KOREA FOUNDATION

For this segment, we met with Professor Yo Han Lee, a Laos expert and someone who has come to understand and love Laos as a part of his life. Professor Lee teaches at Cyber Hankuk Unversity of Foreign Studies. He previously taught at Souphanouvong (a public university in Luang Prabang), and continues to conduct research on Laos. Through this interview with the man that wishes to be the connecting bridge between Korea and Laos, we hope that you may gain an understanding and appreciation of Laos, a place where time stands still.

In 2005, when I was teaching at Woosong University, I took part in founding Souphanouvong as a part of an ODA project by the Korean government. I first visited Laos in 2006 for this project and ended up staying a couple of months in Laos as a dispatching expert. In 2006, instructors at Souphanouvong received training from six months at Woosong University, which is when I became close with a lot of the locals. After the project was completed, I resigned from Woosong University in 2007 and began teaching at Souphanouvong, which is when I became a Laos local expert.

Because there are only a few Laos experts in Korea, I receive many requests to conduct research in Laos. From 2013 through 2017, I participated in a study of the Laos section of the Mekong River, and am currently studying Koreans in Southeast Asia for the Academy of Korean Studies. I am also in charge of a survey of Southeast Asians and their perception of Koreans in Laos, which is in the preparation stage. Aside from these, I counsel businesses interested in developing Laos and host lectures on Lao society and culture at ASEAN Culture House, among other institutions.

I felt like I needed to write one as a scholar who has previously lived in Laos, through which I naturally accumulated a lot of documents and knowledge on the history, economy, education system, and development of Laos. Also, the only books on Laos available in Korea are tourism books. I felt that there was a need to provide Koreans with a general knowledge of Laos beyond for tourism-related purposes.

Laos is a place to heal. Someone called Laos “the land where time stands still,” and I cannot agree more. There is no grandiose natural view or historical heritage, but it is a place where you will feel true relaxation. It is not a modernized country, so you will experience some inconveniences. But that is also why it feels so “home-like” and can make you feel as if you have traveled back in time. I also find the smiles of the Lao people very beautiful. You will never really see anyone angry. Everyone is very accepting and relaxed, which is completely different from Korean society, where everyone is busy competing all the time. It is quite inspiring.

The most famous TV show that made Laos known in Korea was "Youth over Flowers: Laos," which aired on TvN in 2014. I would say it was a great show that showed the best of Laos, travelling from Vientiane to Vang Vieng and then to Luang Prabang. Aside from this, the "EBS Laos" episode from 2017 and KBS’ "Walking into the World: Laos," which aired in 2019, are also good references. There are a lot of new tourism books on Laos that have recently been published, as well as photobooks. I think photobooks can be especially helpful for first-time learners.

Respect for authority is just as strong in Laos as it is in Korea. It is a rare occurrence for a junior to voice their opinions to their seniors at work or in other settings. There is the culture of respect for elders as well: people put their hands together and bow slightly when greeting those who are older than them. When a younger person passes by an older person, they pass while slightly bowing. Whenever I enter the classroom to begin a lecture, all of my students stand up to put their hands together and bow. At times like this, I feel like respect for teachers is greater in Laos than in Korea!

The relationship between Korea and Laos continues to grow and improve. Laos knows Korea well and has a very good impression of Korea. In particular, Laos is the third most-visited country by Korean tourists, with the first and second being Thailand and China, respectively. An increase in tourism has led to an increase in Koreans in Laos: the Korean community in Laos is reaching 3,000. The relationship between the two countries took a slight hit with the collapse of Xe Pian - Xe Namnoy Dam, which was partially built by a Korean company. However, through the Korea-Laos Summit in November 2018, where Korea promised significant support for the victims, the relationship was able to normalize and even improve.

Although Laos is starting to become more known in Korea, it is still a lesser-known country in comparison to other ASEAN countries. I would like to act as a bridge between the two countries. Laos is not only a charming tourist destination but a geopolitically significant country at the center of Indochina. I would like to continue to tell Koreans that Laos is an amazingly attractive country with so much potential to grow as well as to tell the Lao people that Korea is a country that wishes to develop friendly relations with them.