The Korea Society

October 19, 2022 - 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. Robert Rapson is a former senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer whose 39-year diplomatic career spanned the Indo-Pacific region from Korea and Japan to Southeast Asia, India and Afghanistan. As Chargé d'Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission, led, managed, and motivated large multicultural U.S. Embassies in Seoul, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur to advance significant U.S. political, economic, commercial, security, law enforcement, and public diplomacy interests with those countries and across the Asia region during periods of major political transition and crisis. A recognized Korea/East Asia expert and skilled advocate, negotiator, team builder, strategic planner, editor and communicator who navigates with ease across senior-most levels of foreign governments, the corporate sector, and pu

October 11, 2022 - 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. Cho threads stories of food and folktales through her meditations on joy, grief, friendship, faith, and coming of age in the middle of nowhere. This inventive debut illuminates how language is not lost over generations but distilled into potency— continuously remade, hitched to new associations, and capable of blooming anew. In this conversation, Su Cho discusses her debut collection and the emerging tradition of Korean-American poetry. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1614-a-conversation-with-su-cho

October 6, 2022 - 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, Fellow with the Korea Project and the Applied History Project at Harvard Kennedy School's Belfer Center, in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1603-message-in-a-bottle-broadcasting-to-north-korea

September 23, 2022 - 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. How can the U.S. and South Korea work together to pursue shared objectives in an increasingly fraught and complex security environment? To optimize the approach, what adaptations or evolutions are needed to the shared diplomatic, economic, and security agenda? This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information about our supporters, please refer to our webpage here. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1602-u-s-rok-alliance-the-road-ahead

September 6, 2022 - 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, Dr. Lee’s talk explores the evolving relationship between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with a special focus on the time period between the U.S.-DPRK Summits in Singapore (June 2018) and Hanoi (February 2019). Dr. Lee scrutinizes documentary footage of the summits, reviews official Chinese and North Korean documents, and utilizes interviews with people in the know to reveal how Xi gradually increased his influence over Kim through their five summit meetings between March 2018 and June 2019. The talk concludes with some policy implications for the North Korean nuclear issue under the current Biden-Xi administrations. For more information, pl

September 1, 2022 - Still today, education remains inaccessible to millions of children across the globe. In meeting their educational needs, extensive technology use has become helpful in expanding the quality learning environment. This Young Professionals' Network program features Sooinn Lee, the Co-Founder and CEO of Enuma, Inc. Founded in 2012, Enuma has developed multiple award-winning digital learning platforms for youth and children, including those from under-resourced environments. Join us for a timely conversation with Sooinn as she will discuss her ongoing work and achievements in providing children of various backgrounds with high-quality education, along with her far-reaching vision and goals. This discussion will be moderated by Jay Oh, Senior Director of Arts and Culture of The Korea Society. This program is made possible by the support from Yang Won Sun Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1600-a-conversation-with-enuma

Recorded July 14, 2022 - We are pleased to share the audio from our National Outreach program in Atlanta. On July 14, 2022, The Korea Society hosted "The Comprehensive, Strategic U.S.-Korea Alliance," a conference in Atlanta, Georgia produced in partnership with the Southeast U.S. Korean Chamber of Commerce. This event was held at the Commerce Club Atlanta. The conference was the rollout of a strategic initiative of the Society to highlight the diplomatic, security, business and investment aspects of the multifaceted, dynamic U.S.-Korea relationship. It was composed of keynote speeches, two morning panels, a luncheon, and a closing reception. The conference served to connect the local Atlanta and the wider Southeast U.S. audience with high-impact speakers who provided insights on a series of engaging topics. We hope you enjoy! PANEL TWO DISCUSSION Moderator Professor William I. Sauser, Jr. PhD, Auburn University Harbert College of Business Panelists Athar Khan, Director of International Specialty Sales, Del

Recorded July 14, 2022 - We are pleased to share the audio from our National Outreach program in Atlanta. On July 14, 2022, The Korea Society hosted "The Comprehensive, Strategic U.S.-Korea Alliance," a conference in Atlanta, Georgia produced in partnership with the Southeast U.S. Korean Chamber of Commerce. This event was held at the Commerce Club Atlanta. The conference was the rollout of a strategic initiative of the Society to highlight the diplomatic, security, business and investment aspects of the multifaceted, dynamic U.S.-Korea relationship. It was composed of keynote speeches, two morning panels, a luncheon, and a closing reception. The conference served to connect the local Atlanta and the wider Southeast U.S. audience with high-impact speakers who provided insights on a series of engaging topics. We hope you enjoy! PANEL ONE - SECURITY AND DIPLOMACY Moderator Ambassador (Ret.) Charles Shapiro, Senior Advisor, The Pendleton Group of consultants Panelists General (Ret.) Vincent K Brooks, Former Un

Recorded July 14, 2022 - We are pleased to share the audio from our National Outreach program in Atlanta. On July 14, 2022, The Korea Society hosted "The Comprehensive, Strategic U.S.-Korea Alliance," a conference in Atlanta, Georgia produced in partnership with the Southeast U.S. Korean Chamber of Commerce. This event was held at the Commerce Club Atlanta. The conference was the rollout of a strategic initiative of the Society to highlight the diplomatic, security, business and investment aspects of the multifaceted, dynamic U.S.-Korea relationship. It was composed of keynote speeches, two morning panels, a luncheon, and a closing reception. The conference served to connect the local Atlanta and the wider Southeast U.S. audience with high-impact speakers who provided insights on a series of engaging topics. We hope you enjoy! For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1592-the-comprehensive-strategic-u-s-korea-alliance

July 19, 2022 - 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). This spring, he became an instant New York Times bestselling author when he published Troublemaker, an incredible middle grade novel highlighting the unique Korean American perspective as 12-year-old Jordan navigates the evening of the 1992 LA Riots. In this conversation with The Korea Society, Cho discusses his debut novel and career. “The novel weaves together large-scale issues of social injustice and interracial barriers with the intimate pain— and joy—of personal relationships. Equal parts suspenseful and emotionally insightful.” — Kirkus Reviews “A gripping work of historical fiction. . . Exploring a significant historic

July 13, 2022 - 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. The speakers will focus on South Korea’s efforts on becoming a ‘K -Global Vaccine Hub,’ a new initiative to strengthen vaccine capabilities on COVID-19 as well as future pandemics. They will also highlight IVI’s continuous journey on overcoming the pandemic and its future plans on building public safety. This program will be recorded at IVI in Seoul when President Byrne visits South Korea in late June. For more information, please visit the link below: https://koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1593-discussion-on-k-global-vaccine-hub-with-dr-jerome-kim-and-dr-manki-song

June 16, 2022 - 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. The upcoming President’s Interview Series led by Tom Byrne, the President and CEO of The Korea Society will feature the representatives from three states for an in-depth conversation: Andrew Deye, Vice President, Head of Strategy at JobsOhio, Harry M. Lightsey III, Secretary of Commerce of South Carolina Department of Commerce, and Pat Wilson, Commissioner of Georgia Department of Economic Development. The panelists will discuss the significance of the new wave of Korean direct investment in the United States. They will also cover the business, economic and political angles of the investment in each state, and how this is contributing to the "compreh

June 15, 2022 - 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. And they are conquering the bestseller lists while offering a mirror to the generations of young readers that they themselves did not have. Join our conversation with Claire Ahn, Kat Cho and Mary H. K. Choi, as they discuss the popularity of YA novels featuring Korean and Korean-American characters, the changing perception in the publishing industry regarding Asian American YA novels, and their remarkable stories. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1587-ka-ya-korean-american-ya-novels-authors

June 7, 2022 - 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, which provides an account of South Korea’s extraordinary transformation from “the ashes of colonialism, partition and a devastating war” into “a boisterous democracy, a vibrant market economy, a tech powerhouse, and home to the coolest of cultures.” Please enjoy a 25% discount on pre-orders on the book with code DISTRO25 on this link here. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1573-shrimp-to-whale-south-korea-s-extraordinary-transformation

May 26, 2022 - 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. This program is made possible by the support from Yang Won Sun Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/special-events/item/1582-eun-sun-kim

May 24, 2022 - 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, The New York Times, Slate, Salon, Guernica, The Paris Review, and The Guardian, among others. She’s the author of the acclaimed novel Somebody’s Daughter and the YA classic, Finding My Voice. A sharp observer, a masterful storyteller, and an extraordinary and bitingly funny stylist, Lee uses those talents here to reveal the world we live in and imagine the world we could live in, too, in her latest novel The Evening Hero. In The Evening Hero Lee wrestles with big questions and big themes: how war trauma insinuates itself between the generation of immigrants and their American-born children; the dire state of medical care in the US—from rural hospital closures to crazy, high-end shopping mall medicine; and what it means to be a good Korean, a good Americ

May 19, 2022 - 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. Written with Drew Lazor, Serpico's debut cookbook Learning Korean: Recipes for Home Cooking draws from his decades of professional cooking experience to elevate the greatest hits of at-home Korean dishes. In this insightful and endearing cookbook, new flavors, techniques, and ways to enjoy one of the world’s greatest cuisines are revealed by Serpico, chef and father. In a conversation with Eric Kim, the New York Times bestselling author of Korean American: Food That Tastes Like Home, Serpico discusses his career and his debut cookbook. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1580-peter-serpico-learning-korean-with-eric-kim

May 13, 2022 - 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, examines the extent and limitations of reform and development under leader Kim Jong Un, arguing that, "situational factors will continue to complicate the country’s future domestic prospects." This live webcast discussion is in conversation with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1579-state-society-and-markets-in-north-korea

May 12, 2022 - 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, SK-Korea Foundation Chair in Korea Studies at The Brookings Institution and Professor of Politics, Catholic University of America, and Dr. Patricia Kim, David M. Rubenstein Fellow at The Brookings Institution, moderated by Korea Society Van Fleet senior fellow Dr. Katrin Katz. This program was made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our corporate sponsors. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1578-south-korea-and-a-regional-order-in-flux

May 10, 2022 - 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 (USCD), 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, is well-suited to launch our new series. From 2013 to 2018, he served as the inaugural director of Transnational Korean Studies at UCSD and has researched, lectured, and written extensively on topics of place, race, identity, and nation. From his first book, Assimilating Seoul: Japanese Rule and the Politics of Public Space in Colonial Korea, 1910-1945 (University of California Press, 2014) — the Korean translation of which was awarded a 2020 Sejong Book Prize in History, Geography and Tourism — to his recent edited volume, Queer Korea (Duke University Press, 2020), as well as two forthcoming books and a