efforts will translate into a long-lasting friendship and collaboration in which we respect each other and ultimately serve humanity together.
At the same time, we are also living in a knowledge-information-based society that requires the pursuit not only of knowledge but also of deep, accurate, and applicable knowledge. Ideas and knowledge are powerfully transformative. In this knowledge-information-based era, the cutting-edge knowledge and understanding of Korea through the Korean Studies Program, to be jointly run by Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University, will undoubtedly contribute to the well-being, development, and prosperity of the students in the program.
Furthermore, by launching this joint master’s program, Chulalongkorn University establishes itself as a pioneer in the field of Korean studies, thus strengthening its academic reputation. Unlike other international area studies, which have a longer history, Korean studies is relatively new, and there is much unchartered territory to be covered. I am proud and honored that Chulalongkorn University is leading this quest for academic discovery and development in the field of Korean studies. I believe that the SNU-CU Korean Studies Program will establish Chulalongkorn University as the Mecca of Korean studies in the not too distant future.
The Korean Studies Program at Chulalongkorn University is particularly meaningful not only because it serves both Thailand and Korea but also because it serves the member nations of the ASEAN, as students from these nations will also join the program. Thus, I have high hopes for this program-hopes for unwavering dedication to developing this discipline, for unprecedented academic progress, for burgeoning friendship, for continued cooperation between the two universities, and for the promise of opportunities to serve our Asian community.
Seoul National University and Chulalongkorn University share a vision of developing not only our universities but also the society we live in today. The agreement is the materialization of the two universities’ shared vision for the development of our academic institutions through the active and ceaseless pursuit of knowledge. I strongly believe that the agreement brings us one substantial step closer to achieving this vision. It is my earnest wish and hope that our shared vision will urge us to make this agreement successful in bringing about fruitful cooperation, ultimately laying the foundation for greater collaboration in the future.
At the same time, this agreement is more than an academic dream-it is the beginning of substantial exchange and cooperation between two countries, between two very different societies. Diplomatic relations between Korea and Thailand boast a 50-year-old history, and it is my sincere wish that the agreement will strengthen this bond and take Korean-Thai relations to greater levels of trust and respect. Perhaps we can even dream that this agreement will set a standard for future exchange and cooperation on both inter-country and international levels.
Our students are the hope of our future. I earnestly hope and desire that the friendships forged by Chulalongkorn University students at Seoul National University will be lifelong, translating into transnational understanding and setting a standard for future cooperation between Korea and Thailand. I hope, too, that our students will make this spirit of cooperation and respect contagious, ultimately becoming a driving force towards sustainable and peaceful cooperation in all of Asia.
I would like to close by expressing my gratitude, once again, to everyone present here today, especially to those who have worked tirelessly to make this Korean Studies MA program possible. I believe everyone’s efforts will see fruition in the academic progress and cultural understanding that this agreement will achieve in the years to come. Thank you.