The autumn start of the new school year is always a moment of reflection for me, as it marks the anniversary of my arrival in South Korea. In 2024 I am starting my 16th year living and teaching in Seoul. When I look back at my own experience and growth in South Korea, inevitably I also think about how the country has changed since my arrival.

As we are in a month heavy on diplomatic events — Korea Global Forum, Seoul Defense Dialogue, ReAIM Conference — one of my thoughts has been about the development of the diplomatic scene here. Namely, I am fascinated by how much better the foreign diplomatic corps has become since I landed in Seoul in 2009. This may seem somewhat trivial in the grand scheme of international politics, but the improvement is both symbolically and substantively important, and deserves some reflection.

It is common to read about South Korea’s growth into an important middle power on the back of economic dynamism: high education levels, broad industrial strength, advanced technology and cultural soft power. It is also common to read about the events that have marked South Korea in recent decades: the World Cup, World Expo, G20 summit, Nuclear Security Summit, Park Geun-hye’s impeachment, 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, Summit for........

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