Center

The "Cabinet (Laboratory) of the History and Culture of Korea" (CLIKK) was established in 2018, based on the decision of the Academic Council of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (minutes No. 1 of November 21, 2018) and the order of the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences of November 2018 as an interdepartmental group. On November 11, 2020, it was officially established as a scientific division of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The staff of the Cabinet are highly professional scholars of Korean studies, recognized experts in the field of translation.

The Cabinet conducts research on a number of topical topics in Korean history and culture within the main areas:
cultural and spiritual heritage of Korea, centuries-old traditions and modern development of historical, cultural, trade, economic, political and diplomatic relations between Russia and Korea, history and current situation of the Korean diaspora in Russia.

Main tasks and areas of research:

1. Scientific research of the historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of Korea.
   Translation and commentary of the fundamental historical, philosophical and literary monuments of Korea.
2. Storage, replenishment, description and further digitization of a separate collection of personal collections of manuscripts and published works, rare works of leading Russian scientists on Korea in support of the classical domestic oriental studies traditional for the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences as one of the oldest academic institutions in Russia
3. Expanding understanding of the relationship between Korea and Russia, the distinctive features of Russian diplomacy in Korea and the traditions of its initial stage, which could contribute to the development of relations between modern Russia and the two Koreas.
4. Disclosure of new facets of the "Russian presence in Korea" (activities of diplomats, military instructors, Orthodox missionaries, merchants and their role in the economic, political, scientific and cultural life of the country).
5. Studying the history of Russian expeditions to Korea in the 19th - early 20th centuries, which marked the first cultural and diplomatic meetings between Korea and the West, the beginning of a systematic and in-depth study of the country and the formation of practical Korean studies.
6. Preparation of monographs in the series of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Russian Koreans” about prominent representatives of the diaspora of Russian Koreans from among political and public figures, scientists, military men who played a significant role in the life of the Korean people and Russia, who participated in the liberation of their historical homeland from the Japanese colonizers.
7. Publications of archival sources and memoirs.
8. Strengthening the international relations of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences with foreign scientific centers of the Republic of Korea, the DPRK, China, Japan, Mongolia and the USA, establishing permanent ties with the most prominent historians of East Asia, establishing and intensifying scientific cooperation between scientific institutions and workers of Russia and the Republic of Korea and the DPRK.

Work is planned within the framework of the following research projects:

1. International (Korean - Russian) translation project (history of creation, transmission and current state, interpretation, translation itself) under the leadership of the Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences V.P. Androsov of the Korean Buddhist canon "Sokpo Sangjol" [The Seokbosangjeol (釋譜詳節] - biographies of the Buddha with a selection of his sermons collected and compiled by King Sejo and translated from Chinese sources, the first known example of the translation of Buddhist sutras from Chinese into Korean, first published in 24 volumes in 1447.
   This text is one of the earliest printed examples of Korean Hangul characters and can be called the first Hangul Tripitaka. “Sokpo Sangzhol” belongs to the classical monuments of Buddhist philosophical thought, revealing the fundamental aspects of the religious philosophy of Mahayana Buddhism in the Korean version. The translation of the oldest and most voluminous set of Buddhist canons written using Korean writing will allow to show the originality of the Korean Buddhist tradition, which determined the spiritual development of Korean society, to better understand the history and culture of the medieval Joseon period of the 14th-15th centuries, permeated with the spirit of Buddhism, its contribution to the world Buddhology. The translation will be the first attempt to present the work in Russian. It will play an important role both in informing the general public and in stimulating interest in Korean Buddhism among Orientalists, and will complement the traditional orientation of Buddhist works on Indological and Tibetological topics with the development of research in the field of Korean Buddhism.
2. Establishment of a Foundation for the placement of personal collections of Russian Korean scholars, which is the basis of the Cabinet (Laboratory) of the history and culture of Korea, the main task of which will be the storage, replenishment and further digitization of a separate, growing collection of personal collections of manuscripts and published works, rare works of leading Russian scientists on Korea , in support of the classical domestic oriental studies traditional for the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences as one of the oldest academic institutions in Russia.
   It will include unique collections:
   1) L.R. Kontsevich
   2) Yu.V. Vanina
   3) Myung Dong Wook
   4) Lee Keng Ding
   5) Kim Lechun
   7) B.D.Pak
   8) Ho Woon Bae
   9) Choi Myung Hee, etc.
3. Publication of monographs - biographies and memoirs of Russian diplomats who made the greatest contribution to the development of Russian-Korean relations (E.F. Stein and others) in the series "Russian diplomats in the countries of the East".
4. Publications of monographs, articles on Korean-Russian relations.
5. Collection of archival materials about Russian expeditions to Korea, publication of travel diaries of Russian travelers.
6. Preparation of monographs in the series of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Russian Koreans” (books about the first Korean academician - Maxim Pavlovich Kim and others) (editor-in-chief of the series: Doctor of Historical Sciences B.B. Pak).
7. Assistance in strengthening international relations of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences with foreign scientific centers in East Asia, establishing and intensifying scientific cooperation between scientific institutions and workers in Russia and the Republic of Korea (ROK), Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRKe), People's Republic of China, Japan, Mongolia and the USA, establishing permanent contacts with the most prominent historians of East Asia, establishing and intensifying scientific cooperation between scientific institutions and workers of Russia and the Republic of Korea and DPRK.

8. Carrying out activities that serve to establish scientific cooperation between scientific institutions and employees of Russia, the Republic of Ko Rhea and North Korea:
   1) Holding Russian-Korean scientific seminars and conferences;
   2) Holding exhibitions on the history and culture of Russia and Korea;
   3) Book presentations;
   4) Other.

The work of the Cabinet (Laboratory) of Korean History and Culture is carried out in the following areas of fundamental research (in accordance with the Program of Fundamental Scientific Research of the State Academies of Sciences for 2013-2020, approved by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 3, 2012 No. 2237-r) with changes ( according to the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 31, 2015 No. 2217-r):

• "Cultural and spiritual heritage of the peoples of the East"
• "East and Russia: cultural-historical and socio-political relationships".
• "Patterns of the historical development of the peoples of the East from ancient times to the middle of the twentieth century."