International academic conference held to search for a new direction for global Saemaul development in a rapidly changing global environment
Joined by over 250 scholars, experts and development sector public employees from 23 countries
[November 21, 2019]
<The 2019 International Saemaul Development Conference was held at the Daegu Interburgo Hotel on the 21st>
The 2019 International Saemaul Development Conference was held at the Daegu Interburgo Hotel on November 21 under the theme, ‘Searching for a New Direction for Global Saemaul Development in a Rapidly Changing Global Environment’.
This international academic conference co-hosted by YU (President Sur Gil-soo), Cheongdo-gun and the Global Saemaul Development Network (hereinafter GSDN) was joined by over 250 people including scholars, experts and public employees in the development sector from 23 countries. This academic conference was made up of a total of four sessions with different topics and a general session, and discussions on practicing the Saemaul spirit and the effective application of the Saemaul development model for developing countries in Asia and Africa were held.
In his keynote address, YU President Sur Gil-soo emphasized, “The biggest driving force behind Korea being able to come out of absolute poverty and become an advanced industrial nation was the Saemaul Undong. The reason why Korea was able to become an economic powerhouse with national income of 30,000 USD was because of the ‘Saemaul Undong’ that spread from rural areas to cities and from the homes to work.” President Sur added, “YU has continued to conduct research and education on the Saemaul Undong from the mid-1970s until now and many professors and researchers centering on Professor Choi Wae-chul are working hard to spread the Saemaul Undong to developing countries and to solve common issues of the global community.” He also stated, “It is necessary for us to recognize the need for Saemaul Undong to play a leading role in resolving the common issues of the global community and as the president of YU, I will spare no effort or support for this.”
Meanwhile, GSDN Chairman Choi Wae-chul said, “Through the advancement of science technologies, the labor of humans can be replaced by machines and therefore, it will be possible to use the surplus time more valuably.” He gave meaning to this academic conference saying, “This is a gathering for thinking about and working on a safer and happier life for not just me and us, but for everybody.”
YU has continuously worked on becoming equipped with the best infrastructure for education and research for the Saemaul Undong. YU began research on the Saemaul Undong from the 1970s and opened the Park Chung Hee Leadership Research Institute (currently Park Chung Hee Saemaul Research Institute) in 2009, Saemaul Research Center in 2010, Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul (PSPS) in 2011, and the Department of Saemaul and International Development in 2015 to construct the academic foundation for the Saemaul Undong.
Meanwhile, Cheongdo-gun, which is known to be the place where the Saemaul Undong first originated, signed an MOU with YU in 2011 to install and operate the Saemaul Research Center. It not only holds the International Saemaul Development Conference, but is also actively engaged in globalization of the Saemaul Undong in countries like the Philippines and Vietnam to lead the global Saemaul Undong.
The Global Saemaul Development Network (GSDN), which is one of the co-hosts of this academic conference, is a non-government international organization launched as a foundation in 2015 and it is leading the formation of pan-global networks to share the experience of Saemaul development. It currently has over 500 individual and institutional members in 65 countries.
YU, Cheongdo-gun and GSDN has been holding the International Saemaul Development Conference every year, and this conference is playing a leading role in global Saemaul development. In the four sessions with different themes for this academic conference, cases of applying Saemaul development in different regional development fields such as in Asia (Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia) and Africa (Ghana, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania) were introduced. Furthermore, case-studies on improving the environment for international students at YU were also presented.
Meanwhile, in the general discussions hosted by PSPS Dean Kim Gi-soo, Governor Abuya Karim of the Sumunep Regency in East Java, Indonesia, Dr. Martin Dinha the president of the Zimbabwe Railroad Corporation and former minister of state, Gyeongbuk Techno Park President Lee Jae-hoon, and PSPS Vice Dean Jung Jin-young held discussions on applying global Saemaul development and to search for a new direction in international development cooperation according to the rapidly changing global environment. Zimbabwe National Railroad Corporation Martin Dinha said at this academic conference, “I was very impressed with the Saemaul Undong and the economic development of Korea, and we gained many implications for the development of infrastructure such as railways.”
YU Saemaul Research Center Director Park Seung-woo that hosted this academic conference said, “Despite huge amounts of development aid being poured in, most development aid did not have meaningful outcomes in many of the developing countries, and so a new conceptual framework is needed for international development cooperation.” He also stated, “The core element of the Saemaul Undong is development based on the assertive participation and self-helping efforts of residents,” while adding, “(this academic conference) will provide a good lesson on how effectively the Saemaul development model is at regional development sites in various countries such as Asia and Africa, and for the global Saemaul development program.”
