The Korea Society

The Korea Society
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THE KOREA SOCIETY is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.

  1. 15h ago

    On the Ground in North Korea: Aid and Engagement in the DPRK

    October 6, 2026 - Delve into the frontlines of humanitarian aid in North Korea. Join us for a special discussion with seasoned experts Kathi Zellweger, Mike Chinoy, and Jerome Sauvage as they share first-hand insights from years of experience on the ground inside North Korea. In Miss Kathi: Saving Lives in North Korea, Swiss aid worker Kathi Zellweger collaborates with veteran journalist and author Mike Chinoy to chronicle her nearly three decades in North Korea. Dubbed the "Mother Teresa of North Korea" by local officials, Zellweger navigated state suspicion and international skepticism to deliver life-saving relief to thousands of vulnerable North Koreans, focusing especially on children. The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. In Witness to North Korea: Three Years on the Ground in the DPRK, former UN Resident Coordinator Jerome Sauvage offers a rare insider account of daily life and operational realities inside Pyongyang. Drawing on his tenure leading international aid operations, Sauvage reflects on the successes and challenges of delivering humanitarian assistance and offers strategic guidance for future engagement. The book is available for purchase here, with a 20% discount using the code: WITNESS20. The discussion is moderated by Korea Society 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: https://www.koreasociety.org/geopolitical-affairs/on-the-ground-in-north-korea/

  2. Sep 1

    Rapid Reaction: An Olive Branch for North Korea?

    September 1, 2026 - Join The Korea Society for a rapid reaction discussion exploring recent shifts in Korean Peninsula security and diplomacy. Featuring Ambassador (ret.) Joseph Yun, this program will examine President Donald Trump's decision to modify joint military exercises with South Korea and his revelation of ongoing communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The program is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. The session will draw lessons from past negotiation cycles, assess how the geopolitical climate has evolved since Trump and Kim last met, dissect the implications of North Korea's new "hostile states" policy, examine South Korea's shifting role as a diplomatic pacemaker, and explore how the surrounding geopolitical situation—such as the expanding Russia-North Korea alliance and The Iran War—is reshaping dynamics in Northeast Asia. Ambassador Yun will also share insights from his multi-decade career managing Korean Peninsula relations. This program is made possible by the generous support of our individual and corporate members and the Korea Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/geopolitical-affairs/rapid-reaction-an-olive-branch-for-north-korea/

  3. Jun 18

    Critical Comparison: Sanctions on North Korea vs. Iran

    June 17, 2026 - Join us for a conversation with Dr. Jonathan Brewer, Visiting Professor at King's College, London, on the differences, similarities, and trajectories of international sanctions on North Korea and Iran. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Dr. Brewer discusses evolving UN Security Council sanctions, their utility within larger diplomatic frameworks, their implementation and circumvention, and North Korea and Iran's proliferation and financing strategies for their sanctioned programs. Dr. Brewer was Acting Coordinator of the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea and financial expert of the UN Panel on Iran. 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:  https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2160-critical-comparison-sanctions-on-north-korea-vs-iran

  4. Jun 11

    New Thinking on Korea's Aging, Shrinking Society with Professor Youngtae Cho

    June 10, 2026 - Join us for a virtual program exploring new thinking on Korea's aging, shrinking society with Dr. Youngtae Cho, Director of the Population Policy Research Center and professor of demography at the School of Public Health at Seoul National University (SNU). Although South Korea's total fertility rate rebounded slightly to reach 0.8 babies per woman, it remains the lowest in the world and well below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed to maintain the population level. Consequently, Korea's population structure is experiencing a whipsaw demographic shift; by 2050, the working age population is projected to halve, with over 40 percent of the population over 65 years old. This transition will usher in profound social and economic challenges that will require ingenuity and accommodation to address. Professor Cho is one of South Korea's most prominent demographers. His research interests include Korea's low fertility, its fundamental causes and policy reactions, Vietnam's new population policy, business demography, and population profiling. He is best known for his "Population as a Determined Future" thesis, which argues that while demographic shifts are predictable and inevitable, society can mitigate their impact through strategic adaptation. The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. 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 including slides, please visit the link below: https://www.youtube.com/live/rQuiuDtkV-c For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2148-aging-society

  5. May 15

    The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and The Making of Modern Seoul, 1961-1971

    May 14, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Dr. Russell Burge, author of "The Promised Republic: Developmental Society and the Making of Modern Seoul." In conversation with policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre, Burge delves into the hidden histories of South Korea's rapid urban transformation during South Korea's developmental period under Park Chung Hee. Drawing from a rich archive of memoirs, interviews, photographs, and more, Burge challenges the traditional "miracle on the Han River" narrative by centering the rural migrants who built and inhabited Seoul's shantytowns. He provides a critical lens through which to view the high price of progress and the enduring struggle for a truly inclusive republic. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Kim Koo Foundation. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2150-promised-republic

  6. May 9

    Assessing North Korea's Developing Nuclear Program

    May 7, 2026 - Join us for a discussion with Sarah Laderman, Senior Analyst for Open Nuclear Network, a PAX sapiens programme, on the rollout of a recent series of reports examining North Korea's nuclear program. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Laderman discusses a myriad of findings on North Korea's nuclear fuel cycle and weaponisation capabilities, including the research project's development of innovative methodologies to assess an otherwise opaque program. The discussion reviews the high-level findings and unpacks implications for verification, monitoring, and diplomacy. More information on the project findings can be found here. This Global Affairs Canada funded research project was led by VERTIC, in partnership with CNS and RUSI, assisted by Open Nuclear Network. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and The Korea Society's individual and corporate members. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2153-north-korea-nuclear

  7. May 8

    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. The book is available for purchase here For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2146-privileged-powerless

  8. Apr 24

    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: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2142-taiwan-dilemma

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About

THE KOREA SOCIETY is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization with individual and corporate members that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.

Information

  • Creator
    The Korea Society
  • Years Active
    2006 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 The Korea Society
  • Show Website
    The Korea Society

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