WHAT MAGIC transformed South Korea from the impoverished, starving, war-torn country that it was in the 70s to the socioeconomic superpower that it is today?

Prof. Sang-Woo Lim of Sogang University in Seoul, South Korea, provided answers to this question in his lecture on “Korea and Geopolitics in Asia”, Aug. 11 at the MMSU Function Hall. He spoke to an audience of around 300 composed of faculty members and students from MMSU and three other schools in the province: Northwestern University, Northern Christian College, and Divine Word College of Laoag.

President Miriam E. Pascua and Academic Affairs Vice President Wilma C. Natividad graced the event and delivered messages. They thanked Dr. Lim for his expertise and the Ateneo de Manila University-Initiative for Korean Studies (AIKS) for the generous sharing of resources. President Pascua noted that the visit is a big boost to the respective social sciences programs of various HEIs in Ilocos Norte. Noting that MMSU and ADMU are among only ten members of the National Consortium for Graduate Science and Mathematics Education, Dr. Natividad expressed gladness that two universities are given the chance to work together, this time in the social sciences.

A good number of MMSU personnel and students who travelled to Korea on official business also came to catch the lecture and interact with Dr. Lim.

The Korean secrets revealed

Dr. Lim’s 70-minute talk covered a brief history of Korea, its success story, its current position in Asian geopolitics, and some nuggets of wisdom on how to live a fruitful and meaningful life from the perspectives of the culture he comes from.

According to him, one main reason for South Korea’s phenomenal rise is their steady leadership which started as a developmental dictatorship which shifted to democracy only when it was ready. One-man rule, he said, allowed their leader to do a turnaround of their economy and institute reforms.

On the part of the citizenry, Koreans, he said, have a strong commitment to their country. “It is not just love but commitment,” he explained. Rising from the ravages of war, Koreans, he recalled, did not complain having to work long hours (as much as 16-18 hours per day) while receiving very low or subsistence wages. They were focused, he said, on realizing the progressive South Korea in their collective imagination.

Moreover, Dr. Lim credited the strong family institution in Korea. He gave examples of the devotion of parents to their children, and children to their elders. It was no wonder then that Freddie Aguilar’s song “Anak” was a number one hit in South Korea in the 1970s. “The song struck a very strong chord among us,” he said. He then admonished the students to follow a classic advice for success: always obey and respect your parents.

A vibrant open forum

In the intermission, the Nasudi Dance Troupe performed a K-Pop number while physical education faculty members led by Prof. Arsenio Gallego serenaded Dr. Lim with Ilocano songs.

The forum was made even more dynamic by a panel of reactors composed of experts in relevant fields: Prof. Orlino Mandac (economics), Ms. Society Salcedo (political science), Mr. Jayson Antonio (history), and Mr. Shermon Cruz (futures studies). The reactors spoke on average of only 3-4 minutes to comment partially on the lecture but, for the most part, to ask Dr. Lim questions on their interests.

The open forum that followed was vibrant. Such level of vibrancy, remarked Prof. Fides Bernardo A. Bitanga, the moderator, has never before seen in any forum held at MMSU. He wondered out loud if it was because of the miracle of the lecturer or the miracle of the bread. They served sandwiches for snacks.

Social Sciences chair Violeta Alonzo delivered the synthesis while CAS dean Marivic Alimbuyuguen gave the closing remarks. Engr. Samuel Franco, director for external relations and partnerships, handed certificates to Dr. Lim and AIKS.

MMSU-Ateneo event partnership
The forum is the result of an event partnership between MMSU and the AIKS where Dr. Lim serves as consultant. AIKS shouldered the resource speaker’s honorarium, transportation, and accommodation while MMSU, through the CAS Social Sciences Department, organized the forum.

Last June, Herdy La. Yumul, a sociology instructor at CAS, was invited by ADMU to serve as panel chair and critic at the 1st International Hallyu Conference held at their Loyola Campus. It was then that the idea of an event partnership–an AIKS outreach program at MMSU–was broached. (Related story on page 12.)

Yumul was overall coordinator of Dr. Lim’s lecture. He was assisted by sociology major students. Rodel B. Reyes and Marlyn S. Cacatian of the Social Sciences department led the Korean professor on a brief tour of Ilocos historical sites and natural wonders.