Jeju Special Self-Governing Province held the ‘1st International Academic Seminar in Commemoration of the 369th Year Anniversary Since Hamel Drifted Ashore on Jeju’ on the 12th of last month.

This seminar was held to commemorate the 369th year anniversary since Hamel, who put Joseon on Europe’s map, drifted ashore on Jeju under the main theme of ‘Hamel, Global Co-Prosperity Vision of Europe and Asia.’

369 years ago in August of 1653, Hamel and 36 crewmen of the Dutch East Indian Company aboard the Sperwer were on their way to Nagasaki, Japan, but their ship was wrecked due to a storm and so they drifted to Jeju and stayed in Joseon for 13 years.

Hamel’s Journal that recorded his 13 years in Joseon spread throughout the European society, which became the first time that Europe got to know about Joseon.

This ceremony was attended by about 100 people including Jeju Governor OH Young Hun, Jeju Provincial Council Vice Chair Kim Hwang-guk, Corea Hamel Memorial Society Chair Chae Ba-da, The Hendrick Hamel Foundation President Jeroen van Rosemalen.

Governor OH Young Hun stated, “Though it was by chance that the Dutch ship was wrecked off of Jeju 369 years ago, that chance led to new relations between the two regions,” and added, “The descendants treated these records as treasure to elevate the academic value of marine culture and has used it as the foundation for friendly exchange and cooperation.”

He further commented, “I hope that today’s seminar will be a valuable cornerstone for the co-prosperity of Europe and Asia, and the Netherlands and Jeju.”

The Hendrick Hamel Foundation President Rosemalen said, “Like the special relationship with Hamel who was shipwreck off the coast of Jeju-do in the 17th century, I hope that seminar will also become a monumental record for the friendship between our two nations that will not be forgotten for a long time.”

This academic conference sponsored by Jeju-do and hosted by the Corea Hamel Memorial Society and The Hendrick Hamel Foundation, and it was kicked off with a keynote address by former Korean Ambassador to the Netherlands Lee Yoon-young and Seoul National University Honorary Professor Jeon Gyeong-soo, and was followed by presentations from Jeju National University Vice President Kim Dong-jeon and Universiteit Leiden Professor Boudewijn Walraven.

This seminar presented various opinions for expanding exchange and improving friendship between Korea and the Netherlands, and directions for the co-prosperity of the two nations.

Meanwhile, Seogwipo City signed an MOU for cultural tourism policy exchange with Gorinchem City of the Netherlands on June 12, 2017.