Centre of Korean Studies at SOAS: University of London

Our Centre Chair says:

I am honoured and excited to resume my role as Chair of the Centre of Korean Studies, a position that I held for four years between 2013 and 2017. The Centre plays a vital role in furthering interest in and knowledge of Korea, and with its large concentration of Korean Studies academics and students, extensive range of programmes and courses on Korea, its active outreach programme, among other achievements, it continues to be the largest and most active centre of Korean Studies in the UK.

CKS prides itself on its active program on Korea-related events that span a wide range of topics, from pre-modern to contemporary times. Please join our mailing list to receive weekly e-bulletins for event notifications and further information.

The Centre is also proud to host visiting scholars, most of them from South Korea, and their presence at SOAS greatly enriches our research environment. Those interested in becoming a Visiting Scholar should contact the Chair.

The Centre also plays an important role in supporting post-graduate students working on Korea-related topics, and it regularly offers student grants. For further information, see the CKS Awards and Grants.

Stay connected with the CKS

We produce, on a fortnightly basis during term time, a News and Updates eBulletin which provides information about the activities of the SOAS Centre of Korean Studies.

The eBulletin highlights the latest events, funding and knowledge being shared and other topical opportunities that we think will be of interest to you.

eBulletin sign up

King Sejong Institute London 런던 세종학당

Facts and figures

17: members of staff, from all the disciplines represented at the School, make up the largest concentration of Korean specialists in Europe.

Teaching

One of two only universities in the UK to offer a BA degree in Korean
Two bursaries for students undertaking a postgraduate Korean Studies programme - currently valued at the UK/EU tuition fees rate up to a maximum of £5,000.
SOAS is ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times & Sunday Times University League Table 2015, 5th in the Complete University Guide 2015 (East & South East Asia)

Research

One of the main activities of the CKS is the ongoing public seminar series. Speakers include researchers, writers, artists and other experts from around the world from diverse fields related to Korea. The seminars are held regularly throughout the academic year.

The SOAS-AKS Working Papers in Korean Studies (II) are an outlet for research-in-progress by European, Korean and Global scholarship. Open to a wide range of contributions in the field of Korean Studies, it is particularly aimed at the dissemination of research that has been conducted or presented under the auspices of the AKS Overseas Leading University programmes in Korean Studies.

View the recent publications by CKS staff members.

The annual review, Korea at SOAS, is produced by the Centre and is published once a year (September). The review reports the activities of the Centre and its member and lists past and forthcoming events in SOAS.

Events

View more events

Thu28Feb

Spectacle or substance? After two summits what has changed in US-DPRK relations?

Since the first meeting between the North Korean and South Korean leaders and a surprise summit
between the US and North Korea in June 2018 in Singapore, the image of North Korea has
changed.

Fri01Mar

Shamans and Confucian Public Officials: Religion and Social Recognition in Korea

The influence of social changes in the social recognition of Shamanic practices and practitioners in Korea

Fri08Mar

Ominous Clouds over Korea: The Failure of the US-Soviet Joint Commission, 1946—1947

This discussion will consider the failure of the Joint Commission meetings held between the United Stats and the Soviet Union to erase Korean peninsular division, as both a historical and contemporary issue.