Join us for a discussion on regional roles in building inter-Korean peace and unification with Columbia University adjunct professor Katrin Fraser Katz, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior research analyst Kathryn Botto, and Columbia University adjunct professor, Weatherhead East Asian Institute research scholar and Society senior director Stephen Noerper. Policy director Jonathan Corrado moderates the discussion, which enjoys the support of the UniKorea Foundation. Columbia University’s Center for Korean Research (CKR) partners for this exciting discussion.
The Columbia University’s Center for Korean Research (CKR) is a promotional partner for this program.
Role of Regional Players in Inter-Korean Peace and Unification with Katrin Fraser Katz, Kathryn Botto and Stephen Noerper
Friday, April 16, 2021 | 12 PM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Katrin Fraser Katz is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University and an Adjunct Fellow (Non-resident) in the Office of the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. Dr. Katz’s research, which has been supported by grants from the Korea Foundation and the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy, explores the interplay of cooperation and conflict in East Asia’s political, economic, and security dynamics. She has taught in the Asian Studies Program at Georgetown University and was a 2018-19 US-Korea NextGen Scholar. In 2017, she received the inaugural Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture Series award from the Korea Society. Dr. Katz served as director for Japan, Korea, and oceanic affairs on the staff of the White House National Security Council from 2007 to 2008. She was also a special assistant to the assistant secretary for international organization affairs at the U.S. Department of State and an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from Northwestern University; a master’s degree in East Asian and international security studies from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, where she was awarded the John C. Perry Scholarship for East Asian Studies; and a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in international relations and Japanese from the University of Pennsylvania.
Kathryn Botto is a senior research analyst in the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focuses on Asian security issues, with particular emphasis on the Korean Peninsula and U.S. defense policy towards East Asia. Botto’s research interests also include alliance management, defense policy making in select Asian nations, and trilateral cooperation between the United States, South Korea, and Japan. Before joining Carnegie in July 2018, Botto was a research associate in the Strategy Division of the U.S. Forces Korea, Combined Forces Command, and United Nations Command. Previously, she was a research fellow at the Reischauer Center for East Asian Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies.
Stephen Noerper has led public policy programs at the Korea Society for twelve years and taught on Korea for a half decade at Columbia University’s Department of Political Science and School of International and Public Affairs. He has been a Weatherhead East Asian Institute research scholar and has advised the United Nations program to support cooperation in Northeast Asia. Dr. Noerper served prior with the EastWest Institute, New York University, Intellibridge, US State Department, and US Defense Department’s Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies. He was a visiting fellow at the East-West Center in Hawaii and resident representative for the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development in Washington, DC. He was a visiting professor at Japan’s Waseda University and the National University of Mongolia, where he was a Fulbright senior scholar teaching on Korea. He was a visiting fellow at Korea’s Institute for Foreign Affairs and National Security. Dr. Noerper has authored more than seventy publications on Korea and Northeast Asia and appeared on Arirang, the ABC, BBC, Bloomberg, CBC, CNN, MSNBC, NHK, NPR and VOA and in The Wall Street Journal and Korean and US print. He has served on three philanthropic boards and received Mongolia’s State Friendship medal. He is a member of the National Committee on North Korea and a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and London School of Economics. Dr. Noerper has lectured on Korea across Asia, Europe, Eurasia and the United States.
Stimson Center senior fellow and China Program director Yun Sun and Asia Society Arthur Ross director of the Center for US-China Relations Orville Schell join senior director Stephen Noerper to discuss where Korea sits relative to China and US priorities. They explore China policy in the new US administration, alliances and expectations, and prospects for improvements or further deterioration in Sino-US ties. This program is made possible thanks to the support of the Korea Foundation.
Korea and Sino-US Relations with Orville Schell and Yun Sun
Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 1 PM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Orville Schell is the Arthur Ross Director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at Asia Society in New York. He is a former professor and Dean at the University of California, Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Schell is the author of fifteen books, ten of them about China, and a contributor to numerous edited volumes. His most recent books are: Wealth and Power, China’s Long March to the 21st Century; Virtual Tibet; The China Reader: The Reform Years; and Mandate of Heaven: The Legacy of Tiananmen Square and the Next Generation of China’s Leaders. Schell was born in New York City, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University in Far Eastern History, was an exchange student at National Taiwan University in the 1960s, and earned a Ph.D. (Abd) at University of California, Berkeley in Chinese History. He worked for the Ford Foundation in Indonesia, covered the war in Indochina as a journalist, and has traveled widely in China since the mid-70s. He is a Fellow at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University, a Senior Fellow at the Annenberg School of Communications at USC and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Yun Sun is a Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the East Asia Program and Director of the China Program at the Stimson Center. Her expertise is in Chinese foreign policy, U.S.-China relations and China’s relations with neighboring countries and authoritarian regimes. From 2011 to early 2014, she was a Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution, jointly appointed by the Foreign Policy Program and the Global Development Program, where she focused on Chinese national security decision-making processes and China-Africa relations. From 2008 to 2011, Yun was the China Analyst for the International Crisis Group based in Beijing, specializing on China’s foreign policy towards conflict countries and the developing world.
Michael D. Shin, a Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge, looks at the late Joseon period and the Japanese colonial period to examine the historical causes of Korean division and investigate their impact on inter-Korean reconciliation in this program supported by the UniKorea Foundation. Understanding the deep historical causes of Korean division sheds light on the persistence of the division after the end of the Cold War.
This program is supported by a grant from the UniKorea Foundation.
The Historical Causes of Korea’s Division and Challenges to Reconciliation
with Michael D. Shin
Thursday, March 18, 2021 | 12 PM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Michael D. Shin is a Fellow of Robinson College, Cambridge. He is the author of Korean National Identity under Japanese Colonial Rule (Routledge), the editor and co-author of Korean History in Maps (Cambridge University Press), and the editor and co-translator of Everyday Life in Joseon-Era Korea: Economy and Society (Global Oriental, Brill).
The Korea Society is enormously concerned about the shocking increase of anti-Asian hate incidents around the country which have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. These incidents have ranged from verbal harassment and racial slurs to assault and murderous acts.
The Asian-American community is rightly concerned about their safety and the safety of their loved ones. We stand with all Asian, Asian-American, and Pacific-Islander communities in condemning racially motivated acts of hatred and violence.
Along with many Americans throughout the country, The Korea Society is shaken by the recent tragedy in Atlanta where eight persons were murdered—six of whom were Asian, including four women of Korean origin.
The Korea Society will always stand together with the Asian-American community. Our mission since the Society’s inception 63 years ago has been to enhance cross-cultural awareness and understanding. We will endeavor even more so to promote a more respectful and inclusive society here in the U.S.
Woodrow Wilson Center director of the Hyundai Motor-Korea Foundation Center for Korean History and Public Policy Jean Lee converses with senior director Stephen Noerper on ROK-DPRK relations. They address impasse and opportunity between North Korea and South Korea and offer recommendations for US and other policy makers on peninsular realities and possibilities. This program is made possible thanks to support from the Korea Foundation.
The Columbia University’s Center for Korean Research (CKR) is a promotional partner for this program.
New Developments in Inter-Korean Relations with Jean Lee
Thursday, March 4, 2021 | 12 PM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Jean H. Lee is a Pulitzer-nominated veteran foreign correspondent and expert on North Korea. Lee led the Associated Press news agency’s coverage of the Korean Peninsula as bureau chief from 2008 to 2013. In 2011, she became the first American reporter granted extensive access on the ground in North Korea, and in January 2012 opened AP’s Pyongyang bureau, the only Western text/photo news bureau based in the North Korean capital. She has made dozens of extended reporting trips to North Korea, visiting farms, factories, schools, military academies and homes in the course of her exclusive reporting across the country.
Lee served as a Wilson Center Public Policy Scholar and Global Fellow before joining the Asia Program as Korea Center program director. She is a contributor to the New York Times Sunday Review, Esquire magazine and other publications. She appears as an analyst for CNN, BBC, NPR, PRI and other media, and serves frequently as a guest speaker on Korea-related topics. She is a member of the National Committee on North Korea and Council of Korean Americans.
Join us for a discussion about scenarios for North Korean development and inter-Korean economic integration. Seoul National University economics Professor Byung-Yeon Kim, former World Bank economist and a consultant on Asian affairs Brad Babson, and NK Pro analyst Peter Ward join Korea Society President Tom Byrne in conversation. Together, they investigate what domestic reforms will be necessary to empower development and forecast potential roles for South Korea, the U.S. and the international community. Korea Society Policy Director Jonathan Corrado moderates audience questions.
This program is supported by a grant from the UniKorea Foundation.
This event is co-sponsored by the Columbia University’s APEC Study Center.
Pathways to a Brighter Future for North Korea’s Economy with Byung-Yeon Kim, Brad Babson and Peter Ward
Thursday, February 18, 2021 | 6 PM EST
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Byung-Yeon Kim is Professor in the Department of Economics at Seoul National University (SNU) and the author of Unveiling the North Korean Economy: Collapse and Transition (2017). His research interests lie in the fields of transition economics and applied econometrics, in particular with reference to North Korea as well as former socialist countries. He received his B.A. and M.A. from SNU and his D.Phil. from the University of Oxford.
Brad Babson worked for the World Bank for 26 years before retiring in 2000 and has studied the North Korean economy and written extensively on economic perspectives on the integration of North Korea into the international community. He serves on the Advisory Council of the Korea Economic Institute of America, the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council on the Korean Peninsula, and the Steering Committee of the National Committee for North Korea. He was formerly theChair of the DPRK Economic Forum at the U.S.-Korea Institute, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He has consulted for the World Bank and United Nations and been involved in projects sponsored by various institutes, foundations and universities.
Peter Ward is a writer and researcher focusing on the North Korean economy, as well as a PhD candidate at the University of Vienna.
North Korea senior analysts Robert Carlin and Glyn Ford speak about the political and economic implications of the party congress with senior director Stephen Noerper. Stanford University’s Carlin and Track2Asia’s Ford provide critical insight on possibilities for change, impasse and next steps in this timely, newsmaker event. This program is made possible thanks to support from the Korea Foundation.
The Columbia University’s Center for Korean Research (CKR) is a promotional partner for this program.
North Korea’s Eighth Party Congress with Robert Carlin and Glyn Ford
Tuesday, January 26, 2021 | 12 PM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Bob Carlin is a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). From both in and out of government, he has been following North Korea since 1974 and has made 25 trips there. He recently co-authored a lengthy paper to be published by the London International Institute of Strategic Studies, entitled “Politics, Economics and Security: Implications of North Korean Reform.” Carlin served as senior policy advisor at the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) from 2002-2006, leading numerous delegations to the North for talks and observing developments in-country during the long trips that entailed. From 1989-2002, he was chief of the Northeast Asia Division in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, U.S. Department of State. During much of that period, he also served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Special Ambassador for talks with North Korea, and took part in all phases of US-DPRK negotiations from 1992-2000. From 1971-1989, Carlin was an analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he received the Exceptional Analyst Award from the Director of Central Intelligence.
In over 25 years in the EP Glyn Ford developed an unrivaled expertise on East Asia as a Member of the Foreign Affairs and International Trade Committees. When he left the European Parliament in 2009, Glyn Ford founded the consulting company Polint, which he still leads today. However, in parallel, he continued his political and academic engagement with the DPRK and the East Asian region. These activities, which have always been conducted on a ‘non-profit’ basis, are now carried out in the framework of Track2Asia. Thanks to his engagement with the DPRK, he is now considered one of the most pre-eminent European experts on the Korean peninsula in particular, and East Asia in general. A sample of this expertise can be seen in his books “North Korea on the Brink” (Pluto Press,2008 and later translated into Japanese and Korean) and “Talking to North Korea” (Pluto Press,2018).
A collection of our latest programs showcasing content on Korea and the impact of the novel coronavirus, including videos, podcasts, publications, and more.
K-Global Vaccine Hub with Dr. Jerome Kim and Dr. Manki Song| Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 6:30 PM (EDT)
As part of our ‘Korea and Coronavirus Series,’ The Korea Society will again host a conversation with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Tom Byrne, The Korea Society’s President/CEO. Dr. Manki Song, Deputy Director General of IVI will also join the interview… Read More
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA: All About COVID-19 Vaccines with Global Vaccine Expert Dr. Jerome Kim| Wednesday, May 19, 2021 | 7 PM (EDT)
Do you want to learn more about Covid-19 vaccines and the global vaccination effort? Please join The Korea Society for a conversation on COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Tom Byrne, Korea Society President/CEO. Dr. Kim, who was named one of “The 50 Most Influential People in Vaccines” in 2014 by the vaccine industry organization Vaccine Nation, will share the importance of COVID-19 vaccines combating this prolonged pandemic… Read More
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA: A Conversation on K-syringe with Former Minister of SMEs and Startups Park Young Sun & Korea Society President Tom Byrne| Friday, March 26, 2021 | 12:00 PM
Former Minister of SMEs and Startups of ROK Park Young Sun joins The Korea Society for a conversation on Korea’s new innovative syringe development, known as the ‘K-Syringe.’ This conversation will be led by Society President Tom Byrne. Minister Park will discuss the current progress on K-Syringe in combating COVID-19 as well as her active involvement in its advancement… Read More
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA: A Conversation with Celltrion Group Chairman Mr. Jung-jin Seo & Korea Society President Tom Byrne| Premieres: Friday, February 19, 2021 | 7 PM EST
Jung-jin Seo, Chairman of Celltrion Group, a leading Korean biopharmaceutical company, joins The Korea Society’s President, Tom Byrne for a conversation on the race to develop antibody treatments for the COVID-19 virus. Together, they will discuss the role of the Korean biopharmaceutical industry and Celltrion’s active involvement in combating COVID-19. Join us to learn about how K-bio’s work fits into global efforts to combat the pandemic… Read More
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA: Questions from investors for South Korea’s Top Coronavirus Expert, Dr. Kim Woo Joo|| Thursday, June 25, 2020 |
Dr. Kim Woo Joo, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, returns for a second interview with Korea Society President, Thomas Byrne. Tune in as Dr. Kim responds to inquiries by American investors and bankers on the global fight against COVID-19. He addresses a range of concerns, including the immune response to the virus, the race to develop a vaccine and the possible scenario for a second wave as well as key strategies to mitigate coronavirus spread… Read More
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA: Korea’s Campaign against the Coronavirus Pandemic: A View from the Ministry of Economy and Finance|| Thursday, June 11, 2020 | 8 AM|
South Korea’s impressive, timely and comprehensive strategy in controlling the spread of the coronavirus has earned praise from the director general of the WHO. In this webcast moderated by Korea Society President Thomas Byrne, Mr. Dae Joong Lee, Director of Development, Finance Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in South Korea, discusses how the country coordinated among ministries, agencies and the private sector in its response to the pandemic. The conversation also examine the government’s fiscal measures taken to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19… Read More
The National Interest|
South Korea’s Economic Policies Prepared It for the Coronavirus—North Korea’s Did Not|
In a new article for The National Interest, Korea Society president Thomas Byrne writes, “the coronavirus pandemic casts into sharp contrast the fortunes of North and South Korea, showing how differently they have evolved in the seven decades since the Korean War. Pyongyang’s inability to deal with the virus in any way other than to shut its borders and restrict domestic travel has sparked a huge shortfall in government revenue… Meanwhile, Seoul’s timely and effective response to the virus that avoided lockdowns and blockades is held up as a worldwide example, burnishing South Korea’s status as a financial safe haven which allows it to affordably fund stimulus measures with government debt.”
In an interview with Fox 5 DC On the Hill, Korea Society President Tom Byrne discusses the impact of North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un’s prolonged absence on denuclearization talks and South Korea’s approach to dealing with coronavirus, saying, “Korea not only flattened the curve; they were ahead of the curve.”
COVID LESSONS FROM SOUTH KOREA with Korea’s Top Coronavirus Expert Dr. Kim Woo Joo || Tuesday, April 14, 2020 | 12 PM|
Learn how South Korea managed to bring COVID-19 under control in this recorded interview between the Korea Society’s President, Thomas Byrne, and Korea University’s professor of infectious diseases, Dr. Kim Woo Joo. Deemed by the media as South Korea’s “most prominent coronavirus expert”, Dr. Kim explains how he and the country learned from past epidemics to mobilize the public and private sectors to combat the novel coronavirus. Tune in to learn what lessons the U.S. and other countries can glean from South Korea’s successes… Read More
Bloomberg |
South Korea’s virus response had high degree of transparency and competence In an interview with Bloomberg Daybreak Asia (39:35) on Korea’s response to the coronavirus, Korea Society President Thomas Byrne says, “Korea responds well when there is a crisis, and Koreans really have grit. They responded well to the 1997 IMF financial crisis and they are responding very well now. Everything came together really quickly in the middle of February. The government has orchestrated a good program with the government, the public health institutions, and the citizens all chipping in, all three of them together to manage this crisis.”
Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Japan Studies Dr. Sheila Smith and Korea Society Senior Director Dr. Stephen Noerper examine the political impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Japan and Korea, in conversation with Japan Society President and CEO Dr. Joshua W. Walker and with an introduction by Korea Society President Tom Byrne. In this live webcast program, co-hosted by the Japan Society and the Korea Society, the three…Read More
South Korea’s coronavirus response has been lauded for its integration of new technologies and aggressive trace-and-test measures. To help the international community understand this approach, a crowd-sourced team has translated Korea’s coronavirus playbook, a 90 page set of instructions made by the Korea Center for Disease Control advising local public health officials to plan for an array of contingencies. In this special podcast interview with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado, translation team leaders Alex Bae, Sehyo Yune, and Jungmin Hwang discuss the project and the insights gained from it. The document is available to view at the team’s website here.
REUTERS: BREAKINGVIEWS|
Come together In an opinion piece published by Reuters BreakingViews, Korea Society Board Member Bill Rhodes urges the importance of multilateral cooperation to deal with the effects of coronavirus, writing, “it is increasingly likely that the world faces a longer, harder, much more fitful, difficult path to normalcy. We must gird ourselves for the long haul. That requires much greater coordination internationally of our responses to maximize the impact. So far that crucial piece of the puzzle has been missing.”
For full article at Reuters, click here | For full article at EACC (FREE), click here
CNBC |
South Korea’s opposition had ‘surprisingly big defeat’ in elections: The Korea Society
In an interview with CNBC on South Korea’s National Assembly election on April 15, Korea Society Board Chair Ambassador Kathleen Stephens said, “Korea is benchmarking a lot of good practices for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. This became the issue in the election and eclipsed some of the other issues that were not playing so well for Moon Jae-in and the ruling party… The citizens came out and said that they appreciate what this government has done, but I think it was a surprise to everybody that the turnout was as strong as it was. Koreans really do value their institutions and their democracy and so they were ready to vote.”
South Korea’s coronavirus success story underscores how the U.S. initially failed In an article by the Washington Post, Korea Society president Thomas Byrne writes, “No nation’s response has been perfectly effective, but the high degree of transparency and competency of South Korean health officials provides helpful lessons about containment efforts for other countries, and about the nature of this pandemic for the international scientific community.”
In a new letter to the editor of the South China Morning Post, Korea Society president Thomas Byrne writes, “South Korea is providing other societies with an example of how to respond in a smart and targeted way, while shunning travel bans, with limited exceptions, and avoiding widespread lockdowns whose social costs might outweigh the health benefits.”
China’s Foreign Policy and Relations on the Korean Peninsula || Friday, April 3, 2020 | 12 PM|
Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director of the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society, examines developments in China’s foreign policy toward the Korean Peninsula in conversation with senior director Stephen Noerper. Schell discusses China’s commitment to denuclearization, orientation toward Pyongyang and Seoul, views on Korean unification, and the current news cycle, to include the geopolitics of the coronavirus response. Due the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will now be… Read More
Bloomberg |
No One Knows How Many Virus Cases North Korea Has. It Says Zero In an article for Bloomberg, Korea Society president Thomas Byrne discusses North Korea’s human rights situation and public health system amid ongoing concerns about the potential for the novel coronavirus to spread in the country.
The Coronavirus Has Pushed North Korea’s Economy to the Edge
In a new article for Foreign Policy about North Korea’s current economic prospects, Korea Society president Thomas Byrne writes, “North Korea is left to its own devices, facing the coronavirus pandemic without access to credit or emergency financing from the IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, or other governments—let alone access to global capital markets. Nevertheless, there are no indications from Pyongyang that it is ready to throw in the towel on Juche, its policy of self-reliance, and embark on reform and opening. The same obstacles that prevented progress in 1997 prevail today, and nothing has changed institutionally in more than two decades—except the addition of international sanctions.”
Evolving Roles of the UN in the Korean Peace Process| Thursday, December 17, 2020 | 10 – 11:30 AM|
With a new US administration incoming and North Korea’s January Party Congress, there exists room for new and creative approaches toward the DPRK, to include the role of the United Nations. Join the former UN Undersecretary General Jeff Feltman, Carnegie Endowment’s Suzanne Dimaggio, and former UNC/CFC/USFK Commander General (ret.) Vincent Brooks… Read More
“Getting Together” with Coffee Meets Bagel| Wednesday, December 16, 2020 I 7 PM|
Six years ago, the founders of the online dating service Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB) sat down with The Korea Society to share their stories on starting a new business. Today, we rejoin CMB to discuss how they have reached and managed their success to become one of the major online dating services globally. … Read More
K-pop Confidential with Stephan Lee| Thursday, December 10, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
In K-pop Confidential, the YA novel from journalist Stephan Lee, a Korean-American girl plunges into the complex world of an idol factory and K-pop trainees in South Korea while staying true to herself in the process. Join us for a lively conversation with Stephan Lee about his debut novel and everything K-pop, including its ever-increasing popularity in the U.S., the challenges the K-pop trainees face, and the issues Korean Americans… Read More
Being in North Korea A special podcast interview with Andray Abrahamian| Thursday, December 10, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
In this podcast interview, Andray Abrahamian offers insights from his new book, Being in North Korea, an exploration of North Korean society from the inside, citing personal experiences gained by the author over 30 trips to the DPRK. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Abrahamian discusses interactions from his time working at a nonprofit that teaches North Koreans about entrepreneurship and economic policy. Abrahamian is a senior adjunct fellow… Read More
Cold War Cosmopolitan: Han Hyung-Mo & Korean Cinema of the 1950s| Thursday, December 3, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
South Korea in the 1950s was home to a burgeoning film culture, one of the many “Golden Age cinemas” that flourished in Asia during the postwar years. One of the most important filmmakers of the time was Han Hyung-Mo, director of the era’s most glamorous and popular women’s pictures including the blockbuster Madame Freedom (1956). Christina Klein provides an illuminating analysis of Han’s career and films with careful attention to… Read More
Next Steps with North Korea with Scott Snyder| THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2020 | 12 PM|
Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow and Director of the Program on U.S.-Korea Policy Scott Snyder joins Senior Director Stephen Noerper to discuss next steps on denuclearization and dialogue with North Korea post-US Presidential election. Snyder, author of South Korea at the Crossroads, weighs the likelihood of a North Korean test or other attention-grabber pre or post-inauguration, the dispositions of Washington, Seoul and Pyongyang, and the possibility of renewed talks… Read More
The Korean Wave and Translation: A conversation with Wansoo Suh| Thursday, November 19, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
The global recognition of K-pop, K-drama, and K-movies has brought with it much interest in Korean translation. Recently, Sharon Choi, a freelance translator for Bong Joon Ho, the Oscar-winning Director of ‘Parasite’, received much international attention for her excellent translation work. If you are bilingual in Korean and English, seeking a career in the translation industry, or even interested in… Read More
North Korean Sanctions and Adaptation| Thursday, November 19, 2020 | 12:00 PM|
Join us for a discussion on international economic sanctions on North Korea with William Newcomb, Fellow at the Center for Advanced Defense Studies and former Member of the Panel of Experts on DPRK Sanctions at the United Nations, Darya Dolzikova of the Royal United Services Institute, and Cameron Trainer of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. In a conversation moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado, the three experts discuss… Read More
A Conversation with David Yoon| Wednesday, November 19, 2020 | 6 PM|
When David Yoon’s debut novel Frankly In Love hit shelves last year, it was an instant New York Times bestseller and a William C. Morris Award finalist. With his sophomore novel Super Fake Love Song, David Yoon offers another contemporary YA must-read where a case of mistaken identity kicks off a string of (fake) events that just may lead to (real) love… Read More
K-Drama Fever: Global TV in the US| Thursday, November 12, 2020 | 6 PM|
Television as we know it has transformed in the last two decades, away from network television mainly produced in the form of sitcoms, police procedurals, and medical or courtroom dramas, towards serial narratives, with clear storylines developed across episodes… Read More
Leveraging Big Data, AI, and Patents for Business Growth| Tuesday, November 10, 2020 | 6 PM|
The Korea Society and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) are delighted to present Leveraging Big Data, AI, and Patents for Business Growth on November 10th, 2020 from 6pm to 8pm EST. Our first session will feature Tim Hwang, CEO of FiscalNote. FiscalNote is a global technology and media company that Tim co-founded in 2013 at the age of 21… Read More
After the US Presidential Election: Gauging the Results for Korea and Northeast Asia| Thursday, November 5, 2020 | 12 PM|
Washington insiders Keith Luse, Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea, and Frank Jannuzi, President and CEO of the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, reflect on the results of the US Presidential election for Korea and Northeast Asia in conversation with Senior Director Stephen Noerper. Luse and Jannuzi, both longtime, former Senate Foreign Relations Committee senior staff members, opine on the impact by way of policy and personalities, as well as potential new initiatives… Read More
Korean-American Directors: A Roundtable with Andrew Ahn, So Yong Kim and Lee Isaac Chung| Thursday, October 29, 2020 | 6 PM|
After the success of Crazy Rich Asians and Parasite, the demand for representation of Asians and Asian-Americans on screen is rising. But what about behind the camera? Listen to our conversation with three Korean-American directors – Andrew Ahn, So Yong Kim, and Lee Isaac Chung- as they discuss their films and careers… Read More
Artist Talk: Soonchoel Byun| Wednesday, October 28, 2020|
Soonchoel Byun’s solo exhibition at the Korea Society Gallery, his first one in New York in two decades, showcases nine photographs from his 2015 series Eternal Family which records and digitally creates a reunion between family members separated by the Korean War. Created with utmost sensitivity and respect for the personal and historical tragedy, Byun’s art is a poignant reminder of the devastating consequences of the war that still remains today… Read More
[K-Move] A webinar: Developing Your Career with Mentorship| Tuesday, October 27, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
The Korea Society is pleased to join KOTRA in presenting valuable lessons on career development through the K-Move program series. K-Move is a project that KOTRA has been organizing for younger Korean audiences abroad, while inviting leading professionals from different fields to share their stories on employment and settlement in the U.S… Read More
Korean Art from 1953| Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 5:00 PM|
Korean Art From 1953: Collision, Innovation, Interaction is a richly illustrated book containing fourteen essays written by leading Korean art historians and scholars, topics range from the 1950s avant-garde to the feminist scene in the 1970s,… Read More
New Views on Korean Peace Regime and Unification | Thursday, October 15, 2020 | 11 AM|
Join us for this discussion on prospects for a peace regime and inter-Korean social integration with Frank Aum, United States Institute of Peace, Hannah Song, President & CEO at Liberty in North Korea, Rachel Minyoung Lee, former intelligence analyst for the U.S. government, and Joseph Kim, Human Freedom Initiative, George W. Bush Institute… Read More
A Sacred Emblem: Trefoil in Early Korean Metalwork and Beyond with Dr. Minjee Kim| Thursday, October 8, 2020 | 6 PM|
Trefoil or “three-leaved plant” is a stylized form found in artifacts and architecture across culture and time. Dr. Minjee Kim begins the story with her first encounter with a gold headdress ornament of the Balhae kingdom (698-926) and traces the migration of its trefoil form throughout the 4th-6th century across Asia. Then, she travels to France, where “fleur-de-lis” adorned French crowns, clothing, textiles, and… Read More
Looking Toward the US Presidential Election and Its Impact on Korea and Northeast Asia Policy| Thursday, October 1, 2020 | 12 PM|
Daniel Russel, Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and Susan Thornton, Project Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy and Visiting Lecturer in Law at Yale University, join Senior Director Stephen Noerper… Read More
Designing and Adapting Korean Language Instruction for Virtual Delivery| Wednesday, September 30, 2020|
Many language programs and instructors have needed to quickly change from in-person to online instruction modes this year. If you are looking for ways to improve your delivery, join us to explore tools and best practices for virtual classroom set-up and management… Read More
A Conversation with Hee Seo| Thursday, September 24, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
Listen to our conversation with Hee Seo, the first Asian ballerina to be named principal dancer – ballet’s highest title – at the American Ballet Theatre, as she discusses her illustrious career and thoughts on the future of performing art… Read More
East Goes West: Younghill Kang, His Life and Works| Thursday, September 17, 2020 | 6 PM|
Join Alexander Chee and Ed Park in their conversation on Younghill Kang, the first Korean-American novelist and a pioneer of Asian American literature. As they discuss the life and career of Kang and his novel East Goes West, the two eminent writers reflect on the emergence of Korean American literature in the 20th century and Kang’s legacy… Read More
Prospects for Diplomacy with North Korea| Wednessday, September 16, 2020 | 12 PM|
Join us for a discussion on challenges and opportunities for continued nuclear negotiations with North Korea, featuring Markus Garlauskas, former U.S. National Intelligence Officer for North Korea, Soo Kim, RAND, and Ankit Panda, Carnegie… Read More
US-Korea Relations: Defining the Alliance Anew with David Kang| Thursday, September 10, 2020 | 12 PM|
USC Professor and Korean Studies Institute Director David Kang joins Senior Director Stephen Noerper to discuss progress and challenges in Korea-US relations… Read More
New Narratives in Korea: Drawings for My Grandchildren| Monday, August 31, 2020|
In this interview series, we take a dive into contemporary culture in South Korea.
Grandpa Chan and Grandma Marina are influencers on Instagram, perhaps unlike anyone else you see on that platform, maybe just because of their age. Their Instagram account Drawings for My Grandchildren started in 2015… Read More
2020 Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture Architecture as Kisul in Postwar Korea: Building the Industrial Nation-State| Thursday, August 27, 2020 | 3 PM|
2020 Sherman Family Emerging Scholar Lecture awardee, Sun-Min Park, a doctoral candidate at Harvard University, discussed Architecture as Kisul (Science-Technology) in Postwar Korea: Building the Industrial Nation-State… Read More
BTS: Blood, Sweat & Tears with Tamar Herman| Wednesday, August 12, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
America’s leading authority on BTS, K-Pop, and East Asian entertainment, Tamar Herman returns to the Korea Society with her book BTS: Blood, Sweat & Tears… Read More
New Narratives in Korea: Manhwa with Creators of Banned Book Club| Monday, August 3, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
In this series, we take a dive into contemporary culture in South Korea. In this second episode, we explore the world of “manhwa,” the world of Korean graphic novels and comic books, with the creators of just-published Banned Book Club: how was “manhwa” consumed by South Koreans in the past and present, how it is influencing and being adopted into different forms of entertainment, and how the new generation of… Read More
The Korean War at 70: Annual Armistice Day Salute| Monday, July 27, 2020 | 12 PM|
The Korea Society honors the service and sacrifice of veterans on the anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, signed on July 27, 1953. This live, virtual ceremony combines historic video with remarks from Korea Society President Tom Byrne, the Korean Consul General to New York, Ambassador Won-sam Chang, Korean War Veterans Area Commander Salvatore Scarlato, and Korean War Veteran and retired US Congressman Charles Rangel. Scarlato and Rangel will receive the James A. Van Fleet award on behalf of American veterans who served during the Korean War at the Korea Society upcoming annual gala… Read More
Building and Protecting Your K-Brand in the YouTube Era| Wednesday, July 22, 2020 | 6 PM|
The Korea Society and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) are delighted to present Building and Protecting Your K-Brand in the YouTube Era on July 22, 2020. Over the last two decades, YouTube has demonstrated its versatility, achieving far more than the launch of successful careers for the likes of Justin Bieber and BTS. Businesses of all sizes increasingly adopt this highly effective yet affordable advertising platform as part of their marketing strategy to attract audiences and drive sales… Read More
Side by Side: Streaming and A Director’s Talk| Monday, July 20, 2020 | 6 PM|
Side by Side: Out of a South Korean Orphanage and Into the World weaves the stories of nine inter-country adoptees—selected out of 100 original interviews— as they recall their families of origin, their relinquishment to orphanages, and their adoptions and lives abroad. Starkly minimalist, Side by Side is composed entirely of intensely intimate, first-person narratives, filmed in Seattle, Chicago, Boston, New York City, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Melbourne… Read More
Marketing in a Digital World with Cathy Oh| Thursday, July 16, 2020 | 6 PM|
As consumers continue to cut the cord, how will we define the future of TV? How does this paradigm shift change the future of advertising? Cathy Oh, Global Head of Marketing & Analytics at Samsung Ads, explores these topics in conversation with CeFaan Kim, reporter at WABC-TV Eyewitness News… Read More
Friend: A Novel & Popular Culture of North Korea| Thursday, July 9, 2020 | 6:30 PM|
First published in Pyongyang in 1988, Friend by Paek Nam-Nyong is one of the few North Korean novels that has reached an international audience. Professor Immanuel Kim, the translator of Friend and a specialist in North Korean literature and cinema, offers a glimpse into contemporary life in North Korea through this novel and other popular culture from Pyongyang… Read More
Korean Baseball: Answering the Call for Sport in the Covid Era with Chan Ho Park and Jerry Royster| Monday, June 29, 2020 | 8 PM |
Korean professional baseball has caught the eye of sports-deprived American baseball fans during the coronavirus pandemic. Join us for a conversation about the unique and appealing aspects of Korean baseball, with former MLB and KBO pitcher Chan Ho Park, former manager of the Lotte Giants in Busan Jerry Royster, Yonhap baseball correspondent Jee-Ho Yoo, and former U.S. Ambassadors to Korea and Korean baseball superfans Kathleen Stephens and Mark Lippert… Read More
New Narratives in Korea: Games & Interactive Storytelling| Friday, June 26, 2020 |
In this new series, we take a dive into contemporary culture in South Korea.
In this first episode, we will be exploring the world of games, especially that of computer, video, and mobile games: the history of video game culture in Korea from the 70s until now; how it has given birth to a new industry and a group of new business leaders in Korea; and how it is developing into a new way of storytelling, entertainment, and education… Read More
Questions from investors for South Korea’s Top Coronavirus Expert, Dr. Kim Woo Joo|| Thursday, June 25, 2020 |
Dr. Kim Woo Joo, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital, returns for a second interview with Korea Society President, Thomas Byrne. Tune in as Dr. Kim responds to inquiries by American investors and bankers on the global fight against COVID-19. He addresses a range of concerns, including the immune response to the virus, the race to develop a vaccine and the possible scenario for a second wave as well as key strategies to mitigate coronavirus spread… Read More
The Korean War at 70 Commemorating the Start of the Korean War|| Thursday, June 25, 2020 |
The Society marks seventy years since the start of the Korean War with a video tribute to those who served and sacrificed. Join for a special video release featuring remarks by the Korea Society Board Chairwoman Ambassador Kathleen Stephens; General (ret.) Vincent Brooks, former Commander of the United Nations Command /Combined Forces Command/United States Forces Korea; Columbia University Law School Professor Jeong-Ho Roh; Korea Society President Tom Byrne; and Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper… Read More
Jazz Night with Grace Kelly| Monday, June 22, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
Award-winning singer-saxophonist-songwriter-composer Grace Kelly has built an incredible career in jazz, which includes the release of 13 acclaimed albums before entering her mid-twenties. In this Young Professionals’ Night webcast, Grace unpacks her stunning career in a chat with writer Will Friedwald. Join us as we dive into Grace’s musical journey… Read More
From Wine to Soju: Stories from the Master Sommelier| Friday, June 19, 2020 | 6 PM|
Early on in his life, Kyungmoon Kim discovered that he had an exceptional palate. As he immersed himself in the world of wine, he leveraged his palate and his natural aptitude for memorization to build an extensive base of wine knowledge. In 2016, Kyungmoon Kim won the Master Sommelier Certification and joined the Court of Master Sommeliers; currently, there are only 247 Master Sommeliers worldwide… Read More
Young Professionals’ Night with Timothy Martin| PREMIERED: Monday, June 15, 2020 | 6 PM|
Over the months journalists have worked tirelessly to provide reliable and up to date information on COVID-19. Timothy Martin, Korea bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, is among these journalists. His reporting has shed light on the outbreak in South Korea, giving U.S. readers an in-depth account of the situation in the country and the actions taken to stem the spread of the virus. In this webcast, Timothy speaks with AAJA – NY chapter president, Frank Bi, on his experience covering the coronavirus pandemic in South Korea… Read More
North Korean Human Rights|| Thursday, June 11, 2020 | 12 PM|
Harvard University visiting fellow and Sophia University professor Sandra Fahy joins senior director Stephen Noerper for a discussion of her latest work, Dying for Rights. Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy professor Sung-yoon Lee, who reviews the book in Korean Studies, joins the discussion… Read More
Korea’s Campaign against the Coronavirus Pandemic: A View from the Ministry of Economy and Finance|| Thursday, June 11, 2020 | 8 AM|
South Korea’s impressive, timely and comprehensive strategy in controlling the spread of the coronavirus has earned praise from the director general of the WHO. In this webcast moderated by Korea Society President Thomas Byrne, Mr. Dae Joong Lee, Director of Development, Finance Division at the Ministry of Economy and Finance in South Korea, discusses how the country coordinated among ministries, agencies and the private sector in its response to the pandemic. The conversation also examine the government’s fiscal measures taken to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19… Read More
Author Talks: You-Jeong Jeong|| Thursday, June 4, 2020|
In this inaugural episode of the new video series Author Talks, Korea’s leading author of psychological thrillers You-Jeong Jeong discusses her career and award-winning novels, including Seven Years of Darkness and The Good Son… Read More
Banchan Story: Korean Home Cooking|| Thursday, June 4, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
“Banchan” is often translated as “side dishes” and understood as “appetizers” at Korean BBQ restaurants. But that is not the whole story! Learn the real story of banchan, a category unto themselves and the ubiquitous feature of Korean home cooking. Shin Kim, a chef and culinary entrepreneur, will lead the viewers to explore the delectable world of banchan in its many forms and share some of her recipes that can… Read More
The Korean War at 70: Veteran Tales with Sal Scarlato|| Wednesday, June 3, 2020 | 12 PM|
Korean War Veterans area commander and Long Island chapter head Sal Scarlato shares reflections on the Korean War years in conversation with senior director Stephen Noerper. Scarlato, a Marine veteran, offers insights on the sacrifice of those who served and efforts to raise awareness of the service and valor of Korean War veterans.… Read More
Frances Cha: If I Had Your Face|| Thursday, May 28, 2020 | 6 PM|
A riveting tale of four women navigating contemporary Korea, If I Had Your Face is a debut novel from Frances Cha, a former travel and culture editor for CNN in Seoul. This utterly compelling novel follows the interconnected lives of four young women balancing on the edge of survival in contemporary Seoul… Read More
The Korean War at 70: Honoring Korean War Veterans from around the World|| Thursday, May 21, 2020 | 12 PM|
Korean War veterans advocate Hannah Y. Kim joins policy director Jonathan Corrado for a conversation on her global journey to meet Korean War veterans. Kim, founder of Remember 727 and former chief of staff to Congressman Charles Rangel, highlights the discussion with photos from her travels… Read More
Indo-Pacific relations in the time of COVID19|| Wednesday, May 20, 2020 | 2:30 PM|
What impact is the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic crisis having now and going forward on the relationships between the U.S., South Korea, and India? How does it impact their respective visions for the future of regional institutions and relationships in the Indo-Pacific? What is the prognosis for U.S. and Chinese leadership — and rivalry — and how does this impact the region? Is a regional economic or security architecture more or less possible, or desirable, post-pandemic?… Read More
Reading in Translation: Korean Novels in the U.S. || Tuesday, May 19, 2020 | 6 PM |
South Korean literature in translation has been experiencing a global efflorescence in recent years. There are at least 6 Korean novels being released in the United States in the first half of 2020, with more to follow. Professor Jae Won Chung will discuss the commercial and critical success of Korean novels in the United States, the types of Korean novels that appear to be popular in the international market, and the range of new styles, genres, and voices that soon-to-be published titles will offer English-language readers… Read More
Artist Talk: Ik-Joong Kang with Dr. Katherine Anne Paul || Friday, May 15, 2020 | 6:30 PM|
Internationally acclaimed artist Ik-Joong Kang in conversation about his art and career with Dr. Katherine Anne Paul, Curator of Asian Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art.Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will be conducted virtually. This live session will be provided free of charge at the specified date and time. A limited number of viewing links will be provided to the people who sign up through the form… Read More
Korean Inspired Glow|| Thursday, May 14, 2020 | 6:00 PM|
In these uncertain times, we regard self-care as a way to manage anxiety and alleviate stress. Often, skincare comprises an essential part of many self-care routines. Tune in to see how Glow Recipe co-founders, Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, are adapting content during this time to align with a self-care centric beauty philosophy, and how they continue to lead Glow Recipe with a K-Beauty inspired approach for every product and… Read More
Becoming Kim Jong Un with Jung H. Pak || Thursday, May 14, 2020 | 12 PM|
Dr. Jung H. Pak discusses her new book on the rise of North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, in conversation with Society President Tom Byrne. Pak, a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and former CIA analyst, provides a behind-the-scenes look at Kim’s character and motivations and chronicles his nuclear ambitions and summitry with President Trump. Read More
A Conversation Between Chefs with Esther Choi & Judy Joo || Friday, May 8, 2020 | 12 PM|
What are the challenges a chef faces when she decides to open a restaurant? How do you break the stereotype that “women make good cooks, but men make better chefs”? And how do you not only survive but thrive in the hyper-competitive restaurant kitchens and food scene in New York and London? And what do you cook when you have to stay home, due to the unprecedented world-wide pandemic?… Read More
Chef Hooni Kim with Andrew Friedman || Thursday, April 30, 2020 | 6:30 PM|
A chef known for defining Korean food in America brings a powerful culinary legacy into your kitchen. Hooni Kim, chef/owner of Danji and Hanjan, will discuss his eagerly-anticipated cookbook, My Korea: Traditional Flavors, Modern Recipes, his insight and deep knowledge on Korean cuisine, and the challenges he faces as a restaurateur in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic… Read More
Three Artists, Three Cities: The COVID-19 Diaries from MiA Collective Art with Woo Ram Jung, Grace Noh and kate-hers RHEE|| Friday, May 1, 2020|
Three young artists – in New York, Berlin, and Seoul – record their situation and response to the pandemic, shelter-in-residence, and the changing landscape of the city each one lives in. Featuring Woo Ram Jung, Grace Noh, and kate-hers RHEE, the artists compare and contrast their experiences and ask themselves a question: what is the role of the creative community during a world-wide pandemic… Read More
COVID-19 Lessons From South Korea with Korea’s Top Coronavirus Expert Dr. Kim Woo Joo |||
Learn how South Korea managed to bring COVID-19 under control in this recorded interview between the Korea Society’s President, Thomas Byrne, and Korea University’s professor of infectious diseases, Dr. Kim Woo Joo. Deemed by the media as South Korea’s “most prominent coronavirus expert”, Dr. Kim explains how he and the country learned from past epidemics to mobilize the public and private sectors to combat the novel coronavirus. Tune in to learn what lessons the U.S. and other countries can glean from South Korea’s successes… Read More
Korean Election Analysis || Friday, April 17, 2020 | 12:00 PM|
Stanford University Professor Gi-Wook Shin joins Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper for a timely breakdown of the April 15 Korean legislative elections. Professor Shin, Director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, Director of Korean Studies, and William J. Perry Professor of Contemporary Korea, examines the voice of the electorate and impact of the National Assembly election results for the Moon administration and Korean politics… Read More
Podcast: Translating Korea’s Coronavirus Response Playbook|| Thursday, April 16, 2020|
South Korea’s coronavirus response has been lauded for its integration of new technologies and aggressive trace-and-test measures. To help the international community understand this approach, a crowd-sourced team has translated Korea’s coronavirus playbook, a 90 page set of instructions made by the Korea Center for Disease Control advising local public health officials to plan for an array of contingencies. In this special podcast interview with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado, translation team leaders Alex Bae, Sehyo Yune, and Jungmin Hwang discuss the project and the insights gained from it. The document is available to view at the team’s website here… Read More
Geopolitics of Coronavirus: Japan and Korea || Friday, April 10, 2020 | 12:00 PM|
Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow for Japan Studies Dr. Sheila Smith and Korea Society Senior Director Dr. Stephen Noerper examine the political impact of the coronavirus outbreak in Japan and Korea, in conversation with Japan Society President and CEO Dr. Joshua W. Walker and with an introduction by Korea Society President Tom Byrne. In this live webcast program, co-hosted by the Japan Society and the Korea Society, the three…Read More
China’s Foreign Policy and Relations on the Korean Peninsula || Friday, April 3, 2020 | 12 PM|
Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director of the Center on US-China Relations at the Asia Society, examines developments in China’s foreign policy toward the Korean Peninsula in conversation with senior director Stephen Noerper. Schell discusses China’s commitment to denuclearization, orientation toward Pyongyang and Seoul, views on Korean unification, and the current news cycle, to include the geopolitics of the coronavirus response. Due the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), this program will now be… Read More
Regaining Lost Ground in the North Korean Human Rights Movement with Victor Cha and Lindsay Lloyd || Thursday, March 26, 2020 | 1 PM|
CSIS Senior Adviser and inaugural holder of the Korea Chair Victor Cha and Bradford M. Freeman Director of the Human Freedom Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute Lindsay Lloyd discuss Cha’s report, Regaining Lost Ground in the North Korean Human Rights Movement, in conversation with Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper.Read More
Beyond 32nd Street: “Korean” Restaurants of the Moment || Thursday, February 27, 2020 | 6 PM|
Three of the most acclaimed restaurateurs in New York talk about the past, present and future of “Korean” restaurants in the city and beyond: Simon Kim of Cote; Jenny Kwak of Haenyeo; and Ellia Park of Atoboy & Atomix. Moderated by Matt Rodbard. Beyond 32nd Street: “Korean” Restaurants of the Momentwith Simon Kim of Cote; Jenny Kwak of Haenyeo; and Ellia Park of Atoboy & Atomix Moderated by Matt Rodbard… Read More
Changes in the North Korean Economy and what has yet to change || Thursday, January 30, 2020 | 1 PM|
This public roundtable dialogue explores recent changes and pathways for reform in the North Korean economy, with special focus on transitions and lessons learned in Cuba. Jaime Reusche, Vice President and Senior Credit Officer for the Sovereign Risk Group at Moody’s Investors Service and Peter Ward, Ph.D. candidate…Read More
Korean Film in Focus: A Conversation with Director Bong Joon-ho || Editor’s Choice|
Long before he swept the Oscars with Parasite, Director Bong Joon Ho visited The Korea Society to talk about his career and films in February 2010. Listen to the highlights from his conversation with Michael Atkinson…Read More
University of Connecticut History Professor Alexis Dudden explores recent history and possible overtures in Korea-Japan relations in conversation with Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper. Exploring trade and historical disputes, as well as well as Washington’s past and potential involvement, Dudden, author of Troubled Apologies Among Japan, Korea and the United States, as well as a recent New York Times piece, examines signs of progress, possible offramps and continuing challenges…Read More
Covering North Korea| Thursday, January 30, 2020 | 12:00 PM|
North Korea challenges reporters’ efforts at providing clarity and revealing hidden dynamics given information gaps and a lack of access. Korea Risk Group CEO Chad O’Carroll, NK News Podcast host Jacco Zwetsloot and freelance journalist and outgoing Asian American Journalist Association New York President Hannah Bae speak with Society Policy Director Jonathan Corrado on how reporters overcome these obstacles to gain credible and durable insight…Read More
With a new US administration incoming and North Korea’s January Party Congress, there exists room for new and creative approaches toward the DPRK, to include the role of the United Nations. Join the former UN Undersecretary General Jeff Feltman, Carnegie Endowment’s Suzanne Dimaggio, and former UNC/CFC/USFK Commander General (ret.) Vincent Brooks, in conversation with NCNK Executive Director Keith Luse and Korea Society Senior Director Stephen Noerper, as they look at evolving roles and missions and UN facilitation of peace on the Korean Peninsula.
This program is produced in collaboration with The National Committee on North Korea (NCNK).
Evolving Roles of the UN in the Korean Peace Process
Thursday, December 17, 2020 | 10 – 11:30 AM
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Vincent K. Brooks is a career Army officer who recently retired from active duty as the four-star general in command of all U.S. Forces in Korea, where he concurrently commanded United Nations Command as well as the Republic of Korea – U.S. Combined Forces Command comprising over 650,000 Koreans and Americans under arms. General Brooks, who goes by “Vince,” is a 1980 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. He is the eighth African American in history to attain the military’s top rank – four- star general in the United States Army. He has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; a Master of Military Art and Science from the prestigious U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; was a National Security Fellow at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government; and holds an honorary Doctor of Laws from the New England School of Law. Widely respected as a speaker and leader of cohesive, innovative organizations, within and beyond the military, his areas of expertise are: leadership in complex organizations, crisis leadership, and building cohesive trust-based teams, national security, policy, strategy, international relations, military operations, combating terrorism and countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, diversity and inclusion.
Suzanne DiMaggio
Suzanne DiMaggio is a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she focuses on U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East and Asia. She is one of the foremost experts and practitioners of diplomatic dialogues with countries that have limited or no official relations with the United States, especially Iran and North Korea. For nearly two decades, she has led these track 1.5 and track 2 conversations to help policymakers identify pathways for diplomatic progress on a range of issues, including regional security, nonproliferation, terrorism, and governance. She is currently directing a U.S.-DPRK dialogue that has included several visits to North Korea. As part of that process, she facilitated the first official discussions between the Trump administration and North Korean government representatives in Oslo in May 2017. Ms. DiMaggio is a co-founder and the chairman of the Quincy Institute and an associate senior fellow in the Disarmament, Arms Control and Nonproliferation Program at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). She holds a B.A. from New York University and an M.A. from City College of New York (CUNY).
Jeffrey Feltman
Jeffrey Feltman is an American diplomat and former under-secretary-general for political affairs at the United Nations. He is currently a Visiting Fellow in International Diplomacy in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution and senior fellow at the United Nations Foundation. During the six years he served as the under-secretary-general at the UN, he traveled extensively and was the chief foreign policy advisor to both Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Feltman frequently briefed the Security Council in both public and closed-door sessions on a wide variety of peace and security issues, including on thematic issues such as terrorism and nuclear proliferation, as well as on country-specific conflicts. He oversaw U.N. mediation and conflict prevention work and also served as the U.N.’s focal point on election assistance to approximately 50 countries annually. Prior to joining the UN, Feltman was a U.S. foreign service officer for over 26 years, focusing largely on the Middle East and North Africa. Feltman was the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs from 2009 until his retirement from the State Department, with the rank of career minister, in May 2012. Before his 2004-08 tenure as U.S. ambassador to Lebanon, Feltman also served in Erbil, Baghdad, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Tunis, Amman, Budapest, and Port-au-Prince. A native of Greenville, Ohio, Feltman has a master’s in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a bachelor’s degree in history and art from Ball State University. In May 2013, Ball State University awarded Feltman an honorary doctorate. He is a member of the boards of both the Middle East Institute and the American Academy of Diplomacy and serves on the advisory boards of the European Institute of Peace and the Dialogue Advisory Group.
