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.

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Meet Our Experts

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

Contact

  • Minchi Hyun
  • Special Assistant to the President, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department and Program Manager, Korea Chair
  • mhyun@csis.org

Media Queries

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Recent Event

ROK-U.S. Strategic Forum 2024

Presented by Korea Chair
November 18, 2024 • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm EST

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Yoon Declares Martial Law in South Korea

On December 3, 2024, South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol declared emergency martial law in an unannounced televised address, citing threats from "North Korean communist forces" and the need to "rebuild and protect" South Korea from "falling into ruin."

Critical Questions by Andy Lim, Seiyeon Ji, and Victor Cha — December 3, 2024

How Trump Sees Allies and Partners

With the return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025, governments around the world must adjust their sights away from a traditional globalist orientation by the United States and focus on the vagaries of return to “America First” foreign policies in Washington.

Commentary by Victor Cha — November 18, 2024

Undeclared North Korea: The Yongnim Missile Operating Base

Located 242 kilometers north of the demilitarized zone and only 65 kilometers from the Chinese border, the Yongnim Missile Operating Base is an undeclared ballistic missile operating ICBM base in Chagang Province.

Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr., Victor Cha, and Jennifer Jun — November 14, 2024

President Xi’s High Wire Act on the Russia-North Korea Entente

It is often said that President Xi Jinping has been performing a “balancing act” ever since Putin invaded Ukraine but North Korea’s decision to send troops to Russia has now turned this into a more precarious high wire performance. 

Newsletter by Dennis Wilder — November 1, 2024

Crossing the Rubicon: DPRK Sends Troops to Russia

The U.S. government's confirmation that North Korea is sending troops to Russia shows the DPRK has effectively crossed the Rubicon and that Kim Jong-un is "all in" in helping Putin win his unjust war in Ukraine.

Critical Questions by Victor Cha — October 23, 2024

DPRK Aggression: Near-Term Concerns, Longer-Term Challenges

October is here, the U.S. presidential election is just around the corner, and tensions on the Korean Peninsula appear moving in the direction of the “October surprise.” What are some near-term concerns and longer-term challenges with North Korean aggression?

Commentary by Sydney Seiler — October 21, 2024

The 20th Anniversary of the North Korean Human Rights Act

The North Korean Human Rights Act passed twenty years ago in 2004 provided us with useful tools to address the deplorable human rights situation in North Korea by focusing our efforts to help both those who flee the regime and those who are trapped inside the country.

Commentary by Robert R. King — October 18, 2024