The National Museum of Korea (Director Kim Young-na) was appointed as the chair of the ASEMUS for 2011~14 at the ASEMUS Executive Committee meeting held at the Museum of Far Eastern Antiques in Stockholm, Sweden, on October 8, 2011. 

As is customary with the ASEMUS, the National Museum of Korea has been appointed to the chair one year after becoming a member of the Executive in September 2010, allowing it to take over the position from the previous chair, the Quai Branly Museum. As such, the South Korean museum will officially serve as the chair for three years from October 2011 to October 2014. 

The ASEMUS aims to promote mutual understanding between Asia and Europe by facilitating cultural exchanges between museums in the two continents. It currently has 78 members originating from 33 countries.

Director Kim Young-na declared in her inaugural speech, “In leading the ASEMUS, I will focus on the development of museums’ education programs, their linkage with information and communication technologies, and the expansion of human exchanges to bolster diverse exchanges between museums in Asia and Europe.” To that end, the National Museum of Korea will host international seminars on museum education in 2012, as well the ASEMUS 2012 World Conference and the VCM 2012 Executive Committee meeting. 

In addition, to promote its role in the international museum community with the backing of South Korea’s outstanding IT prowess, the National Museum of Korea has forged an alliance with the country’s largest portal, NHN, inviting the latter to participate in the operation of the VCM website as an official partner. 

<Meeting of ASEMUS Executive Committee>