The Korea Society

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Global Venture Without Borders: A Conversation with Eric Kim Apr 14, 2026

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Recorded April 2, 2026 - As part of our commitment to building the next generation of founders, The Korea Society is bringing Startup Scene to Yale Ventures – connecting one of the world's most dynamic consumer technology investors with Yale's entrepreneurial community. We are honored to welcome Eric Kim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Goodwater Capital and Yale University alumnus, for a fireside conversation on building global consumer technology companies across borders. Eric Kim will reflect on his journey to founding Goodwater Capital, a leading global venture firm with a portfolio of transformative consumer technology companies including Kakao, Coupang, Spotify, ByteDance, and Stitch Fix. Please join us as Eric shares insights on the rise of the global startup ecosystem, cross-border investment strategy, and how investors identify and scale the next generation of consumer platforms. This conversation will be moderated by Josh Geballe, Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and Managing Director of Yale Ventures.

This program is supported by Hanwha Life

Co-Hosted with Yale Ventures

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/corporate/2135-eric-kim

Spotlight: Resources on Korea and US-Korea Relations Apr 08, 2026

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April 8, 2026 - Join us for a virtual tour of archival resources about Korea and U.S.-Korea relations available for virtual and U.S.-based researchers. This discussion highlights a diverse array of both longstanding and emerging collections, providing a wide survey of available historical resources. How can educators, researchers, historians, writers, and students best take advantage of this treasure trove of materials? What stories await and what impact can they have? What are some tips and tricks from librarians, center directors, and archivists? Participating resource centers include: the new Van Fleet Digital Archive, The University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for East Asian Studies U.S.-Korean Relations Collection, The Library of Congress Korean Collection, and The Harry S. Truman Library and Museum. This program is jointly produced by the Policy and the Education teams. Featuring: Dr. David Fields, Associate Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Joe McChristian, Jr. President of The Van Fleet Foundation, Dr. Sam Rushay, Supervisory Archivist at the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, and Dr. Elli Kim, Korea Reference Librarian Asian Division at The Library of Congress. This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members.

For the video version of this program, please visit the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeMJ8XWKvYg

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2129-resources-us-korea

Rabbi Angela Buchdahl with Kyung Yoon Apr 01, 2026

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March 31, 2026 - The Korea Society and Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation is proud to present Rabbi Angela Buchdahl in a conversation with Kyung Yoon.

With the ever-growing need to understand ourselves and humanity as a whole, it is necessary to examine the concepts of morality, ethics and universal values as guiding principles of the human condition. With generous support from Y.T. Hwang Family Foundation, The Korea Society presents a Series on Ethics and Common Values. This series promotes the understanding of central themes of our human existence through a series of lectures by distinguished speakers and conversation with extraordinary individuals who exemplify the universal values in line with the mission of Y. T. Hwang Family Foundation and The Korea Society.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/2119-rabbi-angela-buchdahl-with-kyung-yoon

K-pop Fandom: Performing Deokhu from the 1990s to Today with Areum Jeong Feb 13, 2026

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February 12, 2026 - K-pop fandom's practices and activities are a primary productive force, instrumental in shaping the genre's immense global appeal, as well as its cultural influence, politics, and future potential. Over the last thirty years, the K-pop fandom has grown, intensified, and diversified, while its activities have taken on new social, technological, and economic manifestations, some of which are exclusive to K-pop and others that align with the broader cultural and industrial dynamics of global mass entertainment. In this lecture, Areum Jeong will explore the phenomenon of performing deokhu—a Korean term connoting an "avid fan"—and the cultural significance and meaning of K-pop fan practices with a nuanced examination of contemporary audience power.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/2105-k-pop-fandom-performing-deokhu-with-areum-jeong

Prospects for Relations with North Korea Feb 04, 2026

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February 3, 2026 - Join us for a program examining prospects for relations with North Korea, including US-Republic of Korea (ROK) alliance coordination, inter-Korean relations, the impact of North Korea's close relations with China and Russia, security concerns, and diplomatic opportunities. It is expected that North Korea's Workers' Party of Korea will hold its Ninth Party Congress in January or February. This important gathering occurs approximately once every five years and is likely to result in the announcement of important policy positions that could possibly create space for the US and South Korea to pursue diplomatic engagement. How should the ROK and the US proceed and what are the prospects for decreasing threats from North Korea's extensive nuclear program? To unpack these developments, we assemble an expert panel with decades of experience working on and dealing directly with North Korea, including: Keith Luse, Executive Director of the National Committee on North Korea, Ankit Panda, Stanton Senior Fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of The New Nuclear Age: At the Precipice of Armageddon, Rachel Minyoung Lee, Senior Fellow for the Stimson Center's Korea Program and 38 North, and Susan A. Thornton, Director of the Forum on Asia-Pacific Security at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP). The discussion is moderated by policy director Jonathan Corrado. This program is produced in collaboration with the NCAFP and is co-hosted by The APEC Study Center at Columbia University.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2110-prospects-for-relations-with-north-korea

From Learning to Creating in Korea with Tyler and Nidhi Jan 29, 2026

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January 28, 2026 - Learning the Korean language opens the doors into a completely new depth of understanding Korean culture, and perhaps a career you never imagined having. Join acclaimed media figures Tyler Rasch and Nidhi Agrawal—familiar faces from major Korean broadcast networks including JTBC, KBS, and MBC—for a reflection on their personal journeys living in Korea and learning Korean, and how those experiences led to their new venture. In this engaging conversation, Tyler and Nidhi will delve into how language can function as both a cultural bridge and a creative medium, and how Hangeul can travel beyond Korea through design, storytelling, and shared cultural moments in everyday settings.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/arts-culture/2111-from-learning-to-creating

South Korea's Nuclear Submarine Strategy Jan 28, 2026

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January 28, 2026 - Join us for a virtual program examining the geopolitical impact of South Korea's development of nuclear submarines.

When Republic of Korea (ROK) President Lee Jae Myung hosted US President Donald Trump for a State Visit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October of last year, the allies committed to developing the maritime and nuclear relationship. A Fact Sheet published after the summit meeting describes that: "The United States has given approval for the ROK to build nuclear-powered attack submarines… [and] will work closely with the ROK to advance requirements for this shipbuilding project, including avenues to source fuel."

Rather than focusing on the engineering processes and logistical challenges of shipbuilding cooperation, which you can learn about here, this discussion explores the strategic and geopolitical consequences of South Korea's emergent nuclear submarine program. Against a backdrop of North Korea's quickly evolving nuclear arsenal as well as revived interest in diplomatic engagement, this program investigates how nuclear submarines impact South Korea's defensive capabilities and strategic posture, its contribution to and coordination with the US-ROK alliance, its regional role, and the balance of power and relations with North Korea.

The discussion features Dr. Sang Hyun Lee, Fellow Emeritus of the Sejong Institute, and Dr. James R. Holmes, J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College, and Minkyung Jung, Staff Reporter for The Korea Herald, in conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado.

This program is made possible by the generous support of the Korea Foundation and our individual and corporate members.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/2104-south-koreas-nuclear-submarine-strategy

Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow: 2026 Emerging Design Competition Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

January 23, 2026 - The Korea Society is calling for entries for "Startup Scene: 2026 Emerging Design Competition." The competition is a part of Startup Scene: Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow (hereinafter Startup Scene), a program initiative dedicated to empower the startup entrepreneurial community that encompasses the US and South Korean economic landscape. This is proudly supported by Hanwha Life exclusively. The "Startup Scene: Emerging Design Competition" is designed to encourage innovative thinking, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit among Korean-American and Korean students enrolled in colleges, universities, and graduate schools across the United States. This year, the participants are challenged to pitch an innovative startup concept that leverages emerging technologies to address pressing challenges and issues. Application Period: Monday, December 15, 2025 to Monday, March 30, 2026 (11:59 PM EST)

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/emergingdesign

New Year, New You! Powered by K-Health Jan 23, 2026

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January 22, 2026 - As we step into the new year, wellness and innovation take center stage. Korea's rapidly advancing medical and biotechnology industries are reshaping how people pursue healthier, longer, and more connected lives—spanning AI-enabled diagnostics, precision medicine, global clinical collaboration, and wellness tourism. Join us for a timely discussion with William Ban (Himedi), Taesoo Sean Kim (IceMiller), and Ken Nesmith (Lunit) spotlighting Korea's health-tech startups, scale-ups, and leading institutions at the forefront of medical innovation. The conversation will explore where Korean startups are creating value across the healthcare continuum, how they are partnering with U.S. healthcare systems, investors, and regulators, and what these cross-border collaborations mean for the future of patient care, precision medicine, and wellness-driven industries.

For more information, please visit the link below: https://www.koreasociety.org/corporate/2106-new-year-new-you-powered-by-k-health

Sweden's Role in Korean Peninsula Diplomacy with Ambassador Peter Semneby Dec 18, 2025

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December 18, 2025 - Join us for a discussion with Ambassador Peter Semneby, the Swedish Government's Special Envoy for the Korean Peninsula. In conversation with policy director Jonathan Corrado, Ambassador Semneby will provide a brief overview history of Sweden's role in Korea, examine Sweden's convening capacity as exhibited in 2018-2019, investigate whether Sweden's interests and perspective have been affected by North Korea's involvement in the Russo-Ukraine War and Sweden's ascension to NATO, and explore ideas for how to break the current impasse.

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/2094-swedens-role-in-korean-peninsula-diplomacy-with-ambassador-peter-semneby

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