February 1, 2017

Dear Colleagues:

I send my warm greetings to all you respectable members of KARS with best wishes for your accomplishments in this Year of Rooster.

It is great honor for me to be in charge of the office of the president of KARS. I feel the heavy weight of its responsibility, knowing well that I am short of qualification both in ability or personality. I will nevertheless do my best to succeed the precious legacies of precedent presidents. I will organize the new staff as soon as possible, inviting respectable scholars to the offices of vice presidents, executive directors, board members, editorial board members and chairs of divisions.

We will soon establish activity plans in detail, but let me take this opportunity to notice two big changes:

1. We are to hold the conference only once a year in Fall. The spring conference, that used to be held in May, will not be held anymore.

2. Publication of The Korean Journal of Religious Studies will be reduced from four times a year to three, by the decision of the Editorial Board. The first number of each volume will be published on April 15th, the second on August 15th, and the third and final on December 15th.

There are two important things with which we need your help.

1. The financial state of the Association is very bad at this point. Please pay your membership fee by a way at your convenience. See “Membership” page for information.

2. Please update your membership information, especially when your address and/or phone number has been changed.

Best regard,

Woncheol Yun

President, Korean Association for Religious Studies

Professor, Department of Religious Studies, Seoul National University