Introduction

Established in May 2000, the Institute devotes itself to research and development of North Korean Studies and at developing policies for peace in the Korean Peninsula and for unification of the nation.

In order to actively cope with the rapidly changing research environment in and out of the country, and to obtain competitiveness, it has reorganized its structure and is trying to get competent people and finance for its independent operation.

Now it is collecting materials in various fields such as North Korea, diplomacy for unification, international politics and economy, regional cooperation in northeastern Asian countries, etc. It is increasing academic interchange with scientific societies, research institutes, and laboratories in and out of the country, and also publishing periodicals and non-periodicals.

Through construction of the network with the two research institutes of Gilim University in China, it holds a joint workshop and scientific meeting every year, and it has regular forums on North Korea once every two or three months locally.

Especially, under the support of the Japan Foundation Asia Center, the Institute is proceeding to a project, "Cooperation among Korea, China, and Japan, and Japan￠®es role in the cooperation. "With expectation that the economic cooperation between South and North Korea would be activated, the Institute has opened a course for specialists in economic cooperation between South and North Korea.

The major works that it has done so far are: to publish a periodical; to do consignment research; to keep cooperation with overseas research organization (China and Japan); and to hold international scientific meetings and forums.