On October 31, 2025 (Friday), the K-Academic Diffusion Research Center of CIS, Inha University, visited the Center for Korean Studies at Kyushu University to hold a meeting with Professor Kaoru Izumi(出水 薫), Director of the Center, and to conduct an MOU signing ceremony between the two institutions.

This visit was part of the Center’s overseas K-Academic Diffusion initiative, aimed at strengthening the foundation of Korean Studies in Japan and establishing a long-term partnership for academic and educational cooperation.

During the meeting with representatives from Kyushu University’s Center for Korean Studies, both institutions discussed the possibility of utilizing Inha University’s K-MOOC lectures in the Korean Studies–related liberal arts courses to be offered in the 2026 academic year. Kyushu University expressed plans to conduct the course using the same model as Inha University’s—“watching video lectures followed by in-depth lectures by the course instructor.” The course will be led by Professor Kaoru Izumi (Kyushu University), with Professor Yamaguchi (Kyushu University), Professor Kimura (Fukuoka Women’s University), and Professor Ogata (Fukuoka University) serving as co-instructors.

Both sides agreed to produce Japanese subtitles and conduct video editing for the K-MOOC materials, in consultation with a professional translation and editing company. The finalized videos will be shared with Kyushu University, enabling the direct use of Inha University’s Korean Studies content in Japan’s higher education environment.

Following the MOU signing, the two institutions agreed to co-organize a joint academic conference in March 2026. The specific theme and format of the event will be finalized through subsequent discussions.

This collaboration is expected to extend beyond lecture-based exchange to foster deeper scholarly cooperation and expand the academic network of Korean Studies scholars in both South Korea and Japan.

Additionally, the meeting included discussions on the potential use of personal diplomatic documents from the first-generation “Korea School” of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, currently archived at Kyushu University’s Center for Korean Studies. These documents are recognized as valuable primary sources for research on Japan’s postwar policy toward the Korean Peninsula and the Korean diaspora in Japan, and both sides explored possibilities for joint research projects and digitization initiatives utilizing these archival materials.

This visit, undertaken as part of the global Korean Studies expansion program of Inha University’s K-Academic Diffusion Research Center, yielded meaningful achievements across three key dimensions—academic, educational, and archival exchange.

First, The incorporation of Inha University’s K-MOOC content into Japan’s university curriculum has strengthened the educational foundation for the dissemination of Korean Studies.

Second, The MOU signing established a formal institutional framework for sustainable academic collaboration between South Korea and Japan.

Third, The discussion on archival diplomatic documents opened new pathways for joint research and East Asian scholarly networking in the field of Korean Studies.

This visit serves as a model case of the Center’s ongoing strategy for the regional expansion and international linkage of Korean Studies, and it is expected to have a lasting positive impact on future collaborations with other Japanese universities and research institutions.