Youth Insights Exchange Event Recap, Interview with Professor Kim Dong Chan

On June 30, Youth Envoy of KCCEA and China Southern Airlines held a Youth Insights Exchange Event at the headquarters of Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat (TCS) , which the theme was based on Aviation. This fantastic event was met with invited professionals and academic professors joined the event. It also served an opportunity for?students from 10 different countries and backgrounds to learn more about trilateral relations and?exchange conversations, as well as engage in meaningful dialogues, and broaden their perspectives on global issues. The Youth Exchange Program is a regular feature of our association, held once a month in collaboration with various international organizations or large corporations.

History of KCCEA(Korea-China Economic & Cultural Educational Association)

Dr. Shin Kyung-Sook, the chairperson of KCCEA, is well-known in both Korea and China for her dedication to promoting friendly communication between the two countries. Because of this, she has been awarded by the President of Korea every year since 2016, and she also accompanied President Park Geun-hye on a state visit to China. Korea-China Economic & Cultural Educational Association traces back to 2004 and is the only official corporation directly under the government focusing on Sino-Korean exchanges. We have 12 branches across Korea up till now, with each branch president serving as a vice president at the central office. Youth Envoy is the 12th branch n was officially registered late last year after undergoing a rigorous review process. That’s why our partners are always these well known international organizations and large companies.

Summary

The event began with the opening performance of the Arirang medley sung in Korean, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese along with a mid rap section adding a modern flavor. Then, it proceeded to the variety of speakers sharing their experiences and hopes for the event to bring insights to the participants.

Mr. Yan Liang, Deputy Secretary General of TCS, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of youth exchange in building a better future. This then proceeded to Ms. YIN Z. , President of Youth Envoy of KCCEA, who highlighted the significance of cultural understanding and cooperation.? One of the highlights was during the China Southern Airline sessions, where Mr. Wang Xun delivered a keynote speech on "Aviation Talk," sharing his expertise and perspectives on the aviation industry(I assisted in interpreting the speech). The interactive group discussions enabled participants to delve deeper into topics on aviation and mutual interest, fostering an environment of collaborative learning and cultural appreciation.?A special aviation talk about the general history of airplanes and the technology behind it brought interesting talks and new knowledge to the students.

At the end of the session, it was a free session of networking with other fellow students and the event wrapped up towards the end. I would like to thank the following speakers and attendees in this event: Mr. LI Guanyu, Director of the Department of Social & Cultural Affairs at the TCS, Mr. WANG Xun, President of China Southern Airlines Korea, Professor KIM Dongchan, Program Chair at Yonsei University, Mr. ZHANG Zhongyi, President of the Yonsei Charhar Center, and Mr. Eric Du, Senior Executive Vice President of Huawei Technologies Korea.

During the event, I would like to take the time to say thank you to the two MCS who are current Yonsei GSIS last semester students and former Yonsei GSA Managers, Yeri Kim and Hugo. They worked hard in ensuring the event went smoothly and their great hosting skills were a great addition to make everyone feel comfortable. Matter of fact, Yeri Kim and Hugo expressed their after-thoughts as this is not their first time hosting an event. Yeri found it enjoyable seeing various organizations come together and collaborate but wished there was more time allocated for interaction especially for students to share their thoughts during the event. As for Hugo, he found the experience overall meaningful and helpful as he has learned how to prepare with limited time. Though it was challenging to balance different needs from the participants(thus not everything went as expected), he still found value in being part of the event.?

Interview

I had the honor to interview Professor Kim Dong Chan, who is a current head of GCC program at Yonsei GSIS and also attended the Youth Insights Exchange event as a participant and speaker. This interview allows us to understand more about his history in being part of GCC and its current developments at Yonsei GSIS.

1. Please introduce yourself, your role, and your academic and professional background. How did you end up teaching at Yonsei GSIS? What brings you to CJK & Beyond’s Youth Insight Exchange Program?

• Hi, my name is Kim Dong Chan. I am currently in charge of the GCC Program and joined Yonsei GSIS in March 2023. I graduated from Yonsei University with bachelor’s degree in Political science and diplomacy and received master's degree in history and Ph. D degree in international politics from Fudan University in Shanghai. Recently I am studying China’s foreign policy, the impact of US-China strategic competition on the Korean peninsula and ROK-China and DPRK/China relations. CJK & Beyond’s Youth Insight Exchange Program was hosted by the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat(TCS). I held an event to provide internship opportunities for GCC program students this spring semester. At that time, TCS participated in a GCC event and explained its internship program to GCC students. So, after receiving a contact that the TCS would hold a meaningful event for international students, I decided to participate in this event with joy.

2. As the Head of GCC, could you briefly explain the GCC program? What is the typical career path for GCC graduates?

• Compared with PIC, ITFM and KSP, Global Citizenship and Cooperation(GCC) is a relatively new program. GCC was established in March 2022 and our first students graduated from February of this year. There are two unique points about GCC. First of all, all GSIS courses have been taught in English until the GCC program started. However, all required courses of the GCC program are conducted in Chinese, and students of GCC program can choose to take elective courses that are taught in Chinese, Korean or English based on their own language abilities. Second, the GCC program offers courses related to three subfields: international politics and international economy, finance, trade, and cultural diversity. Students in the GCC program can study the subfields they want according to their interests and career plans. The second batch of students of GCC is currently scheduled to graduate at the end of August, and some students already found jobs in the state-owned company, private company and research institution in China. And some others decided to study Ph. D program in Korea, Singapore, Japan and China. Others have prepared for the civil service exam of China and some of the students will set up a new business or succeed to their family business.

3. Have there been any GCC students that stayed in Korea to find a job?

• There aren’t a lot of students who stay in Korea to find a job, because the biggest difficulty is overcoming the language barrier. However, I knew that some students already decided to look for jobs in Korea. I will support them to make their hopes come true.

4. To my knowledge GCC is a relatively new major at GSIS. Has there been any challenges or difficulties being part of GCC?

• Opening a new program was the first challenge and difficulty. However, Dean Jung-Hoon LEE and Professor Sukhee HAN made a lot of efforts in the process of applying for the new program and getting a permission from Yonsei university. When conducting the GCC program's first student recruitment in 2021, the COVID-19 situation was not completely over yet. So, there was no way to promote and advertise this program enough to overseas students. However, with the help of many professors and administrative team members of GSIS, the GCC program is now on track to develop stably.

5. Any future plans for GCC such as opening new courses or possibly networking or other activities, etc?

• After the GCC program formally launched, the GSIS has been continuously developing the quality of the GCC courses. Yonsei GSIS is currently in talks with one of the top universities in China to open joint degree courses. I am also personally paying attention to students’ future path after they graduate. As the chair of the GCC program, I am doing my best to hold more career fairs or career talks to help students get more opportunities.

Conclusion:

TCS stated, "The Youth Insight Exchange CJK & Beyond Program exemplifies the power of youth in driving positive change through cultural and educational exchanges. The organizers extend their heartfelt gratitude to all participants, guests, and supporting organizations for their invaluable contributions to the success of this event." As a participant and someone who assisted with the Aviation Talk section, I also had the opportunity to meet many amazing professionals and fellow students and colleagues who I have not seen in a long time(and I did not expect it at all). Thanks to everyone's assistance in this event!

For more updates from TCS, you can check out their Instagram @tcs_cjk or their website https://www.tcs-asia.org/en/main/#sec01

As the Youth Program is held once each month, please look forward to the upcoming event on July 30th at WFUNA.

The End

Mason He, Yonsei GSIS, News Reporter

MKH Productions