Korean Studies Institute

USC College's Korean Studies Institute, established in 1995, is quickly becoming one of the nation's premier Korean studies programs. Already, the Institute is among only a small number of elite academic institutions to have developed a major Korean studies program and the Institute's Korean Heritage Library is one of the nation's preeminent research collections in Korean language materials.

In addition, USC College's position as an active player in the ethnically diverse city of Los Angeles strengthens the Institute's potential; L.A. is home the largest Korean population outside of Korea. From historical and geographic perspectives, USC is particularly well-placed to meet the challenges of developing one of the leading Korean studies programs in the country.

Korean Studies at USC College

The Hungsadan, the organization founded by Dosan Ahn Chang-ho for the purpose of fostering a new Korean citizenry upon which to base true independence, held its annual meetings in Southern California, beginning in the early 1930s.

USC first offered Korean language instruction in 1942 and established its first full-time Korean studies faculty position in 1977. During the early 1970s, East Asian studies scholars at USC started shifting their focus to Korea, particularly then director of the College's East Asian studies center, George O. Totten, III. In the 1980s, current director Gordon Berger continued the campaign to develop a solid Korean studies program at USC. As a result, USC College established the Korean Studies Institute in 1995 to serve as the University's principal organization for the promotion of education and research on Korea. The Institute hosts a variety of scholarly conferences, academic workshops and seminars, as well as numerous ambassadorial and other diplomatic visits.

Some major past Institute activities include a workshop entitled "Transnational Korea: Division and Diaspora," a conference on "Gender and Korean Culture: Literature, Television and Oral Narrative" and a major international conference on "APEC: Liberalization or Development Cooperation." Recent speakers have included Chun Koo Jeong (president, Youngsan University), Ross King (professor, University of British Columbia) and Ko Un (celebrated Korean poet and professor emeritus, Kyongki University). The Institute has also hosted Thomas Hubbard, U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, and Han Sung Joo, South Korean Ambassador to the United States. These kinds of exchanges have put USC College at the forefront of U.S.-Korean relations and the Institute aims to continue such dialogue between the two nations.

In conjunction with the Institute, USC's Korean Heritage Library has emerged as one of the six leading Korean collections in North America, with impressive holdings of more than 46,000 books, 1,600 serials, 1,500 video cassettes and DVDs, 2,330 reels of microfilm, 240 maps (including 180 rare maps), 110 CD ROMs, several hundred photographs and significant holdings of archival materials.

There are presently four core full-time Korean studies faculty members in the College and five USC faculty who have significant teaching and research experience in Korean studies. Together, faculty teach approximately 20 courses in Korean studies every academic year. The University has trained more than 2,000 students in Korean language since the program began; expanding knowledge of the language remains a fundamental priority of the Institute.

The Korean Studies Institute's visions for this decade also include the intent to:
- Expand the Korean studies core faculty positions
- Extend Korean studies into professional school curricula
- Enhance student financial support in Korean studies
- Sponsor local, national and international conferences on Korea
- Continue growth to pre-eminence at the Korean Heritage Library
- Extend Korean studies into the community and absorb community knowledge about Korea