Digital Library

By Greg Scarlatoiu North Korea recently announced a special amnesty to prisoners, the first in over six years, to be issued beginning on February 1, in observance of Kim Jong-il’s birthday on February 16 and in anticipation of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung. The announcement came only two days after the…

By Linda Kim What is Korean American Day? How do you celebrate it? Why January 13? These are questions I often receive when I discuss Korean American Day with friends. Well, first the easy part. January 13 was designated as Korean American Day in 2003 by the Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and by the…

By Philippe Cousteau, Chief Spokesperson, USA Pavilion 2012 & Abraham Kim, Ph.D., Vice President, Korea Economic Institute Tomorrow is the 9th annual Korean American Day. As we celebrate the contributions of Americans of Korean descent, we also look to the future and how events like Expo 2012, Yeosu Korea further weave the Korean and American…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz, Sarah K. Yun, Chad O'Carroll, and Troy Stangarone Last year saw significant changes on the Korean peninsula. While 2011 ended with the surprise death of Kim Jong-il and the beginning of succession to Kim Jong-un, last year also saw Korea become one of only nine nations to surpass $1 trillion in total…

By Ben Hancock South Korea made an appearance in this past Sunday’s New York Times list of 45 must-visit travel destinations for a surprising reason -- golf courses. No one could quibble with the fact that Korea has churned out more than its fair share of club-wielding pros (Pak Se-ri and K.J. Choi come quickly…

Our latest edition of Korean Kontext focuses on the recent death of Kim Jong-il and the prospects for North Korea under the stewardship of his son, Kim Jong-un.  In this…

By Luke Herman Updated January 11, 2012. With the passing of Kim Jong-il, North Korea's leadership transition is being formally put into place. Here is a quick abridged graphic highlighting the leadership on the National Defense Commission and the State Party's Political Bureau and Central Military Commission. Below are links to expanded graphics for the…

By Nicholas Hamisevicz In Asia much of the pressure and focus from the transition in North Korea after Kim Jong Il’s death is now on China, its neighbor and chief benefactor. As a rising power that provides both economic and national security assistance North Korea needs to survive, China is in a difficult situation with…

By Ken E. Gause Three sets of messages have emerged from the North Korean media in the days since Kim Chong-il’s death on December 17. The first two sets of messages are tied to the leadership configuration that is rising up to take over the reins of power, namely Kim Chong-un supported by a collective…