Welcome to the spring issue of the 11th volume of Infusion. We have seen extraordinary developments this year, which could be the harbinger of real change for the Korean Peninsula: An incredible Winter Olympics and Paralympics hosted in Pyeongchang, two meetings between the leaders of North and South Korea in less than a month, and a possible summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un. Throughout all of this, the U.S.-ROK Alliance continues steadfast—in large part because of the people-to-people connections fostered through programs such as Fulbright.
Change is never easy, but it is constant, all around us. Fulbright Korea itself is preparing for change; Executive Director Shim Jai Ok will retire at the end of 2018 after four decades of connecting the peoples of the United States and Republic of Korea. All of us who have benefited from the Fulbright program owe a debt to Mrs. Shim, whose tireless efforts have created positive change in the lives of thousands of people and strengthened U.S.-ROK ties one person at a time. These people-to-people ties, exemplified and magnified by the creativity brought to life in this magazine, is what keeps the United States and Korea “closer than sticky rice” even in the midst of change.
With confidence and optimism,
Aleisha Woodward
Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs, Embassy of the United States of America & Chair of the KAEC
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