On the afternoon of March 24, 2026, at room B204, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Viet Nam National University Ho Chi Minh City held the master's thesis defense for graduate student Luong Chi Cuong with the topic "Social transformation of Joseon (1876–1910)", under the scientific supervision of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Dung.
The thesis defense committee consisted of: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Phan Thi Hong Xuan – Chair; Dr. Hoang Thi Trang – Reviewer 1; Dr. Tran Hanh Minh Phuong – Reviewer 2; Dr. Duong Hien Hanh – Secretary; Dr. Nguyen Thanh Phat – Member.
The thesis consists of 135 pages, excluding references, and is developed into three main chapters: Chapter 1: Historical premises of the Joseon social transformation (1876–1910) and some related concepts; Chapter 2: Changes in Joseon society (1876–1910); Chapter 3: Evaluation of the Joseon social transformation (1876–1910). Academically, the topic focuses on examining the late Joseon dynasty – a pivotal period in Korean history, when traditional society faced strong impacts from the opening process, the infiltration of external forces, internal reforms, and profound shifts in social, political, economic, and ideological structures.
From a research perspective, the thesis is significant not only in recreating the historical context of Joseon society during the 1876–1910 period but also in contributing to explaining the drivers of social transformation in the context of the intersection between tradition and modernity. The topic approaches Korean history from the perspectives of Asian studies and regional studies, while applying Karl Marx's socio-economic formation theory as a theoretical basis to analyze the movement and transformation process of Joseon society. The use of source materials in Vietnamese, English, and Korean also demonstrates the student's serious academic investment and efforts for multi-dimensional approach.
At the defense, the committee members assessed that the thesis has scientific significance, topicality, and reference value, especially for researching modern Korean social history in relation to the general transformations of the East Asian region. The thesis is recognized for the effort to systematize data, build a relatively tight structure, as well as initially clarifying the characteristics and consequences of the Joseon social transformation process during a turbulent historical period.
After the presentation and responding to the committee's questions, the Head of the vote-counting committee announced the results: the thesis achieved 8.14 points. In conclusion, the Chair of the committee emphasized that after the student edits and completes the thesis according to the professional feedback and the committee's resolution, this work can be used as a reference for teaching, learning, and research in the fields of Oriental studies, Korean studies, and regional studies in general.
The new master taking a commemorative photo with the committee
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Dung - Supervisor of the new master
The new master and classmates
