Korea Chair

The Korea Chair is the premier independent platform in Washington, D.C. for the advancement of major policy issues of common importance to the people of the Republic of Korea and the United States

Through nonpartisan, expert analysis and cutting-edge, data-driven research on ongoing policy opportunities and security challenges facing the region, the Korea Chair promotes a greater understanding of relations between the United States, Korea, and Asia.

The Korea Chair examines issues ranging from politics, economy, and foreign policy to economic security, geopolitics, and non-proliferation. The program runs Beyond Parallel, a microsite dedicated to Korean unification, and employs satellite imagery analysis to monitor and track developments on and around the peninsula. Beyond Parallel also houses years of accumulated databases on nuclear diplomacy, unification, and the US-Korea alliance.

New projects that look beyond the peninsula include the role of the G7 in global governance and the weaponization of economic interdependence. The program actively promotes policy discussion in Washington and Seoul through the Impossible State podcast and the Capital Cable series live on YouTube.

Dr. Victor Cha, a former White House official and Georgetown University distinguished professor, is leading the Korea program as the inaugural chairholder since 2009.

Subscribe to the Impossible State podcast, and follow us on X, Bluesky, Instagram and YouTube to receive the Korea Chair’s latest analysis and event invitations.

Subscribe to our Mailing List:

Meet Our Experts

Meet our network of experts, staff, and non-resident affiliates who contribute to the Korea Chair's analysis.

Contact Information

Media Queries

Recent Analysis

Photo: Chris Jung/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Photo: Chris Jung/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The Impact of the Iran Conflict on South Korea: By the Numbers

One month into the Iran conflict, no noncombatant country has been hit harder than South Korea. The Lee government faces not just economic but political pressures as a result of the war.

Commentary by Victor Cha and Andy Lim — April 2, 2026

See all analysis by the Korea Chair

Upcoming Event

Webcast

The Impossible State Live Podcast: Does Korea's Soft Power Work?

Presented by Korea Chair
April 6, 2026 • 11:00 – 11:40 am EDT

Recent Events

See all events by the Korea Chair

Featured Podcasts

Photo: CSIS

The Impossible State

North Korea is the Impossible State. Each episode, join the people who know the most about North Korea for an insiders’ discussion with host Victor Cha about one of the United States’ top national security priorities.

Listen here
Photo: iLab/CSIS

The Capital Cable

The Capital Cable provides cutting edge expert analysis of events on the Korean peninsula and how it impacts the U.S. and Asia.

Listen here

Featured Video

The Strategic Value of Korea to China

CSIS Korea Chair is producing a three-part series on examining the Strategic Value of China to Korea, why traditional equities no longer applies, and Korea’s capabilities to fight back against China’s economic coercion.

Watch the video

Featured Microsite

Beyond Parallel

Beyond Parallel

Beyond Parallel is a nonpartisan and authoritative analytic vehicle for delivering greater clarity and understanding to policymakers, strategists, and opinion leaders about Korean unification.

Learn more about Beyond Parallel

Featured Report

Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

The United States–Republic of Korea Alliance

The Asan Institute for Policy Studies and CSIS engaged in a joint project from late 2025 to early 2026, including a full-day workshop to assess extended nuclear deterrence cooperation within the U.S.-ROK alliance.

View the analysis

Featured Program

U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars

U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Program

The U.S.-Korea NextGen Scholars Program is a unique two-year program (non-resident) that provides opportunities for mid-career Korea specialists to discuss issues of importance to U.S.-Korea relations.

Find out more

Featured Event

Photo: CSIS

ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum

Each year, this premier international forum brings together senior U.S. and ROK officials, experts, policymakers and journalists to discuss issues important to the U.S.-ROK alliance, inter-Korean relations, and U.S. policy toward North Korea.

View the event

Featured Topics

All Korea Chair Content

Filter by

1 - 10 of 1436 results

The Impossible State Live Podcast: Does Korea's Soft Power Work?

Does Korea's soft power work? What is it about Korean cultural exports that resonate across so many different cultures and societies? Dr. Victor Cha hosts a discussion with leading experts on these issues on the Impossible State Live Podcast.

Event — April 6, 2026

The Impossible State

Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha moderated a discussion with Dr. Tom Wright and Dr. Kristi Govella on examining Washington’s failed pivot to Asia, expectations for Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi’s visit to Washington, and its potential impact on the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific region, and broader regional dynamics.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — March 20, 2026

The Impossible State Podcast

The Impossible State Live Podcast: Is the Pivot to Asia Dead?

Is the Pivot to Asia Dead? What should we expect from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Washington? Dr. Victor Cha hosts a discussion with leading experts on these issues on the Impossible State Live Podcast.

Event — March 18, 2026

Not a Time for Arms Control With North Korea

The U.S. proposal of arms control, were it to happen, will undo the current structure of deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear threats. It will convince North Korea that its nuclear ambitions have been vindicated as the right course of action and lead it to demand a heavy price.

Newsletter by Ho-Young Ahn — March 18, 2026

A Closer Look at the Yelabuga UAV Factory

Satellite imagery shows rapid expansion of Russian UAV and UCAV production infrastructure at the Yelabuga Special Economic Zone, with reports suggesting potential North Korean labor involvement.

Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha, and Jennifer Jun — March 9, 2026