APARC - Korea Home

Who We Are

The Korea Program at Stanford’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center is a West Coast hub of scholarship on contemporary Korea and the issues shaping the future of the Korean Peninsula and U.S.-Korea relations. Our work examines these topics from regional and comparative perspectives through cultural, political, and economic lens. We train and support emerging Korea scholars and convene experts from academia, government, business, and civil society for dialogue, research, and publishing activities that inform policymakers in the United States and Korea and strengthen the bonds between the two countries.

About Us

In the Spotlight

[Top left] Gi-Wook Shin; [top right] Roberta Cohen; [bottom left] Tomás Ojea Quintana; [bottom right] Joon Oh

Using the UN to Create Accountability for Human Rights Crimes in North Korea

Experts on human rights agree that the UN needs to work through multiple channels to support ongoing investigations and build evidence for future litigations in order to create accountability and pressure the DPRK to desist in committing human rights crimes.

Watch the Discussion

"Patterns of Impunity" by Robert King on a backgorund showing the flags of North Korea, South Korea, and the United States.

Why North Korean Human Rights Matter: Book Talk with Robert R. King

Ambassador King, former U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean human rights, argues that improving human rights in the country is an integral part of broader U.S. policy on the Korean Peninsula.

WATCH THE BOOK LAUNCH

South Korean men standing up, wearing face masks, holding hands and cheering

Gi-Wook Shin Discusses South Korean Ruling Party’s Local Election Losses on CNBC

“The South Korean people gave the Moon administration a red card,” says Shin, predicting that containing soaring housing prices and other domestic challenges will be the deciding issues in next year’s presidential election.

Watch The Interview

Are South Korean Liberals Truly Liberal?

Recently at the Korea Program

Byongjin Ahn and Aram Hur join APARC and Korea Program Director Gi-Wook Shin to discuss the current tone and potential trajectory of liberal nationalism in South Korea and its effects on the country's democratic institutions and international priorities.

(Right to left): Gi-Wook Shin, ROK Ambassador to the US Cho Yoon-je, and Siegfried S. Hecker seated at a conference room at Stanford

Our Research

Together with academics and stakeholders in government and civil society, we explore Korean issues and policy solutions through economic, social, political, and security lens.

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Hallym-Stanford Innovation Cnference Panel

Our Publications

We share our research findings through peer-reviewed journals, scholarly and trade presses, policy reports, and Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center’s publishing program.