SK Group’s academic institute opened a two-day forum in Seoul to mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and China.

The Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, a private non-profit educational organization founded by the conglomerate, organized the forum titled “International Academic Symposium in Commemoration of the Korea-China 20th Diplomatic Anniversary.”

About 42 prominent Chinese scholars with at least a one-year stay in Korea since 2000 attended the academic convention to exchange their views on Korea. 

About 400 Korean and Chinese audiences also attended the first-day symposium, including Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Kim Sung-hwan, Peking University president Zhou Qifeng, and Seoul National University president Oh Yeon-cheon.

SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won quoted a Chinese four-word idiom “eumsoosawon” (yinshuisiyuan in Chinese), meaning “remember the first digger of the well as you drink from it,” stressing that the 20-year-old diplomatic tie between Korea and China has been built upon efforts by the two countries.

Founded in 1974 by former SK Group chairman Chey Jong-hyun, the institute offers a series of scholarships and other academic programs to cultivate Korean academic talents and encourage their overseas studies.

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)