Join us for a book talk with Dr. Siegfried Hecker, who discusses “his on-the-ground experience at the North’s nuclear center at Yongbyon,” unpacking the ramifications of North Korea’s technical developments in the context of fateful foreign policy decisions by Washington, Seoul, and Pyongyang. Dr. Hecker describes how “successive U.S. administrations have been unable to prevent the North, with the weakest of hands, from becoming one of only three countries in the world that might target the United States with nuclear weapons.” The discussion also includes a consideration of developments to the approach addressed in the summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and the debate around the potential for South Korea to acquire an indigenous deterrent. This program is moderated by Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado.
[ To purchase the book, click here, and enter You can enter the promotional code HINGE20 at checkout to receive a 20% discount. ]
Hinge Points: An Inside Look at North Korea’s Nuclear Program
Thursday, May 11, 2023 | 12 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Siegfried S. Hecker is a professor emeritus (research) in the Department of Management Science and Engineering and a senior fellow emeritus at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI). He was co-director of CISAC from 2007-2012. From 1986 to 1997, Dr. Hecker served as the fifth Director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Dr. Hecker is an internationally recognized expert in plutonium science, global threat reduction, and nuclear security.
Join us for the latest episode of our Leadership Interview Series with FILA Holdings Corporation & Acushnet Holdings Corporation Chairman Gene Yoon, moderated by The Korea Society’s President & CEO Tom Byrne.
Chairman Gene Yoon has a legendary story of success as a self-made businessman. His early career in business was a stepping stone that paved the way to his leveraged buyout of the global FILA brand in 2007. He brought the storied Italian-born brand back to life after taking the company public in Korea in 2010.
Chairman Yoon will share inspiring lessons and insights learned from his remarkable career, guided by his entrepreneurial spirit. Chairman Yoon will recount his career milestones and how he achieved business successes against formidable odds. He currently serves as the Chairman of both FILA Holdings Corporation and Acushnet Holdings Corporation, which hold the trademarks for FILA as well as Titleist and FootJoy respectively. Under his leadership, he has propelled both firms to oversee leading global golf and sportswear brands.
Chairman Yoon has received numerous accolades in his career and serves on the board of The Korea Society.
Yoon Soo (Gene) Yoon Chairman FILA Holdings Corp.｜Acushnet Holdings Corp.
EXPERIENCE
Apr. 2007-Present
Chairman | FILA Holdings Corp.
July 2011-Present
Chairman | Acushnet Holdings Corp. (Titleist ® and FootJoy ® are trademarks owned by Acushnet.)
Dec. 2015-Present
Chairman | Magnus Holdings Co., Ltd.
May 2014-Present
Board Member | The Korea Society
2017 – 2022
CEO and a Director of Piemonte
2015 – 2017
Vice-chairman of Korea Mécénat Association
Sep. 7, 2012
Co-chair of the ITHF’s Legends Ball 2012
2012 – 2021
Non-Executive Director of Korea Golf Association(KGA)
2009 – 2012
Executive Vice Chairman of Korea International Trade Association (KITA)
2004 – 2008
Outside Director of Shinhan Financial Group
1999 – 2001
First President of Italian-Korean Business Association (IKBA)
1999 – 2001
Non-executive Director of Hanvit Bank (Compensation Committee)
1985 – 2017
Chairman of Care Line Corp.
1984 – 1985
President of Daewoon Trading Co.
1981 – 1984
Export Director of Hwasung Co., Ltd
1975 – 1981
Merchandiser(MD) of JC Penney
1973 – 1975
Staff of Korea Shipping Corporation (KSC)
EDUCATION
Feb. 25, 1974
Graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies with a Bachelor’s degree in the department of Political Science & Diplomacy.
Feb. 11, 1964
Graduated from Seoul High School
HONORS
Feb. 21, 2022
Be awarded an honorary doctorate in Business from Sejong University
Jan. 23, 2015
Be awarded the first recipient of the Staff Sgt. Kim Sang-won Distinguished Former KATUSA Award
Dec. 1, 2014
Be awarded The 7th honorary member of the Korea Academy of Science and Technology (KAST)
Apr. 5, 2014
Be awarded the Global CEO from Korean Academy of International Business
Dec. 11, 2013
Be awarded the Presidential Citation at the 6th Korea Fashion Awards
Nov. 28, 2012
Be awarded Master from Entrepreneur Of The Year Korea 2012
Feb. 24, 2012
Be nominated as a Commencement Speaker for the Seoul National University’s 66th Graduation Ceremony in 2012
Apr. 13, 2010
Be awarded Honorary Citizenship of FILA’s Home City of Biella, Italy
Dec. 12, 2008
“Chevalier of the Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic” from Italian Government
Dec. 12, 2008
Special award in the ‘Global CEO’ category of the 4th Korea CEO Grand Prix hosted by the Korea CEO Research Forum
Mar. 5, 2007
Be selected as a model taxpayer and received the Presidential Commendation at the 41st Taxpayer’s Day(FILA KOREA)
Apr. 20, 2004
Be selected as “Proud Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) Alumnus Award” in Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the University
Feb. 12, 2004
Be awarded as the “Proud Suwon Middle School Alumni Award”
Dec. 17, 2001
Be selected for the “Proud Seoul Citizen Award” from Seoul Metropolitan Government
Dec. 4, 2000
Be awarded as the “2000 Proud Seoul People” from the Seoul High School Alumni Association
Mar. 3, 2000
Received the Presidential Commendation as a model taxpayer at the 34 th Taxpayer’s Day.
June 1, 1998
Be awarded the Dasan Management Award by Korea Economy Newspaper
Dec. 23, 1992
Be awarded the Industrial Design Award from the President Roh Tae-woo
PUBLICATIONS
July 2, 2011
[THE AGE OF GLOBAL SUCCESS “The man of 4 million miles – Fila Chairman Gene Yoon”] aired on KBS 1 TV(No.1 Public service broadcaster in Korea)
Apr 20, 2002
“HOW TO BECOME A GREAT BOSS: The Rules for Getting and Keeping the Best Employees”, by the best-selling author Jeffrey J. Fox, translated into Korean from English (THE NAN Contents Group)
Apr 5 – Apr 18, 2002
Contributed a column “My Business Story” to The Maeil Business Newspaper
Sep 5 – Oct 31, 2001
Contributed a column “Hankyung Essay” to The Korea Economic Daily Newspape
July 1, 2001
“The speed of thought should be fast”(Yeobaek Media)
Aug 16, 1999 – Mar 23, 2000
Contributed a column “Management Aesthetics of Yoon Soo Yoon” to The Seoul Economic Daily Newspaper
Dec. 12, 1997
“The reason why I get 1.8 billion won a year”(Chosun)
Join us for this conversation on the major diplomatic, security, and economic takeaways from the US-Korea Summit between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The Korea Society is joined by former ROK Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo, Van Fleet Nonresident Senior Fellow Dr. Katrin Katz and The Washington Post Seoul Bureau Chief Michelle Ye Hee Lee, in conversation with Korea Society President and CEO Tom Byrne.
US-Korea Summit Analysis
Friday, April 28, 2023 | 8 AM (EDT)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
H.E. Yeo Han-koo is the former Minister for Trade for the Republic of Korea. During almost three decades of public service in the Korean government, Minister Yeo served as Secretary to the President for New Southern and Northern Policy in the Presidential Office and a variety of positions in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, including Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations, Minister Counselor/Commercial Attache for the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA. He also worked at the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group as senior investment officer. Minister Yeo holds a Master of Business Administration form Harvard Business School, a Master of Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Seoul National University.
Michelle Ye Hee Lee is The Washington Post’s Seoul/Tokyo bureau chief, covering Japan and the Koreas. She is based in Tokyo. Previously, she covered money and influence in politics and voting access on the national political enterprise and accountability team and was a reporter for The Post’s Fact Checker. Prior to joining The Post in 2014, she was a government accountability reporter at the Arizona Republic in Phoenix.
Dr. Katrin Fraser Katz, is The Korea Society’s inaugural Van Fleet Nonresident Senior Fellow. Dr. Katz is a former director for Japan, Korea, and oceanic affairs on the staff of the National Security Council, where she served from 2007 to 2008. Previously, she was 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 currently also serves as an Adjunct Fellow (Non-resident) in the Office of the Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. She was previously an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University and has also taught at Georgetown University. In 2017, Dr. Katz received the inaugural Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture Series award from The Korea Society. 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 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.
Join us for a discussion that aims to cultivate fresh ideas on America’s policy toward North Korea and coordination with ally South Korea by mobilizing a nuanced understanding of past lessons. The discussion includes consideration of developments to the approach addressed in the summit meeting between US President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The program features Professor Jeong-Ho Roh, Director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies, Jenny Town, Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and the Director of Stimson’s 38 North Program, and Keith Luse, Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea (NCNK), in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado.
North Korea: Lessons Learned and Creative Thinking
Thursday, April 27, 2023 | 12 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Professor Jeong-Ho Roh is the Director of the Center for Korean Legal Studies at Columbia Law School. He was Associate Professor of law at Yonsei University from 2004-2008. He served as legal advisor to the Korean government on the KEDO North Korean Light-water Reactor Project and has visited North Korea on six occasions negotiating nuclear liability protocols for the project. A member of the New York Bar, he worked in private practice from 1988 to 1990 in New York and in Seoul from 1993 to 1994. He served as an officer in the Korean military at the Ministry of National Defense from 1990 to 1993. He presently teaches Geopolitics of Law and Conflict on the Korean Peninsula and Korean Legal System in the Global Economy at Columbia Law School. He holds a B.A. from Seoul National University (1985) and a J.D. from Columbia Law School (1988), where he served as editor for the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law.
Jenny Town is a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center and the Director of Stimson’s 38 North Program. Her expertise is in North Korea, US-DPRK relations, US-ROK alliance and Northeast Asia regional security. She was named one of Worth Magazine’s “Groundbreakers 2020: 50 Women Changing the World” and one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business in 2019 for her role in co-founding and managing the 38 North website, which provides policy and technical analysis on North Korea. Ms. Town is also an expert reviewer for Freedom House’s Freedom in the World Index, where she previously worked on the Human Rights in North Korea Project; an Associate Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), a Member of the National Committee on North Korea, and an Associate Member of the Council of Korean Americans. She serves on the Editorial Board for Inkstick, an online foreign policy journal for emerging scholars. From 2008-2018, Ms. Town served as the Assistant Director of the US-Korea Institute at SAIS. She holds a BA in East Asian Studies and International Relations from Westmar University and a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs.
Keith Luse is the Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea. NCNK is a non-governmental, non-partisan organization that supports and facilitates principled engagement between the U.S. and North Korea in order to promote peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and to improve the lives of the North Korean people. Previously, Luse was the Senior East Asia Policy Advisor for Chairman and later Ranking Member Senator Richard G. Lugar at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee from 2003 until 2013. Luse also served as Staff Director for Mr. Lugar at the Senate Agriculture Committee from 1999 through 2002, where the Senator also served as Chairman and later Ranking Member. While at the Senate Agriculture Committee, Luse made the first of eventually five trips to North Korea. Mr. Luse joined Senator Lugar’s Indiana Office in 1978 and was appointed State Director in 1982. In the 1990’s while in the private sector, Luse traveled throughout East Asia for eight years, conducting research for U.S. businesses. Luse’s Bachelor of Arts degree in political science is from Indiana University. His graduate certificate in public management and additional graduate studies were obtained at Indiana University – Purdue University, Indianapolis..
Join us for a discussion about North Korea’s cyber threat, with Jean Lee, co-host of the BBC’s Lazarus Heist podcast and public policy fellow with the Wilson Center, and cybersecurity expert Michael Barnhart, who is currently with the threat intelligence firm Mandiant and was formerly Cyber Team Lead at the US Senate and signals intelligence collector in the intelligence community. The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado.
The North Korean Cyber Threat
Thursday, April 13, 2023 | 12 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Jean H. Lee is a veteran foreign correspondent and expert on North Korea. Lee opened the AP’s Pyongyang bureau in 2012, making 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 is co-host of the Lazarus Heist podcast for the BBC World Service and serves as a public policy fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
Michael Barni Barnhart spent 18 years as an intelligence professional starting with Human Intelligence collection doing tactical raids, interrogations, and source operations with regular Army and Special operations. Afterwards, he transitioned to Iranian threats in the Signals intelligence field. He has worked in intelligence collection surrounding nation state threats and underground bunkers and weapons facilities. Barnhart gradually shifted to cyber intelligence at the legislative branch of the government. There his team dealt with DPRK threats targeting the U.S. government. Currently, he is the lead for all of DPRK operations within Mandiant in an effort to maintain the best coverage on this elusive nation state.
Join us for a conversation with Dr. John Delury, Professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University, on his new book, Agents of Subversion: The Fate of John T. Downey and the CIA’s Covert War in China.This roundtable and pre-recorded video explores a Korean War era mission in China that went wrong, resulting in the 20-year imprisonment of an American operative named John T. Downey. “Agents of Subversion is an innovative work of transnational history, and it demonstrates both how the Chinese Communist regime used the fear of special agents to tighten its grip on society and why intellectuals in Cold War America presciently worried that subversion abroad could lead to repression at home.” This program is moderated by Korea Society president & CEO Thomas Byrne.
John Delury is a professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), where he serves as chair of the Program in International Cooperation. He is also chair of the undergraduate program in International Studies at Yonsei’s Underwood International College (UIC), and the founding director of the Yonsei Center on Oceania Studies. Based in Seoul since 2010, his articles can be found in journals such as Asian Survey, Late Imperial China, and Journal of Asian Studies, his commentaries appear in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, The New York Times, Washington Post, and 38 North, and he contributes book reviews for the quarterly journal Global Asia, where he is associate managing editor. He is a member of the Council of Foreign Relations, National Committee on US-China Relations, and National Committee on North Korea; he is also a board member of the Pacific Century Institute, a senior fellow of the Asia Society, a leadership council member on the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, and an adjunct fellow at the Center on Strategic and International Studies.
Join this discussion with Dr. Henry W. Brands, Professor and Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, about his book The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War. The book explores the tensions between President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur as the Korean War escalates, threatening to boil over into another World War. This discussion is part of a collection of programs that mark the 70th anniversary of The Korean War Armistice Agreement and the signing of the U.S.-ROK Alliance. Professor Brands joins policy director Jonathan Corrado in conversation.
The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War
Thursday, February 16, 2023 | 12 PM (EST)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Dr. Henry Brands is a scholar of American history, broadly conceived. As a highly prolific writer, Dr Brands has published thirty books, co-authored or edited five others, and published dozens of articles and scores of reviews. He examines politics and foreign policy, business and economics, society and culture. Currently, he is the Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas.
Join our discussion about the consequences of Korea’s rapid economic development on the family unit and society at large, featuring Seoul National University sociology Professor Chang Kyung-Sup. This program is a collaboration with the Policy Department and the Education Department.
Consequences of Korea’s Compressed Modernity
Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 7 PM (EST)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Kyung-Sup Chang is a SNU Distinguished Professor at Seoul National University, teaching sociology since 1991. His work has dealt with comparative development and modernity, Asian citizenship regimes, Korean liberalism, etc. His authored books include: The Logic of Compressed Modernity (Polity, 2022; Korean, Chinese, French, Arabic versions forthcoming); Transformative Citizenship in South Korea: Politics of Transformative Contributory Rights (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022); Developmental Liberalism in South Korea: Formation, Degeneration, and Transnationalization (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019); South Korea under Compressed Modernity: Familial Political Economy in Transition (Routledge, 2010; Chinese version in 2023); The Risk of Compressed Modernity (Polity, forthcoming), etc.
Meet the Leaders of Venture Capital Wednesday, December 7, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EST)
Join us for our upcoming YPN series featuring two leaders in venture capital – Bernard Moon, Co-founder & Partner at SparkLabs Group, and John Nahm, Co-founder & Managing Partner at Strong Ventures. Bernard and John have a lively discussion on topics helpful to aspiring entrepreneurs seeking timely advice… Read More
Sijo: Korea’s Poetry Form to Korean Studies Monday, December 19, 2022 | 4PM (EST)
Join us as Lucy Park, Sejong Cultural Society Executive Director, and Elizabeth Jorgensen, writer and educator at Arrowhead High School in Wisconsin, share their insights into and passion for the ancient Korean poetry form, Sijo… Read More
INTERVIEW with Seoul Mayor OH SE-HOON Tuesday, December 13, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EST)
Join us for our latest edition of the Leadership Interview Series with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon moderated by The Korea Society President & CEO Tom Byrne. In this conversation, Mayor Oh assesses topical issues facing Seoul, including his approach to the city’s comprehensive institutional frameworks as well as the development of public policies… Read More
The Impact of the U.S. Midterms and the U.S.-Korea Alliance Thursday, December 8, 2022 | 11:00 AM (EST)
Join The Korea Society and Former Members of Congress (FMC) & the Congressional Study Groups for a dialogue with a bipartisan pair of Former Members of Congress to hear insights on the consequences of America’s midterm elections on the country at large and its dynamic relationship with South Korea. This conversation features former Representative Russ Carnahan (D-MO, 2005-2013) and former Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL, 2013-2021)… Read More
Author Talks: Bora Chung Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 5 PM (EST)
Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize and the winner of a PEN/Heim Grant, Cursed Bunny is the wildly original debut story collection from Bora Chung, a rising star of Korean literature. Published in the US for the very first time and translated by the acclaimed Anton Hur… Read More
Three Futures: North Korea and the Korean Peninsula Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 12 PM (EST)
A discussion on the most likely scenarios for the future of the Korean Peninsula, featuring: Korea Risk Group CEO Chad O’Carroll, NK News Director and Professor at Kookmin University Andrei Lankov, NK News Lead Correspondent Jeongmin Kim, and NK News Senior Analytic Correspondent Colin Zwirko… Read More
Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture 2022 Monday, November 28, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EST)
Join us for the Sixth Annual Sherman Family Korea Emerging Scholar Lecture! Eunbin Chung, Assistant Professor at the University of Utah and the 2022 Sherman Family Korea Scholar Lecture awardee, will address National Identity Affirmation and Trust in Korea, Japan, and China from a unique perspective… Read More
Korea & FIFA World Cup Tuesday, November 22, 2022 | 5:00 PM (EST)
South Korea holds the proud distinction of being the first independent Asian country to participate in a FIFA World Cup tournament in 1954. Still, Korea’s success in soccer is forever linked with the 2002 World Cup: while co-hosting the tournament with Japan, Korea became the first team outside of Europe and America to reach the semi-finals… Read More
New Narratives in Korea: Baek Sehee Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | 5:00 PM (EST)
Part memoir, part self-help book, and completely engrossing, I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Sehee is a book that captures the edgy relationship many millennials and Gen Z-ers have with hopelessness, hunger, and the pressure to be perfect… Read More
A Conversation with Kim Tae-yong Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | 5 PM (EDT)
The Crossroads of Youth Byeonsa Performance US Tour will begin this November, bringing a byeonsa troupe from South Korea to the United States for a multi-city tour. The byeonsa troupe will present Crossroads of Youth – directed by Ahn Jong-hwa and released in 1934, Korea’s oldest surviving silent film… Read More
Artist Talk: Young Min Moon Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | 5:00 PM
In his paintings Young Min Moon depicts Jesa, a Confucian ritual for commemoration of the deceased, which was one of the earliest memories he holds while growing up in the military regime of South Korea in the 1970s and 80s. Despite the gender politics now associated with the ritual today due to its patriarchal nature, Moon insists on exploring the legacy… Read More
Korean Peninsula Nuclear Update Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | 12 PM (EDT)
Join us for a discussion on North Korea’s domestic and foreign policy trends and how they tie in with the latest developments of nuclear weapons and missiles on and around the Korean Peninsula. The discussion features Open Nuclear Network (ONN) Senior Analyst Rachel Minyoung Lee and Analysts Jaewoo Shin and Tianran Xu, and Lauren Sukin, Assistant Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science… Read More
KPOP THE BROADWAY MUSICAL Monday, October 24, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EDT)
As global superstars put everything on the line for a special one-night-only concert, they face struggles both cultural and personal that threaten to dismantle one of the industry’s hottest labels. Featuring a cast of K-pop and musical theater stars, with 18 Broadway debuts, KPOP is a multimedia experience that explores the relentless discipline, raw talent, and commercial ambition behind the international sensation. KPOP has the distinction of being the first… Read More
Quick Take on Korea with Rob Rapson, former Chargé d’Affaires of U.S. Embassy Seoul Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EDT)
This Quick Take on Korea discussion covers the latest issues impacting South Korea, the U.S.-Korea Relationship, and North Korea, with expert insights from Rob Rapson, former Chargé d’Affaires of U.S. Embassy Seoul.
A Conversation with Su Cho Tuesday, October 11, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EDT)
How do our stories transform as they are passed down to each generation? Prize-winning poet Su Cho explores the legacies of language and lore in her unforgettable debut collection, The Symmetry of Fish. Selected by Space Struck author Paige Lewis for the National Poetry Series, these poems trace the narratives and phrases of a Korean American immigrant family with absorbing tenderness and curiosity… Read More
Message in a Bottle: Broadcasting to North Korea Thursday, October 6, 2022 | 12 PM (EDT)
Join us for this discussion about the outside world’s attempts to reach the North Korean population through media, with Dong Hyuk Lee, Chief of Voice Of America’s Korean Service, and Dr. Jieun Baek… Read More
Author Talks: Lee Geum-yi Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | 5:00 PM (EDT)
While reading a book on Korean-American immigration history, Lee Geum-yi stumbled across a photo of three picture brides – young women who left their homes in Korea to marry men whom they knew nothing about. Of the three, only one had a name listed, and there was no information about them… Read More
U.S.-ROK Alliance: The Road Ahead Friday, September 23, 2022 | 12 PM (EDT)
Join us for this expert panel discussion on the U.S.-ROK Alliance, featuring former National Security Council Senior Director for Asia Allison Hooker, Korea Society Board Chair Ambassador (ret.) Kathleen Stephens, and Korea Society Van Fleet senior fellow Dr. Katrin Katz, and moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado… Read More
Hanbok: The Celebration Thursday, September 8, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
Riding the Korean Wave sweeping the world, the traditional Korean costumes have become increasingly visible in global media. In 2021, hanbok – the generic term referring to traditional style Korean clothing – was registered in the Oxford English Dictionary. In this comprehensive series of lectures, Dr. Minjee Kim… Read More
North Korea-China Relations after The Singapore Summit Tuesday, September 6, 2022 | 11:00 AM
Join us for this roundtable and podcast recording on North Korea-China Relations after The Singapore Summit, with Dr. Seong-Hyon Lee, senior fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation and a visiting scholar at Harvard University’s Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado… Read More
2022 Armistice Day Salute Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Join us for a video tribute to honor the service and sacrifice of Veterans of The Korean War in a program produced in partnership with The Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) and The Korea-US Alliance Foundation (KUSAF). Released to mark the anniversary of the 1953 Armistice… Read More
Hanbok: Gender, Class and Modernity Thursday, July 21, 2022 | 6 PM (EDT)
Riding the Korean Wave sweeping the world, the traditional Korean costumes have become increasingly visible in global media. In 2021, hanbok – the generic term referring to traditional style Korean clothing – was registered in the Oxford English Dictionary. In this comprehensive series of lectures, Dr. Minjee Kim… Read More
JOHN CHO Tuesday, July 19, 2022 | 5 PM (EDT)
As one of the first Korean American actors to blaze a unique path through cultural and business barriers into the mainstream, John Cho’s esteemed career has spanned over two decades with compelling performances across film and television. Cho is also a former 7th-grade English teacher who grew up as a Korean immigrant kid in Texas and East L.A. (among many other places)… Read 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
Artist Talk: Heeseop Yoon Tuesday, July 12, 2022 5 PM (EDT)
Although her intricate installations are often so large that they spread over walls onto ceilings and floors, Heeseop Yoon thinks of her work as freehand drawings. All of Yoon’s works are based on real spaces with vast messes, such as basements, workshops, storage spaces… Read More
Catching the K-Investment Wave in the USA Thursday, June 16, 2022 | 6 PM (EDT)
The United States and South Korea have a well-established “gold standard” Free Trade Agreement. Now, as international economic relationships are shifting to strategic frameworks and concerns over supply-chain robustness and resiliency, Korean investment in the U.S is gaining attention and transforming the bilateral relationship into a new dynamic… Read More
KA YA! Korean-American YA Novels & Authors Wednesday, June 15, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
Meet the new generation of Korean American young adult novelists. Drawing inspiration from the Korean pop culture they grew up consuming and their personal journey as immigrant kids, these authors offer refreshing and compelling representations on myriads of subject matters, from intergenerational struggles and family bonds to identity issues… Read More
A New York Times Editors’ Choice Pick • A Most Anticipated Read in LitHub, CrimeReads, Thrillist, and Popsugar
The kinetic story of a sixty-five-year-old female assassin who faces an unexpected threat in the twilight of her career—The Old Woman with the Knife is an international bestseller and the English language debut from an award-winning South Korean author Gu Byeong-mo… Read More
Shrimp to Whale: South Korea’s Extraordinary Transformation Tuesday, June 7, 2022 | 6 PM (EDT)
King’s College London Professor of International Relations, KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance, Adjunct Fellow (Non-resident) at CSIS, and Non-resident Fellow at Sejong Institute Dr. Ramon Pacheco Pardo discusses his new book Shrimp to Whale… Read More
Young Professionals’ Network Eun Sun Kim Wednesday, May 25, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
Recently named The New York Times 2021 Breakout Star in Classical Music, Korean conductor Eun Sun Kim is the Caroline H. Hume Music Director of San Francisco Opera. The first woman to serve as music director of one of America’s largest opera companies, she is “making history while ensuring the future of classical music in a digital age,” as The New York Times declared… Read More
Marie Myung-Ok Lee with Frances Cha Tuesday, May 24, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
Chances are, you’ve read something you loved by the talented and prolific Marie Myung-Ok Lee. Her stories, criticism, and essays on everything from Picnicking in North Korea to navigating her son’s disability have been published in The Atlantic … Read More
Peter Serpico: Learning Korean with Eric Kim Thursday, May 19, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
Born in Seoul and raised in Maryland, Peter Serpico’s route to Korean food came long after making a name for himself in New York City restaurants. His first bites of marinated short ribs and black bean noodles tasted like home, and a love affair with the flavors and techniques of his birthplace began … Read More
State, Society, and Markets in North Korea FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 | 9 AM (EDT)
Join us for this discussion on North Korea’s evolving economy, state, and society with Dr. Andrew Yeo, the SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at The Brookings Institution and Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America. Yeo’s new book, State, Society, and Markets in North Korea… Read More
South Korea and a Regional Order in Flux Thursday, May 12, 2022 | 12 PM (EDT)
Amid intensifying U.S.-China strategic competition, a shifting Indo Pacific regional order, and an undaunted North Korea that continues to develop its nuclear weapons and missile programs, how can South Korea maximize its opportunities and defend against threats? Join us for this conversation about South Korea and a Regional Order in Flux with Dr. Andrew Yeo… Read More
“Queerness” as an Embodied and Critical Approach to Korean Studies Tuesday, May 10, 2022 | 4 PM (EDT)
Join us as Dr. Todd A. Henry, Associate Professor in the Department of History and affiliate faculty member of Critical Gender Studies, Science Studies, and Film Studies at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), launches the Society’s new Current Directions in Korea Studies Series. Dr. Henry, a specialist of modern Korea, a social and cultural historian, and an expert in LGBTQ studies… Read More
Building Resilience: AAPI Identity and Mental Health Sunday, May 1, 2022 | 12:00 PM (EDT)
Join us for an illuminating conversation with Dr. Shinhee Han, psychotherapist and co-author of Racial Melancholia, Racial Dissociation: On the Social and Psychic Lives of Asian Americans, and journalist Heidi Shin…. Read More
A Conversation with Yoon Choi Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 6 PM (EDT)
Through an indelible array of lives, Yoon Choi explores where first and second generations either clash or find common ground, where meaning falls in the cracks between languages, where relationships bend under the weight of tenderness and disappointment, where displacement turns to heartbreak… Read More
US-Korea-China Relations Thursday, April 28, 2022 | 12 PM (EDT)
With strategic competition between the United States and China intensifying and a new South Korean President set to shift Seoul’s foreign policy preferences, join us for this discussion on US-Korea-China relations, featuring: Dr. Seong-Hyon Lee, Harvard University Fairbank Center visiting scholar and Former Director of Sejong Institute Center for Chinese Studies, Yun Sun… Read More
Busan’s Bid for World Expo 2030 with Ambassador Enna Park Wednesday, April 27, 2022 | 10 AM (EDT)
Join us for this exciting presentation by Ambassador Enna Park about Busan’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, World Expos are a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges by offering a journey inside a universal theme through engaging and immersive activities. Korea became one of five candidates to host the World Expo after submitting its bid in June 2021… Read More
Artist Talk: Wonju Seo Wednesday, April 20, 2022 | 5 PM (EDT)
In Wonju Seo’s hands, the aesthetics, forms, and techniques of bojagi— traditional Korean wrapping cloths—are reconfigured as abstract textile art for a global audience. Seo combines needlework, painting, photography, and other techniques to create contemplative artworks that explore her transcultural identity and life experience… Read More
Interview with CJ Group Chairman Kyung Shik Sohn Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 6:00 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society is pleased to invite Mr. Kyung Shik Sohn, Chairman of CJ Group, for a conversation with the Society’s President/CEO Tom Byrne. In this upcoming episode of our President’s Interview Series, Chairman Sohn will discuss his remarkable success in growing CJ’s diversified businesses domestically and globally, and how CJ is managing an increasingly challenging global business climate. He will also inform us on his contributions to forging stronger… Read More
Hanbok: A New Lexicon of World Fashion Men’s Hanbok Thursday, April 7, 2022 | 7 PM (EDT)
Riding the Korean Wave sweeping the world, the traditional Korean costumes have become increasingly visible in global media. In 2021, hanbok – the generic term referring to traditional style Korean clothing – was registered in the Oxford English Dictionary. In this comprehensive series of lectures, Dr. Minjee Kim… Read More
K-Startups: Empowering the Future of Young Entrepreneurs Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | 6 PM (EDT)
The Korea Society is delighted to host a panel discussion featuring three successful Korean American entrepreneurs and startup expert – Ryan Kim (Founder and CEO, Kim’C Market), Sol Park (Managing Director, Korea International Trade Association) and Jun Yoon (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Culinary Agents and Vice President, Korean Startups & Entrepreneurs (KSE). The discussion will be led by moderator Sang Lee… Read More
Pyonghattan: Escapees from North Korea’s Capital Thursday, March 31, 2022 | 6:00 PM
Sibling defectors from Pyongyang Seohyun Lee and Hyun-Seung Lee discuss their life in North Korea, their journey to escape, and their transition to life in the United States, alongside Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) President & CEO Hannah Song, in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado… Read More
Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home with Eric Kim Tuesday, March 29, 2022 | 6:30 PM (EDT)
New York Times staff writer Eric Kim grew up in Atlanta, the son of two Korean immigrants. Food has always been central to his story, from Friday-night Korean barbecue with his family to hybridized Korean-ish meals for one that he makes in his tiny New York City apartment. In his debut cookbook, Kim shares these recipes alongside insightful, touching stories and stunning images shot by photographer Jenny Huang… Read More
Women in Higher Education: A Discussion with Dr. Eun Mee Kim & Dr. Sian Leah Beilock Tuesday, March 22, 2022 | 8 AM (EDT)
Womens’ Universities have emerged as premier institutions in higher education, amplifying womens’ voices from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. In the fourth installation of our Womens’ Leadership Series, please join us at The Korea Society to hear from Dr. Eun Mee Kim, President of Ewha Womans University in Seoul, and Dr. Sian Leah Beilock… Read More
Interview with ROK Trade Minister Yeo Han-Koo Friday, March 18, 2022
March 15, 2022 marks the 10-year anniversary of the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). In celebration of this remarkable milestone, The Korea Society invites ROK Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo for a conversation with Korea Society President Tom Byrne… Read More
YSP Gallery Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | 5 PM (EDT)
SP Gallery in Chelsea neighborhood of New York showcases the incredible legacy of Young Sook Park, who has dedicated her life to recapturing lost ceramic methods and techniques of the Joseon Dynasty… Read More
The Showrunners with Soo Hugh and Ria Tobaccowala Tuesday, March 8, 2022 | 6 PM (EST)
Soo Hugh, an acclaimed producer/writer and executive producer of Pachinko, one of the most anticipated drama series of 2022, talks about her career in television and the journey of adapting the bestselling novel into a series. Hugh will also be joined by Ria Tobaccowala, with whom she has launched The Thousand Miles Project, an incubator program to help bring more API stories to cinematic life and jumpstart fruitful careers in the entertainment industry… Read More
Korea’s Presidential Election: Forecast and Impact Analysis Monday, March 7, 2022 | 8 AM (EST)
In advance of the Republic of Korea 2022 presidential election, the eighth since Korea’s democratization, The Korea Society invites experts in Seoul for a live webcast discussion with a forecast and impact analysis. Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Seoul/Tokyo bureau chief for The Washington Post, Karl Friedhoff, Marshall M. Bouton Fellow for Asian Studies at The Chicago Council, Jeongmin Kim, Lead Correspondent at NK News and NK Pro, and Dr. Katrin Katz… Read More
Korean Smart Power Wednesday, February 23, 2022 | 7 PM (EST)
Join us for this discussion of Korean Smart Power, exploring opportunities and obstacles for Korea to leverage its cultural influence to advance its national interests, featuring Bernie Cho, President of DFSB Kollective, Jenna Gibson, PhD candidate at the University of Chicago, John Delury, Yonsei University Professor, and Victoria Kim, former LA Times correspondent, in discussion with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado… Read More
Hanbok: A New Lexicon of World Fashion – Women’s hanbok Thursday, February 17, 2022 | 6 PM (EST)
Riding the Korean Wave sweeping the world, the traditional Korean costumes have become increasingly visible in global media. In 2021, hanbok – the generic term referring to traditional style Korean clothing – was registered in the Oxford English Dictionary. In this comprehensive series of lectures, Dr. Minjee Kim, the preeminent scholar of Korean textile and fashion in the U.S… Read More
A Medical Doctor and Youtube Influencer in the Pandemic Era with Dr. Ezra Hangjun Jang Tuesday, February 15, 2020 | 7 PM (EST)
The Korea Society is excited to welcome Dr. Ezra Hangjun Jang, Internal medicine specialist and renowned host of the Youtube channel, “Dr. Ezra Hangjun Jang”. Dr. Jang has amassed a significant YouTube following with more than 525,000 subscribers, allowing for a substantial audience to learn crucial information from each of his videos… Read More
Empire and Righteous Nation: 600 Years of China-Korea Relations Tuesday, February 15, 2022 | 4 PM (EST)
Join us for the second edition in our Global View series, a discussion with Yale University Elihu Professor of History Odd Arne Westad on the subject of his book Empire and Righteous Nation: 600 Years of China-Korea Relations, hosted jointly with the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP). The discussion is moderated by Korea Society Board Chair Ambassador (ret.) Kathleen Stephens, and introductions are provided by NCAFP president and CEO Ambassador (ret.) Susan Elliott and Korea Society president and CEO Tom Byrne… Read More
New Narratives in Korea: “Poongryu” Wednesday, February 9, 2022 | 5 PM (EST)
Poongryu: Battle Between the Vocalists is a new music competition program from JTBC aiming to showcase a crossover between popular music and gugak, Korean traditional music. Featuring the best and brightest of a new generation of gugak singers and musicians… Read More
Towards a US-Korea Tech Alliance Wednesday, February 2, 2022 | 12 PM (EST)
In the midst of supply chain shortages and increasing competition, how can the US and Korea partner on critical technologies and address national security imperatives? Join for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities for enhanced US-Korea tech and digital cooperation, featuring Dr. Miyeon Oh, director and senior fellow of the Asia Security Initiative in the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, and Troy Stangarone, Senior Director and Fellow at the Korea Economic Institute (KEI), in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado… Read More
Korean Instant Pot Cooking Wednesday, January 19, 2022 | 5 PM (EST)
Recipe developers Nancy Cho and Selina Lee learned to make Korean food from their mothers and grandmothers. For Nancy, this transpired in her family’s kitchen in California suburbs, while Selina’s experience came from growing up in Seoul, Korea. Together, they set out to explore their Korean heritage, family experiences, and cherished dishes from their childhood to the present… Read More
A New North Korea Policy? Thursday, January 6, 2022 | 8 AM (EST)
Join for a discussion on the future of North Korea policy, featuring: Frank Aum, senior expert on Northeast Asia at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Dagyum Ji, journalist for The Korea Herald covering North Korea and security, and Bruce Klingner, Senior Research Fellow for Northeast Asia at The Heritage Foundation’s Asian Studies Center… Read More
Join us for a discussion on the causes and consequences of South Korea’s shrinking birth rate, including its impact on social and civic relations, the economy, and the military, as well as an exploration of efforts to reverse the trend. This discussion features Washington Post reporter Min Joo Kim, Wall Street Journal reporter Dasl Yoon, University of Missouri Assistant Professor Dr. Aram Hur, and Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute Dr. Nicholas Eberstadt, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado.
South Korea’s Demographic Challenge
Thursday, January 12, 2023 | 8 AM (EST)
The Korea Society 350 Madison Avenue, 24th Floor New York, NY 10017
Min Joo Kim is a reporter in The Washington Post’s Seoul bureau covering the Korean peninsula. She has written extensively on the region’s politics, diplomacy and social issues, with a focus on US-Korea relations. Among the stories she’s covered are the Trump-Kim nuclear talks, North Korea’s evasion of sanctions, and most recently, the new Yoon Suk-yeol administration in South Korea. She has spoken on major English-language media outlets including the BBC. She graduated from New York University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Film and New Media Studies in 2017.
Dasl Yoon is a reporter for The Wall Street Journal in Seoul, where she covers North Korea. She also covers politics and general news about the Korean Peninsula.
Aram Hur is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the Harry S. Truman School of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, where she also serves as Co-Director of the MU Institute for Korean Studies. Dr. Hur’s research focuses on national politics and democracy, with particular focus on issues of identity change, integration, and democratic support in East Asia. She is the author of Narratives of Civic Duty: How National Stories Shape Democracy in Asia (Cornell University Press, 2022). Her work is published in leading academic journals such as the British Journal of Political Science, Comparative Politics, and Journal of East Asian Studies, and cited in media outlets such as the New York Times, Washington Post, and Foreign Policy.
Nicholas Eberstadt is the Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he researches and writes on demographics and economic development, as well as on security in the Korean peninsula and Asia. Mr. Eberstadt is also a senior adviser to the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). He has also served as consultant or adviser for a variety of units within the US government.
