Mission
The vision of the USC Dornsife Korean Studies Institute (KSI) is to become the most influential academic institution educating the world about US-Korea and US-Asia relations.
Established in 2005 with the goal of explaining Korea to the world through research and teaching, KSI has rapidly grown into a leading center for Korean Studies in the world. With over 50 graduate and undergraduate affiliates, four Korean Studies faculty, and dozens of Korea-related courses, KSI is an active center for scholarship and learning at USC and beyond.
Support for Research and Teaching
We support faculty and scholars through a number of academic initiatives such as the manuscript review, book proposal and working paper workshops, and mentor students from diverse majors and fields who study Korea and the US through our signature programs: the KSI Undergraduate Fellows Program, Graduate Student Affiliates, and the US-Asia Grand Strategy Predoctoral Fellows Program.
Impact on US-ROK Policy
KSI also affects US-ROK policy through mentoring programs, such as the US-Korea NextGen Scholars Program, which brings young scholars in contact with policymakers. The director and faculty frequently contribute to the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, NPR and other major media outlets with commentary on North Korea, the US-Korea Free Trade Agreement, and other pertinent issues related to US-Asia relations. The KSI Video Series is the most widely viewed scholarly series about Korea in the world.
An Academic Community
Located in the historic Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Family House, the USC Korean Studies Institute nurtures and builds a community of students, scholars and rising stars in the field of Korean and Asian studies. Along with partners at the USC Korean Heritage Library (which boasts one of the largest Korean-American history and media studies archives in the country), USC KSI avails a deep and broad range of resources. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, the gateway to the Pacific Rim, KSI is ideally positioned to serve as a scholarly gateway to improve mutual understanding between the US and Korea.
For information about the Ahn Family House, click here.
Contact Us
809 W 34th St., Los Angeles, CA. 90089
To get in touch or learn more about the Korean Studies Institute, please reach out to us by email or by phone.