The Korea Society
The Korea Society, an American organization promoting greater awareness, understanding and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea, presents the leading voices in public policy, business, education, intercultural relations, and the arts.
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Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness
05/08/2026
Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness
May 7, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Dr. Jieun Baek, author of “Privileged but Powerless: How North Korean Elite Grievances Reveal the Regime’s Greatest Weakness.” In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Baek reveals a world of forbidden information, simmering resentment, and survival-driven masks, based on hundreds of hours of interviews with high-level escapees. Baek argues that this performative loyalty, born of fear and a desire to survive, obscures a critical vulnerability within the regime’s core. In other words: the officials who seem most invested in preserving North Korea’s status quo may become its most dangerous disruptors, not for ideological reasons but because of simmering resentment and vanishing alternatives. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below:
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America's Taiwan Dilemma: Allies' Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation
04/24/2026
America's Taiwan Dilemma: Allies' Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation
April 23, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Mark Christopher, author of the new book: America's Taiwan Dilemma: Allies' Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Cristopher unpacks the findings from his rigorous open-source analysis of how America’s key allies—South Korea, Japan, and Australia—would respond to US intervention or inaction in a Taiwan conflict. If Beijing attempts to forcibly annex Taiwan, Washington’s decisions will have far-reaching consequences for its credibility in East Asia and beyond. Yet, the long-term implications of these choices on America’s alliances and global standing remain largely unexamined—until now. Based on over 100 interviews with leading experts from South Korea, Japan, Australia, Taiwan, and the United States, this book provides unparalleled insight into how America’s allies view the stakes in a Taiwan contingency. It captures, in their own words, their perspectives—sometimes contradictory but consistently pragmatic—as they grapple with their reliance on the United States as a distant security guarantor and their unease with an increasingly assertive China nearby. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Across Languages: New Voices in Korean Poetry
04/22/2026
Across Languages: New Voices in Korean Poetry
April 21, 2026 - Across Languages: New Voices in Korean Poetry brings together acclaimed South Korean poets Lee Jenny, Yoo Heekyung, Oh Eun, and Shin Hae-uk with award-winning literary translators Archana Madhavan and Stine An, for a Korean–English bilingual reading and conversation to share the dynamism and innovations of language in Korean poetry culture. Through poetry and discussion, the speakers examine the cultural centrality of poetry in Korea and consider translation as a critical, creative practice that reshapes how literature circulates, sounds, and is felt across languages. This program is presented in partnership with Ugly Duckling Presse and Zephyr Press. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Korean Messiah with Jonathan Cheng
04/14/2026
Korean Messiah with Jonathan Cheng
April 13, 2026 - Join us for a book talk with Jonathan Cheng, author of the new history book Korean Messiah, which explores “the rise of the Kim dynasty and its surprising ties to American Christianity.” In the book, Cheng, who is The Wall Street Journal’s current China bureau chief and former Korea bureau chief, documents the profusion and lasting impact of Christianity in North Korea’s current capital of Pyongyang, which was once described as the “Jerusalem of the East.” Based on letters, diaries, and archival materials, his book reveals how the Kim regime’s personality cult “traces its roots back to the Christian fervor of post–Civil War America.” Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, joins the conversation as a discussant. She described the book as “provocative and fascinating… Jonathan Cheng shows how this country, more hostile to religion than any in the world, was built on a bedrock of Christianity by its founder Kim Il Sung, who discarded the evangelical faith of his family and harnessed its power to create a cult of personality that has endured into the third generation.” The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado, and jointly produced by the Policy and the Arts and Culture teams. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members. This program is co-hosted by The Center for Korean Research at the Weatherhead East Asian Institute at Columbia University. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Global Venture Without Borders: A Conversation with Eric Kim
04/14/2026
Global Venture Without Borders: A Conversation with Eric Kim
Recorded April 2, 2026 - As part of our commitment to building the next generation of founders, The Korea Society is bringing Startup Scene to Yale Ventures – connecting one of the world’s most dynamic consumer technology investors with Yale’s entrepreneurial community. We are honored to welcome Eric Kim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital and Yale University alumnus, for a fireside conversation on building global consumer technology companies across borders. Eric Kim will reflect on his journey to founding Goodwater Capital, a leading global venture firm with a portfolio of transformative consumer technology companies including Kakao, Coupang, Spotify, ByteDance, and Stitch Fix. Please join us as Eric shares insights on the rise of the global startup ecosystem, cross-border investment strategy, and how investors identify and scale the next generation of consumer platforms. This conversation will be moderated by Josh Geballe, Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and Managing Director of Yale Ventures. This program is supported by Co-Hosted with Yale Ventures For more information, please visit the link below:
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Spotlight: Resources on Korea and US-Korea Relations
04/08/2026
Spotlight: Resources on Korea and US-Korea Relations
April 8, 2026 - Join us for a virtual tour of archival resources about Korea and U.S.-Korea relations available for virtual and U.S.-based researchers. This discussion highlights a diverse array of both longstanding and emerging collections, providing a wide survey of available historical resources. How can educators, researchers, historians, writers, and students best take advantage of this treasure trove of materials? What stories await and what impact can they have? What are some tips and tricks from librarians, center directors, and archivists? Participating resource centers include: the new Van Fleet Digital Archive, The University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for East Asian Studies U.S.-Korean Relations Collection, The Library of Congress Korean Collection, and The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. This program is jointly produced by the Policy and the Education teams. Featuring: Dr. David Fields, Associate Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Joe McChristian, Jr. President of The Van Fleet Foundation, Dr. Sam Rushay, Supervisory Archivist at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, and Dr. Elli Kim, Korea Reference Librarian Asian Division at The Library of Congress. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members. For the video version of this program, please visit the link below: For more information, please visit the link below:
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Rabbi Angela Buchdahl with Kyung Yoon
04/01/2026
Rabbi Angela Buchdahl with Kyung Yoon
March 31, 2026 - The Korea Society and Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation is proud to present Rabbi Angela Buchdahl in a conversation with Kyung Yoon. With the ever-growing need to understand ourselves and humanity as a whole, it is necessary to examine the concepts of morality, ethics and universal values as guiding principles of the human condition. With generous support from Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation, The Korea Society presents a Series on Ethics and Common Values. This series promotes the understanding of central themes of our human existence through a series of lectures by distinguished speakers and conversation with extraordinary individuals who exemplify the universal values in line with the mission of Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation and The Korea Society. For more information, please visit the link below:
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K-pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today with Areum Jeong
02/13/2026
K-pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today with Areum Jeong
February 12, 2026 - K-pop fandom's practices and activities are a primary productive force, instrumental in shaping the genre's immense global appeal, as well as its cultural influence, politics, and future potential. Over the last thirty years, the K-pop fandom has grown, intensified, and diversified, while its activities have taken on new social, technological, and economic manifestations, some of which are exclusive to K-pop and others that align with the broader cultural and industrial dynamics of global mass entertainment. In this lecture, Areum Jeong will explore the phenomenon of performing deokhu—a Korean term connoting an "avid fan"—and the cultural significance and meaning of K-pop fan practices with a nuanced examination of contemporary audience power. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Prospects for Relations with North Korea
02/04/2026
Prospects for Relations with North Korea
February 3, 2026 - Join us for a program examining prospects for relations with North Korea, including US-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance coordination, inter-Korean relations, the impact of North Korea’s close relations with China and Russia, security concerns, and diplomatic opportunities. It is expected that North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea will hold its Ninth Party Congress in January or February. This important gathering occurs approximately once every five years and is likely to result in the announcement of important policy positions that could possibly create space for the US and South Korea to pursue diplomatic engagement. How should the ROK and the US proceed and what are the prospects for decreasing threats from North Korea’s extensive nuclear program? To unpack these developments, we assemble an expert panel with decades of experience working on and dealing directly with North Korea, including: Keith Luse, Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea, Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon, Rachel Minyoung Lee, Senior Fellow for the Stimson Center’s Korea Program and 38 North, and Susan A. Thornton, Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP). The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is produced in collaboration with the NCAFP and is co-hosted by The APEC Study Center at Columbia University. For more information, please visit the link below:
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From Learning to Creating in Korea with Tyler and Nidhi
01/29/2026
From Learning to Creating in Korea with Tyler and Nidhi
January 28, 2026 - Learning the Korean language opens the doors into a completely new depth of understanding Korean culture, and perhaps a career you never imagined having. Join acclaimed media figures Tyler Rasch and Nidhi Agrawal—familiar faces from major Korean broadcast networks including JTBC, KBS, and MBC—for a reflection on their personal journeys living in Korea and learning Korean, and how those experiences led to their new venture. In this engaging conversation, Tyler and Nidhi will delve into how language can function as both a cultural bridge and a creative medium, and how Hangeul can travel beyond Korea through design, storytelling, and shared cultural moments in everyday settings. For more information, please visit the link below:
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South Korea's Nuclear Submarine Strategy
01/28/2026
South Korea's Nuclear Submarine Strategy
January 28, 2026 - Join us for a virtual program examining the geopolitical impact of South Korea's development of nuclear submarines. When Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee Jae Myung hosted US President Donald Trump for a State Visit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October of last year, the allies committed to developing the maritime and nuclear relationship. A published after the summit meeting describes that: "The United States has given approval for the ROK to build nuclear-powered attack submarines… [and] will work closely with the ROK to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel." Rather than focusing on the engineering processes and logistical challenges of shipbuilding cooperation, , this discussion explores the strategic and geopolitical consequences of South Korea's emergent nuclear submarine program. Against a backdrop of North Korea's quickly evolving nuclear arsenal as well as revived interest in diplomatic engagement, this program investigates how nuclear submarines impact South Korea's defensive capabilities and strategic posture, its contribution to and coordination with the US-ROK alliance, its regional role, and the balance of power and relations with North Korea. The discussion features Dr. Sang Hyun Lee, Fellow Emeritus of the Sejong Institute, and Dr. James R. Holmes, J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College, and Minkyung Jung, Staff Reporter for The Korea Herald, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow: 2026 Emerging Design Competition
01/27/2026
Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow: 2026 Emerging Design Competition
January 23, 2026 - The Korea Society is calling for entries for “Startup Scene: 2026 Emerging Design Competition.” The competition is a part of Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (hereinafter Startup Scene), a program initiative dedicated to empower the startup entrepreneurial community that encompasses the US and South Korean economic landscape. This is proudly supported by Hanwha Life exclusively. The “Startup Scene: Emerging Design Competition” is designed to encourage innovative thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit among Korean-American and Korean students enrolled in colleges, universities, and graduate schools across the United States. This year, the participants are challenged to pitch an innovative startup concept that leverages emerging technologies to address pressing challenges and issues. Application Period: Monday, December 15, 2025 to Monday, March 30, 2026 (11:59 PM EST) For more information, please visit the link below:
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New Year, New You! Powered by K-Health
01/23/2026
New Year, New You! Powered by K-Health
January 22, 2026 - As we step into the new year, wellness and innovation take center stage. Korea's rapidly advancing medical and biotechnology industries are reshaping how people pursue healthier, longer, and more connected lives—spanning AI-enabled diagnostics, precision medicine, global clinical collaboration, and wellness tourism. Join us for a timely discussion with William Ban (Himedi), Taesoo Sean Kim (IceMiller), and Ken Nesmith (Lunit) spotlighting Korea's health-tech startups, scale-ups, and leading institutions at the forefront of medical innovation. The conversation will explore where Korean startups are creating value across the healthcare continuum, how they are partnering with U.S. healthcare systems, investors, and regulators, and what these cross-border collaborations mean for the future of patient care, precision medicine, and wellness-driven industries. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Sweden's Role in Korean Peninsula Diplomacy with Ambassador Peter Semneby
12/18/2025
Sweden's Role in Korean Peninsula Diplomacy with Ambassador Peter Semneby
December 18, 2025 - Join us for a discussion with Ambassador Peter Semneby, the Swedish Government's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Ambassador Semneby will provide a brief overview history of Sweden's role in Korea, examine Sweden's convening capacity as exhibited in 2018-2019, investigate whether Sweden's interests and perspective have been affected by North Korea's involvement in the Russo-Ukraine War and Sweden's ascension to NATO, and explore ideas for how to break the current impasse. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below:
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US-Korea Shipbuilding Cooperation with Jeffrey Voth
12/11/2025
US-Korea Shipbuilding Cooperation with Jeffrey Voth
December 11, 2025 - Join us for a conversation on the obstacles and pathways for enhanced US-Korea shipbuilding cooperation with Jeffrey Voth, President of Herren Associates, Inc., an engineering and technology firm headquartered in Washington, D.C. He is author of a recent article, "" US President Donald J. Trump has met twice with Republic of Korea President Lee Jae Myung, first in Washington in August and next in Gyeongju on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in October. The two leaders agreed to The Korea Strategic Trade and Investment deal, which includes a commitment by Korea to invest $150 billion in the US shipbuilding sector. According to the released after the two summits, Korea has committed to help the US modernize and expand its shipbuilding industry via investments in American shipyards and workforce. And the US has approved Korea's development of nuclear-powered attack submarines, and will "work closely" with Korea to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel. To help facilitate this collaboration, the US and Korea also agreed to create a shipbuilding working group on maintenance, repair, and overhaul, workforce development, shipyard modernization, and supply chain resilience. Drawing on decades of shipbuilding and combat system integration experience, including direct work on Korea's Sejong the Great class of destroyers, which are among the largest and most heavily armed Aegis Combat System-equipped surface combatants outside the US Navy, Jeffrey Voth will discuss construction challenges and allied collaboration opportunities in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Gaining Global Perspective: Insights on Workplace Culture
12/11/2025
Gaining Global Perspective: Insights on Workplace Culture
December 10, 2025 - In the next program of our Young Professionals' Network series, The Korea Society is hosting a panel discussion to explore what it takes to navigate leadership roles in multinational companies, make major career transitions, and think strategically on a global scale. Panel Speakers Melissa Choi: Director, Global Marketing at Elizabeth Arden Skincare, Revlon Youngjin Yoon: Director at Morgan Stanley Moderated by Stephanie Hwang, Development Program Officer at The Korea Society, the discussion will also highlight how national and organizational culture shape leadership styles, decision-making, and career growth in international companies. Speakers will share practical strategies and lessons that young professionals can apply as they pursue global careers. Join us in-person at The Korea Society on Wednesday, December 10th at 5:30 PM for this conversation, followed by opportunities for discussion and networking with the speakers. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Korea-China Relations: A History of Intervention with Dr. Ji-Young Lee
12/05/2025
Korea-China Relations: A History of Intervention with Dr. Ji-Young Lee
December 4, 2025 - Join us for a discussion with Dr. Ji-Young Lee for an examination of the circumstances and methods of Chinese military intervention in the Korean Peninsula. Dr. Lee is Associate Professor of International Relations at American University's School of International Service, and author of China's Hegemony: Four Hundred Years of East Asian Domination (2016) and an upcoming work under contract titled: The Great Power Next Door, a historically informed analysis of when and how China has chosen to militarily intervene in the Korean Peninsula. Dr. Lee's 2020 article, "," speaks to the contemporary dimension of the evolving relationship. The moderator of the program is policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared | The Curatorial Roundtable
12/03/2025
Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared | The Curatorial Roundtable
December 2, 2025 - The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art presents , the first U.S. exhibition of significant works from the renowned Lee Kun-Hee Collection. On view through February 1, 2026, features over 200 works, including a dozen National Treasures designated by the Korean government. The largest and most comprehensive presentation of Korean art ever mounted at the National Museum of Asian Art, the exhibition spans 1,500 years—from ancient Buddhist sculptures and ceramics to paintings, furnishings and modern masterpieces of the 20th century. Donated to the Republic of Korea in 2021 by the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-Hee, the collection reflects more than 70 years of generational collecting and comprises more than 23,000 works, a testament to a decades-long commitment to preserving and sharing Korea’s artistic legacy and cultural heritage. presents a remarkable selection from the collection to American audiences for the first time, alongside additional loans from the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, Korea, shown exclusively in Washington, D.C. In a conversation with The Korea Society, three curators from the National Museum of Asian Art–Carol Huh, J. Keith Wilson, and Sunwoo Hwang–explore the depth and diversity of Korean art and reflect on the practice of collecting in Korea. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Diplomacy Panel - Adaptation or Transformation? - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
12/01/2025
Diplomacy Panel - Adaptation or Transformation? - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
Recorded November 14, 2025 - The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. Diplomacy Panel - Adaptation or Transformation? Moderator: Ambassador (Ret.) Kathleen Stephens, Korea Society Board Chair Ambassador (Ret.) Kim Hyoung-zhin, Former Republic of Korea Ambassador to the European Union and Deputy National Security Advisor Ambassador (Ret.) Philip Goldberg, Former U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Korea For more information, please visit the link below:
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Geoeconomics Panel - Nexus of Trade, Investment, and National Security - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
11/28/2025
Geoeconomics Panel - Nexus of Trade, Investment, and National Security - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
Recorded November 14, 2025 - The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. Geoeconomics Panel- The Nexus of Trade, Investment, and National Security Moderator: Tom Byrne, Korea Society President & CEO Yoo Myung-hee, Former Republic of Korea Trade Minister Dr. Nadia Schadlow, Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute and Former US Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy Kimberly Donovan, Director of the Economic Statecraft Initiative within the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center For more information, please visit the link below:
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Security Panel - Deterring and Defending in a Regional Conflict - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
11/27/2025
Security Panel - Deterring and Defending in a Regional Conflict - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
Recorded November 14, 2025 - The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. Security Panel - Deterring and Defending in a Regional Conflict Moderator: General (Ret.) Walter Sharp, Korea Society Board Vice Chair Dr. Shin Beomchul, Senior Research Fellow at the Sejong Institute and former Republic of Korea Vice Minister of National Defense Markus Garlauskas, Director of the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security General (Ret.) Paul LaCamera, former Commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Combined Forces Command, and United Nations Command David Maxwell, Vice President of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy and former U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel For more information, please visit the link below:
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History Panel - The Forging of an Alliance - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
11/26/2025
History Panel - The Forging of an Alliance - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum
Recorded November 14, 2025 - The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. History Panel - The Forging of an Alliance Moderator: Jonathan Corrado, Korea Society Policy Director Dr. Kathryn Weathersby, Adjunct Professor of Asian Studies in the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University Dr. David Fields, Associate Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison For more information, please visit the link below:
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U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum Keynote Remarks
11/25/2025
U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum Keynote Remarks
Recorded November 14, 2025 @ Atlantic Council HQ Washington D.C. - We are happy to share this special keynote address from our 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum featuring U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts. The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. Introduction: Tom Byrne, Korea Society President & CEO Keynote: U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts - Video Remarks For more information, please visit the link below:
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U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum Keynote Remarks
11/20/2025
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau - 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum Keynote Remarks
Recorded November 14, 2025 @ Atlantic Council HQ Washington D.C. - We are happy to share this special keynote address from our 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum featuring U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau. The Van Fleet Policy Forum is The Korea Society’s flagship policy event. Through panel discussions, keynote remarks, and networking opportunities, the forum convenes senior thought leaders from the US and Korea for dynamic, informative, and analytical discussions on security, diplomacy, geoeconomics, and alliance history. This year’s conference was held in The Atlantic Council’s office in Washington D.C. and produced in partnership with the Indo-Pacific Security Initiative in The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. The 2025 Van Fleet Policy Forum was made possible by the generous support of The Kim Koo Foundation as well as The Korea Society’s individual and corporate members. Introduction: Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Keynote: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau For more information, please visit the link below:
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Modern Architecture in Korea: Travels Through Terra Incognita
11/18/2025
Modern Architecture in Korea: Travels Through Terra Incognita
November 17, 2025 - Modern architecture in Korea is characterized by open and dynamic attitudes formed through a unique set of historical circumstances. Through colonial rule, war, and poverty, it was cut off from its older building traditions, emerging only in the latter half of the twentieth century as part of a condensed process of modernization. It is enigmatic in that its build first, think later (if at all) condition has rebuffed holistic narratives of its disjunctive evolution. Long dominated by the construction sector and state bureaucracies, it is now an amalgam of large corporate firms, creative studios, and diverse communities in the culture industry. It is now in crisis for its uncertain response to the challenges of climate change and Korea’s turn to structural low-growth. Neither affirming nor negating traditions and theories, Korean architecture is most interesting when it raises questions and belies unfulfilled ambitions. This lecture, presented by 2025 Korea Foundation LAB Series, features Pai Hyungmin, a distinguished architect and scholar. Video version of this program can be found here: For more information, please visit the link below:
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Reframing Suicide as a Shared Social Responsibility in Korea
11/17/2025
Reframing Suicide as a Shared Social Responsibility in Korea
Recorded November 10, 2025 - The Korea Society is pleased to announce that the ninth annual Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture Awardee is Dr. Peter Jongho Na, assistant professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. In his lecture, Reframing Suicide as a Shared Social Responsibility in Korea, he casts suicide not as an individual failure or “extreme choice (극단적 선택),” but as a systemic and cultural crisis requiring a coordinated national response. Drawing on his experience as a psychiatrist, public health researcher, and mental health advocate, he examines the scale and societal costs of suicide in Korea and analyzes key structural drivers such as academic and workplace pressures, poverty and isolation among older adults, and the pervasive stigma surrounding mental illness and treatment. A central theme is how stigma has sustained silence, denial, and policy inertia. Dr. Peter Jongho Na shares his efforts to challenge euphemistic language and foster open public dialogue, while proposing an interdisciplinary roadmap inspired by global models that integrate public health, education, and social welfare reforms. Further, he highlights the Korean diaspora’s potential role in breaking taboos and advancing cultural and policy change, underscoring that suicide prevention must be embraced as a collective, societal responsibility. Note: This presentation includes discussion of suicide and mental health topics that may be distressing to some individuals. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Interview with Bank of Korea Governor Rhee, Chang Yong
11/04/2025
Interview with Bank of Korea Governor Rhee, Chang Yong
Released November 4, 2025 - Please join us for a timely conversation with Dr. Rhee, Chang Yong, Governor of the Bank of Korea, as he discusses key issues shaping global and domestic economic policy. Governor Rhee sat down with Thomas Byrne, President & CEO of The Korea Society, during his visit to D.C. to attend IMF/WBG Annual Meetings and the G20 Finance Ministers & Central Bank Governors Meeting. In this interview, Governor Rhee shares his views on a wide-range of topics - ranging from global and Korea’s economic outlook, local and global governance of the stablecoins, and to the fiscal challenges and investment negotiations between the US and Korea. This program was recorded at the Korea Inter-Parliamentary Exchange Center (KIPEC) in Washington D.C. on October 16, 2025. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Rapid Reaction: APEC South Korea 2025
11/03/2025
Rapid Reaction: APEC South Korea 2025
November 3, 2025 - Join us for a rapid reaction analysis of The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) 2025 summit, held in Gyeongju, South Korea from October 31 to November 1. Our discussion examines all the most significant outcomes in terms of trade and geopolitics, with special emphasis on the US, Korea, and the US-Korea relationship. The priorities for this year’s forum are: “Connect, Innovate, Prosper.” In a preparatory meeting, senior officials from APEC members “strategies for digital economy integration, public health cooperation, and strengthening APEC’s role as an incubator of practical, consensus-driven solutions.” As host nation, Korea’s initiatives include: “addressing demographic change and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology.” We are joined by Kate Kalutkiewicz, Senior Managing Director of the Trade Practice & McLarty Inbound at McLarty Associates, Professor Jaemin Lee, Professor of Law at Seoul National University and Dean of the School of Law, and Scott Jacobs, Head of Global Public Policy at Coupang. The conversation will be moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado and policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre. This program is made possible by the generous support of our individual and corporate members and the Korea Foundation. APEC originated as a ministerial meeting of 12 Asian Pacific countries in 1989. The idea for the forum was proposed by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke during a trip to Seoul in January 1989. A leaders’ summit was introduced in 1993 and a series of expansions increased the number of members to 21. South Korea previously hosted the ministerial meeting in Seoul 1991 and the leaders’ meeting in Busan 2005. APEC’s is to “support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.” This program is co-hosted by The APEC Study Center at Columbia University. For more information, please visit the link below:
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Revisiting the Jones Act: From Protectionism to Partnership
10/28/2025
Revisiting the Jones Act: From Protectionism to Partnership
October 8, 2025 - The United States and Korea are entering a pivotal phase of maritime cooperation. Since the start of the Trump 2.0 administration, South Korean shipbuilders have been courted as key partners in reviving the U.S. shipbuilding industry, with Seoul pledging $150 billion under the “Make America Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative to modernize naval capacity, expand commercial shipyards, and strengthen allied supply chains. Join us for a timely conversation with Colin Grabow (Cato Institute) as we explore how to steer this new bilateral framework toward mutual maritime and economic prosperity. At the heart of the discussion is the Jones Act, the 1920 law mandating domestically built and owned vessels for U.S. coastal trade. Together, we will consider whether reforms to the Act—or innovative partnership models—can unlock the full potential of U.S.–Korea maritime collaboration. This conversation will be moderated by Thomas Byrne, President and CEO of The Korea Society. For more information, please visit the link below:
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What to Expect: The 2025 APEC Summit in South Korea
10/24/2025
What to Expect: The 2025 APEC Summit in South Korea
October 23, 2025 - Join us for a scene setter that explores the stakes and the storylines for The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) 2025 summit, held in Gyeongju, South Korea from October 31 to November 1, 2025. This discussion, held one week prior to the summit, unpacks the most significant agenda items including trade, investment, and geopolitics, with special emphasis on the US, Korea, and the US-Korea relationship. The discussion features senior experts with firsthand experience, including: Ambassador (Ret.) Philip Goldberg, former US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea 2022-2025, and Kate Kalutkiewicz, Senior Managing Director of the Trade Practice at McLarty Associates and former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Trade at the National Economic Council. The moderator is Tom Byrne, President and CEO of The Korea Society, adjunct professor at Columbia University’s SIPA, and former Senior Vice President for Moody’s Investor Services. The priorities for this year’s forum are: “Connect, Innovate, Prosper.” In a preparatory meeting, senior officials from APEC members “strategies for digital economy integration, public health cooperation, and strengthening APEC’s role as an incubator of practical, consensus-driven solutions.” As host nation, Korea’s initiatives include: “addressing demographic change and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology.” APEC originated as a ministerial meeting of 12 Asian Pacific countries in 1989. The idea for the forum was proposed by Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke during a trip to Seoul in January 1989. A leaders’ summit was introduced in 1993 and a series of expansions increased the number of members to 21. South Korea previously hosted the ministerial meeting in Seoul 1991 and the leaders’ meeting in Busan 2005. APEC’s mission is to “support sustainable economic growth and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.” This program is made possible by the generous support of our individual and corporate Members, Columbia University's Weatherhead East Asian Institute, and the Korea Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below:
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