Sejong Institute


Sejong Institute is a non-profit, private organization for public interest and a leading think tank in South Korea, conducting research on national security strategy, unification strategy, regional issues, and international political economy. The Sejong Institute was established as a corporate foundation with the support of national leaders in politics and business, in the aftermath of the Rangoon Incident in January 1986. The institute's president, Chang Soo Jin, Ph.D in Political Science at the University of Tokyo, is a Korean expert in Japanese political economy. The Sejong Institute works in collaboration with international specialists and institutions holding various academic conferences and forums around the world. Paik Hak-soon is the director of the Center of North Korean Studies and Inter-Korean Relation Studies at the institute.

Research

For efficient and specialized research activities, the Sejong Institute operates three research departments – Department of Diplomatic Strategy Studies, Department of Security Strategy Studies, and Department of Unification Strategy Studies.

Training

The Sejong Institute carries out an annual training program called the Sejong National Strategy Training Program. It lasts around 10 months and receives leaders from government agencies, government invested organizations and private sector. The trainees attend lectures from invited lecturers as well as research fellows of the Sejong Institute. Also, it carries out partnership program for diplomats jointly with Korea International Cooperation Agency participated by diplomats of South Korea’s cooperative partner countries. Also, the institute has recently begun to offer the program Academy for Young Leaders for undergraduate and postgraduate student to cultivate young leaders of the next generation in the areas of diplomacy, security, and national unification.

Publications

The books and journals they publish include joint and individual Mid-to-Long-Term Policy Research, Comprehensive Research, Granted Research Projects, quarterly National Strategy, monthly Current Issues and Policies, and a web-based email service in the form of Sejong Commentary. The Sejong as an institution produces an Annual Report as well, which details an updated introduction of the institute and summarizes the annual research outcomes.

Support programs for bereaved families

The Sejong Foundation is providing financial support and scholarship to the bereaved families of the 1983 Rangoon victims — 17 senior diplomatic officials and other members of the presidential entourage – killed by North Korean terrorists.

Chronology