About Stimson

Korea Program

Promoting greater understanding of relations between the United States and the Korean Peninsula to help address some of the world’s most pressing traditional and nontraditional security challenges.

The Korea Program at the Stimson Center is a policy research and engagement hub dedicated to advancing understanding of South Korea, U.S.–Korea relations and their broader global implications. The program combines in-depth research with high-level dialogues among policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and civil society to inform actionable strategies and policy for both governments and stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Three Pillars for the program are as follows:

U.S.-ROK Alliance and Regional Leadership. Examining how the U.S.–ROK alliance can adapt to emerging security challenges amid shifting regional order. It facilitates bilateral and multilateral dialogues, produces policy analyses on extended deterrence and maritime security, and develops public opinion studies on regional cooperation.

The Economic Security and Technology Cooperation. Aligning South Korea’s strategic technologies with U.S. Critical and Emerging Technologies (CETs). Through policy research, expert councils, and pilot projects, the program promotes joint innovation and cooperation in areas such as semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, robotics, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing, among others.

Korea's Democracy and Society in the 21st Century. Tracking the health of democracy and democratic institution in South Korea with a special focus on election, civic engagement, media integrity, and interparliamentary cooperation. Through surveys, workshops, and research, the program seeks to support democratic resilience and institutional trust.

Through these three pillars, the Korea Program establishes the Stimson Center as a leading platform for integrated analysis of South Korea’s geopolitics, economics, and society and aims to stand alongside other major research programs in Washington, DC as the preeminent venue for Korea-focused research, dialogue, and leadership development.

Program Team

J. James Kim

Program Director

Sean (Hyuk Hyun) Kwon

Nonresident Fellow

Projects

Countering AI Disinformation and Implications for the US-ROK Alliance

A survey of the current AI landscape, how these technologies are leveraged for misinformation and disinformation campaigns, and ways the U.S. and its allies can foster cooperation to mitigate these risks.

Economic Security and Technology Cooperation

Building a U.S.–Korea framework for joint innovation and coordination across critical and emerging technologies driving cooperation in economic security.

U.S.-ROK Alliance and Regional Leadership

Advancing a forward-looking U.S.–Korea alliance through research, strategic dialogue, security cooperation, and regional policy innovation in the Indo-Pacific.

Korea’s Democracy and Society in the 21st Century

Strengthening democratic resilience in Korea through research, dialogue, civic engagement, media integrity, and interparliamentary cooperation.

Nuclearization Debates: Lesson for South Korea

Examining critical issues regarding nuclear dynamics and security challenges facing the Korean Peninsula, drawing from South Asia’s experiences.

Research

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Commentary

Pyongyang Post-Party Anniversary: Shifts in Construction Priorities

Recent commercial satellite imagery of Pyongyang indicates a significant slowdown in efforts to complete the the multi-towered Pyongyang General Hospital complex and its peripheral construction projects.

October 29, 2020

Commentary

Examining Kim’s Approach to Construction: Project Wonsan

Kim Jong Un’s site visit patterns and practices provide some insights into what his priorities are and how those might shift according to the times.

October 16, 2020

Op-Ed

After the parade, North Korea’s steady progress matters more than its big new missile

Despite “biting” sanctions, Pyongyang has consistently shown a superior ability to adapt to the times and find ways to meet its strategic goals

October 16, 2020

Commentary

Pyongyang Gears Up for Major Workers’ Party Anniversary Events

Recent commercial satellite imagery indicates the construction on the exterior of the Pyongyang General Hospital appears to be finished, meeting the ambitious target of completion within 200 days.

October 6, 2020

Commentary

Pyongyang General Hospital: A Bright White Beacon After the Rains

Recent commercial satellite imagery shows that work on the exterior of the Pyongyang General Hospital is in its final phase.

September 24, 2020

Op-Ed

The US-South Korea Alliance and the China Factor

In the current context of U.S.-China competition, Washington’s strategic preferences and Seoul’s search for greater autonomy are clashing.

August 26, 2020

Op-Ed

Chinese Fishing Near North Korea Is a Symptom of a Bigger Problem

The Chinese government has been both lenient on North Korea sanctions and reluctant to tackle illegal fishing by its distant water fleet.

July 31, 2020

Op-Ed

Book Review: Top-Down Democracy in South Korea by Erik Mobrand

Mobrand offers a concise, compelling, and original examination of democracy in South Korea, one of the more successful cases of Third Wave democratization.

July 15, 2020

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