The Institute of International Affairs (IIA) at Seoul National University’s Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS) is a think tank that conducts academic and policy research on various international issues and regional affairs. It was established in 2004 under the umbrella of the GSIS, and has been playing a leading role in research and academic exchange in the field of international studies and area studies in Korea and abroad.

The IIA has been organizing various seminars, conferences, and workshops, and publishing academic journals such as the Journal of International and Area Studies (JIAS) to provide insights and analysis on international issues and regional affairs. The IIA also aims to contribute to the development of policy alternatives that are tailored to the current realities of the Korean Peninsula, and to promote Korea’s role as a leading middle power in the international community.

With the support of SK Telecom in 2019, the IIA underwent a reorganization, including the strengthening of its research team, financial restructuring, and physical reconstruction of its facilities, to establish a stronger foundation for future growth. The IIA continues to focus on conducting research on various international issues and to serve as a hub for academic exchange and policy development in the field of international studies and area studies.

The current international environment in the Korean Peninsula and South Korea is very confusing and presents new challenges. While the world economy is struggling with inflation and exclusive protectionism is on the rise, the climate crisis following the pandemic is threatening human life. Europe has seen a war for the first time since World War II, and Asia is experiencing a heated 21st-century power struggle between the United States and China. North Korea’s continued nuclear development poses a threat to the military tension in the Korean Peninsula and could lead to a nuclear domino effect in Northeast Asia.

Since liberation and the division of North and South Korea in 1945, Korea has grown into a respectable middle power, ranking among the top ten economies in the world after the Korean War in 1950. Korea has been at the forefront of global culture and the fourth industrial revolution in the 21st century, receiving attention and interest from around the world after successful industrialization, democratization, and informatization in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Establishing the direction of Korea’s future in the international community, as well as deepening understanding of major regions in the world, will be an important guide for Korea’s future as a country that has successfully achieved industrialization, democratization, and informatization.

The International Studies Research Institute aims to systematize academic research on international and regional studies, deepen strategic understanding of international issues, and propose policy alternatives that reflect the reality of the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, we aim to promote Korea’s vision and role as a middle power that matches its status in the 21st century to the international community. We ask for your continued interest and support for the International Studies Research Institute.