GWIKS logo overlaid over flag logo
Founded in the year 2016, the GW Institute for Korean Studies (GWIKS) is a university wide institute housed in the Elliott School of International Affairs at the George Washington University. The establishment of the GWIKS was made possible by a generous grant from the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS). The mission of GWIKS is to consolidate, strengthen, and grow the existing Korean studies program at GW, and more generally in the greater D.C. area and beyond. The Institute of Korean Studies enables and enhances productive research and education relationships within GW, and among the many experts throughout the region and the world.

GWIKS Fall 2025 Event Schedule

Monthly US-ROK Policy Brief

The Devil is in the details: U.S. and ROK Seek Alliance Modernization, but how?

Issue 12 (August 2025)

By  Derek Grossman

Edited by Celeste Arrington, Yonho Kim & Jungchul Lee

Announcements & News

Upcoming Events

The Social (Re)Construction of War and History in Korea

This workshop brings together U.S., Korean, and Japanese scholars to honor the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 60th anniversary of the normalization of relations between the Republic of Korea and Japan. The scholars will consider the social construction and reconstruction of war and historical memory in Korea. The first group of papers analyzes how the Korean War continues. The second group of papers addresses societal engagement with historical memories. Paper presenters and discussants will shed light on how history still matters in Korea today.

Date: [Sep 17, 2025]

Time: [12:30pm-4:45pm]

Location: [Room 505, Elliott School of International Affairs or Virtual via Zoom]

Program Brochure

Soh Jaipil Lecture Series - New Books in Korean Studies

North Korea has undertaken significant efforts to elevate the standard of living for its citizens recently. This shift has led to notable advancements in production and the quality of visual media, teaching North Koreans the “language” of consumerism and new methods of consumption. In Rebranding North Korea, Immanuel Kim delves into the implications of a thoroughly modernized North Korea for its citizens and the world as the country strives to participate in global modernity and technological advancements. Kim traces two parallel trajectories illustrating the most significant changes in North Korean consumer culture: the expansion of modern urban development projects and increased social amenities, alongside the technologically advanced aesthetic qualities of visual media.

Date: [Sep 23, 2025]

Time: [3:30-5pm]

Location: [Room 505, Elliott School of International Affairs or Virtual via Zoom]

Program Brochure

Book Talk - Korean Art

Join us for a lively **Book Talk** at the Flagg Building on September 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM. The book offers a comprehensive examination of modern and contemporary Korean art, contextualized within a wide range of historical, social, political, and cultural frameworks. Co-authors Prof. Jung-Sil Lee, who is currently teaching at George Washington University, and Prof. Koh Dong-Yeon, an art critic with over twenty years of experience in Korea, will introduce the key trends in Korean art with the backdrop of the changing cultural landscape of the postwar period. The book is intended for a broad audience, appealing not only to those interested in art but also to those engaging in Korean modern history. Let’s share our thoughts, insights, and welcome your recommendations! See you there!

Date: [Sep 30]

Time: [2-4pm]

Location: [Hammer Auditorium- Flagg Building-Corcoran School of Arts and Design]

Past Events

04/19/23 | Soh Jaipil Lecture Series with Sandra Park

Anointed Citizenship: Christianity and Border Crossers in Wartime South Korea Wednesday, April 19, 2023 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM EDT Hybrid Event In Person, Room 505, Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University Virtual via Zoom Download...

03/09/2023 | GWIKS Special Talk Series, K-Culture Night: Exploring Korean Hip-Hop and its Influences

GWIKS Special Talk Series K-Culture Night: Exploring Korean Hip-Hop and its Influences Thursday, March 9, 2023 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT In-Person Event George Washington University, Elliott School for International Affairs 1957 E ST NW, Washington DCLindner Family...

04/17/24 | Korea Policy Forum with Speaker Kim Jin-pyo

Korea Policy Forum Dynamics of the ROK-US Alliance: Bridging the Past, Present and Future Wednesday, April 17, 2024 09:30 AM – 10:30 AM EDT Hybrid Event Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University (Room B12) 1957 E Street NW, Washington, DC...

04/23/24 | North Korea Economic Forum: Revisiting Sanctions on North Korea

North Korea Economic Forum Virtual Panel Discussion “Revisiting Sanctions on North Korea“ Thursday, April 23, 2024 09:00 AM – 10:30 AM EDT 10:00 PM – 11:30 PM KST Virtual via Zoom Program & Profiles The operations of the U.N. Panel of Experts on...

04/18/2024 | Soh Jaipil Lecture Series with Sung Eun Kim

Conscripted at “Freedom’s Frontier”: Korean Augmentees, Racialized Masculinity, and U.S. Military Empire Thursday, April 18, 2024 2:00 P.M – 3:30 P.M. EST In-Person Event Elliott School of International Affairs, Room 505 1957 E ST NW, Washington DC Event Program (PDF)...

04/16/24 | Korea Policy Forum, South Korea’s National Assembly Elections and US-ROK Relations: Journalists’ Views

Korea Policy Forum  South Korea’s National Assembly Elections and US-ROK Relations: Journalists’ Views Tuesday, April 16, 2024 09:00 AM – 10:15 PM EST 10:00 PM – 11:15 PM KST Virtual Event via Zoom See the Event Program On April 10th, South Korea held general...

04/11/2024 | GWIKS Special Event, Bridging Cultures: Museum Public Relations & Community Engagement for Diversity

“Bridging Cultures: Museum Public Relations & Community Engagement for Diversity” Thursday, April 11, 2024 2:00 P.M – 3:30 P.M. EST Hybrid Event Elliott School of International Affairs, Room 505 1957 E ST NW, Washington DC Virtual via Zoom Event...

04/04/2024 | Soh Jaipil Lecture Series with Andre Schmid

“North Korea’s Mundane Revolution: Socialist Living and the Rise of Kim Il Sung, 1953-1965″ Thursday, April 4, 2024 3:00 P.M – 4:30 P.M. EST Hybrid Event Elliott School of International Affairs, Room 505 1957 E ST NW, Washington DC Virtual via Zoom...

03/27/24 | Premodern Korea Lecture Series with Wenjiao Cai

“The Commodification of Chosŏn Ginseng and the Scale of Environmental Change in Early Modern East Asia” Wednesday, March 27, 2024 10:00 A.M – 11:30 A.M. EST Virtual Event via Zoom Event Program (PDF) About the Event This talk explores the ecological impacts of the...

03/22/2024 | GWIKS Special Talk, “Late Industrialization, Tradition, and Social Change in South Korea”

GWIKS Book Talk Late Industrialization, Tradition, and Social Change in South Korea Friday, March 22, 2024 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM EST Hybrid Event 1957 E ST Northwest, Washington DC Lindner Family Commons, Room 602 Virtual via Zoom See the Event Program Event...

03/07/24 | Korea Policy Forum: The United States-South Korea Alliance

Korea Policy Forum The United States-South Korea Alliance: Why It May Fail and Why It Must Not Thursday, March 7, 2024 12:30 PM – 02:00 PM EST Hybrid Event Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University (Room 505) 1957 E Street Northwest Room...

02/22/2024 | Premodern Korea Lecture Series with Sujung Kim

“Warding Off Woes: Epidemic Talismans in Chosŏn Buddhism“ Thursday, February 22, 2024 10:00 A.M – 11:30 A.M. EST Virtual Event via Zoom Event Program (PDF) About the Event Buddhist temples served as hubs for printing in the Chosŏn era, producing a diverse...
GW Institute for Korean Studies official logo with transparent background

1957 E St. NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20052

Phone 202-994-5886

gwiks@gwu.edu