Hello, I'm Ha, Jea-Hun, a research professor in Park, Chung-Hee Center of Democracy and Social Movements Institute in Sungkonghoe University, Republic of Korea. I received my Ph.D. with the thesis of ‘Park, Chung-Hee Regime and Saemaul Undong“ at Kyungpook National University in 2007 and conducted many Saemaul related researches. Now I am staying in Yogyakarta Special Territory (YST), Indonesia as a visiting scholar at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) which has world-renowned prestige and a brilliant 100-year history.
What has brought me here is none other than Saemaul Undong. YST, Indonesia and Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea have implemented various Saemaul (or community) projects since they signed the MOU in 2006. Villagers in YST have elected community leaders to make ‘a better village’, expanded roads, and established a community hall to have general meeting. In addition, community leaders, government officials and members of the municipal assembly even visited Korea to learn Saemaul Undong. They think they have been making efforts to make a better community though Saemaul Undong without any help from the outside.
I’m planning to find out what kind of change Saemaul Undong in Indonesia has made for farmers and in rural areas. Moreover, I’ll more focus on how significant farmers and rural areas are, based on the continuous economic growth, in the rapid social change in Indonesia, and how their daily life has been changed or affected.
I’m ready to learn and experience many new and different things while I stay here for the next 2 years. I’ll come to meet many people who have different languages or look entirely different from me. I’m also going to fill my unfamiliar everyday life with Indonesian experiences, and especially I’m expecting and looking forward to going to villages for field investigation, conducting researches at UGM, and making a tour as well.
For the next 2 years, I’m gonna write down what I see, hear and feel. I’ll deal with not only Saemaul Undong, the major reason which has brought me here, but also history, culture, tradition and nature in Indonesia.
All these are possible because of help and learning from many people. So, I want to express my gratitude to Prof. Djoko Dwiyanto, Prof. Novi Indrastuti, and a researcher, Ratih Pratiwi at UGM who have given a lot of stories about history, religion and tradition in Indonesia to the stranger, and also thanks to Mr. Heru and Mr. Imam who are government officials in the YST government. From now on, I’m gonna bring more interesting and novel stories.
Terima Kasih!
From the Center for Korean Studies of UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Borobudur Temple, DIY, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Graparatis Beach, DIY
Prambanan, DIY, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Sutan Palace, DIY
Center for Korean Studies, UGM
