Development of Korean History Research and Education in Hungary

Abstract

The study describes the development of Korean history research in Hungary. The first Hungarian travellers arrived in Korea on board Austro-Hungarian steamers in the last years of the 19th century. Most of those travellers found similarities between the historical situation in Korea and Hungary. Both countries were situated among big powers, which had been the cause of historical traumas ever since. In the case of Hungary, the proximity of the Habsburg Empire, the Ottoman Empire and, after that, Tsarist Russia were essential factors, while in the case of Korea the closeness of China and Japan meant a constant source of danger.BR The study, written by the chairperson of the Korean Department of the ELTE University, Budapest, describes the first real interaction between Hungary and Korea, which belongs to the age of the Korean War. During the early 1950s, many articles and books about Korea and Korean history were published. However, it was difficult to establish a Korean Department at that time at the leading university in Budapest. It was finally established, after several years of preparation, in 2008. The study mentions the scholars and researchers whoBRplayed an important role in Korean history education in Hungary.BR The establishment of the Korean Department at the ELTE University corresponded with the start of the “hallyu” (the Korean wave) in Hungary. The first Korean historical dramas (The Jewel of the Palace, Queen Seongdeok, etc.) were broadcasted in Hungary, introducing Korean history and culture to tens of thousands of Hungarians. This aroused a new interest in Korean culture, inspiring dozens of young Hungarians to choose to major in Korean at the university. Finally, the study describes some of the difficulties in the field of Korean history education in Central Europe.