The Korea Society

April 8, 2025 - Join us for a discussion about the legacy, implications, and a modern application of the theories from Gregory Henderson’s 1968 seminal text Korea: The Politics of the Vortex, with Edward J. Baker, advisor to the Harvard University Korea Institute, and Dr. Ingu Hwang, Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston College. The discussion will also address Hwang’s 2022 book, Human Rights and Transnational Democracy in South Korea, which examines the role of South Korean pro-democracy actors in (re)shaping the global history of human rights activism and politics in the 1970s. The moderator for this program is Korea Society president and CEO Tom Byrne.  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/item/1977-korea-s-politics-of-the-vortex-2025

April 4, 2025 - Join us for this rapid reaction program held soon after the ruling of South Korea’s Constitutional Court on the impeachment trial of suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol. If the impeachment motion is upheld, the country will have 60 days to hold a presidential election. How will the outcome of the case affect Korea’s democracy and society, U.S.-Korea relations, inter-Korean relations, and Korea’s regional relations with countries such as Japan, China, and Russia? Join us for a discussion with Ambassador (Ret.) Philip Goldberg, former U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, and Michelle Ye Hee Lee, Tokyo bureau chief for The Washington Post, covering Japan and the Koreas. Korea Society President and CEO Thomas Byrne will provide introductory remarks. The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado and policy program officer Chelsie Alexandre. 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/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1991-the-verdict-on-korea-s-presidential-impeachment-case

April 3, 2025 - This spring, from director Andrew Ahn comes The Wedding Banquet, a joyful comedy of errors about a chosen family navigating the disasters and delights of family expectations, queerness, and cultural identity. With a pitch-perfect cast of multigenerational talent that includes Bowen Yang, Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-Chan, Joan Chen, and Academy Award winner Youn Yuh-Jung, this fresh reimagining of Ang Lee’s beloved, award-winning rom-com teems with humor and heart in a poignant reminder that being part of a family means learning to both accept and forgive. Join us for a conversation with Andrew Ahn about his latest film and his career. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1989-andrew-ahn-a-director-s-talk

April 1, 2025 - Korea’s thriving tech industry—driven by global brands and cutting-edge innovation—continues to attract substantial foreign investment, even as the regulatory landscape evolves. Korea's recent proposed online platform regulations have drawn significant attention for its impacts on major tech companies and the broader competitive landscape in the country's technologically advanced market. To tackle these developments and their implications for US-Korea’s tech investment relations, this program will convene a panel with experts across both U.S. and Korean tech industries that will share their valuable firsthand insights and perspectives on critical matters such as key factors and challenges of investing within Korea’s regulatory framework, as well as policy measures and incentives that could further strengthen Korea’s strengths as a premier destination for U.S. investment. Speakers: Scott Jacobs, Head of Public Policy, Global Government Affairs, Coupang Ji Hyun Lee, Economic Research Lead, AWS Lilla Nora Kiss, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst, Antitrust & Innovation Policy, Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) Moderator: Tami Overby, Senior Counselor, Albright Stonebridge Group Co-hosted with KOTRA For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1986-unlocking-korea-s-tech-potential-strengthening-u-s-investment-and-innovation

March 26, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the current status and future pathways for U.S.-Korea-Japan trilateral relations, with Dr. Joshua Walker, President and CEO of Japan Society, and Emma Chanlett-Avery, Deputy Director of the Asia Society Policy Institute's Washington DC office and the Director for Political-Security Affairs. The moderator for this program is Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. 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/item/1978-charting-future-pathways-for-u-s-korea-japan-trilateral-relations

March 17, 2025 - Join us for a discussion on the latest developments in Korea, including domestic politics north and south of the 38th parallel, inter-Korean relations, US-North Korea developments, Russia’s role, and more, featuring team members from NK News, including Chad O'Carroll, Chief Executive Officer of Korea Risk Group, Jeongmin Kim, Lead Correspondent at NK News and Editorial Director at Korea Pro, Colin Zwirko, Senior Analytic Correspondent for NK News, and Shreyas Reddy, Lead Correspondent at NK News. This program is moderated by The Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado. 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/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1966-korean-peninsula-update-with-the-nk-news-team

March 6, 2025 - As the food and hospitality industry continues to evolve and grow, the Asian faces in it have also become more visible. Despite the progress, there are still long-standing obstacles that women face both in and out of kitchen and business culture. Meet Korean-American women running their own successful food and hospitality business and contributing their perspective and approaches to proactively change the industry. In this conversation, chef and writer Caroline Choe speaks with 4 brand and establishment owners and proprietors based in the NYC / NJ area on their experiences: Hannah Bae of Noona's Ice Cream, Julia Choi-Rodriguez of Vesta Chocolate, Alice Jun of Hana Makgeolli, Jee Kim of 8282. Also joining will be hospitality lawyer Vivian Chen, who represents many businesses and brands throughout New York City. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/item/1968-women-in-food-business

March 5, 2025 - When it comes to building a successful SaaS (Software as a Service) business, many assume that exceptional coding skills are the key to success. However, our next Startup Scene offers a different perspective- one that highlights the power of storytelling and strong investment relationships. Please join us for an insightful session with John Sung Kim, a serial SaaS founder of Five9 (NASDAQ: FIVN), DoctorBase, and Jetbridge. He will share his expertise on launching SaaS startups, emphasizing how compelling storytelling can drive investor engagement, team-building and business growth. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn firsthand from John's entrepreneurial journey and discover the strategies that turn great ideas into thriving companies. This program is supported by Hanwha Life For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1971-scaling-saas-the-art-of-storytelling-investor-strategy

February 19, 2025 - Join us for a program on deterrence and readiness with Major General Jason R. Armagost, who is the Commander of Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. "The Mighty Eighth" is responsible for the service’s bomber force and airborne nuclear command and control assets, encompassing approximately 24,000 Airmen across six installations, and proudly operating more than 150 E-4, B-1, B-2, B-52 and T-38 aircraft.  Major General Armagost will discuss deterrence and readiness amid escalating threats including challenges posed by North Korea, China, and Iran as well as how the U.S.’s bomber force operates across the globe.  This program is moderated by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) president and CEO Susan Elliott and produced in collaboration with the NCAFP.  For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1961-nuclear-deterrence-and-readiness-amid-escalating-threats-with-usaf-major-general-jason-r-armagost

February 13, 2025 - Join us for a discussion about fallout from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration’s Martial Law declaration, his subsequent impeachment and the presidential transition in Seoul, challenges to South Korea’s democracy, and implications for the U.S.-Korea relationship and Korea’s foreign relations, with Kelly Kasulis Cho, Washington Post Breaking News Reporter, Andrew Yeo, senior fellow and the SK-Korea Foundation Chair at the Brookings Institution's Center for Asia Policy Studies, and Daniel Sneider, lecturer in East Asian Studies at Stanford. This program is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado and program officer Chelsie Alexandre. For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1953-challenges-for-korea-s-democracy