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

Mission

Through nonpartisan, expert analysis and cutting-edge 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. 

CSIS appointed Dr. Victor Cha, former White House official and Georgetown University professor and vice dean as the inaugural chair holder in 2009. 

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Victor Cha

Victor Cha

Victor Cha

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Media Queries

Recent Analysis

Photo: Airbus DS 2023

Photo: Airbus DS 2023

Post-Launch Operations at Sohae Satellite Launching Station

Satellite imagery of the Sohae Satellite Launching Station taken five hours after the launch of North Korea's military reconnaissance satellite shows typical post-launch operations at the original launch pad.

Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. , Victor Cha , and Jennifer Jun — May 31, 2023

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Recent Event

Photo: DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images

North Korean Human Rights at a New Juncture

COVID, Regional Players, and South Korea-U.S. Cooperation

This event explored the human rights implications on North Korea's response to the massive coronavirus outbreak in the country as well as China's continuous complicity in North Korea's human rights abuses.

October 6, 2022

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Xi Jinping's China and the Korean Peninsula

The 'Commission on Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula', launched by the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), invites you to an in-depth discussion on the impact of Xi Jinping's third term as president of Chinese Communist Party in the geopolitics of Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula with prominent experts such as Prof. Joseph S. Nye Jr. of Harvard University, and formerly high-ranking officials from the United States and South Korea. 

Event by Joseph S. Nye Jr. , Park In-kook , Victor Cha , Bonny Lin , and Ahn Ho-young , Bonnie Glaser , Lee Chung Min , Dennis Wilder , Yeon Wonho , Sue Mi Terry , Lee Jae-Seung , Andrew Yeo , Kim Byung-yeon , Han Young-Sup , Park Byung Kwang — April 14, 2023

The Impossible State

Should We Sign a Peace Treaty with North Korea?

In this episode, Dr. Victor Cha is joined by Ms. Jenny Town and Mr. Frank Aum to discuss the incentives versus pressure debate, rethink working theories around sanctions and China’s role in negotiations, and explore how North Korea is affected by its changing external security environment.

Podcast Episode by Victor Cha — April 3, 2023

CSIS The Impossible State North Korea

Manpo Unha Factory Part 2: History and Development

Satellite imagery analysis provides an in-depth understanding of the Manpo Unha Factory, an important but previously little-known component of North Korea’s nuclear infrastructure, and its historical development.

Commentary by Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. and Jennifer Jun — March 30, 2023

North Korea’s Ballistic Missile Campaign

North Korea’s ongoing ballistic missile campaign is no longer a protest to the U.S.-ROK military exercise. The latest missile launches are tantamount to war simulation drills to test the reliability and precision of its offensive striking capability.

Commentary by Ellen Kim — March 20, 2023

The Kishida-Yoon Summit Meeting: A New Start for Japan-Korea Relations

South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol will visit Japan for a bilateral summit with Japanese prime minister Kishida Fumio, the first official summit in 12 years to be held in either country.

Critical Questions by Ellen Kim , Nicholas Szechenyi , Victor Cha , and Christopher B. Johnstone — March 15, 2023

Unanswered Questions about North Korean Leadership

The stability and continuity of the North Korean leadership is the biggest “known unknown” when it comes to assessing the future of North Korea. This discusses unanswered questions regarding three leadership variables: political control, health, and leadership succession. 

Report by Victor Cha and Katrin Fraser Katz — March 14, 2023