PhD Choi Yoon Hee and researcher Kim Jae Young at Inha University's K-Academic Diffusion Research Center, participated in the regular spring academic conference of The Korean Society for Journalism & Communication Studies (KSJCS) on May 17th and delivered  the presentation on its direction and strategy of the "Global Korean Studies of K-MOOC Courses." They introduced the main contents by focusing on the online open lecture called as K-MOOC, related to the K-Academy's external promotion strategy and its performance so far. Specific promotional outcomes are summarized as (1) the development of core promotional messages, (2) the establishment of a platform for political diplomacy as Korean Studies, (3) the gradual establishment of a customized platform (4) the promotion through SNS, and (5) the contribution to reshaping next generations of Korean Studies. Through this presentation, all of participants discussed the advantages and disadvantages of the current promotion strategy and the long-term direction of promotion. Professor Lee Jin Ro (Yeongsan University) hosted the session of its Public Relations Research Society, and Nam In Yong (National Pukyong University) and Kim Won Kyung (Kangwon University) both participated in the following discussion on the presentation and shared meaningful implications for about 30 minutes. The debaters first advised us to urgently create English initials that can help people easily remember Inha University's K-Academic Diffusion Research Center, and use them for future public relations strategy. In addition, it is necessary to produce press releases regularly and continue to increase the value of K-MOOC courses as political diplomacy through extensive cooperation with the media & political communication organizations and academic societies.   KSJCS has been a representative society of Korea that comprehensively deals with various topics such as politics, society, culture, and media since it was established in 1959. This event served as an opportunity to enhance the possibility of spreading Korean studies contents in the field of political diplomacy, and it is also expected to expand the scope of K-MOOC use for journalists, faculty, and students further in the near future. The K-Academic Diffusion Research Center will contribute to not only cooperating with domestic and foreign communication societies and media organizations, but also promoting the spread and status of K-Academic.      

Professor Sung Dong Ki, a co-researcher at Inha University's K-Academic Diffusion Research Center, visited Russia in April 2025 and carried out various diffusion activities. Professor Sung met with Park Jeong Gon, director of the Korean Cultural Center in Russia and officials, and introduced the purpose and main contents of the K-Academic Diffusion Research Project. Director Park expressed his willingness to cooperate with our center by emphasizing that he would actively promote this project in Russia. Then Professor Sung visited the Korean Embassy in Russia and met with Cho Sung Kwan, Consul General. He promised to support the K-academic project with deep motivation.     In addition, Professor Sung met with Professor Pavel Rishakov of the Department of Korean Language at the Russian Higher School of Economics, Professor Yoo Mi Jung of the Wonkwang School in Moscow, and officials on the purpose of not only introducing the K-Academic Diffusion Research Project based on K-MOOC, but also explaining how to access and use the courses in detail. The Higher School of Economics and Wonkwang School showed keen interest in the K-Academic Diffusion Project and expressed their intention to actively utilize the K-MOOC courses in higher-grade classes.     This visit was an opportunity to confirm whether Korean social science contents can spread in Russia or not, and it is expected that the use of K-MOOC will begin in earnest through students from the relevant institution. Interest in Korean studies in Russia is very high. The number of students at King Sejong Institute, run by Wonkwang School, is about 1,000, and more than 5,000 people participate in the Korean cultural event hosted by the school. However, concerns have been raised that it is difficult for the school to operate continuously as Korean companies' sponsorship has decreased in the fallout of the recent war. Now, it is time to continue to restore mutual relations through 'Korean studies'. The K-Academic Diffusion Research Center plans to keep making efforts to promote the international diffusion and status of Korean studies as well as expand cooperation with researchers and educational institutions around the world.    

Professor Lee Jean Young, director of Inha Center for International Studies(ICIS), visited Hanoi, Vietnam, from April 30th to May 4th, 2025 and carried out various activities to spread K-academic knowledge. On April 30th, Director Lee visited the Department of Korean Studies at Hanoi National University in Vietnam to hold a meeting with Professor Hauri and others, and introduced the purpose and main contents of the K-Academic Diffusion Research project by Inha University. In particular, they discussed how to access K-MOOC courses well and make the use of K-academic contents on the purpose of education.   Then, on May 2nd, he attended the "Seminar on Strengthening the Capacity of the World Korean Federation" to host a 100-minute discussion and gave a special lecture. The World Federation of Korean Associations is an organization that signed a MoU with ICIS, and it contributes to not only providing the links of online courses with learners through its official website, but also spreading K-academic contents for overseas Koreans around the world.     This visit helped seize an opportunity to lay the foundation for various K-Academic contents including social sciences, in Vietnam by connecting local Korean studies with educational institutions and the Korean community in Hanoi. In addition, Kim Kyung Rok, a chairman of the Korean International School in Hanoi, and Maria Soo Chung, a chairman of the UN Hanoi International School (UNIS), introduced the project, delivered brochures, and sought for future educational cooperation. The K-Academic Diffusion Research Center will continue to expand cooperation with educational institutions and researchers around the world, including Southeast Asia, and make efforts to strengthen the international status of K-Academics.  

Professor Lee Chul Woo, a co-researcher of the K-Academic Diffusion Research Center at Inha Center for International Studies, visited Paris-Cité University in France on April 25th, 2025. He held a meeting with Professor Pierre-Emmanuel Roux and Professor Justine Guichard, who are in charge of Korean Studies, and also introduced the K-MOOC courses focusing on the purpose and main contents of the K-Academy. In addition, he helped explain the access method of the K-MOOC website and how to use itscourse in detail.   Paris-Cité University is one of the largest Korean studies educational institutions in Europe, with about 450 Korean studies students. This visit was designed to expand an opportunity to enhance the potential postive effects of spreading Korean studies contents across the globe, especially in the field of social sciences in Europe. It is expected that the use of K-MOOC for students will be more popular in the near future.   The K-Academic Diffusion Research Center plans to continue not only expanding the mutual cooperation with researchers and educational institutions around the world, but also making efforts to promote the international activities and achivements of K-Academy.        

On March 8th, the K-Academic Diffusion Research Center of Inha University visited Fukuoka Women's University in Japan in order to introduce its major projects. Through an interview with Professor Takashi Kimura of Fukuoka Women's University, the center shared the results of K-MOOC on Korean studies and related research, and also discussed the necessity of cooperation between the two organizations. This diffusion activity was designed to promote the academic exchanges between both countries and talk about specific cooperation measures. This visit is a part of the K-Academic Diffusion Research Center's diffusion activities across the region, and it plans to continue to not only expand cooperation with various researchers and educational institutions in many countries, including Japan, but also promote the global spread of K-academic courses.