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Do you think there is a domineering trend in the development of the Korean Studies subject at Sofia University?
Prof.Fedotoff:
The Korean Studies subject, in my view, should stake from the very beginning that is, from the BA programme, on a wider spectrum of educational fields.What is my point? I think the narrow philological approach should pass on to a wider, culturally general, civilizational and anthropological one, if we refer to the American view of anthropology. This is already in progress in the Korean Studies subject, but is still at its opening stage. The wider method of presenting the material also means crossing the boundaries of examining only Korea, its relationships with China and Japan should also be sought.
Which do you think are the factors favourable to the success of Korean Studies?
Prof.Fedotoff:
The good base, the successful relationships with Korea, the majoring opportunities, interesting lecturers (however immodest this may sound). And last but not least, interesting students, too, but alas,not always! The last can be a considerable holdback.
How would you evaluate the vocational realization opportunities of Korean Studies specialists?
Prof.Fedotoff:
They are good to a great extent, but this depends mostly on the each individual's personal qualities. In this sense, it's better for the students to be less but better.
What do you think is it in the functioning system of Korean Studies that requires improvement ?
Prof. Fedotoff:
Nothing is perfect! In other words, our subject as well as the whole system of higher education in Bulgaria requires a change. I am a Classical Oriental Studies follower, and that means setting a great store by individual work with every student and lecturer.This requires dedication and self-sacrifice.
According to your observations how is the subject being accepted outside the department? Do you think it is considered popular and desired or insufficiently known in the society?
Assoc.prof. Kurteva :
Among those who are interested in the Orient, the subject is popular. Unfortunately , most of the society is still sceptical of this subject.
Would you describe your impressions from your work with Korean Studies students? What are the advantages and disadvantages in the process of their work?
Assoc.prof. Kurteva :
The students, who enrolled in this subject with set purpose and have a strong interest in the Far East, cope very well with the material. Nevertheless, there are students who seem to have picked up the subject by chance and they tend to neglect it. Generally the Korean Studies students' advantages are persistence and constancy and the disadvantages for most of them turn out to be poor linguistic knowledge and poor highschool philological training.
Do you think there is a domineering trend in the development of the Korean Studies subject at Sofia University?
Assoc.prof. Kurteva :
There is a growing interest not only in the Korean culture, but in the Far East culture as a whole, as well as in religions and society.
Would you describe the impression you initially had from the functioning of Korean Studies at Sofia University?
Dr. Kim So Young
It was not until 1990 that South Korea and Bulgaria made a diplomatic contract. When I came to Bulgaria 15 years ago, few people knew anything about Korea. Korean Studies sections had been established in Russia and other East European countries long ago, but in Bulgaria it was as late as 1995 that the Korean Studies Department was founded. It gives people the opportunity to make themselves familiar with not only the Korean language , but also the culture, economy and politics of South Korea. Therefore our department is like a bridge between the two countries.
What has changed with the passing of time in your opinion?
Dr. Kim So Young
In the beginning there were very few lecturers and students. In the first year of the functioning of Korean Studies even though there were 4 lecturers and 10 students , we were particularly ambitious. The social interest in the subject grew with every year. Our students occupy various positions (lecturers, translators, prestigious foreign companies employees and so on). Our department is now the biggest Korean Studies Centre in Europe.
What do you consider most important when studying different culture for the first time?
Dr. Kim So Young
First of all, this is studying the particular language since it is a means of communicating with people belonging to this particular culture.
As one of the specialists from the first graduated course of Korean Studies, how would you evaluate the development of the subject?
Assistant Ivanova:
I think Korean Studies is developing very fast and its most significant achievements are first of all, producing able specialists, secondly, publishing textbooks on almost all disciplines, then making the Korean culture popular by means of translation activity and also international acknowledgement( several international conferences have been carried out here)
Lecturer and student are the main parts in the functioning of a certain subject, which should cooperate in order to achieve better results.What do you think is the most important thing in their relationship?
Assistant Ivanova:
Without trust all kinds of relationships are doomed to failure and that's why I think that namely trust is important between a lecturer and a student. The students should trust the lecturer that he/she as a true and responsible specialist is to acquaint them with the needed information and he/she on his/her side should trust the students on their responsible work on the assigned tasks.
Which do you think is the most precious ability that students aquire in the process of training at Korean Studies?
Assistant Ivanova:
They learn to think globally about the world and about their own future.They also become confident communicating with different cultures, learn to be tolerant and start planning their personal professional development.