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News Release

Last modified: Thursday, January 9, 2003

Media advisory: IU faculty can offer perspectives on Korean crisis

EDITORS: With tensions remaining high in East Asia concerning North Korea's resumption of its nuclear program, here is information about three experts at Indiana University Bloomington who can offer informed perspectives on the two Koreas and the current crisis. The United States, South Korea and Japan opened trilateral talks Monday (Jan. 6) on how to defuse the quickly escalating situation with North Korea. For further assistance, contact George Vlahakis or Richard Doty at the IU Office of Communications and Marketing at 812-855-3911 or by using their personal contact information located elsewhere in this advisory.

-- Heejoon Kang, professor of business economics and public policy in IU's Kelley School of Business, is a native of the Republic of Korea (South Korea). In addition to his research into economic conditions and policies in the region, Kang has been a frequent editorial contributor to Korea Times, the oldest independent and most influential English-language daily in South Korea. His research also has focused on the relationship between international trade and political conflict/cooperation. He is a member of the Korean-American Economic Association. He can be reached at 812-855-2781 or kang@indiana.edu.

-- Michael E. Robinson, professor of East Asian languages and cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a co-author of the book Korea Old and New: A History (Harvard University Press); editor of the book Colonial Modernity in Korea (Harvard University Press); and author of numerous articles and journal papers on Korean history. He is in the process of writing a new book tentatively titled, Korea's 20th Century Odyssey, for publication in early 2004. His research focuses on the use of the media to influence popular opinion in Korea. He has been the recipient of a Korean Foundation grant and a Fulbright Research Fellowship to do research in the Republic of Korea. His experience in Korea goes back to the late 1960s, when he was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Korea. He can be reached at 812-336-8479 (home) or mrobinso@indiana.edu.

-- Roy W. Shin, professor emeritus in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, also is a native of the Republic of Korea. His research and teaching interests are public policy and political economy of policy reform, and he is familiar with trade issues in Asia. He was recently a Senior Fulbright Research Scholar in South Korea, and he has done consulting work for the government of the Republic of Korea, as well as for the governments of the People's Republic of China, Japan and Taiwan. He can be reached at 812-855-0193 or shinr@indiana.edu.

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