Danielle Chubb

The Australian National University, Australia
Exchange to Institute for Far Eastern Studies, Korea

Thanks to the Cheung Kong scholarship, I spent 5 months in Seoul over South Korea’s winter months in November 2007 to March 2008.

This was my fourth trip to Korea and, as is always the case, it was in its own way unique and exciting. I was in South Korea to continue my ongoing research into South Korean discourses on inter-Korean relations in general, and the question of North Korean human rights in particular. This subject area requires me to engage closely with the NGO community. Because of the extended time I spent in Seoul, I was able to interview activists, attend seminars held by the groups, and even help out with some of their work. The opportunity that the Cheung Kong Award gave me, to spend these 5 months in Seoul, thus allowed me to build personal relationships with those working directly on the issues related to my research, allowing for a unique, personal perspective that I would have otherwise been unable to achieve.

While in Seoul, I was privileged to work and live at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies (IFES). IFES is a research school located in the beautiful suburb of Samcheongdong, in downtown Seoul. Being affiliated with IFES had 2 main benefits. The first of these was of an academic/ professional nature. IFES is a highly-esteemed researchoriented think-tank, whose researchers are closely engaged in both academic research and public commentary. They also host a number of interesting seminars and public lectures, of which I attended as many as possible. The most memorable of these was that given by former President, human rights activist and Nobel Peace prize recipient, Kim Dae-Jung. It was such a unique opportunity to hear from one of the most prominent figures in Korea’s recent history.

The second benefit of affiliation with IFES was its location – in the heart of Samcheong-dong. Samcheong-dong is an area of ‘hanok’ (traditional Korean houses), galleries, boutique designer shops, traditional restaurants and wine bars. This area is unique in Seoul, quirky and funky – very popular among Korean young people. IFES is also located within walking distance from the hub of downtown Seoul: City Hall, Gyeongbuk palace, and the Blue House (Korea’s equivalent of Washington D.C.’s White House). In the other direction is a mountain range in which I would go jogging in the mornings, alongside a preserved fragment of Seoul’s ancient city walls. These morning runs gave me a unique insight into Korean culture as the route is peppered with ‘exercise areas’ – public spots with basic exercise equipment – which are frequented by Seoul’s elderly. I was of great interest to them and would be greeted enthusiastically as I jogged past!

As well as my research, I also took one semester of Korean language classes at Seoul’s Sogang University. While Korean is a notoriously difficult language, the excellent teaching at Sogang allowed me to overcome some of the learning curves that I had yet been able to master. Sogang’s focus on spoken Korean makes the classes extremely enjoyable and immediately rewarding, as I was able to practice what I learnt with Seoul’s taxi drivers!

The Endeavour Cheung Kong Award provided me with a fantastic opportunity to engage more closely in the Korean political scene. I was able to witness, first hand, the 2007 Presidential election and its fall-out. I met a fascinating range of people, whom I hope to stay in contact with throughout my career. My time in Seoul, as an Endeavour Cheung Kong Scholar, was of great benefit – both personally and professionally – and has allowed me insights into my research that would have been otherwise impossible to obtain.

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