한일 국교 정상화 60주년과 종교학계의 교류―차세대 관점에서의 성찰과 과제―

초록

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Korea–Japan diplomatic normalization, this study provides an overview of the history and significance of academic exchange in the field of religious studies between the two countries. Even before 1965, during the colonial period, the transmission of Japanese Buddhism and new religions to Korea had already taken place. Scholarly research on Korean religions by Japanese academics—particularly those affiliated with Gyeongseong (Keijō) Imperial University—and the study abroad of Korean scholars in Japan reflect the early beginnings of intellectual and religious exchange between Korea and Japan. However, from 1945 to 1970, while religious exchanges continued, academic collaboration in the field of religious studies largely remained suspended. With the establishment of the Korean Association for Religious Studies in 1970, efforts were made to invite Japanese scholars, but full-scale academic exchange did not begin until the 1993 Korea–Japan Symposium for Researchers of Religion. This initiative later evolved into the Korea–Japan Forum for the Study of Religion in 2001, the East Asian Association for Religion and Culture in 2008, and the Forum for Religious Studies in East Asia in 2016, gradually expanding in both scope and scale. Throughout these exchanges, key topics such as “modernity,” “new religions,” “East Asia,” and “the concept of religion” emerged as central themes of discussion. Although institutional exchanges have currently come to a halt, graduate-level interactions continue through the Korea–Japan Next Generation Academic Forum. The necessity of continued academic exchange in the field of religious studies has been mutually acknowledged through the legacy of past collaborations. Moving forward, a major challenge lies in establishing a sustainable organizational framework to support in-depth and ongoing exchange. In addition, from the perspective of exchange historiography, future research should aim to broaden its scope and examine the content and mutual influences of these exchanges through concrete empirical data.

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