David W. Kim

Ob-gyn, Succour, Micro-Welfare, and Industrial Training

The middle of the twentieth century was the time when the new nation of Korea emerged and experienced political liberation (1945), independence (1948), and war(1950-3). As the colonial government of Japan was transformed into the democratic Republic, the citizens suffered and lost their family members and relatives. The Australian government (Robert Menzies, Australia’s longest- serving Prime Minister) officially launched its foreign relationship with South Korea in May, 1963. If there was no political cooperation until the 1960s, were there any non-governmental exchanges between the two nations during the post-Korean War period? If so, who and where were they? What were their activities? How did they impact Korea? This paper not only explores the historical narratives of the Australian NGO movement in South Korea that affected the initiation of Australia’s diplomatic relationship, but also argues that the voluntary work, as a pre-diplomat agent, provided social services in the areas of medicine, humanitarian aid, welfare, education, religious consultancy, community development, and industrial training for local people and organisations in the regions of Pusan city and Kyeongsang province during the Korean reconstruction period (1954-1960s).

From Manchuria to the Korean Peninsula: The Scottish Impact in Late Nineteenth Century Korea

The Korean peninsula of Northeast Asia was not well known to the powers and authorities of Western countries in the nineteenth century, for the royal family and their government of the Chosŏn dynasty (empire of Korea) had maintained an anti-western policy. The national policy did not last a long time; rather the western civilization of advanced science, technology, literature, and culture flowed into this oriental society, where there was a strong influence of Confucianism. Although Buddhist monks were in Korea, it was not the national religion. Instead, various activities of shamanism were performed in the life and culture of the Korean people. Christianity was a new religion to the local people in the nineteenth century. Then, how did the historical development of the Western religion take place in Korea? Was it part of the nineteenth century colonialism? Which country had the greatest effect on the early Korean Protestant movement? How did the Korean scripture (Sǒnggyo) emerge and affect the widespread use of Han’gŭl language in the society? This paper not only demonstrates the unique impact of a Scottish man over the early history of Korean Christianity and the development of Korean literature in 1870s-1890s, but also argues that the Korean diaspora in Manchuria under the principle of the ‘fulfilment theology’ performed as the vessel of John Ross for the modernization of the Hermit Kingdom.

Religious Transformation in Modern Asia

Religious Transformation in Modern Asia offers phenomenological glimpses of the religious transition in 18th to 20th centuries. The colonial experience of indigenous Asian people, as case studies, will be expounded in relation to the emergence of a new religion, Christianity.