Yejin Franchesca Seong

Yonsei GSIS Newsletter, Editor

On November 21st, 2025, Professor Claire Jo worked with Yonsei’s Centre for Australian Studies and the Australian Studies Association of Korea to host the lecture “Australia-Korea Cultural Exchange in a Changing World.” Sponsored by the Australia-Korea Foundation and Korea-Australia Foundation, the Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Seoul, Martin Walker, was invited to speak about the evolving landscape of Australia–Korea cultural relations.

Students gathered in the New Millennium Hall to listen to Martin Walker trace the key developments of Australian-Korean cultural relations over time, highlighting contemporary artistic collaborations, and examining how shared narratives are strengthening mutual understanding and people-to-people connections. Attendees were able to ask Martin Walker about their questions of cultural exchanges between Australia and Korea, and walked away with an enhanced understanding of future aspects of Australian and Korean artists and the ongoing evolution of the artistic landscape. 

Lectures such as this allow students from Yonsei GSIS to interact with ambassadors working at embassies and the latest developments across the global cultural scene. By having the Minister of Deputy Head of Mission from an Embassy in Korea, it allows students insight into what embassy work looks like.