Theme of 'Korea-Turkey Democratization and Press'
Participation of National Assemblymen, press and professors to compare political, economical and civil society developments
[October 17, 2014]

YU (President Noh Seok-kyun) hosted the '4th Korea-Turkey Democratization Workshop'.

This workshop, which was co-hosted by YU, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Society (Chairman Kim Tae-il, YU Professor of Political Science and Diplomacy), and the Istanbul Cutlure Center (Director Huseyin Yigit), was held at the Honors Hall on the 5th floor of the YU Law Hall at 3 p.m. on the 16th.

At this workshop, which was held under the theme 'Korea and Turkey's Democratization and Press', Turkish Congressman Hasan Hami Yildirim, Istanbul Culture Center Director Huseyin Yigit, Rainbow International School Chairman of the Board Esref Saglam, Turkey Cihan News Agency International Part Chief Editor Mustafa Edib Yilmaz, and Daegu University Professor of Journalism Kim Sung-hae, and other experts in politics, press and academia attended to discuss and compare the development of politics, economics, and the civil society of the two nations.

This workshop, which was emceed by YU Department of Sociology Professor Baek Seung-dae, was comprised of presentations by Chief Editor Mustafa Edib Yilmaz on 'Freedom of Press in Turkey' and Daegu University Professor of Journalism 'The Long Journey of Press Democratization, Continued Challenges and Non-wavering Fights'. In the following debate, Daegu MBC Newsroom Journalist Kim Se-hwa and Cihan News Korean Correspondent Sinasi Alpago discussed the roles of the press for democratization.

Congressman Hasan Hami Yildirim said, "It is my first time visiting Korea, our brother country. I understand that Korea and Turkey have many similarities such as culture, the democratization process, and rapid economic growth," while adding, "Through this workshop, I hope to check the similarities between the two countries and hope to have an opportunity to learn from each other's experiences."

Congressman Yildirim was elected from the ruling AKP (Justice and Development Party) in 2011, but after corruption issues over the ruling party last year, he withdrew from the party and is now independent.

Meanwhile, after the workshop, Congressman Yildirim met with YU President Noh Seok-kyun and agreed to work for the development of both countries by having institutes such as universities and the press fulfill their roles in both countries. In particular, YU President Noh Seok-kyun said, "YU is working hard in many areas for the globalization of the university as an international cooperation leading university," and added, "I hope that Turkey helps us a lot for the globalization of our university."