This year marks the 15th anniversary of Incheon National University's sisterhood relationship with Spain's University of Malaga in January 2009. 

Incheon National University is a global university that promotes exchange students and academic exchanges with 322 universities in eight countries with the aim of entering the world's top 100. In addition, the University of Malaga (UMA) is a university located in Malagasy, Andalusia, established in 1972, and is a university with strengths in architecture and tourism. 

A special connection between the two universities was Professor Antonio Domenech of the University of Malaga.

Professor Antonio Domenech Photography

Professor Antonio said that he had a deep relationship with Korea when he met his Korean wife while studying religious studies in Korea by chance in 1992. After living in Korea for 10 years, he became interested in Korea and its traditional culture, especially studying shamanism and Buddhist culture, and the role of women in it. After returning home in 2022, he continued his education and research related to Korean studies, including earning a doctorate in social anthropology from Madrid Autonomous University in Spain, and taught Korean studies at University of Malaga, playing a major role in promoting Korean literature and culture to Spain.

He was awarded the "Korea Literature Translation Institute Achievement Award" at the 16th Korean Literature Translation New Prize in 2017 in recognition of his contribution to introducing Korean culture and literature to the Spanish-speaking world by translating Yulgok Yi's "Gyeolmongyogyeol" into Spanish. He is also a representative pro-Korean professor who consistently introduced Korean culture, especially Korean shamanism, to Spain.

University of Malaga, where he is currently a professor of Korean studies, is the first university in Spain to open a major in Korean studies. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that Professor Antonio led the Korean studies major at Malaga University. 

University of Malaga is the most active university in Spain for exchanges with Korea. It has already started exchanges with Korea since 2005, and in September 2011, it opened a Korean studies major and established itself as a base university for Korean studies with the interest of university authorities, including Professor Antonio, and various domestic and foreign officials. Currently, while interacting with 30 Korean universities, the number of exchange students is around 70 to 100 every year, of which exchanges with Incheon National University are the most active. 

In addition, Professor Antonio helped build a "Korean Archives" in the Social Science Library (about 300 square meters) where the Department of East Asian Studies of University of Malaga is located through the Window on Korea project of the National Library of Korea in 2011. Even after the establishment of the archives, more than 200 books are supported every year, and about 4,500 Korean-related materials are currently available, making it an important space for students studying Korean studies.

Social Science Library 2F, Korean Archives

University of Malaga began operating the office of Incheon National University in 2011, when the Korean Studies major was opened, where it conducts various projects for cultural, historical and economic exchanges between Korea and Spain as well as the two universities, and plans various programs for students' participation, including various cultural experience events and film festivals. In particular, at the "Korea Week" event, one of the year-round events, various programs such as Korean poetry recitation, Korean-related seminars, Korean film screenings, plays, students' dances, and songs are being planned, providing an opportunity for students to become familiar with Spanish-Korean culture.

2023 Korea Week Photo

Professor Antonio recalled memories with Patricia Chica at the time in 2018, when she was the director of the Incheon office of University of Malaga. Patricia, who was not familiar with Korea at the time, was recommended as an exchange student at Incheon National University, and Patricia is said to have become more interested in Korea based on her various experiences while studying at Incheon National University and working at the Incheon National University office. Currently, Patricia is a professor of Asian studies and Korean studies with Professor Antonio at the University of Malaga.

Patricia Chica (Professor of Asian Studies and Korean Studies, University of Malaga)

Korean Sculptures in the Lobby of the College of Social Sciences of University of Malaga

(The work of a student who was elected in a contest for Korean-language works for architecture students promoted as a cooperative project between the Incheon National University office and the Department of Architecture at University of Malaga)

He said he received great help in researching Korean studies through his long relationship with Incheon National University, and expressed his feelings that he was very happy to meet good people such as students, friends and professors. Based on the long-standing relationship between Incheon National University and University of Malaga, he said he expects to expand national and cultural exchanges by playing an important role in strengthening the friendship between the two countries beyond universities through various cooperation and exchanges such as research and manpower as well as student exchanges.