KMOU’s International Institute for Maritime Issues in the spotlight with ‘Achievements Report and Exhibition’

[Financial News] The International Institute for Maritime Issues at Korea Maritime & Ocean University (KMOU), headed by Jeong Mun-su, is holding a meaningful exhibition, the International Institute for Maritime Issues Achievements Report and Exhibition, at the Busan Tourism Hotel annex on the second floor in Donggwang-dong, Jung District, Busan, from the 14th through the 30th. The exhibition offers a comprehensive look at the institute’s history, the institute said on the 23rd.
Titled “Ocean Humanities and the Humanities: Past Voyages and a New Beginning,” the event looks back on the institute’s research and its journey of engaging with society, and aims to share the results with the local community.
The program began on the 14th with a presentation of policy tasks on the institute’s development and an opening ceremony. On the 15th, professors Jeong Jin-seong, Choi Eun-sun and Lee Hak-su held a book concert on “Port City Theory,” followed by book concerts by director Jeong Mun-su on “Ocean Humanities Discourse,” “Ocean Humanities and the Humanities,” and “Regional Studies of Italy.” On the 16th, Professor Kim Kang-sik held book concerts on “A People-Centered History of the Imjin War in Yeongnam” and “A Region-Centered History of the Imjin War in Yeongnam.” On the 30th, a showcase on training and making use of Arctic cultural interpreters will be held.
During the event, visitors to the exhibition space on the second floor of the annex across from Busan Hotel can meet the authors and receive books signed by them.
The opening ceremony on the 14th, hosted by Noh Jong-jin, a professor at KMOU, was attended in large numbers by experts from a range of fields, including KMOU President Ryu Dong-geun; former Busan Mayor Seo Byeong-su; former Pusan National University (PNU) President Kim Gi-seop; Korea Ocean Business Corporation (KOBC) founding president Hwang Ho-seon; Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization President Kim Nam-il; former vice chairman of the Korea Shipping Association Kim Yeong-mu; Korea University (KU) Professor Emeritus Kim In-hyeon; former deans of the College of Maritime Sciences Kim Gyeong-geun, Song Jae-uk and Kim Jong-su; former director of the Busan Customs Museum Lee Yong-deuk; Professor Emeritus Lee Yong-hun; and German Weekend School principal Park Jin-hyeong.
At the book concert on the 15th, poets Bae Jae-guk and Won Mu-hyeon recited poems, including “Geobugam.” Jeong Mi-gyeong of the Indiana School of Music, Lee Jin-ju of the University of Cologne and Yang Ji-min of Düsseldorf University of Music performed works including “Caruso” in a piano and cello ensemble.
The discussion session that day included Lee Gyeong-hui, secretary-general of Lido-Korea; Choi Yeong-song, a producer at KBS Busan Regional Headquarters; former Busan Mayor Seo Byeong-su; Lee Hak-su, a former professor at the Republic of Korea Naval Academy; Jeon Ho-seong, a former reporter for Naeil Newspaper; and Kim Jeong-ha, a former professor at a university of foreign languages.
The book concert on the 16th featured a guitar performance by Song Chang-min and congratulatory remarks by former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Kim Young-choon, followed by a discussion moderated by PNU Professor Yang Hong-suk. The discussants were Choi Hak-rim, director of the Yosan Kim Jeong-hwang Literary Museum, and Kim Tae-hyeon, director of the Busan Urban Culture Research Institute.

A roundtable discussion on training Arctic Ocean cultural interpreters and ways to make use of them is scheduled for 3 p.m. on the 30th, the final day of the exhibition.
Jeong Mun-su, director of the International Institute for Maritime Issues, Park Su-hyeon of the International Newspaper, Son Yong-gu of the institute’s Arctic Ocean Center, and Yeom Cheong-ha, director of the Krata Research Institute, will present on their respective topics. Cultural interpreters including Kim Seong-bok, Kim Jeong-hui, Kim Hye-jeong, Kim Hui-jeong, Park Eun-ju and Park Mi-hye will report on and present their lesson plans and students’ responses.
During the event, the exhibition space will feature research outputs published by the institute over the years, including its Ocean Humanities Research Series, Port City Cultural Exchange Research Series, Translation Series, general-interest books, Ocean Science Library and Maritime Library.
Jeong Mun-su, director of the International Institute for Maritime Issues at KMOU, emphasized the significance of the exhibition, saying, “This exhibition will not stop at promoting past achievements. It will be a place for us to think together and communicate about what we should research and what questions we should raise as the sea and the world change.”
He added, “The report on policy tasks for the institute’s development and the exhibition of its achievements are a declaration that we will share our achievements and vision with citizens, and embark on a new voyage together not only with researchers but also with citizens.” He continued, “The event marks a shift from problem-solving humanities, arising from the relationship between ocean humanities and the humanities, to problem-preventive humanities.”

With support from the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the International Institute for Maritime Issues conducted group research under the Humanities Korea (HK) project “Cultural Exchange Research on Port Cities” (2008–2018) and the Humanities Korea Plus (HK+) project “Ocean Humanities: Problem-Solving Humanities” (2018–2025).
The institute is currently conducting “Foundational Research for Building Arctic Ocean Route 3.0” (2025–2031), having been selected for the NRF’s Humanities and Social Sciences Research Institute Support Program.
Building on this event, the institute plans to share its research achievements with the local community and continue follow-up research that moves from “problem-solving humanities” toward “problem-preventive humanities.”
[email protected] Byeon Ok-hwan Reporter