Five things that foreigners think when they hear the word, ‘Korea’

The Korean wave (4%)
North korean nuclear issues (6%)
Electronic appliances (12%)
kimchi (18%)
Only divided country in the world (39%) 

5 out of 10 foreigners use “divided country” to describe Korea
an incident that made korea receive international broadcasting stations’ attention

The korean war on june 25, 1950
Since then, the inter-korean problem became the most popular issue about korea and, foreign press’ provocative reports that emphasize a war with the north korea 

“South Korea has experienced so called ‘korea discount’ phenomenon for many years due to geographical threats. although these threats are removed, the country will struggle with high costs of reunification.”
-2010. 12 UK Reuters

North Korean provocation on the yeonpyeong island, november 23 2010
November 28, the rok and us combined naval exercise

On november 27, some ex-marines initiated demonstrations to urge the government to engage in retaliating measures towards the north. riot police uses fire extinguishers to counter them.

CNN: “the police is using tear gas. tensions are rising on streets.

November 28, the rok and us combined naval exercise

CNN: “north korea fired a surface-to-air missile to south korean a fighter jet
A picture showing south korean congressmen’s fist-fighting was selected as “a picture of 2010” by the wall street journal

The korean peninsula described by foreign press
a divided country that is surrounded by conflict and threats of war
However, stories that support a peaceful unification on the korean peninsula is “none”

Foreign press misreports and exaggerated reports that come out every time there are some new developments on the peninsula can stimulate the war on the korean peninsula and can even ruin us economically.
-2011.01.03 yonhap news agency -

Korean people’s opinions on inter-korean problems

“Do you want to see a reunification on the korean peninsula?
“yes, as long as there is no major burden (43%)
“yes, and the reunification must happen (28%)
It shows that 7 out of 10 korea people desire to see the reunification

Is unification possible?
87% says yes 
13% says no

 
More than 8 out of 10 people are living with the possibility of unification
If international press do not support the unification and mislead public opinion that people on the peninsula do not want to see unification to happen, hopes of the republic of korea will be vanished.

The starting point of germany’ unification movement in the 1980s
“Monday demonstration of german young adults
People who dreamed the unification of germany began prayer meetings quietly and this meeting became a massive event that brought 100,000 people together and initiated the opening of east Germany. Korean young adults who have only dreamed the unification on the sideline now have to stand up together. Internet network that allow to communicate with world’s 6 billion population by using the network, we need to show the future and vision of unification to people around the world.

We have to tell the world boldly the unification that we dream of is not to gain more strength but to end the history of poverty and war and to promote the peace in Asia. 

We are not trying to become a hegemonic country in the northeast asia with more power. We are going to use our power to help and rebuild underdeveloped countries in asia and Africa. 

The unification is not to demolish the north’s regime, but to give hope to people in north korea who fight for hunger and pain. 

We need to let the world’s people know.
The korean peninsula that was divided into the two due to world’s great powers nations’ imperialism and the cold war system.  Therefore, the world has the responsibility to assist the north and south to unify peacefully. 

If the korean peninsula become reunified, it will be finally be saved from threats of war and it will contribute to the world’s peace. 

The peace on the korean peninsula will connect continents with oceans, and europe with asia and consequently the global culture and economy will be thriving to lead public opinion to support the peaceful unification on the korean peninsula by moving hearts and minds of people around the world

 This depends on your finger tip. There were 3 korean young adults. They were filling a road to unification with bricks of hope.

One tourist asked a question
“which direction does this road lead to?”
I do not know. I have already given up building this road
It is only burdensome and i think this is no hope

The second young adult answered. I do not know either. I just get wages and do whatever an architect told me to do. VANK answered this road is a way to peaceful unification. I dream the future where people around the world walk on this road with throbbing hearts. We are filling the road with bricks step by step when the road is completely built, we will go to the peaceful land all together. 

Are you all ready to put bricks of hope all together?

VANK is looking for korean young adults who have ambitious dream and want to accomplish the peaceful unification on the korean peninsula. Prepare your own brick that will make the korean peninsula as asia’s peacemaker. You are a main character of dream that makes hearts of people around the world exciting

By Dr. David Hyuk-hwan Kim from the PUST Founding Committee

Since reunification is a long and tough process, it is important to narrow the cultural and economic gap between the two Koreas as much as possible to prepare for a unified Korea. Education is the one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal. The Pyongyang University of Science & Technology (PUST) has taken this important step. To learn more about their initiative, I contacted the PUST and conducted an interview.

What made you decide to establish PUST?
In March 2001, the Ministry of Education of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) authorized the establishment of the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST) by the Northeast Asia Foundation for Education and Culture (NAFEC), a South Korean not-for-profit organization. NAFEC established China? first foreign university, the Yanbian University of Science and Technology (YUST) in Yanji City in Northeast China, which is a major Korean Chinese population center. During the past fifteen years since its opening in 1992, YUST has grown rapidly to become one of the top 100 universities in China, which is a remarkable accomplishment considering many constraints and challenges that YUST had to deal with during its growth.

Due to YUST’s success, DPRK requested that Dr. James Chin-Kyung Kim, the founder of YUST, create a similar institution in DPRK in 2001. The university will be the work of countless numbers of concerned individuals and donors from DPRK, South Korea, the United States, the European Union, China, and other countries who have come together in a spirit of brotherly love to build a unique institution of higher education founded on modern educational principles.

What are the educational goals of PUST?
- to assemble a first-rate faculty and student body with proven academic potential
- to form an industry cluster with foreign firms operating in DPRK to provide first-hand experience to students seeking practical knowledge
- to educate the new generation of DPRK students who can set the nation on the road to economic development
- to cultivate engineering and business professionals who are conversant in foreign languages
- to train a workforce that will live up to the expectations of these progressive industries
- to generate specialists who are as comfortable with theory as with practical applications
- to raise the future leaders of DPRK

How does PUST select its students and recruit the faculty?
PUST will choose students from qualified candidates selected by the Ministry of Education. Most of students are to come from North Korea’s most competitive colleges, such as Kim Chaek University. The ultimate capacity of PUST is planned to be about 600 graduate students and 2000 undergraduate students. PUST plans to recruit approximately 250 faculty members from prestigious universities and research institutions in the United States, South Korea, and other countries.

How is the curriculum of PUST structured?
PUST? first phase will consist of graduate-level programs, with undergraduate programs following in the second phase. The initial academic offerings will be structured within three schools: information and communication technology, industrial management, and agriculture & food technology.

- The School of Information & Communication Technology (ICT) will first offer PhD and master? degree programs in computing, electronics and communication technology.
- The School of Industrial Management (IM) will offer a master? program in business administration with specializations in management, technology, law, and international business.
- The School of Agriculture & Food Technology (AFT) also will offer PhD and master? degree programs in the areas of agricultural engineering and food processing.

In addition, the School of Engineering, Procurement & Construction (AEC) is being developed with the goal of its inclusion in the first phase scope. The School of Public Health and the School of Material Science & Mechanical Engineering will follow shortly. During their academic studies, students will have the opportunity to put theory into practice, engaging in research that caters to their interests. Each academic program will operate its own division within the center that will serve as the basis for interdisciplinary and collaborative research. Joint programs with research centers in other educational institutions, including foreign universities, will also be encouraged.

How can PUST contribute to the Korean peninsula?
PUST will serve as a vehicle of peace serving to dispel the mistrust of DPRK. Above all, this will be the meeting place where two opposing ideologies can come together and learn from each other and form a middle ground which can prove a passage to the unification.

For more info : Pyongyang University of Science & Technology (http://pust.kr/)