The Asia Foundation

The U.S.-ROK Alliance and East Asia
The Center's activities will seek to provide a supporting context for strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance amid potential changes in the regional security environment stemming from China's rise.

• U.S.-ROK Workshop on China
• U.S.-ROK-Japan Dialogue
• Regional Views of China

Global Korea
The Center will examine new opportunities for alliance cooperation on off-peninsula security issues in line with South Korea's enhanced capabilities, expanded scope of interests, and efforts to raise its international profile.

• Maritime Security
• Post-Conflict Stabilization
• Disaster Relief
• International Peacekeeping

Functional Issues
The Center will consider specific functional areas of cooperation in the context of an expanded alliance.

• Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation
• International Development Assistance
• Climate Change and Green Growth

U.S.-ROK Coordination on North Korea
The Center will analyze aspects of DPRK policy as part of its analysis of U.S.-ROK coordination on North Korea.

• North Korea and Marginal States
• Engaging Adversarial States
• Chinese Policy toward the Korean Peninsula

South Koreak Domestic Politics and the U.S.-ROK Alliance
The Center will continue its study of ROK constituencies that shape domestic attitudes toward the alliance.

National Economic and Development Authority support for the Director of National Planning, to spend an academic year at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center researching the political economy of economic reform in selected Asian countries; Funding for an additional two months in The Asia Foundation's Korea office to focus on economic reform efforts in Korea and Korea's overseas development assistance efforts.

Facilitating a series of dialogues among development cooperation experts and practitioners from Korea, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand to discuss and compare development assistance strategies employed by these newer Asian aid donors.

Local Partner:

Korea Development Institute

 Acquisition and distribution of 13,291 books and journals to major universities in North Korea.

Half-day seminar highlighting opportunities for U.S.-ROK private sector collaboration on green growth, featuring the chairman of South Korea's Green Growth Commission, and co-sponsored with the Korea Economic Institute. Sponsoring quarterly reports which reviewed the latest developments in South Korea's pursuit of its green growth strategy, including international collaborative efforts to promote green growth.

Organizing a two-week observation trip to the United States by a 12-person delegation from North Korea, composed of mid-level managers from key North Korean ministries and institutions, to expand mutual learning and dialogue with Americans that could contribute toward the transformation of the DPRK's economic system and its eventual integration with the international community.

Partners:

The Asia Society; University of California, San Diego, Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation

Providing administrative assistance to the Coalition for North Korean Women's Rights on vocational, entrepreneurial and leadership training for North Korean female refugees in South Korea.

Contributing to the debate among Korean aid players on the most appropriate role and strategies for Korea's assistance to international development cooperation, as well as to support Korean experts preparing the agenda for the Fourth High Level Forum in Busan, hosted by the Korean government.

In cooperation with the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation and The Asia Society, support for a delegation from Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Foreign Trade, and Metal Industry to participate in a study tour on the U.S. economy and business practices, to advance engagement with North Korea.

Co-hosting an international conference in Korea to support peaceful relations on the Korean Peninsula and avert a humanitarian crises in the DPRK by way of development cooperation among Korean and international NGOs, governments, and individuals.

Local Partner:

Korea Sharing Movement

Providing space for dialogue and reflection among civil society organizations engaged in aid and development to discuss how to strengthen the role of community service organizations as a development actor, as a follow-up to the Fourth High Level Forum in Busan.

Bilateral development cooperation workshop hosted in Seoul, providing an opportunity for a small group of American and South Korean specialists and government officials to discuss in-depth prospects for bilateral development cooperation.

Providing opportunities for development practitioners from government, NGOs, and advanced students in development studies in order to learn about development challenges and new approaches to respond to countries in fragile and conflict-affected states.

Support for four directors from major museums in Singapore, Japan, Korea, and China to participate in the first forum for Museum Directors of Asian Art from Asia and the U.S., hosted by the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco to foster greater global awareness of Asian art and cultures while exploring models for collaboration and partnerships among the institutions.

Co-sponsorship of a workshop with leading North Korea experts, the revised draft papers are to be published as a book entitled North Korea in Transition.

Providing opportunities for officials from the DPRK Institute of Disarmament and Peace to participate in regional meetings in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to interact with senior security experts and policy officials, and to engage in candid unofficial dialogue on key security issues and concerns.

Local Partner:

Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific

Providing research opportunities for four rice scientists from the DPRK Academy of Agricultural Sciences to participate in a study visit to China to share experiences on new approaches to rice cultivation with the aim of substantially increasing yields.

Local Partner:

China National Rice Research Institute

Facilitating the Sri Lankan delegation's understanding while providing first-hand perspectives on the topics of economic development and local governance by closely examining the case of Korea.

Three-month fellowship for a project manager of a major Korean development NGO to study and work in an Asia Foundation water management project in Laos; Fellowship for an officer from the Mongolian government’s investment planning agency to undertake research in Korea on public-private partnerships in infrastructure investment and management.

Acquisition and distribution of approximately 42,000 English-language books and medical journals to the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang for use by library patrons and distribution to university and medical school libraries.

Workshop on China's Rise and Implications for the U.S.-ROK Alliance, co-hosted with South Korea's Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security and Jeju Peace Institute.

Joint project with the Seoul-based East Asia Institute on the influence of domestic stakeholders on the U.S.-South Korea alliance, focusing on legislative bodies, media, private sectors, and civil societies.

Quarterly assessments of U.S.-South Korea cooperation on climate change and green growth including new opportunities for private sector collaboration.

Research results and reports from twelve participants in The Asia Foundation’s 2009 Partnership in Asian Development study trips and fellowship programs.

Five experts on women's empowerment from Indonesia to study Korea’s experience on improving gender equality and the role of women in the process of Korea’s development.

A group of Korean development experts including government officials from official development assistance (ODA) agencies, NGO staff, and Korean graduate students to visit Cambodia to study governance and development status of the country and the program strategies of The Asia Foundation and other development agencies.

Staff of Korean NGOs and government development agencies to visit Indonesia to participate in a week-long program on women’s empowerment in an Islamic society.

Study trip to Sri Lanka where six participants from Korean NGOs, government development agencies, and universities studied issues related to strengthening economic governance at the local level.

Senior staff of the Cabinet Secretariat of Mongolia to visit Korea to study Korea’s efforts to improve transparency and accountability of ministries and key government agencies.

Traveling student conference in the U.S. and Korea in cooperation with International Student Conferences, based in Washington, DC.

International conference that brought together experts in gender and development from multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as NGOs to discuss mainstreaming gender in aid assistance and to draw practical lessons from the field.

International conference that brought together experts in gender and development from multilateral and bilateral agencies, as well as NGOs to discuss mainstreaming gender in aid assistance and to draw practical lessons from the field.

International conference that brought together senior government officials and development specialists from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Korea to identify and discuss some of their key development and security challenges.

Public conference on the topic of "Recasting the Korean Model of Development: Issues, Debates, and Lessons," held in collaboration with the Korean Economic Association and Korean Political Science Association.

Five legal experts from China to visit Korea to examine the country's experience with enacting and implementing the Act on Information Disclosure by Public Agencies.

Facilitative assistance for a staff member to participate in the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship program for 2009-2010.

Four rice scientists from the DPRK Academy of Agricultural Science to participate in a study tour of rice-growing areas in China’s Heilongjiang Province.

Senior representatives from the DPRK Academy of Agricultural Science to visit the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines to discuss cooperation for improvement of food security conditions in North Korea.

Participation by officials from the DPRK Institute of Disarmament and Peace in regional meetings organized by the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP), including the CSCAP General Conference and two regional meetings on preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Workshop in Hangzhou, China on the System of Rice Intensification for agricultural scientists from North Korea, China, and the United States, organized in cooperation with the China National Rice Research Institute.

Public symposium co-hosted with The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Foundation on the implications of wartime operational control transfer for the U.S.-South Korea alliance.

Public forum on the topic of "Post-Cheonan Regional Security," co-hosted with the Asan Institute for Policy Studies in Seoul.

Five-day trip to Seoul to study the Republic of Korea’s experience and practice in enacting and implementing the Act on Disclosure of Information by Public Agencies and to meet with legal experts, government officials, non-governmental organizations and the media to talk about disclosure of government information in South Korea. Five-person delegation from China included legal professionals from a law firm, law schools, and the Supreme People’s Court.

Three-part symposium series co-hosted with The Brookings Institution in Washington and The Asia Foundation Korea Office in Seoul

U.S. Policy toward the Korean Peninsula report by the Council on Foreign Relations Independent Task Force, directed by the Foundation's Center for U.S.-Korea Policy director, Scott Snyder; Closed-door workshops with U.S. and South Korean counterparts on North Korea contingency planning.

Talk by Choi Jae-hyun, Korea's 2008-2009 Nieman fellow at Harvard University on the challenges faced by the Korean media industry with comparison to media in the U.S.

Public policy forum with participation of Korean and American experts to identify and discuss areas for future U.S.-ROK cooperation beyond military alliance.

Presentation by the executive director of the Mansfield Foundation at the annual general meeting and reception hosted by the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea.

Public policy forum to examine the role of media in the U.S-Korea relationship and its impact on public perceptions in the two countries toward bilateral relations and policy development toward North Korea.

Closed-door workshops on U.S.-South Korea cooperation on nuclear energy and nonproliferation, held in collaboration with The Stimson Center and Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute; Special report on New U.S.-ROK Peaceful Nuclear Cooperation Agreement: A Precedent for A New Global Nuclear Architecture.

Seminar assessing new possibilities of trilateral cooperation between the United States and alliance partners South Korea and Japan.

Release of findings and recommendations of companion reports compiled in "America's Role in Asia: Asian and American Views," with public events in Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Two-month fellowships for a staff person from the Korean International Cooperation Agency and an advanced graduate student to work on The Asia Foundation's projects in developing Asian countries (Bangladesh and the Philippines).

Acquisition and distribution of a 12,223 English-language books and medical journals to the Grand People's Study House in Pyongyang for use by library patrons and distribution to university libraries.

Establishment of The Asia Foundation's Center for U.S.-Korea Policy, which supports and conducts research and dialogue to promote an agenda of issues for increased cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the United States.

Experts from the legal research and judicial systems of China to examine Korea's implementation of government information disclosure as well as the workings of Korea's government administrative review system.

Facilitation and placement of a professional staff person from the National Assembly Secretariat of the Republic of Korea in the American Political Science Association's 2009-2010 Congressional Fellowship Program.

Workshop on developing country assistance strategies for staff of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), relevant government aid agencies, and non-governmental organizations, facilitated by The Asia Foundation.

Workshop on developing country assistance strategies for staff of the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), relevant government aid agencies, and non-governmental organizations, facilitated by The Asia Foundation.

Purchasing materials for the IFA to conduct research and an English training course for government officials; Participation at the 6th Annual Meeting of Deans and Directors of Diplomatic Training Institutions of ASEAN+3 in Seoul, South Korea.

Policy forum with a presentation by Dr. Jon Summers to faculty and students of Ewha Womans University, Graduate School of International Studies.

International conference bringing together experts in environment and development to discuss effectively addressing environmental problems while pursuing economic development, and to share best practices around Asia.

Sixteen participants from The Asia Foundation Partnership in Asian Development study trips and fellowship programs, reporting on their experience and research results.

Staff of Korean NGOs and government development agencies visited Bangladesh to study development cooperation and challenges in Islamic society, and the program strategies of The Asia Foundation and other development agencies.

Two-day seminar and consultations in Tokyo for senior Korean government officials on Korea-Japan cooperation in finance, trade and environmental policies.

Public forum co-hosted with The Asia Foundation Korea Office and Friends of The Asia Foundation Korea, featuring panel presentations on international peacekeeping, maritime security, and overseas development assistance.

Participation by officials from the DPRK Institute of Disarmament and Peace in two regional meetings of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific, one on East Asian security, and a second on preventing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Study tour for a delegation from the Vietnam Lawyers' Association, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, and other civil society organizations to Korea; Meetings and consultations with counter-part offices to learn Korean experiences in enacting and implementing the Act on Information Disclosure.

Public seminar and panel presentations co-hosted with The Brookings Institution on U.S.-ROK alliance cooperation on pandemics, counter-terrorism, and space.

Public policy forum and discussions on visions for the U.S.-ROK alliance, U.S. alliance partnerships from comparative perspective, and South Korean public views of the alliance co-hosted with The Asia Foundation Korea office and Friends of The Asia Foundation Korea.

Facilitation for the Government of India's participation in a study program on "Good Governance and the Role of Civil Society" held in South Korea.

Six government and NGO representatives from four Asian countries to study Korea's policies and experience in the area of environment and development.

Eight government and NGO representatives from as many Asian countries to study Korea's experience in improving public governance and lessons from Korean experience with government-NGO partnership.

The Foundation's Center for U.S.-Korea Policy director, testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, on "Smart Power: Remaking U.S. Foreign Policy in North Korea." He also testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment, and Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, on "Korea's Nuclear and Missile Tests and Six Party Talks"; Report on "North Korea Contingency Planning and U.S.-ROK Cooperation" examining U.S.-ROK cooperation on potential instability in North Korea.

Public policy forum with participation of Korean and American experts to discuss the recommendations resulting from "America's Role in Asia."

Presentation by North Korean expert, Dr. Marcus Noland, Senior Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics at a dinner reception hosted by the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea.

A joint conference with Saejowi to examine the possibility of Korean unification and the challenging issues of social integration of the two Koreas.

Annual membership meeting of the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea, featuring a keynote talk by Thomas C. Hubbard, former U.S. Ambassador to Korea.

Public policy forum, organized with the Center for U.S.-Korea Policy, to explore prospects for expanding the alliance into new areas.

International conference that brought together experts from the U.S., China, and South Korea to discuss the state of the North Korean economy and how it may affect the future of the Korean Peninsula and beyond.

Workshop on prospects for expanding the U.S.-ROK alliance featuring paper presentations on pandemics, nonproliferation, space, peacekeeping, maritime governance, climate change, counter-terrorism, human rights, post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization. Initial reports included, "Strengthening the U.S.-ROK Alliance" and "Benchmarking America's Military Alliances."

A delegation of Vietnamese legal specialists to study Korea's experience in enacting and implementing its Act on Information Disclosure by public agencies and the role of civil society organizations.

Five Korean development practitioners from government and NGO agencies were awarded fellowships to work in projects in developing Asian countries (Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) for up to three months.

International experts, Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) officials, and The Asia Foundation's specialists from South and Southeast Asia discussed the challenges and risks of providing development assistance in conflict affected areas of Asia.

Editorial assistance to the Japanese guest speaker of America’s Role in Asia workshop in Seoul, Korea.

Fifteen experts from China, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, and Korea discussed security, economic, and social issues affecting U.S.-Northeast Asia relations as input to the year-long America’s Role in Asia project.

Five Korean development practitioners from government and NGO agencies were awarded fellowships to work in projects in developing Asian countries (Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam) for up to three months.

Report on the “Trafficked Koreans to Japan: who the victims are and how we can protect them?” published by the Bom-Bit Foundation in Korea.

Acquisition and distribution of 12,200 English-language books and journals to the Grand People’s Study House in Pyongyang, bringing the total number of volumes contributed to North Korean institutions over the past decade to approximately 130,000.

Development specialists for The Asia Foundation organized a workshop for staff of the Korean International Cooperation Agency describing models for funding partnerships between major development donor agencies and international NGOs.

Development specialists for The Asia Foundation organized a workshop for staff of the Korean International Cooperation Agency describing models for funding partnerships between major development donor agencies and international NGOs.

Secretary General of ASEAN and a trustee of The Asia Foundation, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, made a presentation in which he challenged Korea to expand its cooperation with ASEAN. The event was held in his honor and hosted by the Friends of The Asia Foundation.

Organization of a video-linked Korea-Japan conference on “Trafficked Koreans to Japan: who the victims are and how we can protect them?” Participants in Japan and Korea joined the conference through the World Bank’s distance learning system, connecting a Tokyo conference room with KDI School in Seoul.

Vice Director/Reporter support for nine-month program as Nieman Journalism Fellow at Harvard University, focusing on the evolving role of the U.S. in Northeast Asia.

Staff of Korean NGOs and government development agencies visited Mongolia to study development and environmental challenges and the program strategies of The Asia Foundation and other development agencies.

Staff of Korean NGOs and government development agencies visited Mongolia to study development and environmental challenges and the program strategies of The Asia Foundation and other development agencies.

A team of representatives from Korean NGOs and government agencies visited the Philippines with a focus on "Peace-building and Development in Conflict-affected Regions."

A team of representatives from Korean NGOs and government agencies visited the Philippines with a focus on peace building and development in conflict-affected regions.

Participants from the North Korean Institute for Disarmament and Peace participated in two regional CSCAP meetings, one focusing on non-proliferation and a second on preventive diplomacy.

Representatives of women’s organizations from five of the six countries participating in the Six-Party Talks met to discuss issues and create an action plan on women’s cooperation for peace building on the Korean peninsula and the Northeast Asia region.

Study tour for four offices: the Office of the Government, the Office of the President, the Office of the National Assembly, and the Office of the Party Central Committee, on institutional reform strategy, policy analysis and coordination, and Recruitment and training in similar offices/institutions in Korea and Singapore.

Executive Vice President of The Asia Foundation gave a presentation to an audience of executives and CSR directors of domestic and foreign companies based in Korea on the topic, "Google, Omidyar, and Social Investment: A Hybrid Approach to Corporate Engagement."

Executive Vice President of The Asia Foundation gave a presentation to an audience of executives and CSR directors of domestic and foreign companies based in Korea on the topic, “Google, Omidyar, and Social Investment: A Hybrid Approach to Corporate Engagement.”

A delegation of Vietnamese officials, led by the Office of the National Assembly, visited Korea to study Korea's experience with public administration capacity building and economic and political transition.

A delegation of Vietnamese officials, led by the Office of the National Assembly, visited Korea to study Korea’s experience with public administration capacity building and economic and political transition.

The annual membership meeting of the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea featuring a keynote talk by Mitchell B. Reiss, former U.S. Ambassador and now Vice Provost of International Affairs at the College of William & Mary.

The president of The Asia Foundation gave a presentation to a group of business, government, and civil society leaders at a lunch meeting hosted by the Friends of The Asia Foundation.

International experts, Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) officials, and The Asia Foundation’s specialists from South and Southeast Asia discussed the challenges and risks of providing development assistance in conflict affected areas of Asia.

A conference which was the culmination of a nine-month research project to comprehensively examine the expanding range of interests and relationships, both public and private, between Korea and the countries of Southeast Asia and ASEAN.

A teleconference with representatives of Korean and Japanese counter-trafficking organizations to discuss the findings of a research report produced by The Asia Foundation’s Japan Office.

Douglas Bereuter, President of The Asia Foundation, delivered speeches to two audiences: the members of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and an invited audience of senior Korean business leaders.

The second roundtable meeting of Korean and U.S. journalists to promote better understanding of the challenges facing news media in the two countries.

A forum for 60 Korean business leaders featuring Mr. Tarun Das, Chief Mentor, Confederation of Indian Industry; and a dinner with CEOs of five of Korea’s leading corporations.

A public forum and reception hosted by the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea featuring a keynote speech by James Kelly, Trustee of the Foundation and former U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State.

A public forum held at Ewha Womans University with presentations by three experts who
examined and discussed the ongoing negotiations with North Korea.

Support for two meetings in this ongoing research and dialogue project: the first at Yonsei
University in Seoul and the second at the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies in
Singapore.

The annual membership meeting of the Friends of The Asia Foundation in Korea featuring a
keynote speech by Dr. David M. Lampton, Trustee of the Foundation.

A regional conference on “Keeping the Promise of Millennium Development Goals through
Education for International Understanding”.

Support for participation by a Nepali political scientist in the annual regional meeting of
the consortium held in Seoul.

In cooperation with the Korean Council for Overseas Cooperation, the Korea Office sponsored two staff of Korean development assistance NGOs as fellows in Foundation offices in Asia,
one in Cambodia and the other in Bangladesh.

Distribution of nearly 9,000 books in cooperation with the Grand People's Study House, Pyongyang.

A formal briefing for the Corporate Social Responsibility team of a global Korean
corporation by a senior Foundation team including the Director of Environmental Programs.

Korean experts from various fields discussed the economic, security and social/cultural
aspects of community building in East Asia as well as the appropriate role of the United
States.

An Asia regional meeting on “Prevention and Protection of Human Trafficking in International Marriage,” bringing together NGO representatives from both sending and receiving countries.

“Expert Group Meeting on Gender and Development” with participation from developing Asian countries and keynote speech by Carol Yost, Director of The Asia Foundation’s  Women’s
Empowerment Program.

Support for participation by experts from Vietnam and Malaysia in a regional conference on
“Opening Historical Reconciliation in East Asia through Historical Dialogue.”