On Saturday, June 20, 2026, the Russian Research Institute (Director: Professor Choi Woo-ik) co-hosted the 40th Anniversary Commemorative Event of the Korean Association of Slavic and Eurasian Studies, “Russia’s Material Transformation and the Reconstruction of Tradition,” at the International Conference Room of the Minerva Complex and lecture rooms in the International Building at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS). The event was organized to reflect on the academic achievements accumulated by Slavic and Eurasian studies in Korea over the past four decades and to explore new directions and challenges for research in the field amid rapidly changing international circumstances.

The event consisted of a commemorative ceremony, an academic conference, and a cultural performance. The commemorative ceremony provided an opportunity to reflect on the significance of the Association’s 40th anniversary and to review its development and major achievements. In particular, participants heard reflections from former presidents of the Association, including its inaugural president, Lee In-ho, former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Russia. A special video highlighting the Association’s history and a presentation on its institutional development further shed light on its role and contributions to the advancement of Slavic and Eurasian studies in Korea over the past 40 years.

The academic conference, held prior to the commemorative ceremony, was organized under the theme “Eurasia’s Civilizational Turn: From Recording War to the Art of Coexistence.” Researchers specializing in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia presented their research findings across a wide range of fields, including history, politics, society, culture, energy, and international relations. In particular, the conference featured in-depth discussions on the changing regional order and sociocultural transformations in Eurasia following the Russia-Ukraine war, as well as issues of national identity, regional cooperation, and energy. Three researchers from the Russian Research Institute—Professors Song Jun-seo, Choi Woo-ik, and Hwang Sung-woo—also presented on Russia’s “state-civilization” discourse in a special panel organized by the Institute.

The cultural performance, featuring vocalists and musicians from Russia, provided an opportunity to deepen understanding of and engagement with Slavic culture beyond academic exchange. In this regard, the event further expanded its significance as a multifaceted platform bringing together academic and cultural exchange.

The event served as a meaningful opportunity not only to share the research achievements accumulated by the Korean Association of Slavic and Eurasian Studies over the past 40 years, but also to explore new visions and directions for the development of Slavic and Eurasian studies together with the next generation of scholars. More broadly, it provided an occasion to reflect on the history and achievements of Slavic and Eurasian studies in Korea and to reaffirm the field’s potential for continued development in a changing international environment.