The Marmot’s Hole

Upcoming Royal Asiatic Society - Korea activities of interest to M-Holers:

Tuesday, May 6th: RAS-K Lecture-Meeting featuring Michael P. Spavor (BA in International Relations from University of Calgary and now studying at the Graduate School of North Korean Studies in Seoul on foreign NGOs and the DPRK). He will be speaking on “Pyongyang through my eyes: An up close and personal look inside North Korea.” He will offer a slide-presentation focusing on what he experienced of the realities of contemporary North Korean society when he recently served in an NGO there. See the interesting description of this speech on our website for more. 7:30 pm in the 2nd-floor Resident’s Lounge of the Somerset Palace, Anguk-dong (N of Jogye-sa), Seoul. Free for RAS Members, w5000 donation requested from others.

Sat May 10th: Bukchon Hanok-Neighborhood Walking Tour in Seoul We will take a 3-hour walking tour in this fascinating area to observe its remaining traditional Korean houses (hanok). Our guide Prof. David Mason (me) will explain some of the history involved and point out key architectural features of interest. This introduction to the charms of Seoul’s former aristocratic neighborhood will feature a visit to the new Bukchon Culture Center in Anguk-dong and observe its preservation project for the hanoks, and visiting some artisans & museums who’ve established themselves there.

Mon May 12th: Buddha’s Birthday Tour in Seoul
On this RAS “tour of enlightenment” we will visit four different temples around northern Seoul in the afternoon and evening, to observe their treasures and the colorful ceremonies and festivities that mark this occasion. Led by Korean Tourism & Culture Professor David Mason.

Sat-Sun May 17-18th: Gyeongju Tour – Relics of the Shilla Kingdom A tour of the historically rich and scenic capital of the Shilla Dynasty, including the world-famous Bulguk-sa and Seokkuram temples. The whole city of Gyeongju is basically a big outdoor museum and is recognized as such by the United Nations; we will be introduced to its best sights.

Saturday May 17th: Special One-Time-Only! Daejeon Korean Christian Missions Symposium Tour with the TCIS Hannam Campus. Led by Dr. Donald Clark (well-known Professor of early-20th-Cen Korean History) and Dr. Elizabeth Underwood (Professor of Missionary-to-Korea Sociology).
This special tour will visit the TCIS (Taejon Christian International School) to attend its 50th Anniversary Symposium on Korean Christian Missions. Following the academic meeting, the RAS group has been invited on a walking-tour of the ten-acre garden-like TCIS campus, home of the third oldest foreign school in Korea. For more details on this rare opportunity, please read the description on our website.

Sun May 18th: Buyeo and Gongju, Ancient Capitals of the Baekje Kingdom Tour A “scenic historic-cultural tour” which will take us back for a survey of the Baekje Kingdom. Highlights include historic Buddhist temples, a famous king’s tomb and a ferry ride down the White Horse River.

Tuesday, May 20th: RAS-K Lecture-Meeting, featuring Professor Donald Clark (PhD in in East Asian History from Harvard, author of books on Seoul and foreigners-in-Korea history, son and grandson of Presbyterian missionaries who first arrived in Korea in 1902). He will speak on “Where do Foreign Missionaries fit in Korea’s Modern History?”, addressing four clusters of questions aimed at an understanding of what “missionaries” in general did and didn’t do in modern Korea. See the interesting description of this speech on our website for more. 7:30 pm in the 2nd-floor Resident’s Lounge of the Somerset Palace, Anguk-dong (just north of Jogye-sa), Seoul. Free for RAS Members, w5000 donation requested from others.

Sun May 25th: Odae-san National Park Tour This great park is much less-famous and thus less-visited than Seorak-san, but this is one of its attractions because it is possible to enjoy the beauty of the pine-forested sloped, deep valleys and grand temples in a relatively quiet atmosphere. Buddhists also consider it one of Korea’s most important mountains, as it was a crucial site in the history of the propagation of Buddhism in Korea.

Sat-Sun May 31-June 1st: Gangneung City / East Cost Tour A visit to the historic city of Gangnung, gateway to Korea’s east coast. After visiting the interesting and well-preserved Neo-Confucian architectural sites around Gangneung, we will take a scenic drive along the east coast, stopping at the stunning Bulyeong Valley on the way home.

Being a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society - Korea has many benefits, including free attendance of interesting Lectures, receiving newsletters of activities, discounts on great Tours of Korea’s most beautiful and fascinating places led by experts, discounts on books about all Korean subjects in English, and more. Everyone involved with Korean Studies who speaks English would do well to join this 108-year-old scholarly organization. For more information, call 763-9483 in Seoul during business hours, write to raskb@kornet.net or visit our website http://www.raskb.com/