London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Dr James Kim of PUST – talks in London, Oxford and Cambridge

Dr James Kim (Image Credit: Lord Alton)
Dr James Kim (Image Credit: Lord Alton)

Dr. James Kim is a Korean-American businessman and the founder of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST), the first privately funded university in the DPRK. With its international faculty, courses in English, computers, and internet connections for all its students, the one-year-old university represents a rare window onto the world for the North Korean people. Amidst a history of mutual hostility and distrust, PUST offers a model of critical engagement with the DPRK that can build cultural bridges and help North Korea to gradually take its place as a member of the world community.

Dr Kim is giving three public talks this coming week as part of a quick visit to the UK.

Date: Thursday 16 Feb, 6pm-7:30pm
Place: New Theatre (Room E171), East Building, London School of Economics
Title: From North Korean Prison to Founding a University in Pyongyang

Date: Friday 17 Feb, 5pm
Place: The Buttery, Hilda Besse Building, St. Antony’s College, Oxford
Title: Engaging with the DPR Korea through education and culture (Joint Seminar with the Asian Studies Centre, St. Antony’s College and the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies)

Date: Saturday 18 Feb, 6pm
Place: Cambridge Union Society
Title: Engaging with the DPR Korea through education and culture

There is also a meeting in Oxford at lunchtime on Friday, at the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies, Woodstock Road, specifically for those interested in the ‘faith’ aspect of the work. Email dr.kims.talk at gmail dot com for details.

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is understood to be most isolated country in the world, a country that prefers ‘independence from foreign imperialism’ to feeding its own citizens. Yet despite the country’s appalling human rights record and disastrous economy, the extraordinary spirit of individual North Koreans and the recent change in leadership present an opportunity for fundamental change and the possibility of constructive, critical engagement.

Links:

Image Credit: Lord Alton

(automatically generated) Read LKL’s review of this event here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.