ARI Signs MOU with Leiden University Modern East Asia Research Centre

The ARI signed a memorandum of understanding with the Modern East Asia Research Centre, Leiden University, Netherlands on February 8, 2012, building upon the past two years of exchange and cooperation.

Among those attending the signing ceremony at Gravensteen (room 1.11) in Leiden University were ARI Director Nae-Young Lee and Peter Ho, director of the Modern East Asia Research Centre. The directors agreed to further develop their collaboration and exchange for the purpose of fostering a wide range of research on East Asia by various means such as establishing a foundation for cooperative research and expansion of personnel exchange.

Celebrating the signing of the MOU on February 8, Director Lee gave a special lecture at Leiden. During the lecture, Director Lee presented how the national identity and perception of Koreans towards unification with North Korea has altered since 2000. The lecture was entitled as “South Korean National Identity and Changing Perceptions on North Korea and Korean Unification.”

The researchers and students attending the lecture have shown a great interest in the changing perception of Koreans towards national identity, unification and North Korea.

For ARI, the signing of an MOU with Leiden University - which has the longest history of East Asian studies in the West - will become a stepping stone in expanding its international academic collaboration network with international research centers including those in Europe.