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Analysis and commentary from experts at the Korea Program on current Korean domestic and foreign affairs and U.S.-Korea relations
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Beyond Representation: How Diversity Can Unleash Korea’s Innovation
Commentary / June 30, 2022
A social and corporate culture that values and enforces conformity surely cannot be a wellspring of creativity and innovation. Korean society must find a new source of vitality. Enhancing diversity to stimulate innovation and change could be the answer.
In the Wake of Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine, Korea Should Join Its Peers in Defending the Liberal International Order
Commentary / June 1, 2022
It is difficult to anticipate how the geopolitical storm set off by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may develop. What is certain is that the international order will not be the same, and this change will have significant repercussions for South Korea.
North Korea’s Geopolitics, South Korea’s Pop Culture Wave Take Center Stage at Korea Program’s 20th Anniversary Conference
News / May 27, 2022
The Korea Program at Stanford’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center marked its 20-year anniversary with a two-day conference that gathered eminent leaders from academia, government, and the K-pop industry, including former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and global star SUHO, leader of K-pop group EXO.
Gi-Wook Shin on Gwangju and South Korea’s Democracy
Commentary / May 24, 2022
“The tragic outcome was a brutal wakeup call to Korean democratic movements.”
Which Yoon Should Biden Expect at the Upcoming South Korea-U.S. Summit?
Commentary / May 20, 2022
Yoon has been compared to Biden’s own nemesis, Donald Trump, but he is far from a political iconoclast.
K-pop’s “Next Level”: Notes from the Field
News / May 10, 2022
Prof. Dafna Zur shares impressions from her visit with Soo-Man Lee, founder and chief producer of SM Entertainment, and the rare opportunity to tour the Seoul-based company and see the K-pop megastars-in-training. The preliminary results of this fieldwork, part of a documentary on K-pop, will be aired during the Korea Program's 20th Anniversary conference.
In Troubled Waters: South Korea’s Democracy in Crisis
Commentary / May 3, 2022
Just as the United States experienced a crisis of democracy under the Trump administration, South Korea underwent a democratic recession during President Moon Jae-in’s time in office. The consequences of this decline have been evident throughout the election and the subsequent presidential transition.
It’s Time for K-pop Stars to Speak Out on Human Rights
Commentary / April 21, 2022
With few exceptions, South Korea’s K-pop idols have been conspicuously silent on controversial subjects – including the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Stanford University’s Korea Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary with Conference Spotlighting South Korean Wave, North Korean Geopolitics
News / April 20, 2022
The Korea Program at Stanford’s Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center will commemorate its 20-year anniversary with a two-day conference, convening eminent speakers from the K-pop industry, academia, and government, and unveiling two new documentary films.
South Korean Democracy Under Stress: Yoon Suk-yeol’s Victory Likely to Increase Domestic Polarization
Commentary / March 10, 2022
On CNBC's "Squawk Box Asia," APARC Director Gi-wook Shin shares insights about the potential for democratic backsliding and further domestic tension after Yoon Suk-yeol’s victory in the contentious presidential election in South Korea.
South Korea Votes, Beijing Watches
Commentary / March 2, 2022
Anti-Chinese sentiment surges—especially among the young—in advance of the March 9 elections.
“K-Pop Stars, Too, Should Speak Out on Human Rights Issues,” Says Stanford Sociologist Gi-Wook Shin
News / February 14, 2022
K-pop and North Korean human rights are the subjects of two documentaries to be released this spring to mark the 20th anniversary of Stanford University’s Korea Program, reveals Professor Gi-Wook Shin.
South Koreans Are Rethinking What China Means to Their Nation
Commentary / February 8, 2022
A new study illuminates the potential effects of anti-Chinese sentiment in Korea.
North Korea Is Becoming an Asset for China
Commentary / February 3, 2022
Pyongyang’s Missiles Could Fracture America’s Alliances
What Does Korea’s 2022 Presidential Election Mean for Its Democracy?
Commentary / January 26, 2022
The ongoing South Korean presidential race holds significant sociopolitical implications for the future of democracy as democratic backsliding has now become an undeniable reality in South Korea.
APARC Invites 2022-23 Predoctoral Fellowship Applications
News / January 24, 2022
Up to three fellowships are available to Stanford Ph.D. candidates. Submissions are due by April 15, 2022.
Call for Stanford Student Applications: APARC Hiring 2022 Summer Research Assistants
News / January 13, 2022
To support Stanford students working in the area of contemporary Asia, the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Center is offering research assistant positions for summer 2022. The deadline for submitting applications and letters of recommendation is March 1, 2022.
2022 Shorenstein Journalism Award Open to Nomination Entries
News / December 6, 2021
Sponsored by Stanford University’s Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center, the annual award recognizes outstanding journalists and journalism organizations for excellence in coverage of the Asia-Pacific region. News editors, publishers, scholars, and organizations focused on Asia research and analysis are invited to submit nominations for the 2022 award through February 15.
How to Solve the North Korean Conundrum: The Role of Human Rights in Policy Toward the DPRK
News / October 29, 2021
APARC's new edited volume, 'The North Korean Conundrum,' shines a spotlight on the North Korean human rights crisis and its connection to nuclear security. In the book launch discussion, contributors to the volume explain why improving human rights in the country ought to play an integral part of any comprehensive U.S. engagement strategy with the DPRK.
The Rise of Anti-Chinese Sentiments in South Korea: Political and Security Implications
Commentary / October 7, 2021
APARC and Korea Program Director Gi-Wook Shin shares insights on rising anti-China sentiments in South Korea and their implications for the upcoming South Korean presidential election.
[Us and Them] I’m Korean, You’re Not, and There’s a Fine Line You Can’t Cross
Commentary / September 22, 2021
In a new interview with The Korea Herald, Gi-Wook Shin discusses ethnic homogeneity, its nationalist roots, and the limitations to building multicultural identity in South Korea.
APARC Announces 2022-23 Fellowships for Asia Specialists
News / September 14, 2021
The Center offers fellowships for postdoctoral scholars specializing in contemporary Asia, Japan, and Asia health policy and for experts on Southeast Asia.
Tenth Annual Korean Studies Writing Prize Awarded
News / June 22, 2021
Haley Gordon (MA '21, East Asian Studies) was awarded the 10th annual Korea Program Prize for Writing in Korean Studies, for her paper "Nation-Being in North Korea: New Perspectives on Human Rights."
Perspectives on Rising Anti-Asian Violence from REDI
News / May 17, 2021
The Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Task Force sheds light on historical roots of anti-Asian racism and considers how our troubling times can present an important opening for Asian Americans to challenge racialization and white supremacy.
Why North Korean Human Rights Matter: Book Talk with Robert R. King
News / April 29, 2021
In his new book, "Patterns of Impunity," Ambassador King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights from 2009 to 2017, shines a spotlight on the North Korean human rights crisis and argues that improving human rights in the country is an integral part of U.S. policy on the Korean peninsula.
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